OUR 24TH YEAR OF WEEKLY INDEPENDENT NEWS, ARTS & EVENTS FOR WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA VOL. 24 NO. 19 NOV. 29 - DEC. 5, 2017
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OUR 24TH YEAR OF WEEKLY INDEPENDENT NEWS, ARTS & EVENTS FOR WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA VOL. 24 NO. 19 NOV. 29 - DEC. 5, 2017
C O NT E NT S
PAGE 6 ASHEVILLE INNOVATORS Innovative ideas and approaches abound throughout Western North Carolina, which made selecting just eight innovative initiatives to highlight in this special feature a challenge. Representing a range of disciplines and endeavors, local innovators are moving our community forward in a host of ways. COVER DESIGN Scott Southwick
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WELLNESS
23 NUTRITIONAL WASTELANDS Local agencies battle health woes of food deserts in WNC
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26 GROWING CHRISTMAS BETTER Christmas tree farmers strike balance in production practices
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30 FRONT LINES Animal Liberation Front vs. Wild Abundance permaculture school
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16 BUNCOMBE BEAT Ambulance service gets initial thumbs-up from county
34 THINK PINK Valeria Watson addresses a dark past and bright future with her new installation
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36 THE SONG YOU CAN SING Cary Cooper debuts ‘Case of the Hopefuls’ at The Altamont Theatre
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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 NEWS EDITOR/WRITER: Carolyn Morrisroe OPINION EDITOR: Tracy Rose WELLNESS EDITOR/WRITER: Susan Foster STAFF REPORTERS/WRITERS: Able Allen, Edwin Arnaudin, Thomas Calder, Virginia Daffron, Dan Hesse, Max Hunt, Carolyn Morrisroe
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McHenry favors policies that make life harder District 10 Rep. Patrick McHenry voted for the Republican tax bill that passed the House. Unfortunately, his public pronouncements often clash with its provisions. In his Nov. 16 press release, McHenry said that the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act “allows families to keep more of their hard-earned money.” But eliminating deductions for high mortgages, state and local taxes, and large medical expenses could actually raise taxes for many working families. McHenry also claimed Republicans were “fulfilling our commitment to provide muchneeded tax relief for middle-class families.” NC Policy Watch reported that “in North Carolina, analysis shows that 50 percent of the federal tax cuts would go to the richest 5 percent of residents and 13 percent of households would face a tax increase.” The GOP plan, according to the Congressional Budget Office, would increase the national debt by $1.7 trillion. And if this “wealth transfer” plan passes, the CBO calculates that Medicare would be cut by $25 billion.“ The AARP has called the current leg-
islation a ”health tax on millions of Americans.“ Polls indicate less than 25 percent of voters favor this bill. Once again, McHenry talks ”tax reform" but supports unpopular policies that make his constituents’ lives harder. — Frank L. Fox Asheville
Tired of Asheville hippie-crites As a native of Asheville, I want to state that I am tired of these hippie-crites in Asheville. Asheville is overrun by people trying to dress and act like hippies, but these people are toxic, judgmental and vile. They are hypocrites (hippie-crites) and phonies. These people dress alike, talk alike, quote the same things and do the same things, but they think they are so unique and original. It’s comical, really. If you cannot be true “peace and love,” then shut up and stop playing dress-up. I’m tired of people begging for money and cussing me out when they don’t get what I earned and they feel entitled to. I’m sick of drugs, alcohol and crazy people being what my hometown is known for. I’m tired of people coming here, and within weeks, they are getting fake dreadlocks and calling themselves Willow, Harmony, Wildflower or River. It’s pathetic.
CALENDAR EDITOR: Abigail Griffin CLUBLAND EDITORS: Abigail Griffin, Max Hunt MOVIE REVIEWERS: Scott Douglas, Francis X. Friel, Justin Souther CONTRIBUTING EDITORS: Peter Gregutt, Rob Mikulak REGULAR CONTRIBUTORS: Jonathan Ammons, Liisa Andreassen, Kari Barrows, Leslie Boyd, Jacqui Castle, Scott Douglas, David Floyd, Tony Kiss, Bill Kopp, Cindy Kunst, Kate Lundquist, Monroe Spivey, Lauren Stepp, Daniel Walton ADVERTISING, ART & DESIGN MANAGER: Susan Hutchinson GRAPHIC DESIGNERS: Norn Cutson, Scott Southwick, Olivia Urban MARKETING ASSOCIATES: Sara Brecht, Bryant Cooper, Niki Kordus, Ciru Muchiri, Tim Navaille, Brian Palmieri, Heather Taylor INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES & WEB: Bowman Kelley, DJ Taylor BOOKKEEPER: Amie Fowler-Tanner ADMINISTRATION, BILLING, HR: Able Allen, Lauren Andrews DISTRIBUTION MANAGER: Jeff Tallman ASST. DISTRIBUTION MANAGER: Denise Montgomery DISTRIBUTION: Gary Alston, Russell Badger, Frank D’Andrea, Jemima Cook Fliss, Adrian Hipps, Clyde Hipps, Jennifer Hipps, Joan Jordan, Laura Stinson, Brittney Turner-Daye, Thomas Young
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OPINION
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Send your letters to the editor to letters@mountainx.com.
I took my teenage autistic son trick-or-treating in West Asheville, off Haywood Road, and was so outraged by these jerks who dress and talk like hippies, who were bullying and judging kids. We got to a home on Russell Street where the porch had many wannabe hippies on it. My son felt safe to approach them with his mask on. He doesn’t normally approach anyone except on Halloween. These hippie-crites interrogated my son and were snotty and harsh because he couldn’t answer their questions! Thanks, guys, he will not go again. Feel superior to him now? Why are these hypocrites so self-righteous? They won’t work, they don’t bathe, nor can they go a day without drugs and alcohol, so why do they feel judgmental and superior to a disabled boy? What happened to love? Or acceptance? What happened to kindness? One love? Coexist? No, you’re a city of liars, posers and hippie-crites! I’m sick and tired of these idiots following each other and being such sheeple. These people are self-righteous hypocrites and should stop pretending until
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they can walk the walk and talk the talk! We’re sick of you hippie-crites! — Devin Walker Candler
What our Sunday school teachers never mentioned Fox newsman Bill O’Reilly said he is “mad at God” for failing to protect him from his $32 million sexual harassment lawsuit. You gotta wonder if ole Bill ain’t asking for a really special favor from God. But maybe Bill has discovered some lost biblical scrolls that offer protection for men regardless of what they do to women. Or perhaps Donald Trump found them and showed them to Bill (but declared they do not pertain retroactively to Bill Clinton). Neil Gorsuch, the “Christian right’s” golden-haired Supreme Court justice, could wind up giving us the final analysis on O’Reilly’s transgression/newfound male privilege.
Sunday school/Bible school teachers at Long Branch, Locust Field and Jarrett Memorial Baptist churches never mentioned this type of moral/legal quandary to us young children. I’m glad they didn’t. We’ve had all these years of innocence without having to be concerned about such weighty matters. We didn’t know adults could get mad at God because he knows everything, is all-powerful and is everywhere. Or has O’Reilly changed that? — Dave Waldrop Webster
We want to hear from you! Please send your letters to: Editor, Mountain Xpress, 2 Wall St., Asheville, NC 28801 or by email to letters@mountainx.com.
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Innovators
Marked by a variety of characteristics, innovation can be found in multiple disciplines. But all innovators set out in front of the pack, bushwhacking a trail where none exists. Innovative organizations and projects bring outside-thebox thinking to problems or present a refreshing take on the status quo. Xpress sought to find those clearing the path for our community’s future and put out a call for the public to nominate innovators. We received a total of 41 nominations and, through a process
of several in-house jury deliberations, arrived at the eight we profile in this special issue. It wasn’t easy. And the runners-up made us deliberate if we should even feature more. Xpress is proud to present Asheville’s Innovators. We hope their actions inspire you to innovate in your corner of Western North Carolina. — Xpress Asheville Innovator jury: Edwin Arnaudin, Jeff Fobes, Dan Hesse, Max Hunt, Carolyn Morrisroe, Tracy Rose and Gina Smith X
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Brightfield Transportation Solutions Inc. BrightFieldts.com Matthew Johnson (left) and Stan Cross, co-founders Describe your organization/project. Brightfield’s vision is to leapfrog fossil fuel and Drive on Sunshine. Since 2010, Brightfield Transportation Solutions delivers solar-driven charging solutions for the rapidly expanding electric vehicle marketplace. As a technology integration company, we design, manufacture and operate our patented Brightfield Charging Stations. On this highly scalable platform, we integrate best-in-class EV chargers, solar production, energy storage and management capabilities. Brightfield is a team of technology, sustainability and marketing entrepreneurs with a deep understanding and passion for the electrification of transportation and its broad impacts. We provide customized EV infrastructure solutions to our forward-acting clients in the retail, destination, municipality, university, workplace and utility markets. Brightfield Charging Stations are designed to enhance clients’ brands, increase customer and employee loyalty, manage energy resources and promote future-oriented sustainability solutions — all while keeping our clients’ business goals and realities at the forefront. Why is this needed in the Asheville area, and how does it make a difference? In addition to selling charging stations, Brightfield has deployed stations that we own and operate along the Interstate 40 and 85 corridors. These chargers link Knoxville, Asheville, Greensboro, the Triangle area and Charlotte, allowing Asheville EV drivers to connect outward to regional destinations and the region to connect to Asheville. The Asheville region leads the state in per-capita EV sales. Public and workplace charging stations support the growing market and provide reliable mobility for EV owners. Asheville also attracts visitors from the hot Atlanta, Raleigh and Charlotte EV markets who, because of the public chargers deployed in our region, drive their EVs here on vacation. EV owners save approximately $1,300 annually in gas and maintenance. When you buy gas here in Asheville, approximately 97 cents of every dollar leave the region to oil company or foreign-nation bank accounts. Looking at gas savings alone, the 1,000 EVs currently on WNC’s roads are saving drivers approximately $750,000 annually, money now retained in our communities to feed our local economy. Think about how impactful this will be to Asheville
when there are 10,000 EVs on local roads … or 100,000. EVs also help keep our mountain air clean, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase our energy security by reducing our dependency on oil. Those same 1,000 EVs are avoiding 22,000 barrels of oil annually and reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 4.4 million pounds. If those EVs were solar-driven — meaning enough solar was installed to offset EV electricity demand from coal and natural gas power plants — regional greenhouse gas emissions would be reduced another 48 percent to 8.3 million pounds avoided per year. What was your epiphany/eureka moment for this organization/project? In 2009, Matthew and Stan were on a hike in the Smokies. They shared their mutual desires to create a more sustainable world and the work they were doing to that end. Matthew was working on designs for solar-integrated EV charging stations that would become the basis for the Brightfield product line, and Stan was developing climate and sustainability solutions at Warren Wilson College and in partnership with visionaries across the country. On that hike, the two friends realized the potential of what Matthew was designing, and the vision to leapfrog fossil fuel and drive on sunshine took off. What was the inspiration that made you take the leap from cool, cutting-edge idea to implementing it? To bring an innovative idea to market, you need capital. In 2010, Brightfield applied for and secured a grant from the N.C. Green Business Fund, a program of the N.C. Department of Commerce, that enabled us to bring our prototype product to market and install the first three Brightfield Charging Stations in partnership with the city of Asheville, Buncombe County, UNC Asheville and the Land-ofSky Clean Vehicles Coalition. What do you think makes it innovative? Brightfield Charging Stations integrate the existing technologies of electric vehicles, EV charging stations, solar production and energy storage to create an attractive, viable and scalable solution that meets the demand for public and workplace charging while reducing air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation sector and enhancing energy security and utility grid functionality. How is it working now? The EV market has grown to over 700,000 EVs sold nationally. Automakers are invest-
ing over $80 billion to bring longer-range and more affordable EVs to market while the ten Zero Emission Vehicle states — which include the large Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Maryland and California markets — commit to getting 3.3 million EVs on the road by 2025 and entire countries, including the U.K., France and Germany, pledge to ban gas and diesel cars by 2040. With the transition to electric transportation well underway, Brightfield is gaining traction as we break into new markets and experience an ever-increasing number of clients wanting Brightfield Charging Stations in their parking lots. What are your goals for the project in the future? Brightfield is currently raising capital to expand our sales and marketing reach nationally. Our goal is to take our solardriven vision from Asheville to America and build a highly profitable business that will support the transition to electric transportation, create desirable jobs, improve energy security and help solve the climate crisis. How is what you’re doing different from what others (people, organizations) are doing to solve this problem? Most EV charging companies are focused only on installing chargers and delivering power to EVs. Brightfield’s comprehensive approach achieves that objective and creates a zero-emission solution, increases charging station visibility and durability, enhances utility grid functionality and inspires consumers desiring a new era of clean transportation. What advice do you have for people trying to use innovation to foster change in the community? From a for-profit business perspective, bringing disruptive products and services to market requires patience, persistence and an unwavering commitment to your vision. Build a high-caliber team and then surround yourself with people who believe in the vision and your team’s potential and who have experiences and expertise you lack. Then — and this is where many founders flounder — be humble and empower your team and listen to your advisers because launching a vision is a challenge, but growing innovation into a thriving business requires much more than the founders possess.
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Innovators
Centering on Children Inc., ShoeboxTasks ShoeboxTasks.com Ron Larsen, owner/general manager Describe your organization/project. Incorporated in the mid-1990s, Centering on Children began manufacturing ShoeboxTasks beginning-level educational activities, designed primarily for children on the autism spectrum. These activities have also been used by developmentally challenged adults, dementia patients, the blind and normally developing preschool children. Manufacturing ShoeboxTasks, and the many facets this entails, is the primary purpose of Centering on Children. However, an equally important part our mission is to provide employment for individuals on the autism spectrum, who assemble, package and prepare for shipment the activities in our vocational workshop here in Asheville. Why is this needed in the Asheville area, and how does it make a difference? We serve the Asheville area in several ways. The workshop, much like ShoeboxTasks themselves, exemplifies a visually structured environment organized in a way that enables our autistic employees to work independently with a minimum of guidance. This model workshop has been used as a resource by families, educators, therapists and professionals, both locally and worldwide. Historically, a number of our autistic workers have developed skills and confidence in our shop and then have moved on successfully to other jobs in the community. We don’t want to hold anyone back who is capable of doing more, so independent progress is encouraged. For the purpose of determining job placement potential, I have provided informal assessments and consultations to other local agencies when asked. The activities are also used by occupational therapists and vocational therapists to assess various developmental skills as part of an overall plan to further the individual’s progress. Centering on Children is committed to paying a living wage. Most of our nonautistic employees are single mothers, so flexible scheduling has been key to maintaining harmony in the workplace. What was your epiphany/eureka moment for this organization? In the early 1990s, I was working as a therapist with the NC TEACCH program (Treatment and Education of Autistic and Communication-related Handicapped Children) in Asheville. Part of my job description at the time was to demonstrate to parents ways in which they could work with their newly diagnosed autistic chil8
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dren. Parents observed these work sessions through a one-way mirror. There was one particularly challenging child who would not respond to any of my efforts for the entire sweat-inducing 30-minute session. I was at a loss! During the following week and prior to the next session, I played around with cardboard shoeboxes (discards from Tops for Shoes) and came up with a design for four activities. I nervously presented them to this same child at the next session. To my delight and relief, he engaged with the tasks and did each one perfectly. The goal of the activity seemed to be self-evident when presented as a one-unit design. The child actually enjoyed doing them! From then on, the whole nature of my work sessions changed. My colleagues encouraged me to present the tasks and my findings at TEACCH’s annual conference in Chapel Hill. Knowing that many teachers would be present, I was motivated to experiment further and designed a total of 16 ShoeboxTasks with a gradual progression in difficulty. The response was overwhelmingly positive, and from there, it seemed natural to try to manufacture them. Thus, the seed for the business had been planted. What was the inspiration that made you take the leap from cool, cutting-edge idea to implementing it? I may have had the original idea, but it took the community to make the business a reality. If I knew then what I now know about the details of setting up a manufacturing workshop, I may never have taken that leap. My wife, Linda, became the project’s biggest supporter, lending her skills to every aspect of the project, from refining the presentation of the activities to locating the many individual parts needed to put them together. We contracted a local machine shop to cut the plastic lids of the shoeboxes into the various configurations needed for the different tasks. Eventually, we invested in a ShopBot computer numerical control router. Our son, Nick, a genius with machines, programmed the equipment so that now all the lids are cut in-house. Linda has been my partner not only in the formation of the business but also in its sustained success over the years. Close friends and family were also invaluable in bringing the initial vision forward into a business. We hired several UNC Asheville students and an autistic man with his job coach, and using our garage as a workshop, we began the manufacturing process of ShoeboxTasks. With the words “problem-free area” on the floor of the shop,
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we averted many potential disturbances in this limited space. What do you think makes it innovative? Centering on Children is the sole source provider for these activities. Was I the first person to ever put this concept into practice? Who’s to say? What I did do was create a credible design and product based on the perceived needs of young autistic children first entering the educational arena. I think of ShoeboxTasks as activities for children learning how to learn. Over the years, they have proved to be effective educational tools for getting children off to a good start and have also been used as models for teachers to see what type of physical structure makes sense to the young autistic mind. As far as I know, there was nothing else like this available before ShoeboxTasks. How is it working now? During the 21 years Centering on Children has been in business, there has been slow and steady growth within the United States that has expanded to a presence in over 26 countries. Through a collaborative process with Skyline Plastics in Mills River, we now have our own mold. Although we have not pursued any major marketing strategies, we do have a strong website presence. Mostly, ShoeboxTasks has grown by word-ofmouth — from local to worldwide — testifying to their efficacy and value. The Asheville workshop has become a destination place for professionals who work in the autism field. Our Facebook page is monitored by an individual on the autism spectrum who daily addresses issues related to this population. Since 2009, we have developed a close, collaborative relationship with an autism center in Rome, Italy: Collina Storta. Several of its staff have come to Asheville for training, spending time at our workshop as well as training in a model autism classroom at Koontz Intermediate School. I have also given several talks in Rome, consulting to their program. From very humble beginnings, ShoeboxTasks continues to serve families and schools in places we have sometimes had to look up on a map to find their location. We also donate activities to programs in particular need, finding this type of exchange as valuable to the well-being of our company as money. What are your goals for the project in the future? Employment is a huge problem for the autistic population. Centering on Children is limited as to how many autistic employ-
ees it can employ effectively. Several years ago, Adam, Linda and myself created a documentary titled Neurotypical (a term used by autistics to describe so-called normal people). In it, autistic individuals talk about autism and how it has affected their lives. The documentary was well-received, accepted into a number of film festivals and ultimately bought by PBS’ “Point of View,” where it has a nationwide audience. It can now be streamed through Amazon. We plan to use Centering on Children as a jumping-off point for a second documentary dealing with the challenges individuals on the spectrum have when seeking employment. There is such a huge pool of talented people who are ready and willing to work who may be somewhat intimidated by the prospect of working in a neurotypical environment. Potential employers need to be educated and to develop a greater awareness of the resources of this population. It’s often a case of making simple adaptations to the workplace and also to gain a compassionate understanding of the social needs of the autistic person that can mean the difference between success or failure. I find myself inadvertently becoming more and more involved in an advocacy role for employment challenges faced by autistics. There is a great need for someone to take this project on! How is what you’re doing different from what others (people, organizations) are doing to solve this problem? We have such a unique situation in that we manufacture activities designed for children on the autistic spectrum that are put together and packaged by adults on the autistic spectrum. Therein lies the main difference. I’m sure we aren’t the only ones, but Centering on Children strives to make environmentally conscious choices throughout the entire process. What advice do you have for people trying to use innovation to foster change in the community? First of all, I believe that innovation is not something you can try to do. I did not know I was an innovator until someone else put that tag on me. I was interested and invested in my work, and out of that came an idea that worked. And because it worked, it was worth pursuing. It also captured the attention of those around me, and they encouraged the further development of the idea. To me, an innovation does not happen in the void. I would encourage people to view challenges in whatever endeavor they may be involved as opportunities for innovation and change. Over the years, Centering on Children has experienced much internal innovation and change as it has grappled with challenges that have arisen as part of the natural rhythm of growth. I expect this dynamic process to continue.
$25 OFF Descubre Asheville DescubreAsheville.com Luis Carlos Serapio, creative director
Describe your organization/project. Descubre Asheville is a bilingual online platform that highlights Asheville’s attractions while creating opportunity for all and a locally rooted company that pulls from local Latino talent. Our goal is to create integration, growth and academic opportunities for Asheville’s Latinos, African-Americans and the LGBTQ community. We offer advertising for any Asheville business or service on our bilingual platform and we give back to our community. Beyond offering our clients the opportunity for catering to a powerful demographic, we offer a way for them to show their appreciation of all by “embracing diversity while seeking inclusion.” Why is this needed in the Asheville area, and how does it make a difference? Asheville is a city that is pushing to be progressive and searching for ways to be authentically inclusive. However, it is a city that overlooks the potential achieved through an integration of all its sectors. I believe Descubre Asheville brings three key points for all to consider: 1.) We are a digital face for Asheville that greets and informs visitors 24/7 in both Spanish and English (in a country of 51 million Latinos, it is good to be bilingual and open 24/7); 2.) Descubre Asheville’s core inspiration is the empowerment of our community. Through the creation of our scholarship “Descubre tu Potencial” (discover your potential), I believe we can have a positive impact on the lives of young people by encouraging and creating the opportunity for academic development; 3.) Descubre Asheville is
100 percent local and organic. There is no big company behind us, just a group of Latinos and good friends who strongly believe we can make a difference by making Asheville the most inclusive city in America. What was your epiphany/eureka moment for this organization/project? Jan. 21, 2017. While walking alongside 15,000 women in downtown Asheville, I knew then that this town wants equality and it wants to be progressive. I want that, too, and I want to invite all of you to join me and let’s together make it happen. What was the inspiration that made you take the leap from cool, cuttingedge idea to implementing it? My children are my inspiration. I want a better world for them. As Latinos, I want them to have good local Latino role models. This is why I believe we have to break through/down the negative stereotypes. I want my children to grow up in an integrated society (or the closest to it). I believe Descubre Asheville can be a bridge. What do you think makes it innovative? We are the first to showcase Asheville in English and Spanish online. Another important fact is that our platform is built to be smartphone-
friendly. In a country where 95 percent of the population owns a smartphone, an online platform has to look good on the phone. How is it working now? It is going really well. There are businesses that have been very supportive because they see the value in taking a stand and making Asheville a welcoming city to all. Thank you, John Atwater from Mamacitas, Amy and Hugo Ramirez from Limones, Jim and Jen Lauzon from LaZoom, Francisco Troconis and Gary Culbertson from Contemporaneo, Karen Donatelli, Izzy’s Coffee Den, High Five Coffee, The Blind Pig, Neil from The Fine Arts Theatre, Claudia Guerrero and Juan David de Narváez from Open Door Boutique, Dimitri Schemel, Boomer Sassmann from Big Boom Design and everyone else who has supported Descubre Asheville. What are your goals for the project in the future? To contribute in a greater form to the advancement of Asheville’s Latinos and the empowerment of our community. Also to show business owners in Asheville, especially in the tourism industry, restaurants, bed-and-breakfasts, breweries, etc., that they can thrive while embracing diversity. How is what you’re doing different from what others (people, organizations) are doing to solve this problem? There are many great organizations in Asheville, and no one is the same. I appreciate all of those working on inclusion, equality, people’s rights, education and the immigrant and LGBTQ communities. What advice do you have for people trying to use innovation to foster change in the community? Be brave, be bold, be compassionate. Allow yourself to be a conduit for change that is both personal and collective.
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Innovators
ESTA program (Eliada’s Students Training for Advancement) Eliada.org/programs/workforce-development/esta Ted Stump (right), workforce development director Michael Murphy, volunteer (retired 35-year hotel industry executive).
Describe your organization/project. Elida’s Students Training for Advancement is a 24-month education, career pathway and independent living program that provides youths with multiple barriers to employment the appropriate support and resources to achieve their personal and professional goals. We strive to service the most vulnerable youths (ages 16-22) who have one or more of the following barriers: in or aging out of foster care; dropped out or at risk of dropping out of high school; economically disadvantaged, housing instability or homeless; juvenile system involvement; unemployed or underemployed; or with low academic performance. We’ve partnered extensively with the local community to build a sustainable workforce development program. With the help of Explore Asheville, Aloft Asheville Downtown hotel, the Omni Grove Park Inn, Renaissance Asheville Hotel, The Biltmore Co. and Hilton Asheville Biltmore Park, we have designed and implemented a customized job shadow program, internships and paid apprenticeships to allow each student the opportunity to explore the hospitality industry career path while learning extensive people skills and work-ethic skills. Asheville’s Goodwill education team supplements our career training and development track by teaching and certifying ESTA students in the hospitality discipline. Why is this needed in the Asheville area, and how does it make a difference? On any given day, our community has between 750 and 1,350 youths deemed homeless. Ten percent of youths in the foster care system opt out and 437 youths have records in the juvenile justice system. At the same time, Asheville has a 3.5 percent unemployment rate, which is rapidly dropping. With the number of hotels opening and growth in the health care and construction sectors, ESTA can help funnel trained talent into our industries that need it most with the students who need employment most. When a student first joins our program, they may be living in the back seat of a car or on 10
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their friend’s couch, with endless stories of overcoming major life obstacles. With ESTA’s support, guidance and training over time, they can be drawing a paycheck that allows them to support themselves going forward. What was your epiphany/eureka moment for this organization/project? Michael Murphy: I retired with two major goals in mind: 1) Find a way to give back to the community with the hopes of making a difference in the lives of Asheville’s youths; 2) teach in the areas of hospitality, career skills and leadership. … Then I met Ted Stump, who opened my eyes to the tremendous needs of a large population of youths who live in the Asheville community who are, as he says, like “the walking wounded in search of the families they never had.” After I met some of these wonderful and broken students, I knew I had found what I had been looking for. What was the inspiration that made you take the leap from cool, cuttingedge idea to implementing it? With the support of Eliada’s leadership team, the first phase of program design was easy. Eliada is all about helping children succeed, and when you walk on campus, you are inspired with what’s all around you. In phase two of our implementation process, we needed partners from Asheville’s rapidly growing hotel industry. We reached out to Glenn Cox, Explore Asheville’s vice president of administration and workforce development, who immediately rallied key hotel leaders in town who have a track record of making a difference. The energy and inspiration from Glenn, [hotel industry executives] Stan Turner, David McCartney, Chip Bryan, Amy Mohl, Michael LaFlamme and Laurie Watt helped us take a vision and build out a program. The third and final phase was the most inspirational. Once you meet the students, you want nothing more than to see them do what deep down they could only dream about — succeed in life. Each student has come up against more hardships and challenges in their short life-
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times than most adults have had to face. ESTA challenges them to learn a way out through positive life and career education, all while providing a strong safety net along the way. What do you think makes it innovative? We realized early on that this program required four major elements at the foundation to succeed: 1) career skills; 2) workforce development; 3) academic assistance; 4) transitional living and transportation. As a startup program, each of these areas took a great deal of resource building and assistance from many areas to enable our success. On top of this, we are adding 21st-century skills training to advance ESTA students faster to career opportunities. These skills will help them compete in a rapidly paced, ever-changing global economy as they build the following competencies: adaptability, communications, solution focused, culturally competent, critical thinking, embrace failure, tech savvy, collaborative and entrepreneurial skills. How is it working now? Our inaugural class of 12 students recently completed their first year. One hundred percent completed their introduction to hospitality training and attained the American Lodging Association Guest Services Professional certification, 75 percent are entered into some form of secondary or college education, 91 percent completed their 10-week apprenticeship, five have entered into transitional living or are moving out on their own. We have just launched our second class of 15 students who are progressing through their workforce development and life skills classroom training. In addition, the “small win” stories are endless: Just this past week, we asked one of our students from the inaugural class to join our second class and provide some advice. Without being prompted, he clearly articulated one of his experiences to the new group saying, “We all have had a rough life, but you need to place that thinking into the past, as ESTA is about your future. You
need to positively focus on your future and agree to change. If you do, you will be successful.” We will take a small win like this all day long! What are your goals for the project in the future? 1) Enroll 30 students per year. 2) Evolve from hotel industry training to medical and construction in 2018 by partnering with key leaders to build out industry specific training. 3) Reach a 90-plus percent success rate that hits all three major areas of focus: living, education and career sustainability. How is what you’re doing different from what others (people, organizations) are doing to solve this problem? We learned early on that we need to help the needs of the entire student. Housing, legal assistance, counseling, single-mother support, transportation, life skills training, educational needs and a whole lot of encouragement and support. What makes our program somewhat unique is that we help with housing, transportation, life skills and workforce development simultaneously. It is our goal to network with other like-minded organizations to work together to make an impact on the students in Buncombe County and surrounding areas. What advice do you have for people trying to use innovation to foster change in the community? Don’t operate in a silo. Asheville is one of the best communities in the country to network. We are very fortunate to have a caring and giving culture throughout the community, as well as many subject matter experts; it’s vital to reach out and ask for help (make sure to ask those who have the ability to execute their ideas). Simply find a need and fill it. By doing so, you are helping others and gaining tremendous satisfaction in the process.
Patchwork Urban Farms PatchworkUrbanFarms.com Sunil Patel (far right), founder/farmer
Describe your organization/project. Patchwork Urban Farms is a cooperative, multiplot farm in the city of Asheville. We grow and produce eggs, herbs, flowers and perennial food crops. Our aim is to integrate land, landowners, farmers, workers and consumers to re-vision and re-establish a vibrant, village-scale food economy. We are three farmers farming on 15 patches in the city limits, and we distribute to residents in the city through a CSA program, popup farm stand, online store and farmers market. We also do a small amount of restaurant sales. Why is this needed in the Asheville area, and how does it make a difference? Our connection with the land we live on is lost. We have huge disparities in food access in our city. The ability of farmers to make a living feeding the community they live in is difficult, and the groundwork for a citywide food system needs to be established for us to find food security. How does it make a difference? By having farming out in the open, where people can experience it on a daily and seasonal basis (just by seeing it happen in their neighborhood) will in a subtle but powerful way shift how we relate to the land we live on and the food we eat. This personal reconnection with the land and the people in our neighborhoods is essential for us to create a sustenance food system in the city. We have taken on Ujamaa Freedom Market (a food distribution cooperative) and will relaunch the project as a distribution, education and food access arm of Patchwork (relaunch scheduled for 2018). Through a sliding-scale pricing system, mobile food market and food education, we hope to affect the imbalances we see in the ability for all residents to have access to fresh, healthful food. At the same time, the economics of food and farming make it challenging to provide a secure livelihood for farmers while still responsibly farming, feeding regular residents (not high-end markets) and affecting food access in low-income communities. By becoming a cooperative, we hope to create structures that mobilize landless farmers and future farmers
(through incubation, shared infrastructure, distribution and marketing) and connect already established city and regional farmers in order to start coordinating ourselves to do the work of truly feeding our city. Shared food systems infrastructure and networked farmers will allow for better planning and implementation when we look to create a sustenance food system. It is a lofty vision, but through partnership with the Bountiful Cities project, we feel strong in this lofty vision. What was your epiphany/eureka moment for this organization/project? The vision formed as I was lead coordinator for an Urban Farm School program at the Ashevillage Institute in 2014. Through that, the process of deeply thinking about the idea of a citywide food system that actually feeds us, I formed some visions. What was the inspiration that made you take the leap from cool, cuttingedge idea to implementing it? We believe we all feel some level of the notion that there is a mandate to regenerate land, reconnect ourselves with it and find equity and security in that process. The urgency became very apparent to me a long time ago. There was a drive for real action now, which kick-started the development of a few relationships with landowners in the city in 2014. Support in many forms has allowed Sunil to carry it through and has allowed for Teddy Pitsiokos and Gabi White to join the cooperative and help found the structures we operate by and move the vision forward. What do you think makes it innovative? The end goal is that we all own our food system. Our aim is to incorporate landowners, workers, consumers and partnering food system enterprises into the cooperative to make a cohesive, empowered population in our city: to actually redesign and redefine our food economy. By making exchange-based relationships happen more and building trust and obligation between ourselves, we are taking the first essential step in creating what we are aiming for. How is it working now? Summer 2017 saw the first real transition into forming the growers cooperative of Patchwork. This is just the
first step in our vision. Since 2014, we have laid an amazing foundation for the development of the various pieces in the vision. We are highly confident in our ability to put out an amazing product through our CSA program, online store and market venues. There is still a whole lot to do going forward, but we are at a point where the biggest need is to get our product more well-known as the quality product it is and create a profitable backbone for this project. What are your goals for the project in the future? The zoomed-out vision is: Hundreds (if not thousands) are making livelihoods in our citywide/regional food economy, all involved own the food system, and we are empowered to have the values we share in the food we eat. How is what you’re doing different from what others (people, organizations) are doing to solve this problem? There is a large movement and many organizations involved with the local food movement, but through our multifaceted approach, we see what we do as based in a reality where the scale, magnitude and foundational sustenance food systems infrastructure (physical and social) need to be rebuilt from scratch in order for meaningful change to occur. Our focus is on that foundation more than anything else. We believe that what we’re creating now is going to allow for the scale and magnitude of a citywide food system. And we also understand that we are still in the very, very first steps in the process. What advice do you have for people trying to use innovation to foster change in the community? It is important that we do not fear trying something. Fostering change in a community usually means we are reestablishing what has been lost (community resilience). We must understand that just as it took thousands of generations to create optimal community resilience, it’s going to take us thousands of iterations to rebuild that. We must start and try now so we can churn through all the iterations we need to get through to reach our ideals.
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Innovators
UNC Asheville’s STEAM Studio SteamStudio.unca.edu Brent Skidmore (right), Sara Sanders (left), Susan Rieser, Rebecca Bruce, Jackson Martin and Matt West, collaborative co-founders Describe your organization/project. Founded by an interdisciplinary team of engineering and sculpture faculty and staff, UNC Asheville STEAM Studio @ the RAMP is a state-of-the-art fabrication/making space combining the curricular forces of engineering and art. STEAM Studio is an 11,647-square-foot space that acts as a hands-on classroom, fabrication facility and incubator for these collaborative partners and ideas. The facility is specifically designed to nurture and promote collaborations across multiple disciplines. Students work side by side utilizing woodworking technologies, metal fabrication and computer-aided design. STEAM Studio provides an environment where students develop and prototype viable products, engage in creative exploration and design-thinking approaches, while also implementing class projects, including the mechatronics senior design projects and senior exhibitions in art and all levels of sculpture. Why is this needed in the Asheville area, and how does it make a difference? When people come together from disparate fields and perspectives, we have the opportunity to learn and grow in ways we simply can’t on our own. We can achieve far greater goals when we utilize the diverse strengths and skill sets of individuals working in a team than we can when we are contained and confined in our disciplinary silos. When each individual is able to contribute in a meaningful way to the greater good of a project, everyone wins. It builds community and solves problems in a very user-centered way. When we collaborate effectively, we are forced to examine our own egos and intentions, our strengths and our weaknesses. We learn to ask for help and we learn when to offer support. When we can do these things in the context of design and making, we can enhance and optimize the user experience in the tangible and digital worlds while creating community and a sense of belonging. This is needed in Asheville, and it’s needed all over the world. We believe that public liberal arts institutions everywhere should be looking for ways to use design, making and collaboration to help us face all challenges. What was your epiphany/eureka moment for this organization/project? 12
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Realizing that the team, even though we come from different disciplines, all believe in teaching and learning by doing and making together. Learning how a laser cutter works is very different from using a laser cutter. While learning the standard operating procedures and safety guidelines are critical to understanding the laser cutter, without actual practice on the equipment, they provide an incomplete lesson. Designing a chair and actually physically building a chair are two very different experiences. To understand both the virtual and real space of craft and making is central to our desired experiences at STEAM. Learning by making is not a new approach: It’s a cornerstone of art, engineering and new media and follows the exceptional model of Black Mountain College. What was the inspiration that made you take the leap from cool, cuttingedge idea to implementing it? Collaborating in the creative fabrication course — a class in which multidisciplinary teams of students fabricate assistive technology using user-centered design process — cemented our interdisciplinary team and friendships. Of course, without the support from people in and outside of the university who saw value in what we are doing, STEAM Studio would still be just a dream. This support from outside the university, specifically that of the Duke Energy Foundation and the Windgate Charitable Foundation, was a giant turning point for us to realize STEAM at a time when the university is strategically planning ways to engage the community through collaboration. These foundations, along with N.C. State and the owners group at RAMP, saw value in what we were trying to do. STEAM was designed while we were teaching the first sections of creative fabrications. What do you think makes it innovative? The collaboration between nontraditional allies at a public liberal arts university makes UNC Asheville’s STEAM Studio innovative. When engineers and artists work in proximity to each other, organic interactions and solid partnerships occur. Those are our magic moments. And the reality is those magic moments epitomize what industry (and the world) wants to see:
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communication, collaboration, critical thinking and creativity. And through this innovation, we see recognition of the other and develop empathy. The innovation lies within the concept that collaborative design and making can create positive change on many levels. How is it working now? Honestly, it depends on the day … but overall, it is working really well. STEAM Studio has attracted students who are interested in working outside of their disciplines and interested in collaboration. For example, sculpture student Shanna Glawson took an engineering class and incorporated what she learned in her recent senior show. In our intro to STEAM class, students from different majors are learning practical applications for both materials and tools. We have an engineering senior design team working on a large-scale sculpture installation with Mel Chin. Embedded in this team is a senior sculpture student. There are days where we see that team working together, and it makes us feel like we have succeeded. We see it working in our students who compete on an international level building an electric race car; we see it in the bachelor of fine arts student who realizes a complete solo exhibition in multiple materials; we see it in the countless collaborations of K-12 students and college students on community arts projects; we see it working through our community partners as they mentor our youths through collaboratively making canoes; we see it working in our students who are getting excellent jobs after graduation. This semester’s creative fabrication class is partnering with the Mountain Area Health Education Center, Simply Home and several residents of Vanderbilt Apartments to design prototypes of electronically enhanced medication dispensers that satisfy the functional needs and aesthetic wishes of the clients. What are your goals for the project in the future? We have three “big picture” goals: 1) to promote diversity and inclusion as it relates to the ownership of inno-
vation and making; 2) to increase the understanding of design thinking and collaboration through cross-disciplinary research and pedagogy; and 3) to encourage intergenerational learning in engineering and art. How is what you’re doing different from what others (people, organizations) are doing to solve this problem? Two problems we are trying to address are the traditional separation of STEM fields from the arts and the disconnect between making space and curricula. We are learning how to integrate the “A” into STEM and how to create structured learning experiences in the studio. One of the biggest differences between our approach and that of other public liberal arts universities is that we have integrated STEAM Studio into the Asheville arts community. We are physically located off campus, which allows our students to interface with professionals working in the creative sector and light manufacturing. This offers organic and structured opportunities for apprenticeships, internships and temporary, project-based work while remaining in close proximity to the main campus. Our approach to these problems is driven by our experiences working together as an interdisciplinary group of teachers and makers. What advice do you have for people trying to use innovation to foster change in the community? These may seem obvious, but believe in the idea, do not try to do it alone, utilize teamwork, build a team with trust, focus on a communication system that is open and, at all costs, return to the collaborative spirit that inspired you in the first place. Look within and connect to the power that made you take the leap. Look for support within the community. The community has to want it. Look back and understand your history and what would have served you best as a student. Stay focused on the vision and avoid mission drift. Don’t think for a second that it’s going to be easy. When it’s not easy, refocus on the team and the inspiration that stems from each other and our students. Bottom line, look each other in the eyes, set egos aside and grab hold of what moves you to make change.
Sunrise Community for Recovery and Wellness SunriseInAsheville.org Kevin Mahoney (left, front), executive director Describe your organization/project. We are WNC’s first peer-managed/ staffed recovery community organization bringing lived experience with mental health and substance use disorder to the community to assist others in their journey to wellness and selfempowerment. Peer support is a certified North Carolina state employment position for persons previously challenged and overcoming mental health and substance use challenges. A recovery community center is an umbrella for persons who face health, economic and emotional situations and need realtime, real-life solutions. Why is this needed in the Asheville area, and how does it make a difference? All persons, no matter what city or town they are in, need more connection to community and deeper networking between organizations committed to community wellness. Our society faces a dichotomy wherein we have sophisticated community and social media venues but as individuals, we can feel isolated and alone. We hope to help persons in emotional distress from mental health issues, substance abuse, homelessness and hopelessness by walking alongside them and not coercing or “fixing” them. What was your epiphany/eureka moment for this organization/project? As in the movie Field of Dreams, we built a recovery infrastructure that others saw value to partner with and invest in. From my employment experience at Vaya Health, our local managed health care organization, I saw areas or gaps in service that I thought peer support services could fill in the medical, mental health and court systems. What was the inspiration that made you take the leap from cool, cuttingedge idea to implementing it? We took inspirations from the elders, that is, retired CEO and CFOs, a psychiatric nurse practitioner and vets in our recovery community, one of whom, Blair H. Clark, recently passed away from the disease ALS this month. The Sunrise board of directors is composed of 70 percent persons in recovery and other recovery advocates.
What do you think makes it innovative? Peer support is a newer modality in mental health/substance-use communities. We are deploying peers in the medical, forensic and court system and Department of Social Services/family continuum of care. We embrace a “multiple pathways to recovery” model, utilizing principles from Dr. Gabor Mate, Dr. Carl Hart, SMART Recovery, Refuge Recovery, Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous, medication-assisted treatment, the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s social dimensions of wellness and peer-operated respite services. How is it working now? We are strategically situated on a variety of educational and opioid response committees and tactically deployed in the new Family Justice Center for felony drug diversion, in the Buncombe County Detention Facility for group and Moral Reconation [a recovery coaching technique] work and in a recovery community center on North Louisiana Avenue, which is a peer-operated respite house. What are your goals for the project in the future? We want to get the peer-operated respite service up and running by December. It’s the first of its kind in North Carolina and it represents a very exciting opportunity to interact without a power differential or uneven social status relationship to folks in our community and also neighboring communities. Building community is what it’s all about. Our mantra is “relationship is magic.” How is what you’re doing different from what others (people, organizations) are doing to solve this problem? We are addressing mental health and substance use at grassroots, person-toperson, nonclinical, nonpower-differentiated levels. What advice do you have for people trying to use innovation to foster change in the community? Never give up, all is possible. The opposite of addiction is community. MOUNTAINX.COM
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The Collider TheCollider.org Mack B. Pearsall (left), founding philanthropist and current board chairman, Thomas “Tom” R. Karl (right), Climate and Weather, LLC (retired director of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Centers for Environmental Information, headquartered in Asheville), Claire Callen, president of Oceanside Resorts Hotels Inc., and subsidiary OceansAsheville, and owner of the building that houses The Collider Describe your organization/project. The Collider is a nonprofit center of innovation in a changing climate. As a nonadvocacy, nonpartisan organization, The Collider plays a leading role in the development of jobs and business within the climate solutions industry. We support the growth of enterprises as they develop pragmatic, innovative and transformative tools, products and services to help businesses, communities and governments better navigate a changing climate. Why is this needed in the Asheville area, and how does it make a difference? Since the 1950s, Asheville has been a hub of climate and data science. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, located downtown and previously known as the National Climatic Data Center, is the world’s largest repository of weather and climate data. It is the home to internationally renowned climate scientists, some of whom have shared in the Nobel Peace Prize. With the presence of NCEI here in Asheville for more than half a century, other climate-related entities have formed over time to include N.C. State’s Cooperative Institute for Climate and Satellites and UNC Asheville’s National Environmental Modeling and Analysis Center. Dozens of innovators looking to start or grow their climate solutions organizations have also sprung up. About a decade ago, a group of individuals professionally involved in climate science, along with business and civic leaders, including Mack Pearsall, came to see that climate change is the most significant, clear and present danger to the entire Earth and its inhabitants as measured in economic, social, environmental, agricultural, energy, political and national security terms. We realized that doing something about adaptation to climate change, which we embraced as a noble cause, could also bring about financial and local job opportunities. With NCEI, CICS and NEMAC here, with the climate data, the intellectual capital — all of these combined could create a new industry: the climate solutions industry. Asheville could become known as more than “Beer City”; we could also be “Climate City.”
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What was your epiphany/eureka moment for this organization/project? This informal “climate cluster” concluded that what was needed was to create a place where public, private, academic and nonprofit entities focused on some aspect of climate solutions could work side by side; where scientists and businesspeople and students could strategically “collide” to develop innovative solutions for problems — and opportunities — created by a changing climate. What was the inspiration that made you take the leap from cool, cutting-edge idea to implementing it? While Mack recognized the potential for this idea — and was willing to contribute his own personal financial resources, which he continues to do — there were other key players that were instrumental in taking The Collider from dream to reality: Tom Karl and Claire Callen. As director of NCEI at the time, Tom served as strategic adviser on revealing the need and opportunity that The Collider could offer to the climate change community locally and worldwide. Without his insight and commitment to enhancing growth of the climate science community and close collaboration in the physical and programmatic design of The Collider, there would never have been a Collider. Likewise, the project would have never been possible without the shared vision and financial and evangelical commitment of Claire Callen, whose company, OceanAsheville, owns the building The Collider is housed in. Claire and Ocean-Asheville shared the climate cluster’s vision and commitment to do something big for the world by serving as a supportive landlord for The Collider. Claire and Ocean-Asheville generously gave the cluster 18 months to build an ecosystem of climate scientists and entrepreneurs that could be housed at The Collider and the adjacent Callen Center office suites — making the entire, 24,000-squarefoot, top-floor space a climate solution innovation center. It is widely recognized that Asheville owes Claire and OceanAsheville a debt of gratitude for the major investment in the growth of the innovation sector of Asheville’s economy.
Innovators
What do you think makes it innovative? The Collider is a one-of-a-kind combination of public, private, academic and nonprofit entities all focused on using climate data to create innovative climate solutions. One of the businesses with their North American office at The Collider is Londonbased Acclimatise, a specialist advisory and analytics company providing expertise in climate change adaptation and risk management. They’ve been doing important work with more than 180 private, public-sector and civil society organizations worldwide for well over a decade. The CEO of Acclimatise tells us he has seen no other place in the world like The Collider. How is it working now? Like any startup, we began with a simple science- and data-focused hypothesis. As the startup became reality over the past several years, we’ve learned a lot about what the climate community needs. And, like any startup, the market has changed while we were serving it. In 2017 alone, more than $14 trillion of investment capital has asked for a better understanding of the climate risks that businesses face. Entrepreneurs and established firms alike are racing to respond to that need, and new ventures are being created across the United States, including in Asheville. The Collider is uniquely positioned to catalyze the growth of this rapidly emerging sector and expects to heighten its focus on supporting innovators with proven acceleration techniques. We will be launching a fundraising campaign in 2018 to help us develop these new programs and services. Currently, we have about 65 member organizations, most which are located at The Collider here in Asheville. These range from startups to multinational organizations with a North American presence at The Collider. The emerging industry of climate services has such exciting possibilities for Asheville that the Economic Development Coalition of AshevilleBuncombe County included it in its Economic Development Strategic Plan. Our event venues allow us to collaborate with many partners to produce professional talks, forums, workshops and programs — such as a recent symposium for architects called “Where Building Science Meets Climate Science,” providing building profes-
sionals with information on how to design for a changing climate. We also have been fully embraced by the general community, who attend our public engagement events, such as our climate and environmental film series, science lectures and the newly forming science book club. What are your goals for the project in the future? Our No. 1 goal is to become the go-to place for innovators in the climate change sector. We’re also excited about North Carolina’s first-ever conference on the business of climate, which we are spearheading in March 2018, called ClimateCon. This event will feature three components: the Business of Climate Forum, the Symposium for Emerging Climate Leaders and 10 days of related community events we are calling “Welcome to Climate City.” The Business of Climate Forum will be a collaborative experience with a wide variety of business and science professionals who come together to advance the development of data-driven products and services. Speakers include Katharine Jacobs, director of the Center for Climate Adaptation Science and Solutions at the University of Arizona; Greg Lowe, global head of resilience and sustainability with Aon; Erin Meezon, chief sustainability officer with Interface Inc.; Duane Peterson, co-president and founder of Suncommon; Auden Schendler, vice president of sustainability at Aspen Skiing Co. and board chair of Protect Our Winters; and Katharine Wilkson, senior writer with Project Drawdown. How is what you’re doing different from what others (people, organizations) are doing to solve this problem? There’s no place in the world quite like The Collider. It uniquely brings together public, private, nonprofit and academic experts who are all focused on a single — if daunting — problem: creating marketdriven solutions to climate change. What advice do you have for people trying to use innovation to foster change in the community? Find an area where you have a unique competitive advantage like we identified in developing The Collider: the intellectual capital and the climate data at NCEI, CICS and NEMAC; the pool of private-sector climate talent; the synergy that can develop when like-minded, yet multidisciplinary, people share a connected space. Then, take the plunge of entrepreneurial faith. Just remember that it will take longer than you think to make it work and multiples of whatever you budgeted to make it happen.
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Ambulance service gets initial thumbs-up from county “The south end of Buncombe County is full of people, and they are running one ambulance right now. When that one ambulance goes away — out of any fire district — somebody has to respond. We are a very vital resource in Buncombe County. We want to be used.” That was the sentiment expressed at the Nov. 21 Buncombe County Board of Commissioners meeting by Kermit Tolley, owner of Medical Emergency Ambulance Inc., as he sought a franchise from the county. The Arden-based company, also called Medic, has been providing emergency transport and paramedic services since 1989. “Franchise” in this case means a permit issued by the county for the operation of a commercial ambulance service. Tolley appeared at the meeting as the first step in receiving a franchise. The board unanimously approved granting Medic a nonexclusive emergency transportation franchise in unincorporated areas of Buncombe County, but that approval is contingent upon an evaluation of Medic by a third-party company, Management Solutions for Emergency Services in Denver, N.C. Under Buncombe County’s Code of Ordinances, the county manager’s office, along with the emergency services director and legal department, must evaluate each potential emergency services provider before recommending that the board grant or deny the franchise. That process includes a hearing, such as was conducted on Medic on Nov. 21, then “within 30 days after the hearing, the county shall cause such investigation as it may deem necessary to be made of the applicant and his proposed operations.” Commissioners generally agreed that the county would benefit from having more ambulances available to respond to calls. “My main objective in moving forward with Medic is that there’s a need in Buncombe County for help and
y’all are qualified to provide that help,” Commissioner Joe Belcher said to Tolley. “We want to look at the simplest way to be able to do that so when someone dials 911, we want as many people as possible showing up to help those folks.” Medic currently has contracts with several organizations, including the Department of Veterans Affairs, Park Ridge Hospital, Care Partners Hospice, Asheville Saints Youth Football, the Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts, and the N.C. Forest Service. The company has provided emergency services to Buncombe County in the past, and this was not the first time Tolley has appeared before the board to ask for a franchise. One term that commissioners mentioned more than once was “turf wars,” alluding to tension among some fire and emergency departments about Medic, a for-profit provider, cutting into their territory. Tolley said he wants to work alongside fire departments. “We’re not trying to take anything from anybody. We just want to be another resource,” he said. “That person that calls 911 has the right to have the closest ambulance sent to him. If it’s mine, that’s great. If it’s a fire department, that’s great. If it’s Buncombe County, that’s great. The closest one and the most qualified is who needs to be sent to that call.” A rift appeared among the commissioners through the course of the discussion, as some favored approving Tolley’s request on the spot, while others argued for following the process as set in the ordinance. County attorney Michael Frue said he had heard the third-party company had charged another entity $10,000 to do an evaluation, and Commissioner Mike Fryar objected to the county having to pay that. “We’ve seen a whole lot tonight. We’ve seen what [Tolley] has as far as the service, we’ve seen how long he’s been around, we see he works for federal agen-
NEWS BRIEFS by Max Hunt | mhunt@mountainx.com NCDOT HOLDS PUBLIC MEETING ON MILLS GAP ROAD IMPROVEMENTS NOV. 30 The N.C. Department of Transportation will host a public meeting to discuss proposed improvements along Mills Gap Road in South Asheville on Thursday, Nov. 30, 4-7 p.m., at the WNC Agricultural Center. DOT staffers will be on hand to answer questions about the project and listen to comments from residents. No formal presentations on the project will be made. Citizens also have the chance to submit written comments and questions through Dec. 30. A map of the project’s scope and design can be found online at avl.mx/4cq. More info: 828-251-6171 or chood@ncdot.gov, or 828779-1788 or RMSchuler@ vaughnmelton.com EPA MEETING FOCUSES ON CTS CLEANUP EFFORTS The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region
4, will host a public meeting Thursday, Nov. 30, 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the Skyland Fire Department to discuss the impending remedial efforts for the CTS of Asheville Superfund site. EPA officials will be on hand to provide an overview of the treatment systems it will begin installing at the site in December and to address community questions and concerns. Selected treatment options for the site include the installation of an electrical resistance heating system on 1.2 acres of the Superfund site, which the agency hopes will remove an estimated 20,000 pounds of pollutants from groundwater. In addition, an in-situ chemical oxidation system will be implemented on an adjacent 1.9 acres. A treatability study will be launched for that portion of the cleanup beginning in January. EPA officials expect cleanup efforts to continue for several years. The meeting is open to the public. More info: avl.mx/4cp
cies,” Fryar said. “I would like to see if we can resolve this. ... I don’t see us having to spend $10,000.” Commissioner Robert Pressley wondered if it might be possible to have at least a couple of Medic’s ambulances inspected to get them out on the roads for the holidays, when emergency needs increase. Frue explained that the third-party company would provide an objective evaluation of not only Tolley’s operation but the county’s overall system for emergency response. “They would look at overlay maps and look at response
FFA IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Members of FFA at Enka and Owen high schools receive recognition at the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners meeting on Nov. 21. Photo by Carolyn Morrisroe 16
NOV. 29 - DEC. 5, 2017
MOUNTAINX.COM
ASHEVILLE CITY COUNCIL TO SWEAR IN MEMBERS AT DEC. 5 MEETING Asheville City Council will hold an official ceremony to swear in members at 4 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 5, in Council Chambers at Asheville City Hall. Newly elected Council members Vijay Kapoor and Sheneika Smith and returning Council member Gwen Wisler will be welcomed by Mayor Esther Manheimer, who was reelected this month, and sitting council members. The elected officials will also choose a vice mayor. More info: avl.mx/3xb BUNCOMBE COMMISSIONERS MEET DEC. 5 The Buncombe County Board of Commissioners will have a regular meeting Tuesday, Dec. 5, at 5 p.m. at 200 College St. The agenda will be available on Wednesday, Nov. 29, and can be viewed at buncombecounty.org. More info: avl.mx/4a8 X
areas and look at the current county plan to provide emergency transportation services and make sure this is a good fit, it complements it,” he said. County Manager Mandy Stone said it’s crucial that the county do its due diligence. “I would trust the Tolleys with any member of my family on any given day, but my job is still to say that there’s processes we have to follow to comply with the ordinance,” she said. Such commitment to making sure everything is on the up-and-up was applauded by Commissioner Ellen Frost, who alluded to an ongoing federal investigation into the dealings of former County Manager Wanda Greene. “Considering the current climate of our county, I’m very happy with this oversight and following the process,” she said. Frue said the review of Medic’s operation and the county’s emergency transportation services system could come back from the third-party provider in January, after which the board could make a final decision on granting the franchise to Medic. — Carolyn Morrisroe X
COMMUNITY CALENDAR NOV. 29 - DEC. 7, 2017
ASHEVILLE SUBMARINE VETERANS ussashevillebase.com, ecipox@charter.net • 1st TUESDAYS, 6-7pm - Social meeting for U.S. Navy submarine veterans. Free to attend. Held at Ryan's Steakhouse, 1000 Brevard Road
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.
ASHEVILLE WOMEN IN BLACK main.nc.us/wib • 1st FRIDAYS, 5pm - Monthly peace vigil. Free. Held at Vance Monument, 1 Pack Square
=❄ ANIMALS
❄ A WINTER'S TAIL 828-259-8092, wildwnc.org • SA (12/2), 10am-4pm - Holiday celebration with crafts, games and animal programs. Admission fees apply. Held at WNC Nature Center, 75 Gashes Creek Road
❄ CHARLIE'S ANGELS ANIMAL RESCUE 828-885-3647, wncanimalrescue.org • SA (12/2), 5-8pm Proceeds from photos of pets with "Santa Paws" benefit Charlie’s Angels Animal Rescue. $20. Held at Aloft Hotel, 51 Biltmore Ave. ❄ SARGE’S ANIMAL RESCUE FOUNDATION 828-246-9050, sargeanimals.org • Through SA (1/13) Proceeds from this holiday pet photo contest benefit Sarge's Animal Rescue Foundation. Information: sargeanimals.org. $15 per entry. BENEFITS
❄ ALZHEIMERS BENEFIT • SA (12/2), 10am-1pm - Proceeds from this event offering photos with Santa Claus, refreshments and gift wrapping benefit the Alzheimer’s Association – Western Carolina Chapter. $10-$15/Giftwrapping for an additional fee. Held at WNC Baptist retirement home, 20 Richmond Hill Drive BENEFIT PUPPET SHOW 828-254-2621 • FRIDAY through SUNDAY (12/1) until (12/3) - Proceeds from this puppet show featuring rare performance for master Puerto Rican puppeteer Deborah Hunt benefit Puerto Rico hurricane disaster relief. Fri.-Sun.: 7pm. Sat.: 9pm. $15. Held
at BeBe Theatre, 20 Commerce St.
CREST CENTER
❄ DECK THE TREES
BENEFIT 828-669-8870, themontevistahotel.net/ • FR (12/1) through SU (12/31), 10am9pm - Proceeds from donations at “80 Years of Christmas,” hand decorated Christmas tree exhibition benefit the Swannanoa Valley Christian Ministry. Free. Held at Monte Vista Hotel, 308 W. State St., Black Mountain FRANKLIN SCHOOL OF INNOVATION BENEFIT CONCERT franklinschoolofinnovation.org • TH (11/30), 7pm - Proceeds from singer-songwriter Cary Cooper's CD release concert featuring songwriting students and the Franklin School of Innovation High School Chorus benefit the Franklin School of Innovation. $15/$10 advance/$25 VIP. Held at Altamont Theatre, 18 Church St.
❄ HAYWOOD COUNTY MASTER GARDENERS 828-456-3575, sarah_scott@ncsu.edu • SA (12/2), 10amnoon & 1-3pm - Proceeds from this holiday wreath-making workshop benefit the Haywood County Master Gardeners. Registration required: 828-593-0862. $20. ❄ HOMETOWN HOLIDAY JAM XVII theorangepeel.net • TH (12/7), 7:30pm - Proceeds from the Hometown Holiday Jam XVII featuring live music by over 10 local bands benefit MANNA FoodBank and Mission Children’s Hospital. $10 and a can of food. Held at Orange Peel, 101 Biltmore Ave. ❄ LADIES WORKOUT
ASHEVILLE BENEFIT 802 Fairview Road, #1000, 828-298-4667 • SA (12/2), 11am2pm - Proceeds from this event featuring a
FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS: The Lake Julian Festival of Lights once again brightens local holidays with an inexpensive and accessible family-oriented light extravaganza that donates 20 percent of proceeds to the Buncombe County Special Olympics. The exhibition opens with walking tours Friday, Dec. 1, 6-8 p.m. Tickets are $5 per adult, and children under 16 are admitted free. The drive-through festival is open to cars 6-9 p.m. nightly from Saturday, Dec. 2- Saturday, Dec. 23. Vehicle entry is $10 per passenger vehicle and $20 for large vehicles (with advance purchase discounts available). For more information and tickets, visit the festival of lights page at buncombecreation.org. Photo courtesy of Buncombe County Recreation Services (p. 21) Strong Women Bootcamp, marines meet and greet, scavenger hunt for kids and toy donation drive benefit Toys for Tots and Hope Chest for Women. $10/Toy donations accepted. NIGHT OF HOPE marshillradiotheatre.org • SA (12/2), 6:30pm Proceeds from "A Night of Hope," live music concert with fair trade vendors benefit human sex trafficking prevention in Cambodia. $8. Held at Mars Hill Radio Theatre, 70 N. Main St., Mars hill
❄ TEN THOUSAND VILLAGES 10 College St., 828-2548374, tenthousandvillages. com • Through FR (12/8) Proceeds from sales benefit Ten Thousand Villages and local nonprofit organizations. Free to attend. ❄ TRYON FINE ARTS CENTER 34 Melrose Ave., Tryon, 828859-8322, tryonarts.org • SA (12/2), 6:30pm - Proceeds from the "Nutcracker Ball" with live music, reception and silent auction benefit the Tryon Fine Arts Center. $100/$150 VIP. WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA AIDS PROJECT 828-252-7489, wncap.org • FR (12/1), 7-9am Proceeds from donations at “The Power of Zero” breakfast for World AIDS Day benefits Western North Carolina AIDS Project. Registration required. Free. Held at DoubleTree by Hilton, 115 Hendersonville Road
BUSINESS & TECHNOLOGY A-B TECH SMALL BUSINESS CENTER 1465 Sand Hill Road, Candler, 828-398-7950, abtech.edu/sbc • WE (11/29), 6-9pm - "Successful Sales on Amazon," seminar. Registration required. Free. ASHEVILLE DOWNTOWN ASSOCIATION 828-251-9973, ashevilledowntown.org • TH (11/30), 5:30pm - "Building Our City," presentation by Tony Garcia of Street Plans Collaborative. Sponsored by Urban3, Asheville on Bikes and the Blue Ridge Bicycle Club. Registration required. Free. Held at The Collider, 1 Haywood St., Suite 401 DEFCON 828 GROUP meetup.com/DEFCON-828/ • 1st SATURDAYS, 2pm - General meeting for information security professionals, students and enthusiasts. Free to attend. Held at Earth Fare South, 1856 Hendersonville Road FLOOD GALLERY FINE ART CENTER 2160 US Highway 70, Swannanoa, 828-273-3332, floodgallery.org/ • THURSDAYS, 11am-5pm - "Jelly at the Flood," coworking event to meet up with like-minded people to exchange help, ideas and advice. Free to attend. HARRIS REGIONAL HOSPITAL 68 Hospital Road, Sylva • TH (11/30), 4-7pm - Harris Regional Hospital and Swain
Community Hospital, job fair. Free. Held in the lobby of the new Harris Emergency Department ONTRACK WNC 50 S. French Broad Ave., 828-255-5166, ontrackwnc.org • MO (12/4), noon1:30pm - "Discover Your Money Vision & Flip Your $ Switch," seminar. Registration required. Free. WNC LINUX USER GROUP wnclug.blogspot.com, wnclug@main.nc.us • 1st SATURDAYS, noon - Users of all experience levels discuss Linux systems. Free to attend. Held at Earth Fare South, 1856 Hendersonville Road
CLASSES, MEETINGS & EVENTS CLASS AT VILLAGERS • WOODEN SPOON CARVING (PD.) A Two Day Workshop: • Sunday, December 3, from 5:30pm-9pm and • Wednesday, December 6, from 6:30pm-9pm. $75 per person; fee includes carving blanks. Registration/ information: www.forvillagers.com EMPYREAN ARTS POLE CLASSES (PD.) Pole Spins & Combos on Sundays 5:45pm. Beginning Pole on Tuesdays-5:15pm and Wednesdays-5:30pm. Pole Dance on Mondays7:45pm. For more information go to Empyreanarts. orgor call/text us at 828.782.3321.
HOLISTIC FINANCIAL PLANNING (PD.) January 8-9, 2018, 9:00am5:00pm Burnsville Town Center, 6 South Main Street Burnsville, NC 28714. Learn how to make financial decisions that support farm & family values and build profit on your farm.
22 Celebration Place, Asheville • WE (11/29), 5:30pm - "The Essentials of HOAs and Condos: What You Need to Know as a Board Member or Manager," workshop sponsored by The Community Associations Institute. $40/$30 members. FAIRVIEW LIBRARY 1 Taylor Road, Fairview, 828-250-6484 • TH (11/30), 6-8pm Town hall on the topic of opioids. Free.
HAYWOOD STREET CONGREGATION 297 Haywood St., 828246-4250 • 1st & 3rd THURSDAYS, 10amnoon - Workshop to teach how to make sleeping mats for the homeless out of plastic shopping bags. Information: 828-7077203 or cappyt@att.net. Free. HENDERSONVILLE FIRE STATION 2 632 Sugarloaf Road, Hendersonville • TH (11/30), 4-7pm Anniversary celebration with demonstrations, presentations and refreshments. Free. LENOIR RHYNE CENTER FOR GRADUATE STUDIES 36 Montford Ave., 828778-1874 • WE (11/29), 5:307:30pm - Open house for prospective graduate students. Free to attend.
❄ LIVING WEB FARMS 176 Kimzey Road, Mills River, 828-505-1660, livingwebfarms.org • TU (12/5), 6-7:30pm - "Make It, Don't Buy It Skill Share," event for community members to share craft and cooking
PURPLE CRAYON COMMUNITY ART STUDIO (PD.) Studio and classroom rentals. Open House: 2nd Saturday of Month, 2-4pm. Upcoming workshops: • Mini-Gourd Ornament Painting, December 2; • Let’s Make a T-Shirt Quilt!, January 6. www.purplecrayonavl.com TUTOR ADULTS IN NEED WITH THE LITERACY COUNCIL (PD.) Spend two hours a week helping an immigrant who wants to learn English or a native English-speaking adult who wants to learn to read. Visit our website or call us to sign up for volunteer orientation. 828-2543442. volunteers@litcouncil. com. www.litcouncil.com APPALACHIAN ART FARM 22 Morris St., Sylva, appalchianartfarm.org • SATURDAYS, 10:30-noon - Youth art class. $10. ASHEVILLE ROTARY CLUB rotaryasheville.org • THURSDAYS, noon1:30pm - General meeting. Free. Held at Renaissance Asheville Hotel, 31 Woodfin St.
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Buying, Selling or Investing in Real Estate?
(828) 210-1697
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C O N S C I O U S PA R T Y by Edwin Arnaudin | earnaudin@mountainx.com
A Winter’s Tail
Ask Us About Our Managed Services We can solve your Computer and Networking problems Before They Ever Start
WISH LIST: Visiting Santa Claus is one of many activities families may enjoy together at the Friends of the WNC Nature Center’s A Winter’s Tail event on Dec. 2. Photo courtesy of Friends of the WNC Nature Center
Sharing the boundary-breaking love of Christ
We are a vibrant, historic downtown congregation that welcomes all people— join us in mission! Sunday Worship at 8:45 & 11:00 a.m. Sunday Classes for all ages 9:45 a.m. Nursery care at 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. 40 Church Street, Asheville 28801 www.fpcasheville.org 828-253-1431 18
NOV. 29 - DEC. 5, 2017
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WHAT: A holiday celebration to benefit the Friends of the WNC Nature Center WHEN: Saturday, Dec. 2, 10 a.m.-4 p.m WHERE: WNC Nature Center, 75 Gashes Creek Road WHY: The Friends of the WNC Nature Center’s long-running holiday celebration A Winter’s Tail returns Saturday, Dec. 2, with a full day of family-friendly activities. “There’s a little bit of everything. There’s arts and crafts, there’s a parkwide scavenger hunt and Santa will obviously be making an appearance,” says Kelly Shanafelt, executive director of the Friends of the WNC Nature Center. “It’s a nice day for parents and kids to hang out together during the craziness of the holidays.” Along with photo opportunities with Mr. Claus, who’s available noon-4 p.m., attendees may enjoy garland crafts, candle dipping, making pine cone feeders, receiving free temporary tattoos and participating in special animal enrichment programs.
“In the past, one really popular one that I know a lot of kids have enjoyed is we use yogurt and baby food to paint on the glass walls of the raccoon habitat, and Sassy loves that. She will lick off all of the holiday-themed baby food,” Shanafelt says. A Winter’s Tail also marks the last day to buy tickets for the Friends’ fall raffle. Those sales and memberships purchased at the event support the group’s numerous efforts going into the new year, including the opening of the new front entrance. “It’s going to make visiting the Nature Center a lot easier for everyone, but especially people with strollers and wheelchairs,” Shanafelt says. “Also, we are adding a red panda exhibit in 2018, which I know a lot of folks are excited about and we are in the midst of fundraising for. This event will definitely help.” A Winter’s Tail takes place 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 2, at the WNC Nature Center. Regular Nature Center admission rates apply. Friends members receive free admission. www.wildwnc.org X
C OMMU N IT Y CA L EN D AR
projects that make great holiday gifts. To share a skill contact: meredith@ livingwebfarms.org. $10. ONTRACK WNC 50 S. French Broad Ave., 828-255-5166, ontrackwnc.org • WE (11/29), noon1:30pm - "Understanding Credit. Get it. Keep it. Improve it." Registration required. Free. • WE (11/29), 5:307:30pm - "Home Energy Efficiency," class. Registration required. Free. • TH (11/30), noon1:30pm - "Preventing Identity Theft," class. Registration required. Free. • (12/5), noon-1:30pm - "Budgeting and Debt Class." Registration required. Free. • WE (12/6), 5:30-7pm "Understanding Credit. Get it. Keep it. Improve it." Registration required. Free. PARENTS, FAMILY AND FRIENDS OF LESBIANS AND GAYS pflaghendersonville@ gmail.com • MO (12/4), 6-7:30pm - General meeting with keynote speaker, Aaron Sarvar from Southern Equality. Free to attend. Held at First Congregational UCC of
by Abigail Griffin
Hendersonville, 1735 5th Ave. W., Hendersonville SHOWING UP FOR RACIAL JUSTICE showingupforracialjustice. org • TUESDAYS, 10amnoon - Educating and organizing white people for racial justice. Free to attend. Held at Firestorm Cafe and Books, 610 Haywood Road VETERANS FOR PEACE 828-490-1872, VFP099.org • TUESDAYS, 5pm - Weekly peace vigil. Free. Held at the Vance Monument in Pack Square. Held at Vance Monument, 1 Pack Square WEDGE FOUNDATION 5 Foundy St., wedgebrewing.com/location-wedge-foundation/ • FR (12/1), 8-9:30am - Mindful Mornings, forum for missiondriven do-gooders to collaborate and learn. Information: mindfulmornings.org/asheville. Free to attend.
DANCE EXPERIENCE ECSTATIC DANCE (PD.) Dance waves hosted by Asheville Movement
Collective. Fun and personal/community transformation. • Fridays, 7pm, Terpsicorps Studios, 1501 Patton Avenue. • Sundays, 8:30am and 10:30am, JCC, 236 Charlotte Street. Sliding scale fee. Information: ashevillemovementcollective.org STUDIO ZAHIYA, DOWNTOWN DANCE CLASSES (PD.) Monday 12pm Barre Wkt 5pm Bellydance Drills 6pm Hip Hop Wkt 6pm Bellydance Special Topics 7pm Tribal Fusion Bellydance 8pm Lyrical • Tuesday 9am Hip Hop Wkt 4pm Kids Creative Movement 6pm Intro to Bellydance 7pm Bellydance 2 8pm Advanced Bellydance • Wednesday 5pm Hip Hop Wkt 6pm Bhangra Series 7pm Ballet Series • Thursday 9am Hip Hop Wkt 4pm Kids Hip Hop 5pm Teens Hip Hop 6pm Bellydance Drills 7pm Stiletto Sculpt Dance • Friday 9am Hip Hop Wkt Saturday 9:30am Hip Hop Wkt 10:45 Buti Yoga Wkt • $14 for 60 minute classes, Wkt $8. 90 1/2 N. Lexington Avenue. www.studiozahiya.com :: 828.242.7595
Make your list, check it twice!
Send your event listings to calendar@mountainx.com THREE DANCE WORKSHOPS (PD.) Register for 1, 2 or 3. • Two-Step: Monday, December 11, 7-8:30pm. • Triple-Two: Monday December 18, 7-8:30. • Nightclub-Two: Wednesday, December 20, 7-8:30. Instructors Richard and Sue Cicchetti. Asheville Ballroom. • $20 for 1 • $35 for 2 • $50 for 3. • Early Bird special: register by December 9, $45 for all 3. Contact: 828333-0715, naturalrichard@ mac.com. Register online: www.DanceForLife.net
THEATER AT UNCA 828-251-6610, drama. unca.edu • TH (11/30), 7pm - UNC Asheville dance program, student performances. Free. Held at Belk Theatre
ECO FARM DREAMS (PD.) December 2, 2017, 10:00am - 4:00pm Mountain Bizworks 153 S Lexington Ave., Asheville, NC Farm Dreams a great
entry-level workshop to attend if you are in the exploratory stages of starting a farm and seeking practical information on sustainable farming MANAGING FARM LABOR: HOW TO STRUCTURE LABOR ON THE SMALL FARM (PD.) December 4th, 2017 4:008:40 pm, 180 Mag Sluder, Alexander, NC. This 4-hour workshop is a great to attend if you have been farming and are looking to take your farm to the next level by bring-
ing on additional labor support. ASHEVILLE GREEN DRINKS ashevillegreendrinks.com • 1st WEDNESDAYS, 7pm - Eco-presentations, discussions and community connection. Free. Held at Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Asheville, 1 Edwin Place EPA SPONSORED MEETING 828-684-6421
• TH (11/30), 6:30pm EPA sponsored public meeting regarding CTS of Asheville, Inc. clean-up. Free. Held at Skyland Fire Department, 9 Miller Road, Skyland WNC SIERRA CLUB 828-251-8289, wenoca.org • WE (12/6), 6:30-9pm Holiday party potluck with recognition awards ceremony. Free/Bring a dish to share. Held at Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Asheville, 1 Edwin Place
PUBLIC EVENTS AT WCU 828-227-7397, bardoartscenter.edu • FR (12/1), 7:30pm - Fall student dance showcase. $1. Held at Western Carolina University Hoey Auditorium, 176 Central Drive, Cullowhee
❄ SOUTHERN LIGHTS SQUARE AND ROUND DANCE CLUB 828-697-7732, southernlights.org • SA (12/2), 6pm - "Santa's Workshop" themed dance. Advanced dance at 6pm. Early rounds at 7pm. Plus squares and rounds at 7:30pm. Free. Held at Whitmire Activity Center, 310 Lily Pond Road, Hendersonville
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Environment leads in overall donations If dollars were votes, then the environment would be the winner at the halfway point in the 2017 Give!Local campaign — in large measure due to strong outreach efforts by The Collider and Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy. However, no matter where you put your Give!Local donation — the environment, kids, community, animals, arts or social justice — it’s a vote to make WNC a better place to live. When you donate through the GiveLocalGuide.org platform, you don’t just give — you also get! For a $20 donation (or more), Mountain Xpress will send you a book of vouchers for things like tacos, pizza and ice cream. If your donation totals $250 or more, you will receive an additional bunch gift certificates and vouchers for area businesses. Or you can ask to have your voucher book sent to a friend or relative as a gift. Also, don’t forget that Big Give Week starts Dec. 3: Donate during that week and be entered in a drawing for a cool assortment goods and services from area businesses.
(828) 299-3000
SUPPORT GROUPS
network@memorycare.org • 1st TUESDAYS, 1-3pm – Held at Fletcher Seventh Day Adventist Church, Howard Gap Road and Naples Road, Fletcher MY DADDY TAUGHT ME THAT mydaddytaughtmethat.org • MONDAYS & WEDNESDAYS, 6-8pm Men’s discussion group. Free. Held at My Daddy Taught Me That Meeting Place, 16-A Pisgah View Apartments
BIG GIVE WEEK DEC. 3-9
You will be entered to win one of these great prizes when you donate $20 or more during this Big Give Week. NOV. 29 - DEC. 5, 2017
$1,530 $630
Arts
$2,800 $4,815
Animals Social Justice
$13,294
Community Youth
$8,438
Environment
MEMORY LOSS CAREGIVERS
20
Where the donations are going thus far
Give!Local nonprofit events Nov. 29 - Dec. 7
Mon.–Fri. 10 a.m.–6 p.m. Sat. 9:30 a.m.–5 p.m.
800 Fairview Rd (at River Ridge Shopping Center)
Send your event listings to calendar@mountainx.com
by Abigail Griffin
MOUNTAINX.COM
OUR VOICE 35 Woodfin St., 828-2520562, ourvoicenc.org • Ongoing drop-in group for female identified survivors of sexual violence.
ART GALLERY EXHIBITIONS OPEN HEARTS ART CENTER 828-505-8428, openheartsartcenter.com • Through TH (11/30), 1-2pm - Exhibition of art from Open Heart Art Center. Held at Ultimate Ice Cream Company, 1070 Tunnel Road
Still Point Wellness: 2 drawings for 2 prizes — each one for a 60-minute salt water floatation ($69 value) plus a 30-minute Relaxation Room session with Far Infrared Sauna and/or Migun Massage Bed ($30 value)
OUR VOICE HEART WORKS SURVIVORS ART SHOW 828-252-0562, ourvoicenc.org • Through (11/30) - 16th Annual Heart Works, Survivors’ Arts Show, exhibition of art works created by survivors of sexual assault. Held at Blue Spiral 1, 38 Biltmore Ave.
VOLUNTEERING HIV/AIDS SUPPORT GROUP 828-252-7489 • 1st & 3rd TUESDAYS, 6-7:30pm - Sponsored by WNCAP. Held at All Souls
Counseling Center, 35 Arlington St. HOMEWARD BOUND OF WNC 218 Patton Ave., 828-258-1695, homewardboundwnc.org • THURSDAYS, 11am “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. Free.
Asheville Salt Cave: Two Salt Cave sessions
100% of your
donations go to the nonprofits
Humane Society: Dog or cat adoption package
Green Home Cleaning: $100 home cleaning certificate
The Blackbird Restaurant: $100 gift certificate
LaZoom Comedy Bus Tour: Pair of tickets
FOOD & BEER BUNCOMBE FRUIT & NUT CLUB 614-315-0173, fruitandnutclub.com • TH (11/30), 6-9pm - "The Gift of Nuts," presentation co-sponsored by Transition Asheville and Slow Food Asheville. Free. Held at First Congregational UCC of Asheville, 20 Oak St.
❄ FIRST CONGREGATIONAL UCC OF HENDERSONVILLE 1735 5th Ave. W., Hendersonville, 828-6928630, fcchendersonville.org • SA (12/2), 2-4pm Holiday cookies and book sale. Free to attend. ❄ GROCE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH 954 Tunnel Road, 828-2986195, groceumc.org • SA (12/2), 6pm & SU (12/3), 5pm - Christmas Madrigal Dinner. Registration: 828-29897647. $15/$10 children. ❄ WEST ASHEVILLE TAILGATE MARKET 541-609-8596, westashevilletailgatemarket.com • TUESDAYS through (12/19), 2:30-6pm - Indoor holiday market. Free to attend. Held at The Mothlight, 701 Haywood Road FESTIVALS
❄ DOWNTOWN TRYON Trade St., Tryon • FR (12/1), 5-8pm - Christmas stroll in Downtown Tryon with live music and caroling. Free to attend. ❄ GROVE ARCADE 1 Page Ave. • SUNDAYS (12/3) through (12/17), 1-5pm Photographs with Santa Claus. Free to attend. ❄ HISTORIC BILTMORE VILLAGE 10 Brook St. • FR (12/1), 6-8pm Christmas Tree Lighting with performances by Vance Elementary and Asheville High School students and the Montford Park Players. Free to attend. ❄ LAKE JULIAN FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS 828-684-0376, david. blynt@buncombecounty. org • FR (12/1), 6-8pm - Walk through holiday lights festival featuring Santa Claus, marshmallow roasting, kettle corn, crafts with the LEAF Easel Rider and games. $5/Free for children under 12. Held at Lake Julian Park, 406 Overlook Road, Ext. Arden
• SA (12/2) through TH (12/23), 6-9pm - Drive through holiday light festival. $10 per passenger vehicle/$20 for vans, motor coaches and buses/Discount for tickets purchased in advance. Held at Lake Julian Park, 406 Overlook Road, Ext. Arden
❄ PUBLIC EVENTS AT MARS HILL UNIVERSITY mhu.edu • TH (11/30), 7pm Lighting of the MHU Christmas tree. Free. Held in the Upper Quad GOVERNMENT & POLITICS CITY OF ASHEVILLE 828-251-1122, ashevillenc.gov • 1st WEDNESDAYS, 5pm - Citizens-Police Advisory Committee meeting. Free. Meets in the 1st Floor Conference Room. Held at Public Works Building, 161 S. Charlotte St. HENDERSON COUNTY DEMOCRATIC PARTY 905 S. Greenville Highway, Hendersonville, 828-6926424, myhcdp.com • 1st SATURDAYS, 9-11am - Monthly breakfast buffet. $9/$4.50 for children under 10. HIGHLAND BREWING COMPANY 12 Old Charlotte Highway, 828-299-3370 • WE (12/6), 7-8:30pm HealthCare for All WNC, meet and greet. Free to attend. INDIVISIBLE ASHEVILLE indivisibleavl.org • WE (11/29), 5:30-7pm - "Beer and Politics: The Trump Tax Scam," event to write letters and postcards to members of congress. Free to attend. Held at The BLOCK off biltmore, 39 South Market St. INDIVISIBLE COMMON GROUND-WNC Indivisible-sylva.com • 1st WEDNESDAYS, 6:30-8pm -General meeting. Free. Held at St. David's Episcopal Church, 286 Forest Hills Road, Sylva NCDOT PUBLIC MEETING • TH (11/30), 4-7pmNCDOT public input meeting for project U-5834, Mills Gap Road upgrade. Free. Held at the WNC Agricultural Center, 1301 Fanning Bridge Road PROGRESSIVE WOMEN OF HENDERSONVILLE pwhendo.org • FRIDAYS, 4-7pm Postcard writing to government representatives. Postcards, stamps, addresses, pens and tips are provided. Free to attend. Held at Sanctuary
Brewing Company, 147 1st Ave., Hendersonville
KIDS APPLE VALLEY MODEL RAILROAD & MUSEUM 650 Maple St, Hendersonville, A VMRC.com • WEDNESDAYS, 1-3pm & SATURDAYS, 10am2pm - Open house featuring operating model trains and historic memorabilia. Free.
❄ ASHEVILLE MALL 3 S. Tunnel Road • SU (12/3), 9-11am - Santa Cares, a sensoryfriendly opportunity for children with all spectrums of special needs to enjoy phots with Santa. Registration required: bit.ly/2z1Q5mJ. Free. ASHEVILLE ULTIMATE CLUB ashevilleultimate.org, ashevilleultimateclub@ gmail.com • THURSDAYS through (12/14), 4-6pm - High school ultimate frisbee, open practices. Free. Held at Martin Luther King Jr Park, 50 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive BUNCOMBE COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARIES buncombecounty.org/ governing/depts/library • TH (11/30), 4pm - Afterschool board game day. Free. Held at Swannanoa Library, 101 West Charleston St., Swannanoa • TH (11/30), 4pm - "Fact or Myth," nature game with the WNC Nature Center. For ages 5-12. Free. Held at Skyland/ South Buncombe Library, 260 Overlook Road • MONDAYS, 10:30am - "Mother Goose Time," storytime for 4-18 month olds. Free. Held at Skyland/South Buncombe Library, 260 Overlook Road • MONDAYS, 10:30am - Spanish story time for children of all ages. Free. Held at Enka-Candler Library, 1404 Sandhill Road, Candler FLETCHER LIBRARY 120 Library Road, Fletcher, 828-687-1218, library.hendersoncountync.org • WEDNESDAYS, 10:30am - Family story time. Free. HANDS ON! A CHILDREN'S GALLERY 318 N. Main St., Hendersonville, 828-6978333 • Through FR (12/1), 10am-4pm - "Animal Rubbing Plate Fun," activities to for kids of all ages. Admission fees apply. • WE (11/29), 4pm - “Mad Scientists on Wheels,” science activities for kids. Registration required: 828-697-4725. Free. Held at Hendersonville Public Library, 301 N Washington St., Hendersonville
MALAPROP'S BOOKSTORE AND CAFE 55 Haywood St., 828-2546734, malaprops.com • WEDNESDAYS, 10am - Miss Malaprop's Story Time for ages 3-9. Free to attend.
❄ ST. JOHN'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH 290 Old Haw Creek Road • WE (12/6), 4-5:30pm - "A Visit from St. Nicholas," event with St. Nicholas visit, seasonal crafts and refreshments. Free. WHOLE FOODS MARKET 4 S. Tunnel Road • MONDAYS, 9-10am "Playdates," family fun activities. Free to attend.
OUTDOORS CHIMNEY ROCK STATE PARK (PD.) Enjoy breathtaking views of Lake Lure, trails for all levels of hikers, an Animal Discovery Den and 404foot waterfall. Plan your adventure at chimneyrockpark.com BUNCOMBE COUNTY RECREATION SERVICES buncombecounty.org/ Governing/Depts/Parks/ • SU (12/3), 10am Guided 7.4 mile challenging hike at High Windy at the YMCA Blue Ridge Assembly. Register for location: GoHikeNC.com. Free. FRIENDS OF CONNECT BUNCOMBE weconnectbuncombe. org/about • SA (12/2), 9am - Group walk along the Hominy Creek Greenway. Free. Held at Carrier Park, 220 Amboy Road
PUBLIC LECTURES OLLI AT UNCA 828-251-6140, olliasheville.com • TU (11/7), 7:30pm World Affairs Council: "The State of the Middle East in the Post-ISIS Era," public lecture by Ali Demirdas. $10. Held at UNC-Asheville Reuter Center PEOPLES PARK ASHEVILLE facebook.com/ peoplesparkAVL/ • WEDNESDAYS, 6pm - "Science in the Park" lectures and discussions regarding popular science, environmental and natural phenomena.. Free. Held at 68 Haywood Outdoor Space, 68 Haywood St. THE CENTER FOR CULTURAL PRESERVATION 828-692-8062, saveculture.org • TH (12/7), 7pm "Cherokee Musical
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C OMMU N IT Y CA L EN D AR
History," presented by Bo Taylor, director of the Museum of the Cherokee. Held at Bo Thomas Auditorium, Blue Ridge Community College, Hendersonville
by Abigail Griffin
standing or seated participants. $3. • MO (12/4), 2-3pm - Bingo for seniors and older adults. .75 per card.
SPIRITUALITY SENIORS SENIOR OPPORTUNITY CENTER 36 Grove St. • TUESDAYS, 2-3pm "Senior Beat," drumming, dance fitness class. For
ASHEVILLE INSIGHT MEDITATION (PD.) Introduction to Mindfulness Meditation. Learn how to get a Mindfulness Meditation practice started. 1st & 3rd Mondays. 7pm – 8:30. Asheville
Insight Meditation, 175 Weaverville Road, Suite H, ASHEVILLE, NC, (828) 808-4444, ashevillemeditation.com. ASTRO-COUNSELING (PD.) Licensed counselor and accredited professional astrologer uses your chart when counseling for additional insight into yourself, your relationships and life directions. Readings also available. Christy Gunther, MA, LPC. (828) 258-3229.
FAMILY MEDITATION (PD.) Children and adult(s) practice mindfulness meditation, discuss principles, and engage in fun games. The 3rd Saturday monthly. 10:30am – 11:30. Asheville Insight Meditation, 175 Weaverville Road, Asheville, 828-808-4444, ashevillemeditation.com. OPEN HEART MEDITATION (PD.) Now at 70 Woodfin Place, Suite 212. Tuesdays 7-8pm. Experience the stillness and beauty of connect-
ing to your heart and the Divine within you. Suggested $5 donation. OpenHeartMeditation. com
• 1st FRIDAYS, 7pm - "Dreaming a New Dream," meditation to explore peace and compassion. Free.
SHAMBHALA MEDITATION CENTER (PD.) Thursdays, 7-8:30pm and Sundays, 10-noon • Meditation and community. By donation. 60 N. Merrimon Ave., #113, (828) 200-5120. asheville.shambhala.org
GRACE LUTHERAN CHURCH 1245 6th Ave W, Hendersonville, 828-6934890, gracelutherannc.com • WE (11/29), 5:45-7pm - DVD discussion-based adult class titled “Faithful: Christmas through the Eyes of Joseph.” Optional dinner at 4:30pm for $5. Free.
BUNCOMBE COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARIES buncombecounty.org/ governing/depts/library • FR (12/1), 6pm - "Healing on the Spiritual Path," experiential introduction to Bruno Groening’s teachings. Information: brunoasheville.com. Free. Held at North Asheville Library, 1030 Merrimon Ave. CENTER FOR ART & SPIRIT AT ST. GEORGE 1 School Road, 828-2580211 • 1st & 3rd THURSDAYS, 2pm - Intentional meditation. Admission by donation. CENTER FOR SPIRITUAL LIVING ASHEVILLE 2 Science Mind Way, 828253-2325, cslasheville.org
SPOKEN & WRITTEN WORD 35BELOW 35 E. Walnut St., 828-2541320, ashevilletheatre.org • TH (11/30), 7:30pm - "Listen to This" storytelling series hosted by Tom Chalmers and featuring stories and original songs from locals. $15. ASHEVILLE BOOKFEST 828-277-0998, ashevillebookfest.com • SA (12/2), 10am-4pm - WNC publishers' and self-published authors vending and signing event. Free to attend. Held at Thomas Wolfe Auditorium, 87 Haywood St.
BLACK MOUNTAIN CENTER FOR THE ARTS 225 W. State St., Black Mountain, 828-669-0930, blackmountainarts.org • FR (12/2), 7:30pm - "In the Theater: An evening of Storytelling," featuring Connie Regan-Blake. $20/$15 advance. BLUE RIDGE BOOKS 428 Hazelwood Ave., Waynesville • 1st & 3rd SATURDAYS, 10am - Banned book club. Free to attend. BUNCOMBE COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARIES buncombecounty.org/ governing/depts/library • TH (11/30), 7pm WORD! spoken word series featuring Vara Cooper and Tony Marr. Hosted by David Joe Miller. Free. Held at Pack Memorial Library - Lord Auditorium, 67 Haywood St. • TU (12/5), 7pm - Book discussion: Assorted short stories. Free. Held at Weaverville Public Library, 41 N. Main St., Weaverville • WE (12/6), 3pm - Book Discussion: 1984 by George Orwell. Free. Held at Weaverville Public Library, 41 N. Main St., Weaverville
FIRESTORM CAFE AND BOOKS 610 Haywood Road, 828255-8115 • First THURSDAYS, 6pm - Political prisoners letter writing. Free to attend. NEW DIMENSIONS TOASTMASTERS 828-329-4190 • THURSDAYS, noon1pm - General meeting. Information: 828-3294190. Free to attend. Held at Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity, 33 Meadow Road PUBLIC EVENTS AT MARS HILL UNIVERSITY mhu.edu • WE (11/29), 7pm - Poetry slam with students poets. Free. Held at Ponder Atrium of Ferguson Math & Science Center SPELLBOUND CHILDREN'S BOOKSHOP 640 Merrimon Ave., #204, 828-708-7570, spellboundchildrensbookshop.com • SU (12/3), 4-5pm ROYAL Book Club: The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee. Discussion group for adult readers of young adult literature. Free to attend.
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WELLNESS
NUTRITIONAL WASTELANDS Local agencies battle health woes of food deserts in WNC leslie.boyd@gmail.com
RISKS TO DEVELOPING BRAINS Research in recent years has shown that brain development is impaired by malnutrition. Children who don’t have ready access to
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It may seem odd, but obese children are malnourished, and their lifelong well-being is at risk every bit as much as children who aren’t getting enough calories, says registered dietitian Fred Stichel of MAHEC Family Health. “Mal” means bad, he continues. And malnourishment affects both the underweight and the obese. Too often, the cause of malnourishment is that families live in what’s known as a food desert, where getting nutritious food is difficult. The only store within striking distance for someone who doesn’t have access to a car might be the corner gas station convenience store. The U.S. Department of Agriculture defines a food desert as “a low-income census tract where either a substantial number or share of residents has low access to a supermarket or large grocery store.” Although food deserts are most common in cities, they’re also found in rural areas, where there is little or no public transportation and lowincome people often have cars that are unreliable at best. In an urban setting, a food desert is defined as an area in which onethird of the population lives more than a mile from a supermarket or large grocery store. In a rural setting, the definition is a distance of more than 10 miles. Western North Carolina has both, and the longterm ramifications are troubling, Stichel says. A map of Western North Carolina shows food desert areas in Asheville and Hendersonville, as well as in Cherokee, and portions of Transylvania and Jackson counties and near Rutherfordton. The map can be zoomed in for more accurate boundaries of the food deserts.
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555 Merrimon Avenue NOT BY BREAD ALONE: Bobby Davis of Weaverville packs bread to be distributed by MANNA FoodBank, which operates in the 17 westernmost counties of the state. MANNA is hoping to find funding for a mobile food pantry to get food to people in food deserts. Photo by Leslie Boyd healthy foods fall behind intellectually, and that lag is lifelong. The brain development that happens in utero and in the early years of childhood can’t be made up for later. In an issues brief published last year, Dr. Hilary Seligman, lead scientist and senior medical adviser for Feeding America and associate professor of medicine and epidemiology and biostatistics at the University of California, San Francisco, wrote about the developmental effects of poor nutrition. In addition to lagging behind intellectually, Seligman writes, “Children living in food-insecure households are at higher risk of poor physical and mental health. They are substantially more likely to be diagnosed with iron-deficiency anemia, asthma, mental health problems such as anxiety and depression, cognitive impairment and behavioral disorders.” Stichel says he doesn’t often see vitamin deficiencies because most processed foods today are fortified with vitamins and minerals. But he does see numerous problems occurring in younger and younger people associated with processed foods, especially chronic illnesses such as Type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome (a group of risk factors that rais-
es risk for heart disease and other health problems, such as diabetes and stroke), obesity, and high cholesterol and blood pressure. Seligman also writes in the issues brief about the effects of food deserts and other forms of food insecurity on pregnant women and their babies: “[It] is associated with iron-deficiency anemia, depression, anxiety and excess weight gain. Infants born to food-insecure mothers are smaller, sicker and have an increased risk of some birth defects.” For adults, the food insecurity that results from living in a food desert is compounded by the stresses of living in poverty and the ailments that accompany stress — high blood pressure, depression, anxiety and more. One program that helps low-income mothers and their young children get adequate nutrition is WIC, the federal Women, Infants and Children nutrition program. But Stichel says women have to travel to a WIC office once a month during business hours to have their cards replenished. That can be a big obstacle for someone with a low-wage job, who may have to take time off without pay or may not have reliable
CONTINUES ON PAGE 24
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WELLN ESS transportation to the office, which may be on the other end of the county. MAKING CONNECTIONS Increasingly, schools, government departments of social services and nonprofits are partnering with agencies that help people gain access to healthier foods. Many children get free or reducedprice breakfast and lunch at school. But Stichel says school meal programs still offer some foods that aren’t nutritionally sound. “Look at the school menus on the websites,” he says. “For breakfast, kids can choose a doughnut or a sausage biscuit. There are healthy choices, but there are bad choices, too.” The meals are high in calories, and vegetables and fruits are offered, but children still may choose less healthy options, he adds. Emily Jackson, director of ASAP’s Growing Minds Farm to School Program, says part of the problem is that we as a culture place more value on how cheaply we can feed people rather than getting wholesome foods to them. “Our schools are doing a pretty good job, but there’s not enough money budgeted for food, and that food budget has to pay for salaries and equipment,” she says. “It’s very undervalued.” The other problem with relying on schools is that they are in session only about 180 days of the year, which means children don’t have access to these meals for half the year. ASAP has worked with farmers in the region to make fresh foods more available to low-income people. At several tailgate markets, people can pay for food with their EBT cards (what once was known as food stamps). ASAP also has published a brochure with a map of tailgate markets and bus lines to help people get to the markets. At MANNA FoodBank, which serves the 17 westernmost counties in the state, the focus is on nutritionally dense foods — fresh vegetables, whole grains, lean meats and nuts — instead of nonperishable canned foods. MANNA recently added a large walk-in cooler to store perishables. SEEKING SOLUTIONS Hannah Randall, CEO of MANNA, explains that the number of food deserts in the region is caused by a unique socioeconomic storm. 24
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“It’s a combination of low-wage jobs (when there are jobs), very, very, very high housing costs and little to no public transportation in the region,” she says. “We have childhood food insecurity averages of one in four in the region overall, but there are communities where that number is eight in 10.” One solution might be a mobile food pantry that can take needed food into neighborhoods without the cost of a brick-and-mortar pantry, Randall says. Stichel says he believes people can choose healthy foods for the same money they spend on fast foods. He points to bags of frozen vegetables that cost about $2 — the price of two “dollar menu” items at a fast-food restaurant. But, Randall says, many of the people who buy fast food or junk food for their families work full time or more at low-wage jobs and have little or no time to cook for their families. Another problem, Stichel says, is the shame associated with poverty. “When I ask people whether they have enough food at home, they always say they do,” he says. “I can’t challenge their answer. I have to believe them, but I’m not sure they really do.” The solution, Randall says, is multipronged: getting nutritious food to people who need it, creating easier access to food vendors accepting EBT cards, making more mobile food pantries available, offering better foods to children at schools and promoting education about what people need to be healthier. MAHEC added nutrition education to its family practice clinic this year. Stichel arrived in July and consults with patients who come in for appointments with physicians there. He speaks with the enthusiasm of an evangelist as he talks about how to choose healthier, more plant-based foods that are lower in fats and higher in fiber. “We can all eat healthier,” he says. “I take issue with people who say it’s cheaper to eat bad food. It really isn’t if you know what to look for. Lentils have more iron than meat. You can have rice and beans with vegetables, and that’s far, far healthier than two Burger King burgers.” X
W EL L NESS CA L E N DA R
WELLNESS BREAST AND TESTICULAR CANCER PATIENTS DESIRED FOR FREE HEALING WORK (PD.) SU & MO (12/10-12/11) 9am-3pm both days. Breast aornd testicular cancer patients needed as clients for advanced hands-on healing students. Earth-based healing school. Free. Interested parties register at registrar@ wildernessFusion.com. Montreat, NC. (828) 785-4311, wildernessFusion.com. SHOJI SPA & LODGE • 7 DAYS A WEEK (PD.) Private Japanese-style outdoor hot tubs, cold plunge, sauna and lodging. 8 minutes from town. Bring a friend to escape and renew! Best massages in Asheville! 828-299-0999. www.shojiretreats.com ASHEVILLE COMMUNITY YOGA CENTER 8 Brookdale Road, ashevillecommunityyoga.com • SU (12/3), 12:30-2:30pm - "Navigating Grief Through the Holidays," yoga workshop. $20. GRACE LUTHERAN CHURCH 1245 6th Ave W, Hendersonville, 828-693-4890, gracelutherannc.com • TUESDAYS & THURSDAYS, 9am - Walking exercise class. Free. HAYWOOD REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER 262 Leroy George Drive, Clyde, 828-456-7311 • TH (11/30), 5pm - Tired leg and varicose vein educational program with Dr. Al Mina and Dr. Joshua Rudd. Registration required: 828-4528346. Free. LEICESTER COMMUNITY CENTER 2979 New Leicester Highway, Leicester, 828-774-3000, facebook.com/Leicester.Community.Center • MONDAYS, 5:15-6:15pm - Zumba Gold exercise class. $5. • MONDAYS, 6:15-7pm - Zumba classes. $5. • MONDAYS, 7:15-8pm - Gentle Flow Yoga. $5. PEOPLES PARK ASHEVILLE facebook.com/peoplesparkAVL/ • MONDAYS & WEDNESDAYS, 9am - Outdoor yoga class. Admission by donation. Held at 68 Haywood Outdoor Space, 68 Haywood St. SENIOR OPPORTUNITY CENTER 36 Grove St. • THURSDAYS, 2:30-3:30pm - "Slow Flow Yoga," yoga class adapted for all ages and abilities. Free. THE BLOOD CONNECTION BLOOD DRIVES 800-392-6551, thebloodconnection.org • TH (12/7), 7am-7pm - Information & appointments: 828-808-7760. Held at Grace Lutheran Church, 1245 6th Ave W, Hendersonville UNITY OF THE BLUE RIDGE 2041 Old Fanning Bridge Road, Mills River, 828-891-8700 • SU (12/3), 1-4pm - "Practical Breathwork: Self-Healing, Self-Mastery, Self-Discovery," workshop with Bob Sima & Shannon Plummer. Registration: practicalbreathwork.com. $35. URBAN DHARMA 77 Walnut St., 828-225-6422, udharmanc.com/ • TUESDAYS, 7:30-8:30pm - Guided, non-religious sitting and walking meditation. Admission by donation.
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GREEN SCENE
GROWING CHRISTMAS BETTER Christmas tree farmers strike balance in production practices BY DANIEL WALTON danielwwalton@live.com Asheville loves its organic produce. The area is home to dozens of farmers markets, health food stores and farmto-table restaurants, each promoting a commitment to crops raised without synthetic pesticides, herbicides or fertilizers. But the same shoppers who scrupulously avoid conventional fruits and vegetables may not think twice about the practices used to raise another of Western North Carolina’s agricultural mainstays — Christmas trees. Festive conifers such as Fraser firs are big business in the region. Individual Christmas trees can fetch up to $30 wholesale, and in 2012, North Carolina growers harvested 4.3 million of them. Mountain counties such as Ashe, Mitchell and Watauga make up
OH TANNENBAUM: While growers say the 10-year process of nurturing a conifer from seedling to full-grown Christmas tree requires the application of synthetic pesticides and herbicides, the total amount of such products used in North Carolina’s Christmas tree industry has decreased almost 75 percent over the past dozen years, according to agents with the N.C. Cooperative Extension. the bulk of North Carolina’s production, which is second only to that of Oregon among U.S. states. While they promise a sizable payoff, Fraser firs can take 10 years in the field to reach a suitable height for holiday display. Farmers are eager to protect the longterm investment that Christmas trees represent, and nearly all of them include synthetic chemicals in their agricultural toolkit. In 2013, the most recent year for which data are available, 99.4 percent of Christmas tree acreage was treated with the herbicide glyphosate (Roundup), and 48.4 percent was treated with the insecticide bifenthrin (Talstar, Sniper). As experts with N.C. Cooperative Extension explain, however, those num-
bers don’t tell the whole story. Christmas tree growers in the state have actually decreased their total pesticide use by nearly 75 percent over the past 12 years, and lower rates of herbicides are now standard practice throughout the industry. “To me, it’s been a wonderful example of adult learning and change,” says area extension specialist Jeff Owen with the Mountain Horticultural Crops Research and Extension Center in Mills River. A LIGHTER TOUCH Owen acknowledges that the industry needed to change when he began working with Christmas tree growers in the late 1980s. At that time, many farmers
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relied on the heavy use of herbicides such as atrazine and simazine for weed control, which left the ground underneath their trees bare for up to half of each year. On the steep hillsides of the typical tree farm, that lack of vegetation contributed to erosion and promoted root diseases. Researchers began exploring alternatives that could keep trees from being smothered by weeds while also maintaining ground cover. Walter Skroch, a professor of horticultural science at N.C. State University, worked with student Stu Warren to develop a technique they called chemical mowing. Instead of killing weeds, chemical mowing uses lower levels of herbicides to stunt their growth, preventing them from outcompeting the valuable Christmas trees. Although promising, the approach didn’t catch on until extension technician Doug Hundley began recruiting Christmas tree growers for field trials of chemical mowing. “We had a group of eight or nine growers, with each of them using different timing and application rates,” explains Owen. “We figured out what our safe window was and what rates worked best — and now we had growers who were confident in the technique. It wasn’t just the university or extension office talking about it.” Chemical mowing proved to have both economic and environmental benefits compared with previous types of weed control. In addition to preventing erosion and cooling soil temperatures, the approach also kept nitrogen-supplying clover underneath the Christmas trees. “We had growers that quit putting out nitrogen fertilizer because they had adequate clover. It was by far cheaper than what they’d been doing beforehand,” Owen says. SCOUTING AHEAD A similar shift took place in the realm of pest control. In 1987, the N.C. Department of Agriculture fined several area growers when they tried to control twig aphids with the pesticide disulfoton (Di-Syston 15 G), a neurotoxic chemical not approved for use in Christmas trees. Extension specialist Jill Sidebottom was hired the following year to investigate different strategies for protecting trees from insects. Sidebottom and her colleagues began developing a strategy known as integrated pest management, or IPM, for Christmas tree growers. The approach asks farmers to develop a closer relationship with their crops before choosing to use chemical controls. “IPM growers regularly scout each block of trees to find out which pests are becoming a problem,” says
Sidebottom. “Most of these insects are so small you have to use a magnifying glass to find them — it’s not an easy skill to learn.” If growers find unwanted insects, they first try strategies such as removing infected trees to prevent the spread or adding beneficial insect predators into the mix. Only when a pest problem threatens the economic viability of the crop do IPM growers turn to chemical pesticides, and those products are chosen to avoid harming beneficial insects as much as possible. SAFETY FIRST Whether dealing with herbicides or pesticides, Christmas tree growers strive to ensure that the workers applying the chemicals do so safely. Jim Hamilton, county extension director at the Watauga County center, has helped develop educational programs for seasonal farm employees, roughly threequarters of whom are Hispanic guest workers under the H-2A visa program. A fluent Spanish speaker and former Peace Corps volunteer in Paraguay, Hamilton explains that cultural differences can sometimes lead to unsafe behavior around agricultural chemicals. “There’s still a kind of cultural patriarchy in the supervisor-employee relationship,” he says. “You may not want to bother your employer if your glove tears while you’re applying a pesticide, but if you don’t ask, you might not get the equipment you need.” Sidebottom adds that another cultural barrier concerned washing off chemical residues after a hard day’s work. “Our recommendation would be to take a shower and get all that off you, but their perspective is that if you take a shower when your body is really hot, it’s like pouring water on a running engine,” she says. Understanding these differences helped the N.C. Cooperative Extension create more effective safety training and reduce overall chemical exposure. Hamilton emphasizes that Christmas tree growers are extremely concerned for the welfare of their workforce. “Labor is such an important part of the industry, and growers don’t want to do anything to jeopardize it. They sponsor meals at our sessions and pay the crews for their time in training,” he says. “Some of these workers have been groomsmen at the farmers’ kids weddings — there’s a good relationship out there that doesn’t get highlighted enough.” ASK SANTA Consumers looking for a certified organic Christmas tree should probably cross it off the holiday shopping list:
Such a conifer is nigh impossible to find. Sidebottom estimates no more than 1,500 organically grown trees are sold in the state each year, and the number may be much lower. Farmer Aubrey Raper of Marshall’s Rogue Harbor Farm says he and his wife, Linda, experimented with growing trees organically beginning in 1996 but eventually concluded that the local consumer market didn’t support the operation. If Rogue Harbor Farm wanted to sell trees by mail order, there’s plenty of demand. Even without advertising and after removing references to organically grown trees from the farm’s website, people hoping to score an organic tree manage to find the Rapers’ operation. “We get two or three phone calls every day from around the country, looking for an organic tree,” Aubrey says, but the environmental impact and economics of shipping a single 8-foot-tall Christmas tree to California or Texas just don’t make sense to him. Instead, the Rapers have shifted to harvesting greenery for wreaths from their stand of evergreens. They sell some of the wreaths locally and ship around the country. While the foliage isn’t certified organic like some of the farm’s other products, it’s grown using organic methods and inputs. CHALLENGES AND CONFIDENCE Despite the progress made in recent decades, Owen says continuing education is key to keeping chemical usage at low levels on Christmas tree farms. “When push comes to shove, all [growers] have to do is pour a little bit extra in the tank, and they’re not going to have to deal with any kind of uncertainty,” he says. “Someone has to really understand and believe in the philosophy to maintain this kind of program over the years.” Owen adds that other players in the industry, such as pesticide producers and agricultural product dealers, may have different priorities in terms of chemical usage. Xpress contacted multiple representatives from Southern Agricultural Insecticides and Crop Production Services, two sellers listed as allied businesses on the N.C. Christmas Tree Association website, but none agreed to be interviewed for this article. Regardless, Owen believes that the benefits of these growing practices speak for themselves. “We’ve been fortunate to find ways to save growers money and also do a better job of protecting soil and managing pest problems,” he says. “We could’ve found that it’s not the case, but often we find that less is better.” X
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SWEET POTATO UNDERGROUND The lowdown on WNC’s favorite fall and winter tuber BY CATHY CLEARY cathy@thecookandgarden.com I wonder how many of us grew up thinking sweet potatoes could only be served mixed with loads of brown sugar or dripping with toasted marshmallows. I personally did not wake from this sweet potato sugar coma until age 21, when a companion convinced me to try them roasted in their skins and adorned with nothing but butter. I fell in love with both the companion and the orange-fleshed tuber. Fortunately for me, this humble root grows well in North Carolina, which produces more sweet potatoes than any other state in the U.S., according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. “Sweet potatoes definitely grow well here in the mountains,” says Joe Evans, owner of Paper Crane Farm in Marshall. “I’d say our main challenge compared to the Piedmont is the cold. Sweet potatoes are a long-season crop that takes anywhere from 90-120 days to reach maturity. Our growing season is shorter here than in other parts of the state.” Sweet potatoes don’t grow from seeds. They are one of those fascinating regenerative vegetables — plant a sweet potato, and it will grow baby sweet potatoes. Onions, ginger, turmeric, cassava and socalled “Irish” potatoes all fall into this unusual category. In order to get a jump on the long growing season, most farmers plant slips — leafy sprouts grown out of a mature potato. They purchase the slips or grow them in a greenhouse until there is no danger of frost in the spring, then plant them in outdoor fields. Young plants need lots of water, but once those slips take hold, miraculous things happen. Vigorous vines take over entire fields, or in my case, entire front yards. All summer long, as people walk past our house, they ask what vine is taking over the sidewalk. When savvy gardeners walk by they ask what varieties of sweet potatoes we grow. Those leafy vines are great conversation starters and good ground cover, and the leaves themselves are incredibly delicious. I like to season them with smoked paprika, dry them in the oven and eat them like crunchy kale chips.
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Chrisan Klak, co-owner of Blue Meadow Farms in Hendersonville, grew up eating taro leaves, and apparently sweet potato leaves are a good stand-in. “I’m Filipino, and we use them in Filipino culture and Asian culture,” she says. “Usually, a lot of the recipes that I follow for sweet potato greens are using taro leaves, but they have a similar texture and flavor, so I just use them in lieu of taro leaves.” We don’t grow taro leaves in these parts, but Asheville nutrition consultant Katherine Wilson explains, “Sweet potato greens can be cooked
in the same way as spinach, chard and other leafy greens, and they may contain more nutrients than spinach.” In the fall, leaf-covered vines get cut all the way back, and roots should be harvested before the first frost. Annie Louise Perkinson, co-owner of Flying Cloud Farm in Fairview, says, “Frost can ruin them, but also we don’t want them to get too big because people don’t want to buy a 6-pound sweet potato.” I can speak from experience when I say cooking a 6-pound sweet potato takes some time. I almost always end
Whiskey-braised sweet potatoes From The Southern Harvest Cookbook: Recipes Celebrating Four Seasons, by Cathy Cleary, to be released by Arcadia Publishing in January
Photo by Cathy Cleary Serves 4–6 • ¼ cup plus 2-3 tablespoons whiskey or bourbon, divided • 1½ cups water • 3 tablespoons butter • 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar • ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon chipotle pepper puree (optional) • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg • 6 cups (2 pounds) peeled and cubed (1-inch) sweet potatoes • 1 teaspoon cornstarch • ½ cup toasted pecans (optional)
In a wide-bottomed sauce pot, combine ¼ cup whiskey, water, butter, brown sugar, salt, chipotle and nutmeg. Bring to a simmer and add sweet potatoes. Spread potatoes so that they are all at least partially submerged in liquid. Cook uncovered at a low simmer for about 20 minutes. Test a potato to make sure they are cooked through. If they need additional cooking time, cover and simmer five to 10 more minutes. Mix 2 tablespoons of whiskey with cornstarch, add to simmering sweet potatoes and stir until thickened. Taste and add additional 1 tablespoon of whiskey, to taste. Sprinkle with toasted pecans before serving.
up with something roughly the size and shape of a football when I harvest. After showing it off for several days, I light up the wood-fired oven, have a pizza party, and as the oven cools down overnight, the enormous sweet potato football bakes. In the morning, warm tender sweet flesh is ready to eat with butter or sorghum whipped cream for breakfast. Perkinson agrees with me that roasting is one of the best ways to cook these sweet miracles. “I love leftovers because you can do anything with them — put them in soups, stews, quesadillas or pie,” she says.
Their versatility may be obvious, but when those marshmallow-topped, brown sugar-baked casseroles come out of the oven, we rarely think about nutrition. “Actually, sweet potatoes are packed with nutrients,” Wilson says. “They help boost immune function, eye health, cell growth and blood sugar regulation, and are a great addition to an anti-inflammatory diet.” She contends they are best without added sugar. As if versatility and nutrient density were not enough, the variations in color, shape and size are almost endless. This year I grew round,
Chocolate ginger sweet potato pie From The Southern Harvest Cookbook: Recipes Celebrating Four Seasons, by Cathy Cleary, to be released by Arcadia Publishing in January
yellow-fleshed Painters; orange, oblong Beauregards; and lanky, white Nancy Halls. Cut up and roasted together, they hardly look like the same vegetable. The sweet potato edition of Crop Stories, a zine edited by André Joseph Gallant, describes purple-fleshed Okinawan, dark-red Georgia Jets and bright, gold-skinned Vardaman varieties. This informative journal offers planting, growing and management information as well as essays devoted to conditions for immigrant laborers working in sweet potato fields, stories of passionate farmers and intriguing recipes like one for a sweet potato adult milkshake. I may make adult milkshakes my next holiday tradition. They should work well alongside my other traditions: whiskey-braised sweet potatoes and chocolate ginger sweet potato pie. Try one or all of them for your next festive feast. Cathy Cleary is the former co-owner of West End Bakery and Café, a cookbook author and co-founder of FEAST, a nonprofit dedicated to cooking and gardening education. Her new book, The Southern Harvest Cookbook: Recipes Celebrating Four Seasons, debuts in January. X
LATE NIGHT AT MAMAS!
Photo by Katherine Brooks Serves 8 Crust: • 4 tablespoons butter • ¾ cup semisweet chocolate chips • 1¼ cup graham cracker crumbs • 2 tablespoons sugar • 1 teaspoon powdered ginger Filling: • 2 cups baked, peeled and mashed sweet potato
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• ½ cup packed brown sugar • ½ cup half-and-half • 2 eggs • 1 teaspoon powdered ginger • ½ teaspoon cinnamon • ¼ teaspoon salt • ¼ cup chopped crystallized ginger
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Topping: • 3 tablespoons half-and-half • ½ cup semisweet chocolate chips • ¼ cup chopped crystallized ginger
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. For the crust, melt butter in microwave or saucepan. Add chocolate chips and continue to melt, stirring until smooth. Combine with remaining crust ingredients and press into a 9-inch deep-dish pie pan. For the filling, combine all ingredients in a bowl or electric mixer and mix well. Pour filling into crust and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Filling will be starting to brown on edges and will puff slightly in the center. Meanwhile, heat half-and-half for the topping in microwave or saucepan. Add chocolate chips and continue to melt, stirring until smooth (Note: When melting chocolate, be sure to only use completely dry utensils — water causes chocolate to seize up). Sprinkle pie with ginger and drizzle with chocolate sauce. Allow to cool at least 15 minutes before serving.
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FOOD
by Jonathan Ammons
jonathanammons@gmail.com
FRONT LINES It’s around 3 a.m. in Natalie Bogwalker’s small home at her Weaverville permaculture school, Wild Abundance. She’s just gotten her infant daughter back to sleep after being awakened by a phone call when suddenly the phone rings again. This time the number has a Washington state area code, so Bogwalker picks up. Her family is from that part of the country — it could be an emergency. Instead, it’s just another death threat. “It’s always something about how my throat should be slit, or that I’m a murderer, or I’m going to hell,” she says. “The local activists have been fairly civil, but there are people calling from all over the world who have been a lot more militant. They are threatening my daughter.” This fall, vegan activists assailed Bogwalker and fellow Wild Abundance instructor Meredith Leigh with emails, telephone calls and social media messages expressing ire over the school’s early November Cycles of Life home butchering class. In the annual workshop, the instructors slaughter two sheep to demonstrate proper butchering and meat preservation techniques, then put every part of the animal to use. Starting with the 2016 class, opponents condemned the killing of the sheep with communication ranging
Animal Liberation Front vs. Wild Abundance permaculture school
WILD TIMES: Wild Abundance instructor Natalie Bogwalker, right, is pictured with her partner, Frank Salzano, and daughter, Hazel. The family was inundated with emails, social media messages and phone calls from vegan activists this fall leading up to Bogwalker’s annual Cycles of Life home butchering class. Photo courtesy of Wild Abundance from urgent pleas to violent threats to Bogwalker and Leigh as well as their family members and property. One message this fall to Bogwalker read, “I reported you to child welfare for child endangerment for the cruel acts you commit, and
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they have numerous complaints and have opened a file for you for cruelty to animals in front of children.” Wild Abundance employs about 15 teachers leading courses and apprenticeships on sustainability topics such as foraging, permaculture and homebuilding. The school also hosts the annual Firefly Gathering — the country’s largest permaculture and primitive skills festival. Profits from the Cycles of Life class, which typically hosts 15 participants, are donated to Earth Justice, an environmental activism organization that hires lawyers to defend environmental protesters. LEADING THE CAMPAIGN
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Last year, protest efforts against Cycles of Life were led by the Let Live Coalition. This year’s campaign was spearheaded by the Animal Liberation Front. Both organizations connected with a global network of protesters and made public the contact information for teachers and staff from the school. A Facebook movement opposing the class called Stop Wild Abundance garnered more than 400 followers, and a petition on Care2.com called for shutting the school down entirely. But Leigh and Bogwalker say the
buzz from the protests had the unintended effect of drawing more attention to the Cycles of Life program and increasing attendance. The ALF was founded in the United Kingdom in 1976 by Ronnie Lee and since then has spread to over 40 countries. As a decentralized movement, there is no formal hierarchy. “Any group of people who are vegetarians or vegans and who carry out actions according to ALF guidelines have the right to regard themselves as part of the ALF,” the organization’s website says. ALF guidelines are to inflict economic damage on those who profit from the misery and exploitation of animals; liberate animals from places of abuse; expose the atrocities committed against animals behind locked doors; and take all necessary precautions to prevent harm to animals, both human and nonhuman. A manifesto on the Animal Liberation Press’ webpage states that “total liberation will not be achieved with veganism alone but coupled with an uncompromising determination for freedom through the complete destruction of civilization.” That article also includes a defense of the use of violence. Jerry Vlasak is a former trauma surgeon turned activist and a founding officer for the ALF’s Animal Liberation Press Office, which has an office in Asheville on Merrimon Avenue. The ALPO also has offices in New York, Los Angeles, Toronto, Michigan and Istanbul. “These people aren’t vandals or criminals out there breaking the law for no good reason,” he says of ALF activists. “These are people with wellthought-out ideologies, and their side of the story deserves to be heard.” The ALF was listed as a terrorist threat by the Department of Homeland Security in 2005, following a 2004 report by FBI Deputy Assistant Director John Lewis, who testified before the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee that estimated damage by such groups number around 1,100 criminal acts, including bombings and arson in the United States. Capital damage was around $110 million. According to The Guardian, Vlasak himself was barred from entering the United Kingdom in 2004 following controversial statements he reportedly made endorsing the assassination of scientists. Vlasak says the ban was unrelated to those remarks, but was linked to his attempts to meet with representatives from major pharmaceutical companies regarding their connections to Huntingdon Life Sciences, which he describes as a “notorious animal testing company.”
He can be seen in a 2005 “60 Minutes” interview defending bombings, arson and assassination. For both the ALF and its sister organization, the Earth Liberation Front, a common means of economic sabotage is arson. Vlasak justifies this approach by specifying that ALF workers “take precautions to make sure that no one is harmed” and references a New Mexico horse-slaughter facility that was burned down in 2013 and never rebuilt. “So there is no evidence that it doesn’t work,” he says. “We don’t consider it extreme. What we consider extreme is that someone would take perfectly healthy animals and murder them.” Vlasak takes issue with Wild Abundance for profiting from the death of animals. “They’ve admitted to being former vegans, but that they found a better way to make money by charging people to come and watch them kill animals,” he says. “The bottom line is that people who hurt animals need to be stopped by any means necessary, and the ALF is willing to use tactics such as economic sabotage — including arson — to stop these people, and we support that 100 percent.” OPPOSING VIEWS Leigh, a former vegan who is also a veteran farmer and author of the Ethical Meat Handbook, sees great value in teaching home butchering skills. “People who take the Cycles of Life class really want to understand where their meat comes from, and they want to take apart the whole process because they believe that if they are going to eat an animal, they need to understand how the death happens, how the butchering happens and how the animal is used,” she says. “I think they want to know that because they are aware that, in general, this has not been a process with integrity in America. So they need to figure out if it can be done in a way that they agree with.” But Vlasak isn’t buying it. “The message they are sending is that it is OK to eat meat, and that is why they are teaching you how to do that,” he says. “They are teaching a select few privileged individuals that happen to own enough land to raise their own animals and happen to have enough money to pay them to show them how to do it.” Bogwalker notes that only a quarter of the students in this year’s program were landowners. “The rest are people who want to know what goes into eating meat and take responsibility for their choice to eat meat,” she says. “In fact, buying a whole animal yourself and butchering it can save a lot of money. This makes high-quality ethical meat
more accessible to people who have these DIY skills.” The class is offered on a sliding tuition scale of $200-$500. On Nov. 4, the sheep were slaughtered and skinned. Students learned how to process their bodies and make charcuterie. “One student told me that since the class, he has been feeling a loss [of appetite] for meat, which is good — it is good for people to be able to make their own decisions like that,” says Bogwalker, noting that it’s not uncommon for students to give up meat after experiencing the slaughter. Despite all the threats, the protests were mostly confined to the internet. Rallies were planned for Pack Square Park, but those drew only about a dozen activists with signs. Bogwalker’s partner, Frank Salzano, attended one of the Pack Square gatherings with a handful of friends. “We just wanted to have a conversation and let them know that we are listening to them,” he says, echoing Bogwalker’s observation that, for the most part, the local protesters “have been pretty civil.” Bogwalker notes an offer from local animal rights organizer Jeremy Sagaribay to donate 200 hours of work trade to the school in exchange for releasing one of the sheep to a sanctuary. “I was very impressed by that passion, but part of me was puzzled by the fact that there are thousands of animals raised for meat,” she says. (North Carolina is home to Smithfield Foods Inc., the largest slaughter facility in the world, which processes over 27 million hogs every year.) “I found his offer very sweet and heartfelt. But those sheep would be butchered whether we have a class or not — that meat feeds our family all winter.” She also adds that Wild Abundance’s assistant director, Emily Bell, has received some encouraging messages. “She’s been getting a lot of emails from vegans in support of what we are doing, saying that if people are going to eat meat, this is how it should be done,” she says. Wild Abundance doesn’t have a strategy in place at this point for how to deal with potential strife surrounding the 2018 Cycles of Life program, aside from looking into possible legal avenues. But Bogwalker says, in spite of all the hoopla, this class is just one part of the bigger picture. “We’re just a school that teaches natural building and permaculture, and this is just one small piece of what we do.” X
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SMALL BITES
FOOD
by Thomas Calder | tcalder@mountainx.com
Pull Up at the Peel Deli and Grill In April, Pull Up at the Peel Deli and Grill opened inside The Orange Peel with a limited menu. Since that time, much has changed for owner Matthew Howell. At the beginning of November, he and former business partner Christopher Cox closed their flagship location, the Montford Pull Up, which was inside the Montford Convenience store. By chance, the closing coincided with plans to expand the hours and menu options at the business’s new location. Pull Up at the Peel Deli and Grill, says Howell, is now in full swing, open for lunch, as well as during evening shows. Reading over the menu, the influence of The Orange Peel is hard to miss: The Rick Ruben, Marley Wrap and Snoop Dogs are among the latest additions. Deli sandwiches, soups, salads, pizzas and sides are also available, including vegetarian and vegan options. Nick Kohli, former kitchen manager at Santé Wine Bar and Tap
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Bar to S’more, a collaborative work co-written by members of Dandelion Chocolate, a San Fransisco-based dessert eatery. On Monday, Dec. 4, coauthor Greg D’Alesandre will be at the French Broach Chocolate Lounge, discussing the new work and signing copies of the book. According to the event’s Facebook page, Making Chocolate includes “tips, tricks and the full process for making bean-to-bar chocolate in your own kitchen.” The book signing runs 6:30-8 p.m. Monday, Dec. 4, at French Broad Chocolate Lounge, 10 S. Pack Square. For more information, visit avl.mx/4cg. CELEBRATING THE FLATIRON BUILDING
MUSIC AND EATS: Matthew Howell, left, recently expanded the menu at Pull Up at the Peel Deli and Grill with the help of Nick Kohli, center. Also pictured is patron and friend Aaron Eaton, right. Photo by Thomas Calder Room, has also joined Howell in day-today operations. When it comes to serving meals inside a music venue, Howell says, “It’s an awesome and unique [experience].” The diverse acts that perform at The Orange Peel draw equally diverse crowds. Because of this, Howell says, no two evenings are alike. But no matter the genre of music, he notes all crowds seem “happily surprised to find food options at The Orange Peel.” Moving forward, Howell hopes to offer delivery to downtown locations. In the meantime, he says he and Kohli are “excited to grow [the business] … and [we] look forward to feeding downtown neighbors and concertgoers for a long time to come.” Pull Up at the Peel Deli and Grill is inside The Orange Peel, 101 Biltmore Ave. Lunch hours are Wednesday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. The restaurant is also open for ticket holders at all events. For more information, visit avl.mx/4c6. EAST FORK BIRTHDAY CAKE-OFF On Saturday, Dec. 2, East Fork Asheville will celebrate its one-year anniversary at its North Lexington Avenue location with a cake competition. Attendees are encouraged to enter a homemade cake, and the winner will take home a custom East Fork Pottery cake stand. Participation, however, is not a prerequisite. According to the event’s Facebook page, “Even if you don’t like baking … come vote for your favorite and toast to our birthday!”
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The East Fork Birthday Cake-Off runs 5-7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 2 at East Fork Asheville, 82 N. Lexington Ave. Cakes must be dropped off that day, noon-4 p.m. For more information, visit avl.mx/4bx. SANDY MUSH MOUNTAIN MUSIC AND SQUARE DANCE The annual Sandy Mush Mountain Music and Square Dance fundraiser returns to the Sandy Mush Community Center on Saturday, Dec. 2. Live music from the Stoney Creek Boys will be accompanied by Folk Heritage Smooth Dancers and Green Valley Cloggers. Chili made with beef from CrossCreek Farm in Leicester will be available — the $7 plate also includes bread, a drink and dessert. A $5 raffle offers guests the chance to take home an assortment of goods, including a Green River dulcimer by Bill Walker, a Sandy Mush quilt and a Matt Jones pottery lamp. Proceeds from the event benefit Sandy Mush Community Center. The Sandy Mush Mountain Music and Square Dance runs 6-9 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 2, at Sandy Mush Community Center, 19 School Road, Leicester. Admission is $5 for adults, free for children 10 and younger. For more information, visit avl.mx/4bw. DANDELION CHOCOLATE BOOK SIGNING AT FRENCH BROAD CHOCOLATE LOUNGE Chocolate is the focus of the new cookbook Making Chocolate: From Bean to
World Coffee Cafe and Skybar will host an evening of music, cocktails, wine and dessert celebrating the 90th anniversary of downtown’s Flatiron Building. Pisgah Brewing Co. will provide a specialty brew, Flatiron Ale. The free event is open to adults ages 21 and older. Guests are encouraged to dress in 1920s garb. The Flatiron celebration runs 3 p.m.midnight Thursday, Nov. 30. For more information, visit avl.mx/4c5. FOOTHILLS BUTCHER BAR BLACK MOUNTAIN On Nov. 17, Foothills Meats opened its second butcher bar location, Foothills Butcher Bar Black Mountain. “The Black Mountain community can expect high-quality food and excellent service from this kitchen,” says owner and CEO Casey McKissick in a recent press release. Chef Rachel FreihoffLewin, who has previously worked at Cúrate and Rhubarb in Asheville and Knife and Fork in Spruce Pine, heads daily operations at the new eatery. Foothills Butcher Bar Black Mountain offers lunch, dinner, cocktails and craft beers. It also features a browse-and-buy meat counter that includes steaks, pork chops, bacon, deli meats, house-made pickles and spreads, as well as milk, cream butter and eggs. The location serves as the pickup point for the Foothills Meat Share CSA program and special orders from Foothills’ Commissary Kitchen. Foothills Butcher Bar Black Mountain is at 107 Black Mountain Ave. Hours are Monday-Thursday, noon-9 p.m., and Friday-Saturday, noon-10 p.m. Sunday Supper hours are yet to be announced. For details, visit foothillslocalmeats.com. X
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A R T S & E N T E R TA I N M E N T
THINK PINK
Valeria Watson addresses a dark past and bright future with her new installation
BY ALLI MARSHALL amarshall@mountainx.com “We decided to stop having our garbage taken away,” says local artist Valeria Watson, who divides her time between her studio in the Refinery Creator Space in Asheville and her 7-acre Zamani Refuge African Culture Center in Leicester. “As long as somebody’s taking it away, you don’t have to face it. … It makes us have to figure out what to do with our plastic, what to do with all this stuff.” Part of Watson’s answer: Make art. There’s a bed in the yard that Watson’s goats climb on. There’s a red tea kettle, a handbag and a string of pearls hanging from a tree. And there’s the sense that everything is potential inspiration for a project. Indeed, many of the pieces of Watson’s new installation, Perhaps She Has a Pink Vest, recycle ideas and pieces from the artist’s past collections. “I’m finding a place to bring my whole self,” she says. Perhaps She Has a Pink Vest opens Friday, Dec. 1, in the Asheville Area Arts Council’s Host Gallery. The title of the exhibition comes from a short story by the late German author Wolfgang Borchert. In the tale, two men — Timm and Other — recently returned from war, comment on the women who pass on the street. “The story is an insight into misogyny with all of its innocence and institutional support,” Watson writes in the exhibit description. Pieces in the installation, which are organized to represent the five parts of the story, include a series of new, posterlike drawings with positive affirmations for the artist’s granddaughter along with figurative sculptures, made from
SPIRIT OF INVENTION: In addition to work with Asheville institutions such as URTV and the YMI Cultural Center, artist Valeria Watson has founded Sacred Space Craft Library inside the Refinery Creator Space. The installation currently includes contributions from other local artists of color and Watson’s black doll collection. Photo by Alli Marshall repurposed material, to stand in for the characters in Borchert’s vignette. Except for Timm and Other, who are gray, the show’s figures are rendered in shades of white and pink — the latter a color Watson returns to, over and over, throughout her installation. There’s a Virgin of Guadalupe-type figure, arrayed in magenta tulle and red feathers, that will take up the back wall of Perhaps She Has a Pink Vest. Other parts of the story will be constructed on hinged pieces that sit out on the floor. Artwork covers both sides of the standing elements and represent, says Watson, the journey from the city into the woods. “ I have all these tiny little things I’ve collected over the years and I’ve pulled
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them together to tell a story of now,” she says. “It’s a physical transformation for me, taking those old ideas and making the future I want for myself and my granddaughter.” A garage workshop on the Zamani Refuge African Culture Center property is a colorful riot of found objects, art supplies and stored keepsakes. Creativity permeates every inch of the center. Above the workshop, a long room houses theatrical props and racks of apparel left over from Watson’s previous career as a costumer in Hollywood. When she moved to Western North Carolina in 2005, she brought everything with her — including industrial sewing machines — because, “I just didn’t know what I was going to be here,” she says. In the past dozen years, Watson has worn many proverbial hats (and, no doubt, a few literal hats of her own design). Soon after her move to Leicester, she began coordination efforts that led to Osogbo, Nigeria, becoming Asheville’s eighth sister city. The African locale is important to Watson, who was inducted into a Nigerian spiritual tradition. She shared that experience in her 2009 film Priestess of Osun — My Nigerian Initiation. Watson hopes to further incorporate the connection with Osogbo into her work and community by bringing native indigo from that region back to WNC so that local African-American artists can make crafts with the natural dye. The
initiative, Watson hopes, will lead to an Affrilachian Art and Craft Trail. The name comes from a term, coined by Kentucky-based poet and activist Frank X Walker, in reference to the 13-state Appalachian Mountain region and the multicultural influence of its often-overlooked populations. Watson also practices Butoh dance and, with Asheville Butoh Festival artistic director Julie Becton Gillum, led “Ghosts of the South” — a workshop and procession from Green’s Mini Mart down Depot Street to Pink Dog Creative, effectively connecting a predominantly black neighborhood to a predominantly white one. She also produced the installation Reparations for Nina, in honor of Tryon-born singer Nina Simone, in Tryon’s Upstairs [Artspace]. Simone’s story must resonate with Watson: The two artists both grew up in the segregated South (Watson in Texas) and, through their work, sought to both express and transcend racial and other oppressions. “We have to realize we live in the South,” says Watson. “Everybody’s been repressed.” All of these ideas inform Perhaps She Has a Pink Vest. Talking about her vast range of experiences and creations, Watson muses, “We need to cry a lot, we need to weep a lot, but I want to show the happy side. We so seldom get to see, what’s the victory like? What does that feel like? … We make the world through what we think.” With pink paint, recycled artwork and cast off plastics, Watson is making her world anew. “This idea of installations excites me,” she says, “because I can really bring everything together.” X
WHAT Perhaps She Has a Pink Vest: an installation by Valeria Watson WHERE Asheville Area Arts Council’s Host Gallery Refinery Creator Space 207 Coxe Ave. ashevillearts.com WHEN Opening reception Friday, Dec. 1, 5-8 p.m. Installation on view through Friday, Jan. 26
HERSTORY: “I’m really interested in focusing on women, children and [the spirit of] the mother,” says Watson of the characters in her installation. “I’m attempting to put love into this … but also a deeper story.” Photo by Alli Marshall
Kirsten Stolle’s latest exhibit opens at Tracey Morgan Gallery Massachusetts-born artist Kirsten Stolle relocated to Asheville after spending nearly two decades in the San Francisco Bay area. And even now, her work is welltraveled: Stolle will be featured in a group exhibition opening in Berlin on Friday, Dec. 1, 6-8 p.m. That same night, Stolle’s exhibit What Goes on Here opens much closer to home — at the Tracey Morgan Gallery, 188 Coxe Ave., in Asheville’s South Slope district. The solo exhibition of works on paper includes three series: Chemical Bouquet, By the Ton and Faith, Hope & $5,000. The first uses collage to “comment on the use of harmful herbicides and the genetic modification of plants by global chemical corporations,” according to a press release for the show. The second “spotlights the practice of corporate greenwashing and exposes the troubling history of the agrichemical industry” with collage, silkscreen, vintage postcards and archival photos. And the third series — also concerned with Monsanto’s history and practices — “manipulates both typography and graphic elements to create non-narrative poems.” “For the past several years, I have been deepening my research into the influence
“Feed the Future” by Kirsten Stolle. Image courtesy of the artist of agrichemical and biotech companies on our food system,” Stolle says in her artist statement. “A large part of my studio practice is uncovering background information that is often deliberately distorted or concealed.” The Tracey Morgan Gallery will also host the concurrent exhibition, Fulcrum of Malice, photographs from Stacy Kranitz, on Dec. 1. Info at traceymorgangallery.com. — A.M. X
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by Daniel Walton
danielwwalton@live.com
THE SONG YOU CAN SING Cary Cooper debuts ‘Case of the Hopefuls’ at The Altamont Theatre In the music room at the Franklin School of Innovation in Asheville, Cary Cooper pulls up her left sleeve to reveal a tattoo on her upturned forearm. The classroom is full of inspirational quotes from famous songwriters such as Taylor Swift and Jack White, but the circle of elongated black print on her skin spells out the most important advice she has to offer her students: “Sing the song that only you can sing.” The folk-pop singer-songwriter has taken those words to heart since relocating to Asheville from Texas in 2014, trading in her touring schedule for the teaching gig at Franklin. “I felt like I needed to be quiet for a while, give my heart a chance to rest and see what it wanted to say,” explains Cooper. She shares the results of that rediscovery, Case of the Hopefuls, at an album release party and benefit for the school on Thursday, Nov. 30, at The Altamont Theatre.
MAPQUEST: Although the music throughout Cary Cooper’s new album clearly bears the fingerprints of her folk-pop background, several songs directly reference the inspiration she’s gained since moving from Texas. “I wouldn’t necessarily call it an Appalachian feel, but those songs were definitely influenced by being in this area,” Cooper says. Photo by Bill Pence The cover of the new album matches the décor of Cooper’s classroom: bright primary colors and upbeat design elements of birds and a fortune cookie. “Most people who know me think I err a little on the side of Pollyanna,” she says with a smile. “Even when facing some really difficult things in life, I tend to find the silver lining.” As an example, Cooper points to the launch of her solo musical career. Before 2008, she had toured with her then-husband, Tom Prasada-Rao, in a duo called The Dreamsicles. Although Cooper was already a skilled singer at the time, she didn’t have Prasada-Rao’s instrumental chops, so she left him the accompaniment duties for their tight harmony vocals. The onset of the economic recession made touring as a two-person act economically unsustainable. “I realized that if I was going to continue to have a music career, I was going to have to figure the whole instrument thing out,” says Cooper. Her subsequent hard work to pick up the guitar, ukulele and piano paid off with songwriting awards at competitions across the country and a role 36
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in the nationally syndicated 2011 TV documentary series “Troubadour, TX.” Cooper employs all three of those instruments throughout Case of the Hopefuls, with further musical support by producer Michael Crittenden. Recorded over an intense three-week stretch this summer in Grand Rapids, Mich., to coincide with Cooper’s teaching duties at the Interlochen Center for the Arts, the arrangements are constructed lightly, giving plenty of room for her delicate melodies and overdubbed harmonies to shine through. That stripped-down approach marks a big change from the production of Cooper’s 2013 album, Zuzu’s Petals. “That one took almost a year to make, and we were aiming for a superslick sound,” she says. “I just decided that this record felt really personal to me. I wanted the sparseness to bring an element of power that might get masked with a whole bunch of other parts.” Although the music throughout the album clearly bears the fingerprints of Cooper’s folk-pop background, several songs directly reference the inspiration she’s gained since moving from Texas.
“Swannanoa,” for example, employs Johnny Waken of Jonathan Byrd & The Pickup Cowboys on musical saw and Chris Rosser of Free Planet Radio on dotar, while “Blue as the Moon” puts the twang of a mandolin at the front of the mix. “I wouldn’t necessarily call it an Appalachian feel, but those songs were definitely influenced by being in this area,” says Cooper. The band bringing Cooper’s album to life for The Altamont Theatre performance reflects the musical connections she’s made during her time in Asheville. Rosser is featured on dotar and keyboards, Michael Hines plays upright bass and fellow Franklin teacher Bryan Clendenin contributes mandolin. Two of her songwriting students, Rain Lupia and Nikki Forbes, provide backing vocals. Cooper also pays tribute to her Texas roots through her choice of drummer: Her 16-year-old nephew, Shep Cooper, is traveling to Asheville specifically for the performance. Singer-songwriter Gary Jules of “Mad World” fame — whose son is one of Cooper’s students — joins the release concert as a special guest. “One of the first shows I saw in Asheville was Gary Jules doing a benefit for the school his son used to go to,” Cooper
says. “Now it’s come full circle with this concert for Franklin.” But Cooper is even more excited for the chance to showcase several of her current students at the concert, each of whom performs a song they’ve written since the start of the school year. The most rewarding moment in music, Cooper says, is when students find their song. “When they stumble upon the perfect way to say something and then get to play it in front of people — it’s the coolest thing to know that’s going to stick with them.” X
WHAT Cary Cooper’s album release party and benefit for Franklin School of Innovation with Gary Jules WHERE The Altamont Theatre 18 Church St. thealtamonttheatre.com WHEN Thursday, Nov. 30, 7:30 p.m. $10 advance/$15 day of show $25 VIP
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by Bill Kopp
A& E
bill@musoscribe.com
HOT FOR THE HOLIDAYS The Squirrel Nut Zippers bring their Christmas caravan to Asheville
IN THE AFTERLIFE: Founder Jimbo Mathus, center, spearheads a revival of his genre-defying band, Squirrel Nut Zippers. Playing Christmas classics, holiday-themed originals and previewing tunes from their upcoming album, the Zippers stop by The Grey Eagle on Dec. 6. Photo courtesy of SKH Music Founded in Chapel Hill, Squirrel Nut Zippers were more of a summer art project than a serious band. But with the 1996 smash success of “Hell,” from Hot, the group’s second album, the Zippers were catapulted into mainstream success. The group folded in ’98 after releasing a holiday-themed album, but founder Jimbo Mathus mounted a revival in celebration of the 20th anniversary of Hot. And now the Zippers have put together
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a holiday extravaganza, billed as its Christmas Caravan Tour. The band plays The Grey Eagle on Wednesday, Dec. 6. Often pegged as a novelty act, Squirrel Nut Zippers came onto the 1990s music scene with a dazzling stew of various musical styles. “Let’s just be honest,” Mathus says. “It was a throwback musical style. And we never intended for it to be widely heard.” But it was heard. “Hell” (and its accompanying music video) sounded and looked like nothing else happening musically at the time. With the good fortune of coincidental timing, the Zippers were lumped in with the then-burgeoning swing dance revival. “We’re not really a swing band,” Mathus says. He notes that the Zippers’ musical approach drew (and draws) upon calypso, New Orleans hot jazz and even German cabaret. He didn’t really mind the swing connection, though. “A lot of people in the band really resented that we were being pigeonholed some way,” he says. “And I was like, ‘Man, this is a good problem to have!’”
In the wake of the success of “Hell” and the Hot album, the Zippers toured widely. Their high profile included performances at the Summer Olympics in Atlanta, a gig at Bill Clinton’s second inaugural ball, and a date at New York City’s Radio City Music Hall, supporting Tony Bennett. Mathus has especially fond memories of the Radio City gig. “That was probably the highlight” of that era, he says. “I was sitting with my grandmother, my mom, my aunts and cousins, and we were watching Tony Bennett sound-check,” Mathus recalls. “And my grandmother turned around and said, ‘I know your grandfather’s here with us right now, being able to see this. He would love this so much.’ And that’s the biggest success of my career, right there.” The Zippers went their separate ways near the end of that decade; some members left music completely, while others remained quite active. Mathus had already launched a solo career with 1997’s Play Songs for Rosetta; he’s since released more than a dozen highly regarded albums. He also enjoyed
a tenure as part of bluesman Buddy Guy’s band. Mathus’ entire career — including numerous production credits — highlights his abiding love for Americana in all its forms. “I’m definitely a musicologist, and on any one song of mine, there’ll be myriad references,” Mathus says, mentioning Bill Monroe, Charley Patton, T-Bone Walker and Stephen Foster. It’s that wide-screen, wellinformed approach that makes his music — with and beyond the Zippers — so rich and appealing. The 1990s lineups of the Squirrel Nut Zippers included indie sensation Andrew Bird and Asheville-based musician Je Widenhouse. And the group organized reunions in the years between 2000 and the launch of the 2016 revival. But the current lineup features all new members, save leader and frontman Mathus. (Ashevillean Hank West is part of the band as well.) The Zippers recently completed a new studio album, their first since 2009’s Lost at Sea. “It’s called Beasts of Burgundy,” Mathus says, noting that the last word is pronounced Bur-GUNdy, like the street for which it’s named. “It’s really a love letter to the counterculture of historical New Orleans. It’s
a world-class album of original songs, it uses all the strengths of a nine-piece band, and everybody’s able to shine on it.” The album is scheduled for release in 2018. Meanwhile, the holiday tour builds upon the Zippers’ 1998 Christmas Caravan album. “It was my favorite Zippers record,” Mathus says, “because it has that great functionality to it, being a seasonal thing.” The tour presents an opportunity to play those songs and other holiday favorites in the Zippers’ inimitable style. “It’ll be something that’s out of the ordinary,” Mathus promises. X
WHO The Squirrel Nut Zippers WHERE The Grey Eagle 185 Clingman Ave. thegreyeagle.com WHEN Wednesday, Dec. 6, 8 p.m. $20 advance/$25 day of show
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SMART BETS
A&E
by Edwin Arnaudin | Send your arts news to ae@mountainx.com
A Christmas Carol
Emma’s Lounge Asheville-based quintet Emma’s Lounge has had a year to remember. Combining guitars, drums and keys with violin, the self-described purveyor of “space-age folk-wave” released its debut album, Heart Heavy, in early March. The band was tapped to play the French Broad River Festival and The BIG What? in Pittsboro. As the trusted opener for such local groups as Holy Ghost Tent Revival, Midnight Snack and The Fritz, the ensemble blends originals with creative covers like “SexyGod,” a mashup of Justin Timberlake’s “SexyBack” and Nine Inch Nails’ “Closer.” For its final show of the year, the band opens for Burlington-based fusion group BIG Something at Salvage Station on Saturday, Dec. 2, at 9 p.m. $10 advance/$12 day of show. salvagestation.com. Photo courtesy of the band
For 40 years, the Montford Park Players have performed Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. Last year, the beloved troupe added a new tradition to its holiday offerings: an outdoor Victorian Christmas festival A Day with Dickens. Prior to the play, children may enjoy complimentary crafts and hot chocolate while attendees of all ages shop for gifts, purchase food and beverages, and interact with costumed characters. As for the main event, this year’s production endeavors to present Dickens’ story as close to the original text as possible, including the presence of a scene from the novella that’s rarely performed onstage. It all happens at the Hazel Robinson Amphitheater, Saturdays and Sundays, Dec. 2-17. A Day with Dickens at 3 p.m., play at 5 p.m. Free, but advanced seating reservations may be made online. montfordparkplayers. org. Photo courtesy of Montford Park Players
Kat Williams
Hand to Heart Holiday To celebrate its milestone 20th event, The Big Crafty offers its first two-day community bazaar with Hand to Heart Holiday. Among the wide variety of creations from the 175 artists sharing their work at the U.S. Cellular Center are the porcelain wares of Kung Fu Clay, the potions of Take Care Herbals and the handmade macrame plant hangers of HangingKnots. Organizers are also working with the Asheville Area Arts Council and the city of Asheville to offer demos throughout the weekend. A $5 VIP preview for those who prefer a more leisurely art and craft experience takes place Saturday, Dec. 2, 1-8 p.m., followed by a free event Sunday, Dec. 3, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. thebigcrafty.com. Photo of Brit Sigh, right, owner of Clever Raven Industrial, by Justin Rabuck
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Kat Williams concerts are unfortunately rare these days. The renowned vocalist — an Asheville resident for 20 years — has been diagnosed with Stage 5 kidney disease and is on a waitlist for a kidney transplant. While fans and the community at large have donated north of $70,000 to help with her treatments, fatigue from the taxing condition limits her ability to tour, making the gigs she does play must-see events. Williams presents a program titled Winter Wonderland on Sunday, Dec. 3, at Isis Music Hall. Accompanied by the Richard Shulman Trio — composed of the eponymous pianist, Zack Page on bass and Rick Dilling on drums — she’ll sing seasonal tunes in R&B, jazz and sacred styles, at 7:30 p.m. $20. isisasheville.com. Photo courtesy of Williams
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ART ASHEVILLE AREA ARTS COUNCIL 828-258-0710, ashevillearts.com • Through (12/15), 1-4pm - "Pottery for Veterans," class for veterans living in Buncombe County. Registration required: ashevillearts.com. Free. Held at Odyssey Clayworks, 236 Clingman Ave. • MO (12/4), 1-4pm “Business Support for the Creative Entrepreneur,” workshop. Registration required: jhanks@ carolinasmallbusiness.org. Free. Held at The Refinery, 207 Coxe Ave.
❄ TOE RIVER HOLIDAY STUDIO TOUR toeriverarts.org • FR (12/1), 5:30-7:30pm - Reception for the Toe River Arts Council holiday studio tour. Free to attend. Held at Spruce Pine TRAC Gallery, 269 Oak Ave., Spruce Pine ART/CRAFT STROLLS & FAIRS HOLIDAY SPECTACULAR SHOW & TELL POP UP SHOP (PD.) 12/7-20, Sun-Thurs 10am7pm, Fri+Sat 10am-9pm. Free! @AVL MASONIC TEMPLE. Local/indie craft, design, food, and vintage - find a gift for everyone on your list! PREVIEW PARTY, 12/6, 6-9pm. SANTA VISIT, 12/9, 11am1pm. Workshops, holiday wrapping! showandtellpopupshop. com • 80 Broadway St 28801.
❄ ART AT UNCA art.unca.edu • FR (12/1), 4-7pm & SA (12/2), 10am-2pm Holiday art sale featuring student pottery, drawings, prints, paintings, photography, glass and sculpture. Free to attend. Held in Owen Hall ❄ BLACK MOUNTAIN CENTER FOR THE ARTS 225 W. State St., Black Mountain, 828-669-0930, blackmountainarts.org • FR (12/1), 5-8pm - Clay studio exhibit and "Holly Jolly Pottery Market." Free to attend. ❄ BULLINGTON
GARDENS 95 Upper Red Oak Trail Hendersonville, 828-6986104, bullingtongardens. org • FR (12/1) & SA (12/2), 10am-4pm - Holiday greenery and craft sale. Free to attend. DOWNTOWN ASHEVILLE FIRST FRIDAY ART WALKS downtownashevilleartdistrict.org. • 1st FRIDAYS, 5-8pm Downtown Asheville First
by Abigail Griffin Friday Art Walks with more than 25 galleries within a half mile radius of historic downtown Asheville. Free to attend. Held at Downtown Asheville, Biltmore Ave/ College St. SANDRA BOTTINELLI GALLERY 56 S. Lexington Ave., #105 • FR (12/1), 5-7pm - Grand opening and open house. Free to attend.
❄ THE CENTER FOR CRAFT, CREATIVITY AND DESIGN 67 Broadway, 828-785-1357, craftcreativitydesign.org/ • TH (11/30) through SU (12/3) - Holiday pop-up shop featuring over 30 local and national designers and makers selling art, jewelry, home goods and holiday items. Thurs.: 6-10pm. Fri.-Sun.: 10am6pm. Free to attend. ❄ TOE RIVER HOLIDAY STUDIO TOUR toeriverarts.org • FR (12/1) until SU (12/3), 10am-5pm - Self-guided tour through artist studios is Mitchell and Yancey county. For more information or studio maps visit the website. Free to attend. TOWN AND MOUNTAIN TRAINING CENTER 261 Asheland Ave. • FR (12/1), 2-7pm Fantastic Friday holiday art and craft fair featuring local artists and companies. Raffle benefits Veteran Jam. Free to attend.
❄ WEST ASHEVILLE TAILGATE MARKET westashevilletailgatemarket.com • TUESDAYS through (12/19), 2:30-6pm - Indoor holiday market. Free to attend. Held at The Mothlight, 701 Haywood Road ❄ WILD MOUNTAIN BEES 23 Merrimon Ave., Weaverville • SA (12/2) & SA (12/9), 10am-5pm - Holiday art and crafts market. Free to attend. AUDITIONS & CALL TO ARTISTS ASHEVILLE CITY SCHOOLS FOUNDATION 828-350-6135, Julia. Shuster@asheville.k12. nc.us • Through (12/4) Applications accepted for Asheville area artists interested in teaching in an arts-integration program. Information: acsf. org/tapas-call-to-artists. ASHEVILLE COMMUNITY THEATRE 35 E. Walnut St., 828-2541320, ashevilletheatre.org
NUTCRACKER SEASON: Kick off the holiday season and expect the unexpected from Asheville Contemporary Dance Theatre’s performance of The Nutcracker and the Mouse King. Though The Nutcracker might be the world’s most famous ballet, the ACDT version is unique since it is based on the original and much darker story written in 1816 by German author E.T.A. Hoffmann. “I always want to go back to the original work,” artistic co-director Giles Collard says. “The characters and the story are always so much more interesting.” The performances take place at Diana Wortham Theatre on Friday-Saturday, Dec. 1-2, at 7:30 p.m., with a Saturday matinee at 2 p.m. Tickets are $28 for adults, $20 for children, and $23 for students and seniors. For tickets or information, visit dwtheatre. com or call 828-257-4530. Photo courtesy of ACDT (p. 42) • MO (12/4) & TU (12/5), 6-9pm - Open auditions for the musical, 9 to 5. Contact for information. CALDWELL ARTS COUNCIL 601 College Ave SW, Lenoir, 828-754-2486 • Through WE (1/31) Portfolios accepted for 2019 exhibition opportunities. Information: caldwellarts.com/157-guidelines/. DOWNTOWN SYLVA ASSOCIATION 828-586-1577 • Through FR (12/15) Submissions accepted for Town of Sylva public mural project. See website for guidelines.
LITERARY EVENTS AT UNCA unca.edu • Through FR (12/1) Applications accepted for UNC Asheville’s Ramsey Library Community Author Award for a poet, playwright or graphic novelist in Western North Carolina. Information: library.unca. edu/RLCAA. WOMANSONG OF ASHEVILLE womansong.org • Through MO (12/11) - Womansong rehearsals open to prospective members. Contact for schedule. Held at Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Asheville, 1 Edwin Place
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MUSIC
❄ ASHEVILLE SYMPHONY CHORUS ashevillesymphonychorus. com • TH (12/7), 7:30pm - Handel's Messiah, community sing along with the symphony chorus. $15. Held at First Presbyterian Church of Asheville, 40 Church St. ❄ BLUE RIDGE RINGERS HANDBELL ENSEMBLE blueridgeringers.tripod. com, blueridgeringers@ gmail.com • TU (12/5), noon Christmas handbell concert. Free. Held at Transylvania County Library, 212 S. Gaston St., Brevard BREVARD MUSIC CENTER 828-862-2105, brevardmusic.org • 1st MONDAYS, 12:30pm - Community concert series. Free. Held in the Porter Center at Brevard College
❄ CAROLINA
CONCERT CHOIR 607-351-2585, carolinaconcertchoir.org • FR (12/1), 7pm & SA (12/2), 3pm - “Bach and Holiday Pops," 55-member choral concert. $22/$5 students. Held at Bo Thomas Auditorium, Blue Ridge Community College Hendersonville
❄ FLAT ROCK PLAYHOUSE 2661 Highway 225, Flat Rock, 828-693-0731, flatrockplayhouse.org • MO (12/4), 7pm - "The Nat Before Christmas," holiday Christmas music classics. $40/$100 VIP. ❄ MADISON COUNTY ARTS COUNCIL madisoncountyarts.com • SA (12/3), 10am-3pm Christian harmony shapednote singing event. Free.Held in Marshall Presbyterian Church, 165 S. Main St., Marshall ❄ MUSIC AT MARS HILL mhu.edu • FR (12/1), 7pm - Mars Hill University Department of Music Christmas concert. Free. Held in Moore Auditorium • SU (12/3), 7pm - MHU gospel choir concert. Free. Held in Broyhill Chapel
❄ MUSIC AT MONTREAT COLLEGE montreat.edu • SA (12/2), 7pm - “The Gift of Christmas," concert by Montreat College choir and orchestra students. Free. Held in Anderson Auditorium MUSIC AT UNCA 828-251-6432, unca.edu • TH (11/30), 7pm - Music department students perform solo, small ensemble and electronic
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by Abigail Griffin
works. Free. Held at UNC Asheville, Lipinsky Hall • SU (12/3), 3pm - UNC Asheville Wind and Percussion Ensembles holiday concert. Free. Held at UNC Asheville, Lipinsky Hall
❄ MUSIC AT WCU bardoartscenter.wcu.edu • SU (12/3), 3pm "Sounds of the Season," school of music concert. $15. Held at The WCU Bardo Arts Center, 199 Centennial Drive • TH (12/7), 7pm - Oldtime and bluegrass series featuring the old-time band the Haywood Ramblers. Jam session at 8pm. Free. Held at HF Robinson Administration Building, Cullowhee RAINBOW COMMUNITY SCHOOL AUDITORIUM 58 State St., 828-258-9264 • SA (12/2), 7pm Proceeds from this world music concert featuring Village Marimba and the Warren Wilson Gamelan Ensemble benefit Village Marimba. Admission by donation.
❄ ST. MARK'S LUTHERAN CHURCH 10 North Liberty St., 828253-0043 • SA (12/2), 5pm Proceeds from this holiday piano concert featuring Alex Watson benefit ABCCM'S Veterans Restoration Quarters. Information: alexwatsonpiano.com. $10. ❄ THE BREVARD PHILHARMONIC • SU (12/3), 3pm - "Classic Christmas," concert featuring the Transylvania Choral Society and the Brevard College Chamber Singers. $35. Held in the Porter Center at Brevard College THE CENTER FOR CULTURAL PRESERVATION 828-692-8062, saveculture.org • TH (12/7), 7pmCherokee music and dance featuring Bo Taylor. $5. Held at Bo Thomas Auditorium, Blue Ridge Community College Hendersonville
❄ WAYNESVILLE FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH 566 South Haywood St., Waynesville, 828-456-9475 • SU (12/3), 7pm - The Haywood County Community Chorus Christmas concert. Free. THEATER
❄ ASHEVILLE CHRISTMAS SHOW • FR (12/1) & SA (12/2), 7:30pm - “Asheville Christmas Show,” familyfriendly show featuring music, dance and comedy with local and global performers. $19-$26. Held at
Asheville High School, 419 McDowell St.
❄ ASHEVILLE COMMUNITY THEATRE 35 E. Walnut St., 828-2541320, ashevilletheatre.org • FRIDAYS through SUNDAYS (12/1) until (12/17) - The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, directed by Elliot Weiner. Fri.: 7:30pm. Sat. & Sun.: 2:30pm. Additional show SA (12/16), 7:30pm $12$26. ❄ ASHEVILLE CONTEMPORARY DANCE THEATRE 828-254-2621, acdt.org/ • FR (12/1), 7:30pm & SA (12/2) - Nutcracker and the Mouse King, dance performance. Fri. & Sat.: 7:30pm. Sat.: 2pm. $28/$23 students & seniors/$20 children. Held at Be Be Theatre, 20 Commerce St. BLACK MOUNTAIN COLLEGE MUSEUM & ARTS CENTER 56 Broadway, 828-3508484, blackmountaincollege.org • TH (12/7), 7pm "Aspects of Butoh," butoh performance and dialogue with the Asheville Butoh Collective. $10/$5 members.
❄ BREVARD LITTLE THEATRE 55 E. Jordan St., Brevard, 828-884-2587 • THURSDAY through SUNDAY (12/7) through (12/10) - In the Workshop. Thurs.-Sat.: 7:30pm. Sun.: 3pm. $18/$12 student/$6 children. ❄ FLAT ROCK PLAYHOUSE 2661 Highway 225, Flat Rock, 828-693-0731, flatrockplayhouse.org • WEDNESDAYS through SUNDAYS until (12/22) - Christmas Spectacular, original musical. Wed., Thurs., Sat. & Sun.: 2pm. Wed. & Thurs.: 7:30pm. Fri. & Sat.: 8pm. $15-$50. • WEDNESDAYS through SUNDAYS until (12/22) - A Flat Rock Playhouse Christmas. Wed. & Thurs.: 7:30pm. Fri. & Sat.: 8pm. Wed., Thurs., Sat., & Sun.: 2pm. ❄ FLAT ROCK PLAYHOUSE DOWNTOWN 125 S. Main St., Hendersonville, 828-693-0731, flatrockplayhouse.org • THURSDAYS through SUNDAYS (11/30) through (12/17) - The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, comedy. Thurs. & Fri.: 7pm. Sat.: 1pm & 5pm. Sun.: 2pm. $12.50-$25. ❄ J.E. BROYHILL CIVIC CENTER 1913 Hickory Blvd SE. Lenior, broyhillcenter.com • TH (11/30) through SU (12/3) - Miracle on 34th Street, presented by FPA. Thurs.-Sat.: 7pm. Sun.: 2pm. $14/$12 students/$7.50 children under 13.
❄ MONTFORD PARK PLAYERS 828-254-5146, montfordparkplayers.org • SATURDAYS & SUNDAYS (12/2) until (12/17), 5pm - A Christmas Carol. "A Day with Dickens," Victorian Christmas festival at 3pm. Free. Held at Hazel Robinson Amphitheatre, 92 Gay St. ❄ NC STAGE COMPANY 15 Stage Lane, 828-2390263 • WEDNESDAYS through SUNDAYS (12/6) until (12/30) - All Is Calm - The Christmas Truce of 1914. Wed.-Sat.: 7:30pm. Sun.: 2pm. $16-$34. • WEDNESDAYS through SUNDAYS (11/29) until (12/23) - The Twelve Dates of Christmas, comedy. Wed.-Sat.: 7:30pm. Sun.: 2pm. $16-$34. ❄ THE MAGNETIC THEATRE 375 Depot St., 828-2794155 • 1st FRIDAYS, 10:30pm SuperHappy Productions present "The SuperHappy Radio Hour." $8. • THURSDAYS through SATURDAYS (11/30) until (12/22), 7:30pm - Bernstein Family Christmas Spectacular, comedy. 10pm late shows on SA (12/9) & SA (12/16). $25. ❄ THEATER AT MARS HILL mhu.edu • SA (12/2), 5pm - Bailey Mountain Cloggers Christmas performance. Silent auction at 3pm. $5. Held in Moore Auditorium • TH (11/30) & SA (12/2), 7:30pm & SU (12/3), 2:30pm- The Great American Trailer Park Musical. presented by the MHU Department of Theatre Arts. $15/$12 seniors. Held at Owen Theatre ❄ THEATER AT WCU bardoartscenter.wcu.edu • TU (12/5), 7:30pm Red and Green, holiday tap dancing show by Rhythmic Circus. $25/$5 WCU students. Held at The WCU Bardo Arts Center, 199 Centennial Drive • TH (12/7) through SA (12/9), 7:30pm - The Santaland Diaries, featuring David Sedaris. Reception at 6:30pm. $30. Held at The WCU Bardo Arts Center, 199 Centennial Drive
GALLERY DIRECTORY 305 HILLSIDE 305 Hillside St. • FR (12/1) through SU (12/3) - Re:Views, collage exhibition. Reception: Friday, Dec. 1, 5-8pm. 310 ART 191 Lyman St., #310, 828-776-2716, 310art.com • Through SU (12/31) - Storytelling: Thought to Image, group exhibition. ART AT MARS HILL UNIVERSITY mhu.edu • Through FR (12/15) - Living Section Retrospective of My Fertility, exhibition of work by Martha Skinner. Held at Weizenblatt Art Gallery ART AT UNCA art.unca.edu • Through TH (11/30) - Illustrated Guide to Great Smoky Mountains National Park, exhibition. Held at UNC Asheville Ramsey Library ASHEVILLE AREA ART COUNCIL 828-258-0710, ashevillearts.com • FR (12/1) until TU (1/5) - Emerging Ceramicists in Western North Carolina, exhibition. Reception: Friday, Dec. 1, 5-8pm. Held in The Refinery, 207 Coxe Ave. ASHEVILLE ART MUSEUM 175 Biltmore Ave., 828-253-3227 • Through SU (1/21) - Unwrapped: Gifts from the Peter Norton Family Christmas Project, exhibition. ASHEVILLE CERAMICS GALLERY 109 Roberts St. • Through TH (11/30) - Exhibition of ceramics by Martha Grover. ASHEVILLE GALLERY OF ART 82 Patton Ave., 828-251-5796, ashevillegallery-of-art. com • Through TH (11/30) - Small Works, exhibition of
the work of 22 member artists.
ODYSSEY COOPERATIVE ART GALLERY
CHIEF JOYCE DUGAN CULTURAL ARTS CENTER 86 Elk Crossing Lane, Cherokee • Through TH (11/30) - Native Pop, contemporary Native American art exhibition.
238 Clingman Ave., 828-285-9700, facebook.com/ odysseycoopgallery • Through TH (11/30) - Exhibition of ceramic art by Cat Jarosz, Jenny Mastin and Vivian Saich.
DEPARTMENT OF CULTURAL RESOURCES WESTERN OFFICE 176 Riceville Road, 828-296-7230 • Through SA (1/6) - Treasures from Blackbeard’s Queen Anne’s Revenge, exhibition of artifacts from the wrecked pirate ship. GALLERY 1 604 W. Main St., Sylva • Through TH (11/30) - Exhibition of small works by gallery members.
❄
GROVEWOOD GALLERY 111 Grovewood Road, 828-253-7651, grovewood.com • Through SU (12/31) - Craft in Toyland, group exhibition of handcrafted toys and games. JACKSON COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 310 Keener St., Sylva, 828-586-2016, fontanalib.org/sylva/ • Through SU (12/31) - Exhibition of photography by James Geary. MADISON COUNTY ARTS COUNCIL 90 S. Main St., Marshall, 828-649-1301, madisoncountyarts. com • Through TH (11/30) - Ragtime Willy Pottery, exhibition of functional works by Andy Gordon. MORA CONTEMPORARY JEWELRY 9 Walnut St., 828-575-2294, moracollection.com • Through TH (11/30) - Stay Gold, exhibition of gold jewelry curated by Liz Kantner.
PINK DOG CREATIVE 348 Depot St., pinkdog-creative.com • Through SU (12/17) - Furtherance, exhibition of paintings by Ralston Fox Smith.
TRACEY MORGAN GALLERY 188 Coxe Ave., TraceyMorganGallery. com • FR (12/1) through SA (1/27) - Fulcrum of Malice, exhibition of photographs from Stacy Kranitz. Reception: Friday, Dec. 1, 6-8pm. • FR (12/1) through SA (1/27) - What Goes on Here, exhibition of works on paper by Kirsten Stolle. Reception: Friday, Dec. 1,
POSANA CAFE 1 Biltmore Ave., 828-505-3969 • Through TH (11/30) - WINGS, group art show.
6-8pm.
SPRUCE PINE TRAC GALLERY 269 Oak Ave., Spruce Pine, 828-765-0520, toeriverarts.org/facilities/spruce-pine-gallery/ • Through SA (11/30) - Conversions, exhibition of art work by Mary Ruth Webb. Reception: Friday, Dec. 15, 5-7pm.
2787, tcarts.org
TRANSYLVANIA COMMUNITY ARTS COUNCIL 349 S. Caldwell St., Brevard, 828-884• Through FR (12/15) - Exhibition of art works by members of the Connestee Art League.
❄
TRANSYLVANIA HERITAGE MUSEUM 189 W Main St., Brevard, 828-884-2347,
SWANNANOA VALLEY FINE ARTS LEAGUE svfalarts.org • Through SA (12/30) - The Power of Line, Swannanoa Valley Fine Arts League group exhibition. Held at The Red House, 310 West State St., Black Mountain
transylvaniaheritage.org
THE ASHEVILLE SCHOOL 360 Asheville School Road, 828-254-6345, ashevilleschool.org • Through TH (12/14) - Confluence: Abstraction & Landscape Coming Together, exhibition of artwork by Cindy Walton.
Road, Tryon,
THE HAEN GALLERY 52 Biltmore Ave., 828-254-8577, thehaengallery.com • Through TH (11/30) - Lynn Boggess: An American Master, painting exhibition.
• Through FR (12/1)
• Through SA (12/23) - Aluminum Christmas Tree Museum, exhibition of vintage trees and ornaments. Free to attend. TRYON ARTS AND CRAFTS SCHOOL 373 Harmon Field 828-859-8323 • Through SA (12/23) - The Holiday Gift Show, group exhibition. UPSTAIRS ARTSPACE 49 S. Trade St., Tryon, 828-859-2828, upstairsartspace.org - Feast Your Eyes, group art exhibition. Contact the galleries for admission hours and fees
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CLUBLAND
11/29: TRIVIA 7-9PM 11/30: $1 OFF POURS 12/10: YOGA + CIDER 12:30PM COMING SOON: 12/16: THE MOON & YOU 8-10PM
Where The Blue Ridge Mountains Meet the Celtic Isles
MONDAYS Quizzo – Brainy Trivia • 7:30pm Open Mic Night • 9pm WEDNESDAYS Asheville’s Original Old Time Mountain Music Jam • 5pm
HEMPY HOLIDAY OPEN HOUSE with Jordan Okrend Sunday, 12/03 • 4-9PM
39 S. Market St. • theblockoffbiltmore.com
THURSDAYS The Clydes • 7pm Bluegrass Jam • 9pm Bourbon Specials
THE SNOPES FRI FAMILY BAND
12/1
HILL-COUNTRY BLUES & FUNKY JAZZ HORNS
9 PM / $5
QUIET HOLLERS SAT WITH LITTLE BIRD
12/2
AMERICANA BAND OF THE YEAR
9 PM / $7
TUE CHILL TONES THAT AFRO GUY 12/5 7WITH PM / NO COVER CHRISTMAS JAM FRI WEEKEND!
12/8
HOSTED BY KEVIN KINNEY NOON / $10 HABITAT FOR HUMANITY DONATION
IRISH SUNDAYS Irish Food and Drink Specials Traditional Irish Music Session • 3-9pm OPEN MON-THURS AT 4PM • FRI-SUN AT NOON CRAFT BEER, SPIRITS & QUALITY PUB FARE SINCE 1997
95 PATTON at COXE • Downtown Asheville 252.5445 • jackofthewood.com 44
NOV. 29 - DEC. 5, 2017
MOUNTAINX.COM
CUT TO THE BONE: Born in the summer of 2016, jazz-folk duo Clavicles has spent the past year touring the country and chasing the echoes of beauty. The Cape May, N.J.based duo’s music evokes restless winds on an empty winter beach and bayside sunsets with an amalgamation of orchestral string stylings, angelic melodies and bone-chilling harmonies. Shake off the cold when the Clavicles stop by Black Mountain’s Town Pump on Monday, Dec. 4 for a 9 p.m. show. Photo courtesy of the band WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 29 185 KING STREET Vinyl Night, 6:00PM
GREY EAGLE MUSIC HALL & TAVERN Asheville Songwriters in the Round w/ Laura Blackley, Joshua Singleton, Leigh Glass & Patrick Dodd, 8:00PM
5 WALNUT WINE BAR Les Amis (African folk), 8:00PM
HIGHLAND BREWING COMPANY Woody Wood Wednesdays (rock, soul, funk), 5:30PM
550 TAVERN & GRILLE Karaoke, 8:00PM
ISIS MUSIC HALL & KITCHEN 743 An evening w/ Katie Pruitt, 7:00PM Duncan Wickel, 7:00PM
ASHEVILLE GUITAR BAR Brad Hodge & friends, 7:30PM BARLEY’S TAPROOM & PIZZERIA Dr. Brown’s Team Trivia, 8:30PM BLUE MOUNTAIN PIZZA & BREW PUB Open mic w/ Mark Bumgarner, 7:00PM BYWATER Savannah Smith & Southern Soul, 7:00PM CROW & QUILL Ragbag Productions (burlesque, sideshow), 9:00PM DOUBLE CROWN Classic Country Vinyl w/ DJ David Wayne Gay, 10:00PM FUNKATORIUM John Hartford Jam w/ Saylor Bros (bluegrass), 6:30PM
JACK OF THE WOOD PUB Old Time Open Jam Session, 5:00PM LAZY DIAMOND Killer Karaoke w/ KJ Tim O, 10:00PM LOBSTER TRAP Cigar Brothers, 6:30PM MG ROAD Salsa Night w/ DJ Mexicano Isaac, 7:00PM
ONE WORLD BREWING Old Sap (folk, Americana), 9:00PM PULP DJ Audio, 9:00PM PISGAH BREWING COMPANY Noah Proudfoot & the Botanicals, 6:00PM POLANCO RESTAURANT 3 Cool Cats (dance lessons @ 7:30 p.m.), 8:00PM POST 25 Albi & The Lifters (American swing, French chanson), 7:00PM POUR TAPROOM Music Bingo!, 7:00PM SANCTUARY BREWING COMPANY French Broad Valley Music Association Jam Session, 6:00PM SLY GROG LOUNGE Get Weird Wednesdays, 8:00PM
NOBLE KAVA Open mic w/ Caleb Beissert (7:30 p.m. sign up), 8:00PM
THE BLOCK OFF BILTMORE Beer and Politics: The Trump Tax Scam, 5:30PM DJ Zati Dance Party, 10:00PM
ODDITORIUM Cloak w/ All Hell (metal), 9:00PM
THE IMPERIAL LIFE The Berlyn Jazz Trio, 9:00PM
OLE SHAKEY’S Sexy Tunes w/ DJs Zeus & Franco, 10:00PM
THE PHOENIX & THE FOX Jazz Night w/ Jason DeCristofaro, 7:00PM
ONE STOP AT ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL Evil Note Lab, 10:00PM
THE SOUTHERN Disclaimer Comedy Open Mic, 9:00PM
THOMAS WOLFE AUDITORIUM Dream Theater, 8:00PM TIMO’S HOUSE Mary B w/ Olof & Xist (multi-genre dance), 8:00PM TRESSA’S DOWNTOWN JAZZ AND BLUES JJ Kitchen All Star Jam (blues, soul), 9:00PM WHITE HORSE BLACK MOUNTAIN Jazz Night w/ Bill Bares and Friends, 7:30PM
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 30 5 WALNUT WINE BAR Pleasure Chest (blues, rock, soul), 8:00PM ALTAMONT THEATRE Cary Cooper w/ Gary Jules (CD release), 8:00PM ASHEVILLE GUITAR BAR Will Ray & The Space Cooties, 7:30PM BARLEY’S TAPROOM & PIZZERIA Alien Music Club, 9:00PM BLUE MOUNTAIN PIZZA & BREW PUB Billy Litz, 7:00PM BYWATER Well Lit Strangers, 6:00PM
CAPELLA ON 9@THE AC HOTEL Capellas on 9 w/ Jordan Okrend, 8:00PM
ISIS MUSIC HALL & KITCHEN 743 Revelator Hill, 7:00PM Italian Night w/ Mike Guggino & Barrett Smith, 8:00PM
CROW & QUILL Sparrow & Her Wingmen (swing jazz), 9:00PM
JACK OF THE WOOD PUB Bluegrass Open Jam Session, 7:00PM Mountain Feist pre-jam, 7:00PM
DOUBLE CROWN Sonic Satan Stew w/ DJ Alien Brain, 10:00PM ELLINGTON UNDERGROUND Fam Damily Band, 10:00PM FOGGY MOUNTAIN BREWPUB Paper Crowns (rock, Americana), 9:00PM
LAZY DIAMOND Heavy Night w/ DJ Butch, 10:00PM LOBSTER TRAP Hank Bones, 6:30PM ODDITORIUM Furnace Creek w/ Pallor & Kortriba (metal, experimental), 9:00PM
GOOD STUFF Jim Hampton & friends perform “Eclectic Country” (jam), 7:00PM GREY EAGLE MUSIC HALL & TAVERN Start Making Sense (Talking Heads tribute), 9:00PM HABITAT TAVERN & COMMONS Improv Jam, 7:30PM HIGHLAND BREWING COMPANY Roots & friends open jam (blues, rock, roots), 6:30PM
OLE SHAKEY’S Karaoke, 9:00PM ONE STOP AT ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL Mitch’s Totally Rad Trivia, 7:00PM Goose (folk, funk), 10:00PM OSKAR BLUES BREWERY Daddy Rabbit (blues, rock), 6:00PM PACK’S TAVERN Hope Griffin Duo (acoustic rock, folk), 8:00PM PISGAH BREWING COMPANY Bumpin Uglies, 8:00PM
LIVE MUSIC FRIDAY & SATURDAY NIGHT NO COVER CHARGE! MONDAY 65¢ WINGS
TUESDAY
MOUNTAIN SHAG
WEDNESDAY KARAOKE (8PM)
THIRSTY THURSDAY ALL DRAFTS $3
FRIDAY
DECEMBER 1
THE MUG 9PM-12AM
SATURDAY DECEMBER 2
WHISKY SMOKE 9PM-12AM
SUNDAY
NFL TICKET
FULL MENU — 15 TAPS OPEN WEEKDAYS 4 PM OPEN FOR LUNCH, FRI-SUN NOON
Located Next to Clarion Inn — 550 Airport Road Fletcher — 550tavern.com — www.facebook.com/550TavernGrille
THIS WEEK AT ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL
BIG MEAN SOUND MACHINE with the Mars Hill University Big Band and late night with DJ Marley Carroll
FRI 12/2 - S how 10 pm (D oorS 9 pm) aDv. $10
INSTRUMENTHEAD
Photo Exhibit, Book Signing & INSTRUMENTHEAD All-Star Show ft. Jonathan Scales, Chuck Lichtenberger, Matt Williams, E’Lon JD and Chaisaray Schenck SAT 12/4 - S how 8 pm (D oorS 7pm) - aDv. $10
THIS WEEK AT THE ONE STOP:
THU 11/30 FRI 12/1 SAT 12/2
Goose - [Funk/Folk] Mighty Mystics - [Reggae] Doctor Ocular w/ Deja Fuze - [Funk/Electronic]
UPCOMING SHOWS - ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL: 12/7 Asheville Music Hall FESTIVE-ALL ft. Brie Capone Band, Third Nature & Siamese Sound Club (Duo) 12/8 Enter the Earth’s 16th Annual Xmas Party ft. Roosevelt Collier, Soule Monde (Ray Paczkowski & Russ Lawton from Trey Anastasio Band) 12/8 Jam by Day (two floors) ft. Jack Ryan and the Shady Recruits wsg Brandon “Taz” Niederauer, Hayley Jane and the Primates, Travers Brothership, Asheville All-Stars ft. Aaron “Woody” Wood & Friends and Mike Barnes Band (+ more at One Stop)
Tickets available at ashevillemusichall.com @avlmusichall MOUNTAINX.COM
@OneStopAVL NOV. 29 - DEC. 5, 2017
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CLU B LA N D POUR TAPROOM Tunes at the Taps, 7:00PM PURPLE ONION CAFE The Sufi Brothers, 7:30PM
12/07 thu the ointment appointment w/ thee sidewalk surfers
12/09
sat
tone worthy presents
the black cloud's anniversary party!
bask w/ ether realm, daybreaker
12/18
mon
free!
goldlight & snakemusk
free!
w/ fortune teller, 2 slices, livingdog
Yoga at the Mothlight Tuesdays and Thursdays – 11:30am Details for all shows can be found at
themothlight.com
SALVAGE STATION Craig Campbell (country), 8:00PM SANCTUARY BREWING COMPANY Tesia, 7:00PM SLY GROG LOUNGE Thump Drag, 9:00PM SWEETEN CREEK BREWING Vinyl Night, 6:30PM THE BLOCK OFF BILTMORE BoB’s 2-year anniversary w/ Rhoda Weaver & the Soulmates, 8:30PM THE FAIRVIEW TAVERN Live Band Karaoke Jam w/ Old School, 9:00PM
#1 Best Place to Drink Cider in U.S.A. - Food & Wine Magazine
210 Haywood Road, West Asheville, NC 28806
(828)744-5151
www.urbanorchardcider.com 46
NOV. 29 - DEC. 5, 2017
MOUNTAINX.COM
BEN’S TUNE UP Vinyl Dance Party w/ DJ Kilby, 10:00PM BLUE MOUNTAIN PIZZA & BREW PUB Acoustic Swing, 7:00PM CORK & KEG The Gypsy Swingers (swing jazz), 8:30PM DOUBLE CROWN Rock & Soul Obscurities w/ DJ Greg Cartwright, 10:00PM ELLINGTON UNDERGROUND EXMAG w/ RBTS Win, 10:00PM FOGGY MOUNTAIN BREWPUB Naked Scholar (jazz, improv), 10:00PM FUNKATORIUM Shannon Hoover, 8:00PM
THE MOTHLIGHT Glass Bricks w/ Shadow Show, 9:30PM
GINGER’S REVENGE Audan Parks, 7:30PM
TIMO’S HOUSE TechnOasis w/ Rob Breax, 8:00PM
GOOD STUFF Jeff Ruby, 8:00PM
TRESSA’S DOWNTOWN JAZZ AND BLUES Jesse Barry & The Jam (blues, dance), 9:00PM
Seasonal, craft-made hard ciders and tasting-room delights from local farmers & artisans.
BEBE THEATRE Deborah Hunt (puppetry, Puerto Rico benefit), 7:00PM
THE IMPERIAL LIFE The Burger Kings, 9:00PM
TOWN PUMP Momma Molasses, 9:00PM
North Carolina’s First Cider Bar Family Owned & Operated
BARTACO BILTMORE DJ Phantom Pantone, 5:30PM
WHITE HORSE BLACK MOUNTAIN The Warren Wilson Bluegrass Band, 7:30PM WXYZ LOUNGE AT ALOFT HOTEL WXYZ unplugged w/ Stevie Lee Combs, 8:00PM
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 1 185 KING STREET Tony Eltora ( blues, rock, soul), 8:00PM 5 WALNUT WINE BAR Black Sea Beat Society (Balkan music), 9:00PM ALTAMONT THEATRE Crystal Bowersox, 8:00PM ASHEVILLE GUITAR BAR Vince Junior Band Soulful Blues, 7:30PM
GREY EAGLE MUSIC HALL & TAVERN Ray Scott w/ Addison Johnson, 9:00PM HABITAT TAVERN & COMMONS First Friday Square Dance, 8:00PM HIGHLAND BREWING COMPANY Sidecar Honey (indie, Americana, rock), 7:00PM ISIS MUSIC HALL & KITCHEN 743 An evening w/ Victor & Penny, 7:00PM Cabinet of Curiositease w/ Seduction Sideshow (night one), 9:00PM JACK OF THE WOOD PUB The Snopes Family Band, 9:00PM JARGON The Brad Jepson Trio (jazz), 10:30PM LAZY DIAMOND Rotating rpm rock ‘n’ soul DJ, 10:00PM
ODDITORIUM The Hooliganz w/ The Munincipators & Odd Squad (punk), 9:00PM OLE SHAKEY’S Acoustic Tunes by the River, 4:00PM ONE STOP AT ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL Free Dead Friday w/ members of Phuncle Sam, 5:30PM Mighty Mystic (reggae), 10:00PM ORANGE PEEL Kathleen Madigan w/ Vic Henley (comedy), 6:00PM OSKAR BLUES BREWERY Josh Carter (bluegrass), 6:00PM PACK’S TAVERN DJ Ocelate (dance hits, pop), 9:30PM PISGAH BREWING COMPANY Luthi, 8:00PM SALVAGE STATION Big Something (rock, pop, funk), 9:00PM SANCTUARY BREWING COMPANY Postcard Party, 4:00PM Jangling Sparrows, 8:00PM SLY GROG LOUNGE Never Getting Famous w/ RichGirlPoorBoy, 9:00PM THE BLOCK OFF BILTMORE Ton Of Hay (Grateful Dead tribute), 9:30PM THE IMPERIAL LIFE Select DJ sets, 9:00PM THE MOTHLIGHT Horseflesh w/ Busted Chops & Earth Collider, 9:30PM TRESSA’S DOWNTOWN JAZZ AND BLUES Virginia & The Slims (jump blues, swing), 10:00PM VIRGOLA Adi The Monk (jazz, blues), 6:00PM
LOBSTER TRAP Calico Moon, 6:30PM
WHITE HORSE BLACK MOUNTAIN Hammered Dulcimer Christmas w/ Joshua Messick, 8:00PM
MAD CO BREW HOUSE David Hughes (oldtime, folk), 6:00PM
WXYZ LOUNGE AT ALOFT HOTEL WXYZ electric w/ DJ Zeus, 8:00PM
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 2 5 WALNUT WINE BAR Red Hot Sugar Babies (hot jazz), 9:00PM ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL Big Mean Sound Machine, 9:00PM BEBE THEATRE Deborah Hunt (puppetry, Puerto Rico benefit), 7:00PM BLACK MOUNTAIN ALE HOUSE Billy Litz (neo-soul, blues), 7:30PM BLUE MOUNTAIN PIZZA & BREW PUB Ben Phan, 7:00PM CAPELLA ON 9@ THE AC HOTEL Capellas on 9 w/ The Anne Combs Trio, 9:00PM CHESTNUT Jazz Brunch, 11:00AM CORK & KEG Cary Fridley & Down South (country, honky-tonk), 8:30PM DOUBLE CROWN Pitter Platter, 50s/60s R&B + RnR w/ DJ Big Smidge, 10:00PM ELLINGTON UNDERGROUND Sanctum Sully & High Top Boys, 10:00PM FOGGY MOUNTAIN BREWPUB Unihorn (funk, jam), 10:00PM Good Stuff The Lovers, 8:00PM GREY EAGLE MUSIC HALL & TAVERN Robin Bullock & Steve Baughman’s Celtic Guitar Christmas, 6:00PM Cindy Wilson w/ Yip Deceiver, 10:00PM HIGHLAND BREWING COMPANY Wieuca (psychedelic, pop), 7:00PM ISIS MUSIC HALL & KITCHEN 743 An evening w/ Hadley Kennary & Bre Kennedy, 7:00PM Cabinet of Curiositease w/ Seduction Sideshow (night two), 9:00PM JACK OF THE WOOD PUB Quiet Hollers w/ Little Bird, 9:00PM LAZY DIAMOND Sonic Satan Stew w/ DJ Alien Brain, 10:00PM
LOBSTER TRAP Sean Mason Trio, 6:30PM MG ROAD Late Night Dance Parties w/ DJ Lil Meow Meow, 10:00PM ODDITORIUM Fox Grin w/ Mr. Mange & Luxury Spirit (rock), 9:00PM OLE SHAKEY’S Saturday Night Fever, 10:00PM ONE STOP AT ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL Doctor Ocular w/ Deja Fuze (funk, electronic), 10:00PM ORANGE PEEL Cut Copy w/ Palmbomen II, 9:00PM OSKAR BLUES BREWERY Egg Eaters (art punk), 6:00PM PACK’S TAVERN Big Deal Band (bluegrass, rock), 9:30PM
TRESSA’S DOWNTOWN JAZZ AND BLUES The Bill Mattocks Band (blues, dance), 10:00PM VIRGOLA Jason Hazinski (jazz, blues), 6:00PM WHITE HORSE BLACK MOUNTAIN Jonathan Byrd w/ Corin Raymond, 8:00PM WXYZ LOUNGE AT ALOFT HOTEL WXYZ live w/ The Lefties, 8:00PM
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 3 5 WALNUT WINE BAR Wendy Jones (jazz), 7:00PM ALTAMONT THEATRE An evening w/ Mike Dillon Band, 8:30PM
PISGAH BREWING COMPANY Snozzberries, 8:00PM
ARCHETYPE BREWING Post-Brunch Blues w/ Patrick Dodd, Ashley Heath & Joshua Singleton, 3:00PM
PURPLE ONION CAFE JPQ Band, 8:00PM
ASHEVILLE GUITAR BAR Musicians Jam & Pot Luck, 3:30PM
SALVAGE STATION Big Something (rock, pop, funk), 9:00PM
BARLEY’S TAPROOM & PIZZERIA Redleg Husky (bluegrass), 7:30PM
SANCTUARY BREWING COMPANY Yoga with Cats with Blue Ridge Humane Society, 10:00AM Chris Jamison Trio, 8:00PM SIERRA NEVADA BREWING CO. Closed for Employee Appreciation Event, All day SLY GROG LOUNGE Rian Adkinson, 8:00PM THE BLOCK OFF BILTMORE Latin Rhythms & Saturday Salsa Dance, 10:00PM THE MOTHLIGHT Spaceman Jones & The Motherships w/ Elevator Jay, Prof. Logic & Joe Grisly, 9:30PM THE SOUTHERN Mia Jackson (comedy), 9:00PM
BEBE THEATRE Deborah Hunt (puppetry, Puerto Rico benefit), 7:00PM BEN’S TUNE UP Good Vibe Sundays w/ Dub Kartel & Oso Rey, 6:00PM BLUE MOUNTAIN PIZZA & BREW PUB Benjo Saylor, 7:00PM DOUBLE CROWN Killer Karaoke w/ KJ Tim O, 10:00PM FLOOD GALLERY FINE ART CENTER True Home Open Mic Night (music, poetry, comedy), 5:00PM FUNKATORIUM Gypsy Jazz Sunday Brunch, 11:00AM GOOD STUFF Open Mic w/ Fox Black & friends, 6:00PM
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CLU B LA N D
TAVERN
GREY EAGLE MUSIC HALL & TAVERN The ProblemAddicts w/ Dial Drive & The DiMarcos, 8:00PM
Downtown on the Park Eclectic Menu • Over 30 Taps • Patio 15 TV’s • Sports Room • 110” Projector Event Space • Shuffleboard Open 7 Days 11am - Late Night
HABITAT TAVERN & COMMONS A Taste of Soul Brunch, 12:00PM
’s T-shirts , & Sw Pack C a rd s m a k eatshirts s ! t f i G e great gift
HIGHLAND BREWING COMPANY Reggae Sunday w/ Chalwa, 1:00PM
COMING SOON wed 11/29
FRI. 11/30 Hope Griffin Duo (acoustic rock, folk)
7PM- THE KATIE PRUITT thu 11/30
SAT. 12/1
6:30PM–REVELATOR HILL
DJ OCelate
( dance hits, pop)
8PM–ITALIAN NIGHT
SUN. 12/2
W/ MIKE GUGGINO & BARRETT SMITH
Big Deal Band
fri 12/01
(bluegrass, rock)
7PM-VICTOR & PENNY
9PM–SEDUCTION SIDESHOW PRESENTS: CABINET OF CURIOUSITEASE (NIGHT ONE)
20 S. Spruce St. • 225.6944 packStavern.com
sat 12/02
7PM–HADLEY KENNARY & BRE KENNEDY
9PM–SEDUCTION SIDESHOW PRESENTS: CABINET OF CURIOUSITEASE (NIGHT TWO) sun 12/03
5:30PM–”FULL MOON FEVER”
Open daily from 4p – 12a
Meet-up Monday- $8 Social House Vodka Martinis Tequila Tuesday- $8 Exotico Margaritas Craft Wednesday- $1 off Local Drafts THURSDAY 30 NOV:
DANIEL SHEARIN TRIO 7:00PM – 10:00PM
FRIDAY 1 DEC:
FWUIT
7:00PM – 10:00PM
WITH TAYLOR MARTIN’S SONG DOGS 7:30PM–”WINTER WONDERLAND” KAT WILLIAMS & RICHARD SHULMAN TRIO tue 12/05 7:30PM–TUESDAY BLUEGRASS SESSIONS wed 12/06
7PM–DOUBLE-NECK GUITARIST IAN ETHAN CASE 8:30PM–DAVID RAMIREZ: WE’RE NOT GOING ANYWHERE thu 12/07
SATURDAY 2 DEC:
“EVERY BODY DANCE” WITH DJ DATABOY 8:00PM – 11:00PM
MONDAY 4 DEC:
7PM-JOHN DOYLE
8:30PM–THE COLLINGS TRIO: A TRIBUTE TO BILL COLLINGS
ASHLEY HEATH
7:00PM – 10:00PM
309 COLLEGE ST. | DOWNTOWN | (828) 575-1188
w w w. p i l l a r a v l . c o m
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ISISASHEVILLE.COM DINNER MENU TIL 9:30PM LATE NIGHT MENU TIL 12AM
TUES-SUN 5PM-until 743 HAYWOOD RD 828-575-2737
ISIS MUSIC HALL & KITCHEN 743 “Full Moon Fever” w/ Taylor Martin’s Song Dogs, 5:30PM “Winter Wonderland” w/ Kat Williams & the Richard Shulman Trio, 7:30PM JACK OF THE WOOD PUB Celtic Jam Session, 3:00PM JARGON Sunday Blunch w/ Mark Guest & Mary Pearson (jazz), 11:00AM LAZY DIAMOND Punk Trivia Benefit Party, 9:00PM Pabst Sabbath w/ DJ Chubberbird, 10:00PM
MG ROAD Sweet Claudette (blues), 7:00PM ODDITORIUM Free 80s/90s Dance Party, 9:00PM ONE STOP AT ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL Bluegrass Brunch, 10:30AM ORANGE PEEL Kamasi Washington w/ Moonchild, 8:00PM PISGAH BREWING COMPANY Sunday Travers Jam, 6:00PM PURPLE ONION CAFE Jonathan Byrd, 7:00PM SLY GROG LOUNGE Open Mic, 7:00PM THE BLOCK OFF BILTMORE Hemp Holiday Open House Party w/ Jordan Okrend, 7:00PM THE FAIRVIEW TAVERN Hallelujah Hilliary’s Comedy Revival, 9:00PM
LOBSTER TRAP Pick & Roll, 6:30PM
THE IMPERIAL LIFE Select DJ sets, 9:00PM
LUELLA’S BAR-B-QUE BILTMORE PARK Gypsy Jazz Brunch w/ Leo Johnson, 1:00PM
WHITE HORSE BLACK MOUNTAIN AmiciMusic: Flute Fandango, 2:00PM
MONDAY, DECEMBER 4 185 KING STREET Open mic night, 8:00PM 5 WALNUT WINE BAR Siamese Jazz Club (R&B, soul, jazz), 8:00PM ARCHETYPE BREWING Old Time Jam, 6:00PM ASHEVILLE GUITAR BAR Classical Guitar Mondays, 7:00PM ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL Instrumenthead All-Stars show, 7:00PM DOUBLE CROWN Country Karaoke w/ KJ Tim O, 10:00PM GOOD STUFF Bingo Wingo Thingo, 6:00PM HABITAT TAVERN & COMMONS Bailamos! (free salsa dancing), 7:00PM HIGHLAND BREWING COMPANY Game Night, 4:00PM JACK OF THE WOOD PUB Quizzo Trivia Night, 7:00PM Open mic, 9:30PM LOBSTER TRAP Dave Desmelik, 6:30PM
MG ROAD The Living Room, 8:30PM ODDITORIUM Risque Monday w/ Deb Au Nare (burlesque), 9:00PM OLE SHAKEY’S Live Band Honky Tonk Karaoke, 9:00PM OSKAR BLUES BREWERY Mountain Music Mondays (open jam), 6:00PM POUR TAPROOM Lowlight Monday Nights, 7:00PM SANCTUARY BREWING COMPANY Murder Ballad Monday (jam session), 6:00PM THE IMPERIAL LIFE Ghost Pipe Trio, 9:00PM THE MOTHLIGHT Bitchin Bajas w/ Jake Pugh, 9:00PM TOWN PUMP Clavicles (orchestral folk), 9:00PM UPCOUNTRY BREWING COMPANY Old Time Music Open Jam, 6:30PM WHITE HORSE BLACK MOUNTAIN Jay Brown, 7:00PM
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 5 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 BEN’S TUNE UP Live Band & Hip Hop Cypher, 9:00PM BLUE MOUNTAIN PIZZA & BREW PUB Gary Mackey, 7:00PM
ISIS MUSIC HALL & KITCHEN 743 Tuesday Bluegrass Sessions w/ Unspoken Tradition, 7:30PM JACK OF THE WOOD PUB Chill Tones w/ That Afro Guy, 7:00PM LAZY DIAMOND Rock ‘n’ Roll Metal Karaoke w/ KJ Paddy-oke, 10:00PM LOBSTER TRAP Jay Brown, 6:30PM MG ROAD Keep It Classic Tuesdays w/ Sam Thompson, 5:00PM
CORK & KEG Old-time Moderate Jam, 5:00PM
ODDITORIUM Open mic comedy night w/ Tom Peters, 9:00PM
DOUBLE CROWN Country Western & Cajun Rarities w/ DJ Brody Hunt, 10:00PM
OLE SHAKEY’S Booty Tuesday, 10:00PM
GOOD STUFF Old time-y night, 6:30PM HABITAT TAVERN & COMMONS Pints & Professors, 7:00PM HIGHLAND BREWING COMPANY Dr. Brown’s Team Trivia, 6:00PM
ONE STOP AT ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL Turntable Tuesday, 10:00PM ORANGE PEEL Gin Blossoms, 8:00PM
11/29 Nex Millen
(hip hop, dance)
11/30 Fam Damily Band 12/01 (GRAND OPENING) EXMAG (electronic, jazz, soul) RBTS win (pysch-pop, electronic, hip hop)
12/02 Sanctum Sully
(rock, jam, bluegrass)
High Top Boys
(folk, bluegrass)
12/07 THEOREM with DJ Kutzu + + 12/21 Slow Drip (hip hop, electronic) 12/08 Xero God
(hip hop, electronic, psychedelic)
The Difference Machine
SANCTUARY BREWING COMPANY Taco and Trivia Tuesday, 6:00PM
(4th dimensional)
10th Letter
(electronic, experimental)
12/09 Earthtone Soundsystem 12/15 Metaphonia Plankeye Peggy
12/16 Brownout Presents BROWN SABBATH
(Latin, funk, afro, horns)
12/28 Machinedrum
Push/Pull, Bombassic
12/29 The Southern Belles w/ Dr. Bacon 12/30 TRUTH 12/31
Detox Unit + Murkury The Broadcast (rock, soul) Window Cat (jazz rock fusion)
DOORS AT 9 • SHOW AT 10 Ellington Underground is an intimate music club located downtown in the historic S&W Cafeteria, built in 1929.
56 PATTON AVE. ELLINGTONUNDERGROUND.COM MOUNTAINX.COM
NOV. 29 - DEC. 5, 2017
49
2018
Wellness Issues
CLU B LA N D THE BLOCK OFF BILTMORE Swing Asheville & Jazzn-Justice Tuesday w/ Community Swing Jam (dance lessons @ 7 p.m. & 8 p.m.), 9:00PM Swing Asheville’s latenight vintage blues dance, 11:00PM THE MARKET PLACE RESTAURANT AND LOUNGE Rat Alley Cats, 7:00PM THE WCU BARDO ARTS CENTER Rhythmic Circus, 7:30PM TRESSA’S DOWNTOWN JAZZ AND BLUES Early Tuesday Jazz & Funk Jam (jazz, funk), 9:00PM
Publish Jan. 31 & Feb 7
Contact us today! 828-251-1333 x 320
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UPCOUNTRY BREWING COMPANY Old Time Music Open Jam, 6:30PM WHITE HORSE BLACK MOUNTAIN Irish jam & open mic, 6:30PM
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 6 185 KING STREET Vinyl Night, 6:00PM 5 WALNUT WINE BAR Les Amis (African folk), 8:00PM ASHEVILLE GUITAR BAR Brad Hodge & friends, 7:30PM
BLUE MOUNTAIN PIZZA & BREW PUB Open mic w/ Billy Owens, 7:00PM DOUBLE CROWN Classic Country Vinyl w/ DJ David Wayne Gay, 10:00PM FUNKATORIUM John Hartford Jam w/ Saylor Bros (bluegrass), 6:30PM GOOD STUFF The Sole Pursuit, 8:30PM GREY EAGLE MUSIC HALL & TAVERN Squirrel Nut Zippers, 8:00PM HIGHLAND BREWING COMPANY Woody Wood Wednesdays (rock, soul, funk), 5:30PM ISIS MUSIC HALL & KITCHEN 743 An evening w/ Ian Ethan Case, 7:00PM David Ramirez (singer-songwriter), 8:30PM JACK OF THE WOOD PUB Old Time Open Jam Session, 5:00PM LAZY DIAMOND Killer Karaoke w/ KJ Tim O, 10:00PM LOBSTER TRAP Cigar Brothers, 6:30PM MG ROAD Salsa Night w/ DJ Mexicano Isaac, 7:00PM
BARLEY’S TAPROOM & PIZZERIA Dr. Brown’s Team Trivia, 8:30PM
ODDITORIUM Battalion of Saints w/ Cryptics, Drunk In A Dumpster & The DiMarcos (punk), 9:00PM
BEN’S TUNE UP Jesse Barry & Kelly Jones, 7:00PM
OLE SHAKEY’S Sexy Tunes w/ DJs Zeus & Franco, 10:00PM
ONE STOP AT ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL Evil Note Lab, 10:00PM ORANGE PEEL Rogue Elements Film Night, 7:30PM PISGAH BREWING COMPANY Gruda Tree (blues, jam), 6:00PM POLANCO RESTAURANT 3 Cool Cats (dance lessons @ 7:30 p.m.), 8:00PM POST 25 Albi & The Lifters (American swing, French chanson), 7:00PM POUR TAPROOM Music Bingo!, 7:00PM SLY GROG LOUNGE Get Weird Wednesdays, 8:00PM THE BLOCK OFF BILTMORE DJ Zati Dance Party, 10:00PM THE IMPERIAL LIFE The Berlyn Jazz Trio, 9:00PM THE PHOENIX & THE FOX Jazz Night w/ Jason DeCristofaro, 7:00PM THE SOUTHERN Disclaimer Comedy Open Mic, 9:00PM TRESSA’S DOWNTOWN JAZZ AND BLUES JJ Kitchen All Star Jam (blues, soul), 9:00PM WHITE HORSE BLACK MOUNTAIN Jazz Night w/ Gabrielle Tee (Ben Folds tribute), 7:30PM
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MOVIES
REVIEWS & LISTINGS BY SCOTT DOUGLAS, FRANCIS X. FRIEL & JUSTIN SOUTHER
HHHHH = H PICK OF THE WEEK H
In this darkly comic drama, a mother personally challenges the local authorities to solve her daughter’s murder, when they fail to catch the culprit.
mother (Frances McDormand) to pressure a small-town police chief (Woody Harrelson) into solving the cold case of her teen daughter’s rape and murder — is only part of what makes McDonagh’s script so remarkable. It’s pretty straightforward, as far as such setups go, but what McDonagh’s really after here is something much more complex and challenging. The crime at the core of Three Billboards almost approaches MacGuffin levels of extraneity, setting the stage for its characters to spew misdirected rage at each other with violence, vitriol and pitchblack hilarity. The difficulty of capturing the subtle tonal shifts that make Three Billboards such a great film would likely have proven insurmountable had McDonagh not rallied such an impres-
M A X R AT I N G 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: THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE EBBING, MISSOURI (PICK OF THE WEEK) HHHHH COCO
HHHH
ROMAN J. ISRAEL, ESQ.
HHHS
sive cast to realize his vision, and the performances are pitch-perfect across the board. Harrelson is in top form, bringing his dry humor to a character that serves a pivotal structural function. Sam Rockwell
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri HHHHH
DIRECTOR: Marting McDonagh PLAYERS: Frances McDormand, Woody Harrelson, Sam Rockwell, Lucas Hedges, Clarke Peters, Abbie Cornish, Peter Dinklage, Caleb Landry Jones, Kerry Condon, John Hawkes DRAMA RATED R THE STORY: The mother of a murdered child throws her small town into chaos when she rents three billboards on a rural stretch of road to prod the local authorities into prioritizing her daughter’s case. THE LOWDOWN: An improbably compelling and complex character study that may be Martin McDonagh’s first true must-see movie. Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri may well prove to be idiosyn-
cratic indie auteur Martin McDonagh’s masterpiece. It’s certainly the best film he’s released to date, and if he’s got a better one in him, I’ll eagerly cough up the dough for a ticket. While I’m a fan of In Bruges and Seven Psychopaths, Three Billboards makes a case for McDonagh as a mature filmmaker — it’s a poignant meditation on the lengths to which people will go when confronted with loss and grief, and yet it maintains the sardonic wit and subversive charm that defined the writer/ director’s earlier works. It’s a delicate balance that requires a deft touch, and McDonagh pulls it off flawlessly. If there’s anything wrong with Three Billboards, it’s that it’s a difficult movie to talk about without giving too much of the plot away. The story’s inciting incident — the procurement of the titular billboards by a grieving
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MOVIES
T HE AT E R I NFO ASHEVILLE PIZZA & BREWING CO. (254-1281) CARMIKE CINEMA 10 (298-4452) CAROLINA CINEMAS (274-9500) CO-ED CINEMA BREVARD (883-2200) EPIC OF HENDERSONVILLE (693-1146) FINE ARTS THEATRE (232-1536) FLATROCK CINEMA (697-2463) GRAIL MOVIEHOUSE (239-9392) REGAL BILTMORE GRANDE STADIUM 15 (684-1298)
delivers a career-best turn as a dimwitted deputy who may have more going on upstairs than his racist Barney Fife persona might suggest. Peter Dinklage is also exceptional in a small but central role, but singling out just a few cast members for accolades does a disservice to this stellar ensemble. McDormand, however, is the real scene stealer — this is easily her best performance since Fargo and may even surpass that.
If she doesn’t take home an Oscar for this film, I might have to rent some billboards of my own. I would be remiss if I failed to note that Three Billboards bears the added benefit of having been shot in Western North Carolina, and seeing many a recognizable vista or storied locale from my youth certainly contributed to my enjoyment of the film — but had it actually been shot in Missouri, I can’t imagine that my opinion of the work would be significantly altered. It’s a story strongly grounded in character with a surprising degree of empathy for not only its strong protagonist but also those in her orbit. It’s effectively a humanist film from a writer/director I would previously have considered nearly nihilistic. More importantly, it accomplishes what every great work of art sets out to achieve — it evokes an emotional response from the audience that will prompt questions about how we relate to others, and ourselves, in our darkest moments. Rated R for violence, language throughout, and some sexual references. Now Playing at Carolina Cinemark, Fine Arts Theatre. REVIEWED BY SCOTT DOUGLAS JSDOUGLAS22@GMAIL.COM
Coco
HHHH
HFS December hiatus
The Hendersonville Film Society will not be screening films through the month of December. Regularly scheduled shows will resume in January.
DIRECTOR: Lee Unkrich, Adrian Molina PLAYERS: Anthony Gonzalez, Gael Garcia Bernal, Benjamin Bratt, Alanna Noel Ubach, Renee Victor, Jaime Camil, Gabriel Iglesias, Ana Ofelia Murguia, Edward James Olmos ANIMATED FANTASY RATED PG THE STORY: A young aspiring musician finds himself cast into the land of the dead on a quest to reunite with the spirit of his great-great-grandfather. THE LOWDOWN: A touching story told with remarkable visual flair that imparts important lessons about death and family while exposing kids to Mexican cultural traditions. Nineteen movies in, the word “Pixar” may as well be a genre identifier in and of itself — and while I wouldn’t necessarily consider myself a card-carrying member of the Pixar fan club, I’ve always had a begrudging respect for the technical accomplishments these films represent. Coco is no exception, representing the pinnacle of Pixar’s visual accomplishment as well as the perpetuation of the studio’s reputation for crafting highly polished stories palatable to their young target audience as well as the adults buying their tickets. Coco also continues efforts to expand ethnic inclusivity on the part of Pixar’s parent company, Disney. Like last year’s Moana, Coco makes great strides toward disrupting the traditionally WASPy tendencies that have historically characterized so much of the Mouse House’s output, and as was the case with that film, it does so without feeling contrived. With a cast consisting almost entirely of Latino voice talent, the film makes a strong argument for a new era of Pixar parity. The story revolves around a young Mexican boy (Miguel, voiced by Anthony Gonzalez) descended from a long line of shoemakers, a family business he has no interest in joining. Miguel would rather play the guitar like his hero Ernesto de la Cruz (Benjamin Bratt), but his family has an antipathy toward musicians dating back generations to his great-great-
grandfather’s abandonment of the clan to pursue the life of a traveling musician. The conflict may seem obvious, but the form it takes is not — when he steals his idol’s guitar to compete in a Dia de Muertos talent show, Miguel finds himself cursed and stranded in the afterlife, with only a Xolo street dog named Dante to guide him. If Dante’s name is a bit too on-thenose, so is much of the script — a third act twist involving Hector (Gael García Bernal), a friendly con artist Miguel meets in his quest to track down the ghost of de la Cruz, is so heavily telegraphed you can probably figure it out from the details I just provided. But the broad-strokes storytelling won’t offend the less sophisticated viewers in the film’s target demographic and, like most Pixar pictures, the script’s pacing and structure function like a finely tuned Swiss watch. At its core, Coco is effectively a film trying to help kids make sense of death and the meaning of family — and as such, it’s a resounding success. Visually enthralling, narratively proficient and culturally aware, it’s hard to find much of anything negative to say about this movie. Yes, it’s hamstrung by the primary shortcoming typical of most kids’ films — namely, that it’s engineered to entertain kids. But Coco does so with a level of style and inventiveness that puts it ahead of most films of its ilk. It may not reinvent the cinematic wheel when it comes to children’s programming, but it does function flawlessly as another cog in the well-oiled moneyprinting machine that is Disney/Pixar. It does what it sets out to do, and if its financial success leads to further color being added to the lily-white world of Disney, then I’m all for it. Rated PG for thematic elements. Now Playing at AMC Classic River Hills 10, Carolina Cinemark, Regal Biltmore Grande, Epic of Hendersonville, Strand of Waynesville. REVIEWED BY SCOTT DOUGLAS JSDOUGLAS22@GMAIL.COM
S TARTIN G F R ID AY As of press time, no advanced listings were available for Friday, Dec. 1
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SCREEN SCENE by Edwin Arnaudin | edwinarnaudin@gmail.com host a post-screening Q&A. Tickets are $12 and available online and at the Grail box office. grailmoviehouse.com
ROBOT DREAMS: Rudolf Klein-Rogge plays inventor C.A. Rotwang in a still from Fritz Lang’s 1927 silent classic, Metropolis. UNC Asheville screens the film on Dec. 1 with a score of electronic music composed and performed by UNCA students. Photo courtesy of Kino Lorber • UNC Asheville, 1 University Heights, presents a screening of Metropolis on Friday, Dec. 1, at 7:30 p.m., in the Lipinsky Hall Lobby. Fritz Lang’s influential 1927 German expressionist silent feature will be accompanied by electronic music composed and performed by UNCA students. Free. unca.edu • The Silent Sundays series at Grail Moviehouse, 45 S. French Broad Ave., continues on Dec. 3, at 7 p.m., with Wings. William Wellman’s 1927 World War I film stars Clara Bow, Richard Arlen and Buddy Rogers, as well as Gary Cooper in one of his first credited roles. The version shown will be Paramount’s 2012 restoration, which features a new recording of the original orchestral score and a recreation of the film’s original sound effects by Oscar-winning sound designer Ben Burtt (Star Wars). Film historian and Wellman scholar Frank Thompson will
FILM BUNCOMBE COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARIES buncombecounty.org/ governing/depts/library • WE (11/29), 6pm Indigenous American History: Our Spirits Don't Speak English, documentary film screening and discussion. Free. Held at
North Asheville Library, 1030 Merrimon Ave. • WE (12/6), 6pm: Indigenous American History: Black Indians, documentary film screening and discussion. Free. Held at North Asheville Library, 1030 Merrimon Ave. HABITAT TAVERN & COMMONS 174 Broadway, habitatbrewing.com
• On Wednesday, Dec. 6, at 6 p.m., the North Asheville Library, 1030 Merrimon Ave., screens Black Indians, the penultimate film in its Native American Documentary Series. The film examines the history of U.S. citizens who share both African and Native American ancestry. Narrated by James Earl Jones, a member of this group, the film delves into the long and overlapping histories of these populations since the European colonization of the Americas. Complimentary tea will be provided and the film will be followed by a discussion session. avl.mx/251 • The Orange Peel, 101 Biltmore Ave., hosts the Asheville premiere of Rogue Elements on Wednesday, Dec. 6, at 7:30 p.m. Teton Gravity Research’s latest ski and snowboard film follows extreme athletes in the winter of 2017 from Wyoming to Europe to Bolivia. Tickets are $10 advance, $15 day of show and available online and at The Orange Peel box office. theorangepeel.net • Friday, Dec. 15, is the deadline to submit works of original dance created specifically for film and video for consideration in the Frame + Form | Screen Dance Festival on Feb. 2, 2018. Presented by The Media Arts Project in collaboration with Revolve, 821 Riverside Dr., the festival raises artistic awareness of screen dance by presenting experimental contemporary dance films from nationally and internationally recognized choreographers and filmmakers. Films may be no longer than 15 minutes and the submission fee is $25. Selected artists will receive a $50 stipend. avl.mx/4ch X
• TH (12/7), 6-8pm Under Contract, documentary film screening regarding corporate production farming. Free to attend. THE CENTER FOR CULTURAL PRESERVATION 828-692-8062, saveculture.org • SA (12/2), 2pm - A Great American Tapestry, film screen-
S PECIAL SCR E E N IN GS
Black Christmas HHHH
DIRECTOR: Bob Clark PLAYERS: Olivia Hussey, Keir Dullea, Margot Kidder, John Saxon, Andrea Martin HORROR Rated R Merry Christmas from the Asheville Film Society with Bob Clark’s Black Christmas (yes, the same Bob Clark who made A Christmas Story). What better way to celebrate the season than with the original “slasher” picture? Yes, Black Christmas pretty much started it all — predating Halloween (1978), Friday the 13th (1980) and A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984). Though it flopped in 1974 (despite being rechristened Silent Night, Evil Night so it wouldn’t be mistaken for a blaxploitation picture), it has come to be recognized as the groundbreaking minor classic that it is. The plot is simple — sorority girls being offed one by one by a crazed killer in the house — but the execution is surprisingly clever, creepy and restrained. At its core, Black Christmas is essentially an “old, dark sorority house” picture, but it offers variations that would soon become conventions. It draws from the land of the urban myth with its “oh my God, the killer is in the house” development (it’s only a development to the characters; we’ve known it all along). That’s part of terrorized-babysitter lore that goes back at least to the 1950s — and almost certainly earlier. It quickly became a staple. The much-debated use of subjective camera, where the audience “becomes” the killer, is here, too. You may recall that this became a controversy — mostly due to Siskel and Ebert — in the early 1980s as an example of the depravity of modern horror where the audience is, by implication, doing the killing. This was said mostly in reference to Friday the 13th, but it’s also used here. (The theory fails to consider that — in both of these cases — the approach is less psychological than utilitarian, since it keeps the viewer from seeing who the killer is.) This excerpt was drawn from a review by Ken Hanke published on Dec. 15, 2015. The Asheville Film Society will screen Black Christmas Tuesday, Dec. 5, at 7:30 p.m. at The Grail Moviehouse, hosted by Xpress movie critic Scott Douglas. MOUNTAIN XPRESS PRESENTS:
2017
Wellness Wellness Issues 2018
ing. $10 Held at UNC-Asheville Reuter Center, 1 Campus View Road TRANSYLVANIA COUNTY LIBRARY
Publish Jan. 31 & Feb. 7
212 S. Gaston St., Brevard, 828-884-3151 • TH (12/7), 6:30pm - Torgerson Family’s Adventures, rafting film. Free.
Coming Soon! Contact us today! 828-251-1333 x 320 Jan. 25th & Feb. 4th advertise@mountainx.com MOUNTAINX.COM
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FREEWILL ASTROLOGY ARIES (March 21-April 19): I hope that everything doesn’t come too easily for you in the coming weeks. I’m worried you will meet with no obstructions and face no challenges. And that wouldn’t be good. It might weaken your willpower and cause your puzzle-solving skills to atrophy. Let me add a small caveat, however. It’s also true that right about now you deserve a whoosh of slack. I’d love for you to be able to relax and enjoy your well-deserved rewards. But on the other hand, I know you will soon receive an opportunity to boost yourself up to an even higher level of excellence and accomplishment. I want to be sure that when it comes, you are at peak strength and alertness. TAURUS (April 20-May 20): You were born with the potential to give the world specific gifts — benefits and blessings that are unique to you. One of those gifts has been slow in developing. You’ve never been ready to confidently offer it in its fullness. In fact, if you have tried to bestow it in the past, it may have caused problems. But the good news is that in the coming months, this gift will finally be ripe. You’ll know how to deal crisply with the interesting responsibilities it asks you to take on. Here’s your homework: Get clear about what this gift is and what you will have to do to offer it in its fullness. GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Happy Unbirthday, Gemini! You’re halfway between your last birthday and your next. That means you’re free to experiment with being different from who you have imagined yourself to be and who other people expect you to be. Here are inspirational quotes to help you celebrate. 1. “Those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything.” — George Bernard Shaw. 2. “Like all weak men he laid an exaggerated stress on not changing one’s mind.” — W. Somerset Maugham. 3. “A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds. With consistency a great soul has simply nothing to do.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson. 4. “The snake which cannot cast its skin has to die. As well the minds which are prevented from changing their opinions; they cease to be mind.” — Friedrich Nietzsche. CANCER (June 21-July 22): I suggest that you take a piece of paper and write down a list of your biggest fears. Then call on the magical force within you that is bigger and smarter than your fears. Ask your deep sources of wisdom for the poised courage you need to keep those scary fantasies in their proper place. And what is their proper place? Not as the masters of your destiny, not as controlling agents that prevent you from living lustily, but rather as helpful guides that keep you from taking foolish risks. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): In his book Life: The Odds, Gregory Baer says that the odds you will marry a millionaire are not good: 215-to-1. They’re 60,000-to-1 that you’ll wed royalty and 88,000-to-1 that you’ll date a model. After analyzing your astrological omens for the coming months, I suspect your chances of achieving these feats will be even lower than usual. That’s because you’re far more likely to cultivate synergetic and symbiotic relationships with people who enrich your soul and stimulate your imagination, but don’t necessarily pump up your ego. Instead of models and millionaires, you’re likely to connect with practical idealists, energetic creators and emotionally intelligent people who’ve done work to transmute their own darkness. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): What might you do to take better care of yourself in 2018, Virgo? According to my reading of the astrological omens, this will be a fertile meditation for you to keep revisiting. Here’s a good place to start: Consider the possibility that you have a lot to learn about what makes your body operate at peak efficiency and what keeps your soul humming along with the sense that your life is interesting. Here’s another crucial task: Intensify your love for yourself. With that as a driving force, you’ll be led to discover the actions necessary to supercharge your health. P.S. Now is an ideal time to get this project underway.
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NOV. 29 - DEC. 5, 2017
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Here are themes I suggest you specialize in during the coming weeks. 1. How to gossip in ways that don’t diminish and damage your social network, but rather foster and enhance it. 2. How to be in three places at once without committing the mistake of being nowhere at all. 3. How to express precisely what you mean without losing your attractive mysteriousness. 4. How to be nosy and brash for fun and profit. 5. How to unite and harmonize the parts of yourself and your life that have been at odds with each other. SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): I predict that in the coming months you won’t feel compulsions to set your adversaries’ hair on fire. You won’t fantasize about robbing banks to raise the funds you need, nor will you be tempted to worship the devil. And the news just gets better. I expect that the amount of self-sabotage you commit will be close to zero. The monsters under your bed will go on a long sabbatical. Any lame excuses you have used in the past to justify bad behavior will melt away. And you’ll mostly avoid indulging in bouts of irrational and unwarranted anger. In conclusion, Scorpio, your life should be pretty evil-free for quite some time. What will you do with this prolonged outburst of grace? Use it wisely! SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): “What is love?” asks philosopher Richard Smoley. “It’s come to have a greeting-card quality,” he mourns. “Half the time ’loving’ someone is taken to mean nurturing a warmish feeling in the heart for them, which mysteriously evaporates the moment the person has some concrete need or irritates us.” One of your key assignments in the next ten months will be to purge any aspects of this shrunken and shriveled kind of love that may still be lurking in your beautiful soul. You are primed to cultivate an unprecedented new embodiment of mature, robust love. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): You know that unfinished task you have half-avoided, allowing it to stagnate? Soon you’ll be able to summon the gritty determination required to complete it. I suspect you’ll also be able to carry out the glorious rebirth you’ve been shy about climaxing. To gather the energy you need, reframe your perspective so that you can feel gratitude for the failure or demise that has made your glorious rebirth necessary and inevitable. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): In an ideal world, your work and your character would speak for themselves. You’d receive exactly the amount of recognition and appreciation you deserve. You wouldn’t have to devote as much intelligence to selling yourself as you did to developing your skills in the first place. But now forget everything I just said. During the next ten months, I predict that packaging and promoting yourself won’t be so #$@&%*! important. Your work and character WILL speak for themselves with more vigor and clarity than they have before. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): There used to be a booth at a Santa Cruz flea market called “Joseph Campbell’s Love Child.” It was named after the mythological scholar who wrote the book The Hero with a Thousand Faces. The booth’s proprietor sold items that spurred one’s “heroic journey,” like talismans made to order and herbs that stimulated courage and mini-books with personalized advice based on one’s horoscope. “Chaos-Tamers” were also for sale. They were magic spells designed to help people manage the messes that crop up in one’s everyday routine while pursuing a heroic quest. Given the current astrological omens, Pisces, you would benefit from a place that sold items like these. Since none exists, do the next best thing: Aggressively drum up all the help and inspiration you need. You can and should be well-supported as you follow your dreams on your hero’s journey.
MOUNTAINX.COM
MARKETPLACE
BY ROB BREZSNY
REA L ESTATE | REN TA L S | R O O M M ATES | SER VI C ES JOB S | A N N OU N CEM ENTS | M I ND, BO DY, SPI R I T CL A SSES & WORKSH OPS | M USI C I ANS’ SER VI C ES PETS | A U TOMOTI VE | X C HANG E | ADULT Want to advertise in Marketplace? 828-251-1333 x111 tnavaille@mountainx.com • mountainx.com/classifieds If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Remember the Russian proverb: “Doveryai, no proveryai,” trust but verify. When answering classified ads, always err on the side of caution. Especially beware of any party asking you to give them financial or identification information. The Mountain Xpress cannot be responsible for ensuring that each advertising client is legitimate. Please report scams to ads@mountainx.com REAL ESTATE HOMES FOR SALE UNDER CONSTRUCTION SWANNANOA! Level lot! Under construction NOW! Pick your colors! 3/2 1800 sq ft $335,000 828.335.6712 joanne@ cornerstonerec.com www. buyashevillehomesandland. com
LAND FOR SALE BARNARDSVILLE NEAR PISGAH NATIONAL FOREST Rare beautiful wooded 2.05 acre lot for sale. Owner financing possible. State road, 25 minutes from Asheville. $39,900. Call 828-216-3231.
REAL ESTATE SERVICES SUSTAINABILITY PROPERTIES We specialize in properties (land and/or homes) with natural resources conducive to a self-sustaining lifestyle: natural water supplies, southern exposure, land to grow food, possible timber to build your own home. Some properties available near Appalachian Trail or National Forest land, some properties just over Tennessee line—resulting in better pricing & lower taxes. Licensed NC & TN brokers-- call, text, or e-mail today to let us know what you are looking for: (828)575-6792 sustainabilityproperties@ yahoo.com
RENTALS HOMES FOR RENT 3BR, 1BA BLACK MOUNTAIN Washer/dryer, fenced private landscaped yard. Pets considered. Hardwood floors, central heat/air. Carport, partially furnished if needed. $1500/month. (828) 545-0043.
SHORT-TERM RENTALS 15 MINUTES TO ASHEVILLE Guest house, vacation/short term rental in beautiful country setting. • Complete with everything including cable and internet. • $150/day (2-day minimum), $650/week, $1500/ month. Weaverville area. • No pets please. (828) 658-9145. mhcinc58@yahoo.com
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 NOW HIRING! WATER PRODUCTION FACILITIES MAINTENANCE SUPERVISOR The City of Asheville is hiring a Water Production Facilities Maintenance Supervisor to supervise specialized technical work protecting the quality of the water supply. Apply online at www.ashevillenc.gov/jobs by 12/11.
SALES/ MARKETING MARKETING MANAGER Eagle's Nest Foundation is seeking a Marketing Manager to develop and implement marketing strategies and provide social media needs for our programs (Camp, The Outdoor Academy and Hante Adventures). See full details at www.enf.org/foundation/ employment. To apply, email resume, cover letter and references to hr@enf.org.
HUMAN SERVICES
BEAUTIFUL REEMS CREEK RENTAL Convenient location-1 level home w/3B/2 1/2B, breakfast area, dining room & well-equipped kitchen including w/d, master w/ jacuzzi tub! 2 car garage. Yard care/included. $2100. One-year lease. Southern Life Realty Sandy@ SouthernLifeRealty.com
COMMERCIAL/ BUSINESS RENTALS OFFICE SPACE FOR RENT BLACK MOUNTAIN $900 Office space in Black Mountain 800sq ft $900 monthly. Walking distance from downtown
COUNSELOR POSITION AVAILABLE Looking to hire an LPC or LCSW to work at a private Christian Therapeutic Boarding school for At Risk Teens. Please send resume to: Jeremey@ wolfcreekacademy.org www.wolfcreekacademy.org/ INDEPENDENT LIVING SPECIALIST Full-time (nonexempt). The Independent Living Specialist is a strong voice for disability rights and independent living, working to assist consumers in maintaining their lives independently in the community. Promotes Disability Partners in the seven county service area and collaborates with community agencies to best assist the consumer to reach goals for
independent living. The Independent Living Specialist will provide general information and referral for consumers and the community as requested and core services. • Application packets can be picked up at the Disability Partners office at 108 New Leicester Hwy, Asheville 28806 or requested via email at krodriguez@ disabilitypartners.org • No Phone Calls Please. LIFE SKILLS TRAINER Foundations Asheville, a young adult transitional program working with college-age adults in Asheville, North Carolina seeks qualified life skills trainer to create and maintain a consistent, emotionally safe and supportive environment needed to foster the strengths and overcome hurdles necessary for successful adulthood. Collaborate with team to implement programming designed to support young adults in reaching their goals. Work one-on-one and in the group setting to model and develop independent living skills. Foundations is a residential program, requiring overnights while on shift. The standard shift is a full-time live-in position in the heart of Asheville, with excellent accommodations and expenses paid. Daily tasks of transportation, cleanliness, community involvement, and maintaining a timely schedule are key job responsibilities. In addition, consistent role modeling of healthy habits, problem-solving, emotional maturity, and executive function is critical to our students' success. Seasonal opportunities exist for travel, community service, and project-based-learning. Work with a skilled clinical team to implement real growth for the young men in our care. The ideal applicant would have: •Excellent communication skills, creativity, and desire to work in a tight-knit community. •Skills to teach successful habits of academic success. •Skills to support others find jobs, internships, and volunteer opportunities in the community of Asheville. •Professional experience with guidance, teaching, experiential education. •Experience with direct care in a therapeutic environment. •A clean driving record. •Unique strengths they bring to our community. •A desire to learn and grow in the field. •This is not an entrylevel position, and requires a high degree of autonomy and collaboration. We are currently interviewing qualified applicants for Full-time and PRN positions. Compensation is commensurate with experience. Promptly email cover letter, resume, references, and any pertinent certifications to foundationshiring@gmail. com. Learn more at www. foundationsasheville.com.
UTILIZATION REVIEW SPECIALIST Four Circles Recovery Center, a wilderness substance abuse recovery program for young adults, is seeking a full time Utilization Review Specialist. Competitive compensation and benefits package. Apply online at www.fourcirclesrecovery. com/careers.
TEACHING/ EDUCATION
DEAN EMERGENCY AND PUBLIC SERVICES A-B Tech is currently taking applications for a position Dean, Emergency and Public Services. This is a full- time position with benefits. For more details and to apply: abtcc.peopleadmin. com/postings/4663 STUDENT SUPPORT SPECIALIST Children First/Communities In Schools (CIS) is hiring a Student Support Specialist to coordinate CIS activities at Emma Elementary School and co-lead a K-4th grade afterschool program and summer camp located in Woodridge Apartments. Interviews to begin ASAP. Full job description at childrenfirstcisbc.org/ job-posting
SERVICES ENTERTAINMENT DISH NETWORK-SATELLITE TELEVISION SERVICES Now over 190 channels for only $49.99/month! HBO-Free for one year, Free Installation, Free Streaming, Free HD. Add Internet for $14.95 a month. 1-800-373-6508. (AAN CAN)
LEGAL DENIED CREDIT? Work to repair your credit report with the trusted leader in credit repair. Call Lexington Law for a Free credit report summary and credit repair consultation. 855-620-9426. John C. Heath, Attorney at Law, PLLC, dba Lexington Law Firm. (AAN CAN) MEDIATION FOR SEPARATION, DIVORCE & CO-PARENTING Divorce is hard enough. We offer friendly, easy, and online services to help you through a separation or parent coordination as cost effectively as possible. (828) 279-8166 SARABENSMAN@GMAIL. COM www.sarabensman. com/
HOME IMPROVEMENT HANDY MAN HIRE A HUSBAND • HANDYMAN SERVICES Since 1993. Multiple skill sets. Reliable, trustworthy, quality results. $1 million liability insurance. References and estimates available. Stephen Houpis, (828) 280-2254.
HEATING & COOLING MAYBERRY HEATING AND COOLING Oil and Gas Furnaces • Heat Pumps and AC • • Radiant Floor Heating • • Solar Hot Water • Sales • Service • Installation. • Visa • MC • Discover. Call (828) 658-9145.
ANNOUNCEMENTS ANNOUNCEMENTS MAKE THE CALL TO START GETTING CLEAN TODAY Free 24/7 Helpline for alcohol & drug addiction treatment. Get help! It is time to take your life back! Call Now: 855732-4139. (AAN CAN) PREGNANT? CONSIDERING ADOPTION? Call us first. Living expenses, housing, medical, and continued support afterwards. Choose adoptive family of your choice. Call 24/7. 877-3622401. (AAN CAN)
CLASSES & WORKSHOPS CLASSES & WORKSHOPS
MIND, BODY, SPIRIT COUNSELING SERVICES CONSCIOUS LIFE COUNSELING DeAnne Hampton BS/ MA Energy Intuitive, Author, Teacher. You are the instrument - understand yourself as energy, become empowered to create new life. It is a NEW DAY! deannehampton.net 828-275-7151
NATURAL ALTERNATIVES KAMBO-SAPO CLEANSE (SHAMANIC) Kambo-Sapo Cleanse (Shamanic) “Wakes up the Body’s Natural Intelligence to Heal Itself” Increased energy-Cleanses and revitalizes organs Reduces Inflammation-Eliminates Toxins Overall sense of wellbeing Contact Jim 828-3185582 or jaguarone1@gmail. com
FOR MUSICIANS MUSICAL SERVICES NOW ACCEPTING STUDENTS IN JAZZ PIANO, COMPOSITION, AND IMPROVISATION (ALL INSTRUMENTS). Michael Jefry Stevens, “WNC Best Composer 2016” and “Steinway Artist”, now accepting students in jazz piano, composition, and improvisation (all instruments). 35 years experience. M.A. from Queens College (NYC). Over 90 cds released. 917-916-1363. michaeljefrystevens.com
T H E N E W Y OR K TI M ES CR OSSWOR D PU ZZLE
ACROSS
1 Scotland’s ___ Lomond 5 Well-put 8 Eggs on 13 Bollywood attire 15 MGM roarer 16 Canvas supporter 17 Weave or tailgate, say 20 Old TV’s ___ Griffin Productions 21 Response to “All in favor” 22 Constitution, in D.C. 23 Grammy-winning “Dr.” 25 “I’m not at all surprised” 29 Big to-do 30 Jimi Hendrix do, for short 31 The Eurythmics were one 32 Annual checkup, e.g. 34 Pelvic bones 37 Biathlete’s need 41 Allows 44 Take care of 45 Tattooist’s canvas 46 Baroque and Romantic, for classical music 47 Organ on a crustacean’s stalk
49 Org. concerned with Common Core 51 Bird raised on a ranch, perhaps 52 Bailed out on some stock, say 57 Batiking need 58 Actuarial table datum 59 Air marshal’s org. 60 Most Iranian Muslims 62 Wall Street reformer’s urging … or a hint to this puzzle’s shaded squares 68 Urban pigeon’s perch 69 Barely manage, with “out” 70 Some rec centers 71 Many a Slate article 72 Still learning the ropes 73 Like a pole-vaulter’s pole mid-vault
DOWN
1 Drug referenced in “The Joyous Cosmology” 2 Crew implement 3 Reason to summon Batman 4 Bustling place 5 Many a draft selection 6 Nut on a sticky bun
edited by Will Shortz
7 2020 Olympics host 8 “I didn’t know that!” 9 Western Hemisphere grp. 10 Syria’s Bashar al-___ 11 Dig deeply 12 More artful 14 Feature of a letter in the Times Roman typeface 18 Vacation in a Winnebago, say 19 Like the lyrics to Lil Wayne’s “Lollipop” or 50 Cent’s “Candy Shop” 23 Bottom of the barrel 24 “Chicago” murderess 26 Cobbler’s supply 27 What we share 28 Some urban pollution 33 Apportioned, with “out” 35 Bug 36 Essential ___ acids 38 Burning Man performance 39 Like good farm soil 40 Follow as a result 42 Source of protein in veggie burgers 43 Existing, to a lawyer 48 Ides of March rebuke
No. 1025
PUZZLE BY JULES P. MARKEY
50 Hal who directed “Shampoo”
52 Dark brown fur 53 Meanies 54 City of Yorkshire
55 ___ Institute (nonpartisan D.C. think tank) 56 Something eaten during Hanukkah 61 Two-syllable poetic foot 63 Ottoman honorific
64 Hotel desk handout 65 Take an ax to 66 “The Wizard of Oz” state: Abbr. 67 Air travel option until ’03
ANSWER TO PREVIOUS NY TIMES PUZZLE
WHITEWATER RECORDING Mixing • Mastering • Recording. (828) 684-8284 www. whitewaterrecording.com
PETS PET SERVICES ASHEVILLE PET SITTERS Dependable, loving care while you're away. Reasonable rates. Call Sandy (828) 215-7232. ACCESSING YOUR WELLSPRING OF RESILIENCE THROUGH PAINTING! One Day Play Shop - December, Sat. 9th, 2017- 10 to 4pm No Experience Necessary! If you can pick up a brush you can paint! Kaylina Michaela 828-353-4828 sacredspacepainting.com justpaint@sacredspacepainting. com COME DANCE WITH US! Inclusive dance community, lessons every Tuesday night. Come learn to partner dance, from Foxtrot to ChaCha. Lead or follow. For more information visit BallroomBallyhoo. com. Next session starts January 2. 828-490-1752 www.BallroomBallyhoo.com FOURTH WAY SCHOOL Know Thyself - Wisdom Through Action, a Fourth Way School in the tradition of Gurdjieff & Ouspensky teaching practical application of the Work. 720.218.9812 www. wisdomthroughaction.com
AUTOMOTIVE AUTOS FOR SALE 2003 CHEVROLET TAHOE K1500 Engine 5.3L V8. 64K ORIGINAL MILES. 4WD. Free rust. Great Condition. Private Seller; Call or text: 984-2230501 DIESEL DODGE HIGH TOP SPRINTER VAN 2500 Clean, mechanically sound, garage kept, fleet maintained, 233,000 miles, Craigslist # 6370189687, Roanoke Va, $10,500. Lanforge_7@hotmail.com Text: (828)808-3920
Paul Caron
Furniture Magician • Cabinet Refacing • Furniture Repair
AUTOMOTIVE SERVICES WE'LL FIX IT AUTOMOTIVE • Honda and Acura repair. Half price repair and service. ASE and factory trained. Located in the Weaverville area, off exit 15. Please call (828) 2756063 for appointment. www. wellfixitautomotive.com
• Seat Caning • Antique Restoration • Custom Furniture & Cabinetry (828) 669-4625
MOUNTAINX.COM
• Black Mountain
NOV. 29 - DEC. 5, 2017
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