OUR 26TH YEAR OF WEEKLY INDEPENDENT NEWS, ARTS & EVENTS FOR WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA VOL. 26 NO. 22 DEC. 25 - 31, 2019
2020 homelessness initiatives
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New Year’s Eve events in WNC
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DEC. 25 - 31, 2019
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OUR 26TH YEAR OF WEEKLY INDEPENDENT NEWS, ARTS & EVENTS FOR WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA VOL. 26 NO. 22 DEC. 25 - 31, 2019
C O NT E NT S 2020 homelessness initiatives
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New Year’s Eve events in WNC
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C O NTAC T US
STARTS ON PAGE 6 A LOOK BACK AT 2019 Local elected officials, activists, artists, historians, foodies and more offer their 2019 reflections in this week’s issue. Along with members of the community, Xpress staffers revisit some of the year’s challenges and highlights. COVER DESIGN Scott Southwick
GREEN
NEWS WELLNESS
25 HEALTH AND WELL-BEING Health and wellness trends, strategies and issues that defined 2019
28 REFLECTIONS ON SUSTAINABILITY Hope for WNC’s environmental future — plus evidence of threats
FOOD
Publishes Jan. 15
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36 TRADEMARK TRADE-OFF A new restaurant forces big changes for a local wine bar
38 IN WITH A ROAR WNC’s New Year’s Eve celebrations usher in the ’20s
40 TRANCE FOLK Life Like Water celebrates its first full-length release
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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: Alli Marshall FOOD EDITOR: Gina Smith GREEN SCENE EDITOR: Daniel Walton OPINION EDITOR: Tracy Rose STAFF REPORTERS: Able Allen, Edwin Arnaudin, Thomas Calder, Laura Hackett, Brooke Randle, Daniel Walton COMMUNITY CALENDAR EDITOR: Deborah Robertson CLUBLAND EDITOR: Lauren Andrews
CARTOO N BY RAN D Y M O L T O N
No vote, no voice for Montreat and others The 2019 and 2021 municipal elections in Montreat were canceled by the Montreat Town Council. Elected to serve four-year terms, the commissioners voted to cancel these elections and to give themselves an extra unelected fifth year in office. Their stated objective was to change the election cycle from odd to even years. (There are pros and cons to the odd- or even-year cycle, but this is not the focus of this letter.) The council members could have chosen to hold the elections in 2019 and 2021 with those elected to serve a three-year term in order to move from the odd- to the even-year cycle. This choice was presented but rejected. Instead, the Montreat commissioners opted to simply give themselves a fifth year in office. Black Mountain and Biltmore Forest council members did the same, canceling their 2019 and 2021 elections and giving themselves a fifth year in office. Asheville municipal elections for 2019 and 2021 were canceled following the request of the Asheville mayor to move the city elections to even years, again with sitting Asheville Council members having an unelected fifth year in office. Where there is no vote, there is no voice. There can be no justifica-
tion for the willful and arbitrary cancellation of an election. How would you react if a sitting president of either party, with control of both chambers, encouraged Congress to cancel the presidential election so the president could have an extra year or more in office? Municipal elections are equally important. Cancellation of an election by whatever means, for whatever purpose, sets an unacceptable precedent and undermines the basic tenets of a democratic republic, a republic to which we have pledged our allegiance. 2019 municipal elections were held by Weaverville and Woodfin [and scheduled for 2021]. It is a credit to these councils that they chose to respect the right of their residents to have council members that serve only their elected terms and did not choose to give themselves unelected time in office. It has been has observed that the cancellations of elections in Biltmore Forest, Black Mountain and Montreat were “collateral damage” to the cancellation of Asheville elections. Requiring a change in each municipality’s governing charter, bills were introduced in the N.C. General Assembly in February 2019. The bills languished in committee until late May. With less than 24 hours of public notice, Sen. Chuck Edwards brought the now-consolidated charter changes for the three towns to the Senate Rules Committee. (Sen. Edwards does
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OPI N I ON
Send your letters to the editor to letters@mountainx.com.
not represent Biltmore Forest, Black Mountain or Montreat.) Sen. Edwards’ bill moved to the Senate and House, where it was passed in each chamber by a simple voice vote. As it was not a role-call vote, there is no legislative record of the individual votes cast by the senators or representatives. Furthermore, as a local bill, it was not subject to veto or review by the governor. The bill became law on June 17, less than three weeks before the July 5 opening date for candidate filing. Potential candidates were preparing to file. Cancellation of elections at any time, much less only three weeks before the election process begins, is quite simply, simply wrong. — Mary McPhail Standaert Montreat Editor’s note: Xpress contacted Sen. Chuck Edwards’ office for a response to the points raised in the letter, but none was provided.
Compassion is a two-way street Thank you, Nancy [Tabel], for the nudge [“Tax Policy Means Caring Falls to Good Samaritans,” Dec. 11, Xpress]. Not only a great piece of writing but a wonderful thought. I pray that more people are as moved as was I to give. “Compassion” is a two-way street. I feel better for having given. I am repaid many times over. Merry Christmas. — G. Philip Cheney Asheville
Tourism imposes tax on the rest of us There’s more than a touch of Stockholm syndrome in conversa-
tions about the Tourism Development Authority. Again and again you hear, “I’m not against tourism, but ...” Let’s be clear. The post-Vanderbilt emphasis on tourism has left us poorer than we could have been, and every extra tourist who visits makes things worse, not better. If we use the Census Bureau’s American Community 5-year Survey 2017-vintage data, we see (series DP03_0043, DP04_0142) that city neighborhoods with a larger proportion of jobs in tourism-related sectors are those with a larger proportion of households facing excessive housing costs (using HUD’s definition of excessive). But that’s water under the bridge; we need current and future tourismrelated jobs to make things better, not worse. Unfortunately, half the tourismrelated jobs pay less than 3/4 of the living wage (series S2413_HC01_ VC23) — with the extreme case being female workers in the “accommodation and food service” sector who live in South French Broad, where half are paid less than $4,000 a year. In order to house, clothe and feed your family with an income that insulting, you need support from subsidized housing, subsidized transport, food banks and other charities. In other words, tourism-related jobs impose a tax on the rest of us — either formally through the city and county or informally through charitable donations. Why does this tax exist? So that the owners of these businesses can pretend that the costs of operating their businesses are lower than they really are and stay solvent/declare bigger profits. — Geoff Kemmish Asheville
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FEATURE
What just happened? Executive summary 2019 — We bring you Xpress staff takes and those of community leaders. You hear from us at Xpress week in and week out, so for a better understanding of the year, we asked a score of local movers and shakers what mattered most to them locally this year. The idea for including more voices grew out of Xpress newsroom discussions, and consequently, this year’s look-back goes broad on perspectives about policing, preservation, business, race relations, redistricting and a whole lot more. We also highlighted some of the year’s standout commentaries and online comments. Additionally, our 2019 roundup includes Xpress staffers’ takes from the vantage point of their specialties and focus areas, including distribution, company development and ad sales. Happy thought-provoking reading! Drop us a line or a Jeff Fobes comment giving us your takes. And when you’re ready to toast Mountain Xpress the old and ring in the new, this week’s issue includes a widePublisher ranging roundup of area New Year’s Eve festivities. Before we know it, it’ll be time to start covering 2020. X
The ANIMAL Issue Publishes Jan. 15
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DEC. 25 - 31, 2019
MOUNTAINX.COM
YEAR IN REVIEW
OPINION
Tell us about it Readers shared views on development, politics, the environment and more How did Xpress readers process all the local news and changes this year? Many of you started (or joined in) community conversations on these pages and online. Here’s a look at the topics that generated the most commentaries, letters to the editor and online comments in Xpress in 2019.
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Tourism and development: As visitors and new residents continue to arrive in Asheville and Western North Carolina, tourism and development topped the list. One flashpoint was the proposed conversion of one of downtown Asheville’s iconic historic buildings to a boutique hotel, prompting local resident Jerry Hinz to write: “Please do not keep destroying the core of the city by converting the Flatiron Building to a hotel,” citing the loss of “wonderful” small businesses housed inside, as well as parking concerns. Countered “jcherese” on the mountainx.com website: “I grew up here and understand the frustrations but also think restoring and preserving a historic building as a hotel is much better than all the new construction, ugly, generic hotels we’ve been plagued with thus far.” In the end, City Council voted 4-3 in June to allow a rezoning of the building for hotel use. Meanwhile, in “Elitism and Scapegoating Won’t Solve Asheville’s Congestion, Affordable Housing and Sprawl,” Karen Ramshaw of Public Interest Projects called out NIMBYism and Asheville’s codes and zoning practices as throwing up barriers to needed Karen Ramshaw affordable housing. “Development costs in the area are high and even higher within the city limits, where additional regulations and the overall process are more burdensome,” she wrote. “Yet it makes sense — socially, environmentally and financially — to encourage development in the city center, where we already have infrastructure, rather than subsidizing sprawl and clearing acres of our mountain forests.” A raft of online comments followed, plus two letters from Montford residents who pushed back on the characterization of resistance to a proposed
apartment complex. “As a renter who has lived in Montford for 11 years, I’m well aware of the need for more affordable housing here and throughout the city, but this particular development simply isn’t an acceptable answer,” responded Meggen Lyon. Others expressed frustration about living in a city that seems at times to be bursting at the seams. “Low wages, corporate landlords, lack of rent control, high prices, brutal traffic, the fake homeless, street crime and white collar crime have all combined to make Asheville an increasingly undesirable place in which to call home,” wrote Chris Brady in the letter, “Greed, Corruption and the Decline of Asheville.” Countered “Angel Gonzales” in an online reply: “So how do WE make it better?”
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Politics: The topic of politics, including a March commentary by Jerry Sternberg, engaged many readers. In “Parsing the R-word: The Gospel According to Jerry,” he wrote, “I was shocked Jerry Sternberg and dismayed by the optics when, while watching the Michael Cohen congressional hearing, Mark Meadows, our own 11th District representative, paraded an AfricanAmerican lady before the assemblage like a life-size cardboard cutout.” Sternberg challenged Meadows to become “an articulate spokesman for racial acceptance and diversity.” Online reactions included a defense of Meadows and President Trump, along with this observation from “James Cassara”: “None of us want to think of ourselves as racist but we exist and benefit from a white privilege that is deeply rooted in our society. Pretending we are immune to institutionalized racism would be like claiming to walk through a rainstorm and not get wet.”
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The environment: A letter by Asheville resident Luke Taylor in January, “Do Our Part to Avoid Single-use Plastics,” kicked off the first of about two dozen letters and commentaries (and multiple com-
ments) throughout the year about the environment. As part of Xpress’ April sustainability issues, Steve Rasmussen laid out the case for the city to hire a fulltime urban forester and institute strategic planning for urban forest protection in “Stopping Steve Rasmussen Asheville’s Treeloss Crisis Makes Climate Sense for City.” Though the city did not include funding for the initiatives in its 2019-20 budget, tree advocates including Rasmussen are again requesting city action, rallying around the results of the Urban Tree Canopy Study, released in October — which found the city lost 6.4% of its tree cover, or 891 acres, between 2008 and 2018. And a cluster of letters this fall urged readers to mobilize on the issue of climate change, including September’s “Walk Out, Die In and Rally for Climate Action” by Arjuna da Silva of Black Mountain. “There are answers, however temporary at this time, to many of the climate dilemmas we face, but they have to be acted on right away,” da Silva wrote.
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Health care: The issue of health care sparked a number of letters, many discussing elements of the nonprofit Mission Health’s sale to for-profit HCA Healthcare. In January, retired Asheville attorney Timothy Legare predicted: “When an areawide-owned asset like the nonprofit Mission Health perishes, it will be gone forever. Instead of being utilized for the health of our citizens, then you will see these funds evaporate into the air and resulting health care costs will rise.” Later in the year, worries about HCA’s closure of its CarePartners wheelchair and seating clinic prompted two letters and a response from HCA. Wrote Jane Sutton of Old Fort: “Many wheelchairdependent people live 14 hours a day in their wheelchair. … A perfect fit is necessary — not just for comfort — but to prevent potentially life-threatening pressure sores.” When contacted by Xpress, HCA’s Nancy Lindell sounded a hopeful note: “For some time, we have been actively
engaged with community partners to determine how we can work together to identify alternative ways to sustain these vital services. We will have more information to share once those plans are finalized.”
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Education: Views about education, and particularly the Asheville City Schools’ racial achievement gap, included “Generations of Failure: A Plea to Reform Asheville City Schools,” by longtime schools volunteer Kate Fisher. “Oversight in this kind of system — where the board is appointed by a body with no regulatory authority, in a process closed to school Kate Fisher employees, families and the community as a whole — is more than a little messed up,” she wrote. Following a May 22 Xpress cover story on the achievement gap, Asheville resident Olive Wilbur wrote that the system must work to make specific changes in how it treats black students, adding: “We must take this failure, acknowledge and own it, and then make sure such disparities are eliminated. This is our call to action. The future of our children depends on our decisions, and I want to see Asheville lead.” And what’s more: Of course, not all of the best-read opinion pieces this year fit into five neat categories. Popular reads included a commentary about perceptions of our local music terrain, “More Than Americana: What Rolling Stone Missed About Asheville’s Music Scene,” by Xpress Arts & Entertainment editor Alli Marshall, plus letters on a road-rage incident (“A Disturbing Encounter in East Asheville”), fluoridation (“City Shouldn’t Force Residents to Drink Fluoridated Water”), eschewing shoes (“‘Heel Thyself’ by Going Barefoot,” the first of three), changes in how Xpress reviews films (“Requiem for the Former Movies Section,” the first of eight) and a Molton cartoon about indicted former Buncombe County Commissioner Ellen Frost (“Not Amused by Frost Cartoon”). Can we expect more of the same in 2020? Readers, we can only hope. — Opinion Editor Tracy Rose X
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YEAR IN REVIEW
COMMUNITY VOICES
Local government and politics
From voter turnout to rebuilding community trust, local elected officials and political experts reflect on 2019.
Top five efforts to restore the community’s trust in 2019
updates from staff in small groups before each meeting. This change allows the public to see and hear important conversations two weeks before an issue is voted on; the premeetings are recorded and aired on BCTV and archived on our website. Quarterly financial updates are presented to the board and public. I believe this helps to provide financial accountability by briefing the commissioners, as well as the public, on budgeted amount to actual revenues and expenses. We have refocused communications efforts to report more county news about our employees, services and administration. Showcasing the good work of our employees in the community helps build a stronger connection. We have developed more dashboards for our transparency page. These resources increase access
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Avril Pinder
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Buncombe County manager
In an effort to open the budget process to greater public accountability, workshops with commissioners were held in public meetings, aired on BCTV and archived on our website. The Board of Commissioners’ premeeting is now held in public. Prior to my appointment, commissioners heard
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to interactive, user-friendly data similar to our Open Checkbook, which allows users to view financial information. Additionally, we are preparing to launch an open data portal that will provide easy access to publicly available data from across the organization. As I work with the board to establish a values-driven approach to setting our priorities for the next five years, we have asked the public for input on our strategic plan. The county will hold a total of 13 public input sessions. I have made it a priority to visit with several community organizations to discuss this process and answer questions in person.
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Five reasons Hendersonville is a great small town
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cially in our downtown and Seventh Avenue districts. We are challenged to sustain growth while keeping our small-town ambiance. Hospitality: Visitors are met with a culture of care. This is demonstrated regularly by city staff, as well as merchants, those working in service industries and regular people walking down the street. Community involvement: We are a community where it is easy for citizens to get involved. People give back through the city’s boards and committees and through numerous, varied nonprofit organizations. Opportunity to make a difference in a big way: Hendersonville has a children’s museum and the only aquarium in Western North Carolina, both located downtown and both founded by women who perceived a need and rallied the community to establish them. Respect for our history: As we grow and evolve, we honor our past and preserve pieces of history that made our city what it is today. We recognize individuals who have made an impact through our annual Walk of Fame program and also work to preserve and revitalize historic structures. The most recent example of the
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Barbara Volk
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Mayor of Hendersonville Hometown feel: We strive to maintain a hometown feel, espe-
latter is the transformation of Grey Hosiery Mill into downtown apartments, a project that took insight, patience and collaboration.
out of the jail for the safety of both inmates and officers. X
How districting changes could play out in WNC
How Buncombe County moved toward becoming a ‘community of we’ in 2019
Chris Cooper
Quentin Miller
Buncombe County sheriff The Community of We and the six pillars of 21st Century Policing are the same concepts in my mind, so I will frame my response in that way. Community policing and crime reduction: We are developing a medically assisted therapy program at the jail. This drug treatment program for those with opioid use disorder comes with a goal of lowering the jail population and the recidivism linked to opioid use. We also created a grant writer position to pursue federal and private foundation money that is available to fund community policing efforts that fit within the framework of 21st century policing. Building trust and legitimacy: The Sheriff’s Office held five listening sessions across Buncombe County where community members could directly ask me and command staff any and all questions. Policy and oversight: In November, we hired to fill a new policy analyst position, which will allow us to review and document all our policies and procedures. Technology and social media: We created four online dashboards about the detention facility that display data on inmate population and average length of stay by charge type. (Thank you to Buncombe County’s performance management team for help with this project.) Officer training and education: Our training division creates scenarios for “reality-based training” that focuses not only on officer safety and tactical skills improvement but also on the necessary skills of crisis intervention, deescalation techniques, overall communications and performance under stress. This training goes beyond minimum state standards. Officer safety and wellness: We have been updating our intake and booking process at the detention facility to keep drugs and contraband
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Western Carolina University professor and Political Science and Public Affairs Department head
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A crowded Democratic field in the 11th Congressional district: When the 11th was among the most Republican districts in the state, most of the traditionally competitive challengers stayed away. Given the realities of the new lines, however, a more prominent Democrat with progressive ambition may view the 11th as a better bet. Higher voter turnout: Voters tend to vote in greater numbers in competitive elections. The new district lines should make our elections more competitive, resulting in higher voter turnout in 2020 and beyond. Goodbye to Patrick McHenry and hello to Virginia Foxx: Patrick McHenry has represented the 10th congressional district since 2005, a district that once abutted Asheville and, after the last round of redistricting, included Asheville. The new maps move McHenry’s district out of our region; the 5th District, home to Republican Virginia Foxx, will now be the neighbor to Asheville’s east. Half a dozen congressional candidates will lose sleep while brushing up on beer styles: Hazy IPA or West Coast IPA? It’s the kind of question Patrick McHenry has become accustomed to answering as the representative from Beer City USA and a founding member of the Small Brewers Caucus. Now that the member of Congress from the 11th Congressional District will be responsible for the entirety of the city, it will be in his/her best interest to wax poetic about beer styles, mouthfeel and hop profiles. Voters become more aware of the prospects of political reform: New district lines will give voters more awareness of a variety of reforms that could improve our electoral process. X
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MOUNTAINX.COM
DEC. 25 - 31, 2019
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C OMMU N IT Y V O I CES
Business and media Writers and business folk recap 2019’s top headlines and local opportunities.
The top local news stories of 2019
Jon Elliston Senior editor at WNC Magazine
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Buncombe’s corruption: My, how the mighty have fallen. Several of Buncombe County’s top administrative personnel recently found themselves convicted of corruption and heading to prison. There are still some chips to fall in the scandal, it appears, and lots of soul-searching awaits a county government that not too long ago was garnering accolades. Heads in beds: For every reason people love being in the Asheville area, it seems, there’s a corresponding complaint about the sheer cost of living here. How a major tourist draw can craft proper public policy about rents, home rentals and hotels remains perplexing and hotly debated. Nature’s wrath: April showers brought floods to many parts of Western North Carolina and threatened to shut down some major roads and tourism draws that depend on accessible natural resources. Then a summer drought hit, impacting farmers, waterways and much more. Meanwhile, activists clamored for public awareness about how climate change could impact quality of life for us all, even at our elevation.
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HCA’s purchase of Mission Hospitals: It’s hard to imagine a deal that could impact the well-being of WNC’s residents more than the one that went down in February 2019. The nonprofit Mission Health, which ran six regional hospitals and satellite facilities, sold its operations to for-profit HCA Healthcare, and the fallout will likely prompt spasms and adjustments going into next year and beyond. Asheville’s artistic vitality: On the good-news front, Asheville continues to be awash in artistic innovation and production. From the small scale — every artist hammering it out in the River Arts District and beyond, every band belting it out at myriad music venues — to the well-received reconstruction of mainstays like the Asheville Art Museum, Diana Wortham Theatre, the Center for Craft and the new Moogseum honoring Bob Moog’s legacy, we’ve got the arts on lock.
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is always full of change, but my amazing colleagues at Mission Hospital and the people I have met in the community have eased my transition, and my family and I are feeling quite welcomed and at home. The local community: Being the president of our local hospital really makes me appreciate local businesses, local farm-to-table at our restaurants and the whole feeling of community here. The geography: Standing almost anywhere in the new North Tower at Mission Hospital gives me spectacular views of the mountains. I felt especially appreciative of the views when the fall foliage was in full color. The wildlife – with the exception of the bear in our driveway! The vibrant and creative feel of this area: There is art all around us and it’s inspiring.
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How Asheville showed its support of local businesses in 2019
New to Asheville in 2019 Franzi Charen Founder of Asheville Grown Business Alliance
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Chad Patrick
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This year the organization I run, the Asheville Grown Busi-
Since moving to Asheville this past summer, I have enjoyed and appreciated many things about my new home. It was difficult to narrow it down to a top 5, but here it is: The people and the staff at the hospital: Moving to a new place
Changes in television news over the decades
News 13 anchor Darcel Grimes recently announced her retirement. We asked the host to reflect on the changes she’s seen throughout her career. One of the big changes was the move from manual typewriters to computers. It changed our world. No longer did we have to bang out a script and use Wite-Out to make corrections or start over when we had made too many typographical errors. We could
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fix it in a snap. Editing stories became so much easier as well. We could now move paragraphs in a story without retyping the whole things. All we had to do was copy, paste and delete. Then we got access to the internet. Yes! We could now instantly check facts, research stories and check our archives for background information, all without ever leaving our desks. No more digging through old scripts or heading to the library. We had access to information at our fingertips. Perhaps the biggest change may be the impact social media is having on newsrooms. It is changing how and when we interact with viewers. When there is a breaking story, it usually hits our website, Facebook page and other social media sites before it makes it to a newscast. Our viewers can now get the latest news anytime, anywhere. Facebook and other social media sites also enable us to establish “friendships” with our viewers in a totally different way. X
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Darcel Grimes
DEC. 25 - 31, 2019
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Mission Hospital President and CEO
Anchor of News 13
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ness Alliance, increased our membership by 20%, cresting well over 500 businesses strong. Our Go Local Campaign sold 3,600 Go Local Cards, a record number, indicating a tremendous amount of community support for local businesses and raising over $30,000 for our public schools. The city of Asheville’s Office of Equity and Inclusion launched the Mountain Community Capital Fund, a new loan guarantee fund for small businesses and local entrepreneurs, with Self-Help Credit Union, Buncombe County and others. This fund is an amazing tool that can open the door to lending, especially for traditionally disadvantaged communities. Go Local members, Mountain BizWorks and Breedlove and Co. piloted Mountain Raise, shepherding entrepreneurship graduates through a direct public offering process that allows our community to invest in shares of local companies. CoThinkk graduated 15 African American and Latinx leaders from its Blueprint Leadership series and increased resource grants to seed new initiatives by 50%. Other events, including the Outdoor Economy Conference, Craft Your Commerce and the upcoming AgriBusiness Summit, leave me excited to see what 2020 has in store for our locals and our locally owned business community. X
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Society and culture Residents address a wide range of issues, including common misconceptions about racial inequity, the barriers that remain for communities of color, reasons for hope and a list of this year’s favorite books.
What Asheville’s power structure still does not get about race in 2019
Dykeman: This book was given to me by Jim Stokely, Wilma Dykeman’s son. It is a wonderful story of her life that was discovered as a typewritten manuscript after her death in 2006. She was quite an upstart and wrote about how the environment would either take care of us or destroy us. Confident Pluralism: Surviving and Thriving Through Deep Difference by John D. Inazu: This book is on my desk right now. I’ve been reading this with regard to UNC Asheville’s diversity and equity work. Unsheltered by Barbara Kingsolver: Oh, what a novel! The Overstory by Richard Powers: This is a book that is fundamentally about the environment. It’s a parable about trees as people. More Fearless Change: Strategies for Making Your Ideas Happen by Mary Lynn Manns and Linda Rising: I have been using this book as a guide for some of the strategic work we are undertaking at the university. Dr. Manns is a professor in the Department of Management and Accountancy at UNC Asheville.
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Libby Kyles
Chief executive officer of the YWCA of Asheville and WNC
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Hiring someone non-white does not address racial inequities. From the city to the school system, there is the misconception that if we hire someone nonwhite, the racial disparities will disappear and the achievement gap will disappear. Burdening people of color with the task of fixing racism and issues of inequities is not only unrealistic, but it continues to inflict trauma on people of color. Asking those without power to create the solutions without resources is just wrong! Equity is not a buzzword. Equity can’t happen without action, and action requires the sharing of power! White fragility is real, and because the power structure doesn’t acknowledge the privileges associated with existing while white, it is unable to understand the need for racial healing. Asheville’s power structure still does not get that it needs to invest heavily, with both resources and funding, in communities and people of color. It is not enough to recognize that redlining and urban renewal had a negative impact on people of color, but there must be some effort to set right what went terribly wrong!
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The state of Western North Carolina’s Latinx community in 2019
Adriana Chavela Executive director of Hola Community Arts
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Growing: From 2000 to 2019, Buncombe County’s Latino population grew 196%. Latinos are Buncombe County’s largest minority group. This demographic shift has begun to alter long-held notions of politics, education, the workforce and interracial relations. Diverse: Latinos in our service area trace their origins to more than 20 Latin American countries. This beautiful kaleidoscope of cultures and customs makes our region a truly vibrant diverse community. Barriers remain: Although this growing population has experienced marked success, barri-
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Family of Earth: A Southern Mountain Childhood by Wilma
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Things to be hopeful about in 2019
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and presence. In a time when you are under attack in our nation, we recognize all the ways that you share your gifts. In the coldest and most brutal winter weather and day to day, you will see them with their yellow paramedic bags: BeLoved Asheville’s first-in-the-nation homeless/formerly homeless Street Medic teams are out saving lives. They are my he/she/theyroes! Workers are the heart of this community. Living and working in downtown, I see you coming to work early and going home late. You are the heartbeat that makes Asheville hum. You deserve living wages and to be able to afford to live in the place you love. The people who came together in so many ways pushing for transit, a hotel moratorium, fair elections, sanctuary, police accountability, protection of our urban forest, new management for the city and county, climate justice, racial equity and reparations and so much more. Raising the wall of the first home in the BeLoved Village on Oct. 14! The BeLoved Village is a new model of deeply affordable housing. The village targets the housing gap by creating homes that are deeply affordable for those earning 30% of the area median income, sustainable, community-oriented, and where residents earn equity that lifts them out of poverty. It gives me hope seeing people from every walk of life working side by side to build this model from the ground up. X
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Chancellor of UNC Asheville
ers remain. It is well documented that communities of color, including Latinos, face significant disparities in health care, housing, education and economic indicators. Thus, it’s crucial that our local leaders put into place policy solutions to address these disparities. Finding solutions: As we look toward the future, we must address gaps for Latinos. Recognizing that each American demographic faces different and unique challenges, it is important that we acknowledge our diverse perspectives and craft solutions emerging from an inclusive and thoughtful local discourse. Better tomorrow: Closing the gaps today will make us more competitive and stronger in the future.
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Top five reading list in 2019
YEAR IN REVIEW
Amy Cantrell Co-director of BeLoved Asheville
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Proud to Be Brown at BeLoved Asheville, MANOS of Buncombe County Schools and De Mujer a Mujer co-wrote and received a city proclamation for Latinx History Month. It was powerful witnessing over 60 Latinx youths and adults fill the City Council meeting sharing their words
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DEC. 25 - 31, 2019
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XPRESS REFLECTIONS
YEAR IN REVIEW
Extra, extra!
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As we bid adieu to 2019, Xpress staff looks back on individual and company highlights from the year.
Writing in 2019
personal interest, including Swedish death cleaning (avl.mx/6s4) and a different approach to treating foot pain offered by proponents of natural movement (avl.mx/6s5). Which story or topic are you looking forward to tackling in 2020? My favorite story is usually the one that I just finished. I hope to follow my recent reporting on the Buncombe County jail (avl.mx/6s1) with stories that explore different aspects of the justice system in 2020. And after a year with very few local elections, I’m excited (if a little daunted) by the scale and scope of the 2020 contests. What else? My coworkers stunned me with their creativity, ambition and general moxie over the past year. While juggling demanding work and home and family responsibilities, they all found ways to express themselves artistically, from personal writing projects to theater to music to craft. To me, they embody the spirit of creative engagement that has made Western North Carolina so special, and I’m proud to know and work with them.
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Virginia Daffron Managing editor
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In the battle for your soul — writer versus editor — which won out in 2019? After a bit of a hiatus in 2018, Virginia the writer made a comeback, publishing 40 pieces this year. While the time spent on those stories occasionally may have come into conflict with my editing duties, connecting with people throughout our region and reporting on key issues kept me informed and passionate about the irreplaceable value of local journalism. What themes emerge from your 2019 coverage? On the night in February 2018 when New York Times journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones spoke at UNC Asheville, I became a forever fan. (The thrill of hearing her quote my local education coverage from the stage may have had something to do with it.) Hannah-Jones’ work — especially this year’s stunning 1619 project — has continued to inspire me, and I see her influence in many of my stories. The example set by Hannah-Jones and local activists and thinkers has challenged me to explore the racial disparities that show up in nearly every aspect of life in our community. From education (avl.mx/pru5) to policing (avl.mx/6s0), from the county jail (avl.mx/6s1) to health care and nonprofits (avl.mx/6s2), I’ve tried to illuminate the historical and ongoing inequities that drive such different outcomes for community members of color — and why Asheville’s disparities seem worse than in many other places. Which of your stories broke that mold in 2019? Researching and writing a long piece about the impact that futurist Rebecca Ryan has had and will have on our region (avl.mx/6s3) gave me an opportunity to focus intently on one person, which isn’t our usual approach. And I appreciate Xpress’ indulgence in allowing me to investigate several topics of
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History and news
How would you characterize the city based on your news coverage this year? First, as noted above, we’ve got a very dedicated group of individuals and organizations committed to preserving, researching and promoting the region’s past — be it new books by local historians including Daniel Pierce (avl.mx/6rs) and Bruce Johnson (avl.mx/66y) or ongoing community projects from organizations like The Preservation Society of Asheville & Buncombe County, Hood Huggers International and the Swannanoa Valley Museum & History Center (to name only a few). Second, based on my reporting on both mass incarceration and the Christopher Hickman plea deal (avl.mx/6li), I would say our community is interested in policing and criminal justice reform. What stories uplifted you in 2019? In May, for our spring nonprofit issue, I reported on the new nonprofit WNC Superheroes, which raises funds to cover unanticipated expenses incurred by community members in distress. Since its launch in January, it has distributed over $19,000 to community members in crisis (avl.mx/6rt). I was also impressed by Youth Arts Empowerment, a free arts program led by local artist Cleaster Cotton. Taking place in the Arthur R. Edington Education & Career Center, the program serves students 11-17 years old. This past February, Cotton’s latest group of students presented and sold their works at Pink Dog Creative Gallery (avl.mx/5qs). Which Asheville Archives was the most interesting to research? I had a blast learning about Ida Jolly Crawley, who owned and operated the House of Pan: Museum of Art and Archaeology from 1919-1946. I don’t often get out in the field when I’m researching my articles. (I’m usually either scouring newspapers.com or pestering the ever-kind and endlessly patient staff at the N.C. Room at Pack Library). But for this piece, I visited Crawley’s former domicile and museum, which Howard Hanger (founder of the interfaith Jubilee! Community) purchased in 1973. Howard took me on a tour of many of the home’s 25 rooms. Amazingly, many of Crawley’s original paintings still line the walls (avl.mx/65w). Which story/topic from 2019 do you anticipate revisiting in 2020? I have a pretty strong hunch that I’ll be following up on the progress of Christopher Hickman’s restorative justice plea deal.
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Thomas Calder Writer
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What trends did you notice in your 2019 news coverage? Perhaps not surprisingly, much of my attention focused on local history. Outside of my weekly column, “Asheville Archives,” I also previewed a number of events, exhibits and grant initiatives related to our region’s history. The North Carolina Room at Pack Library featured prominently in many of these stories. This year, the special collections team conducted a series of research projects concerning Asheville’s African American history (avl.mx/5vr and avl.mx/6rr). The N.C. Room also celebrated the publication of its book Hidden History of Asheville (avl.mx/6d3).
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Government beat
Brooke Randle City government reporter, writer
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What were your most challenging stories of 2019? My most challenging story this year was an attempt to uncover the source of Green Opportunities’ financial struggles (avl.mx/6s6). It was a tough story to tell because there was no one issue or person at the root of the nonprofit’s problems. Rather, it was many overlapping decisions and events over several years that led to the nonprofit’s current predicament. A close second was my investigation into why Brother Wolf’s founder stepped down from the organization (avl.mx/6s7) and how the nonprofit planned to earn back community trust after years of controversy and a shift in its mission (avl.mx/6s8). What interview subjects stuck with you the most and why? I had the pleasure of interviewing Howard Hanger as he prepared to retire as the minister of Jubilee! Community, the interfaith church he founded more than three decades ago (avl.mx/6s9). Hanger’s life story was delightful and inspiring, and I appreciated his refreshing take on retirement. I also enjoyed getting to know Debra Campbell during her first year as city manager (avl.mx/6sa), as well as capturing the reactions of local veterans who participated in this fall’s Blue Ridge Honor Flight to visit service monuments in Washington, D.C. (avl.mx/6sb). What were some of the most surprising/impactful news stories about the city government? Like many in the community, I was surprised when our newly hired Chief of Police Chris Bailey resigned after less than two months on the job (avl.mx/6sc). I was also surprised (unlike some of our more jaded community members, perhaps) when Asheville City Council voted to allow the redevelopment of the historic Flatiron Building into a hotel despite robust community opposition (avl.mx/6sd). What did you find to be the most interesting/important issue to cover? I am fascinated by the complexities of Asheville’s flourishing as a tourist town, so I was riveted by the ways tourism and the Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority impact our city.
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I’m excited to continue to cover the TDA as the agency continues its 10-year planning process (avl.mx/601), as well as community members who advocate for changes to the structure of the state law that created and governs the authority (avl.mx/6se). I’ll also be following new hotel approval policies developed by Asheville City Council during its yearlong hotel moratorium (avl.mx/6sf). What issue are you looking forward to covering in 2020? I’m looking forward to covering primary and general election season madness and getting to know the 2020 City Council candidates. I’m also interested to see how the N.C. General Assembly will react to the city’s decision to reverse the state-imposed district election system for City Council candidates (avl.mx/6sg).
increase our circulation to include as much of the community as we can. If there’s a place you’d like to be able to find a Mountain Xpress but can’t, I’d like to know about it.
Teamwork
thinner stock, which changes how the ink sits on the page. What might surprise the community about your department? We haven’t raised our regular weekly advertising rate card in over 15 years. We are a noncommissioned sales staff. We believe in teamwork.
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On the road
Cindy Kunst Distribution coordinator
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What was the strangest incident you experienced while distributing the paper this year? I think the strangest incident would be finding a cache of counterfeit $100 bills stashed behind one of our boxes downtown. What is the most active distribution box in Buncombe County? Merrimon Avenue Ingles is our blockbuster location, averaging a pickup rate of over 400 papers per week. How many new distribution locations did Xpress add in 2019? We added 35 stops this year. Currently we have a total of 875 locations in nine counties. What might surprise readers about your job? I think a lot of people imagine this job like a typical paper route where you are up before dawn to “throw papers.” But instead of individual subscribers, our clients are the people connected to the businesses and locations where we station purple boxes or newspaper racks. Our delivery drivers and I concentrate on keeping our relationships with those folks strong so that their needs are met and, most importantly, our readers can easily find and pick up their free weekly copy of Xpress. What is distribution’s No. 1 goal for 2020? Our goal for distribution is the same every year: hone our delivery routes for efficiency while adding new stops that
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Susan Hutchinson Advertising manager
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What was the most exciting new initiative your department introduced in 2019? Two things compete for this: The introduction of the Asheville Field Guide and the beginnings of a membership support program. Both initiatives are designed to fill the gap created by a decline in traditional advertising revenue. What were advertisers looking for in 2019? Many businesses are seeking costeffective ways to reach the river of tourists that flows into Western North Carolina. Which special issue or theme resonated most with local businesses this year? Best of WNC continues to be the granddaddy of all themes. Our spring and fall nonprofit special issues come in second. The Home Style issue was a new product that was successful this year. What was the greatest challenge for Xpress’ advertisement team in 2019? The ways local businesses are marketing themselves are rapidly changing, and many clients are trying other platforms. 2019 continued the trend away from traditional advertising. The pressure for media operations to sell content continues to mount, leaving operations that don’t sell content — like Mountain Xpress — at a financial disadvantage. We also indirectly feel the pressure businesses experience as they stretch their budgets to accommodate search engine optimization and sponsored posts on Facebook. More and more businesses are paying savvy marketing staffers to write alluring press releases in lieu of buying advertising packages. Of course, without the advertising that supports editorial content, those press releases won’t be able to reach their intended audiences. A less obvious challenge is the changing nature of printing: Increases in the price of paper have led to the use of
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Laura Hackett Development coordinator
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When did you join the Mountain Xpress team? I started freelancing for the paper last March and joined the team full-time this October. While it’s only been a few months, it’s been an honor to collaborate with so many talented, hard-working and thoughtful creatives! I’m really excited for what’s to come in 2020. Your role at the paper is a bit different than most. What does it mean to be a development coordinator? The majority of my work centers around deepening our relationship with our audience and securing new and sustainable sources of revenue so that Mountain Xpress can remain a fixture in the community for decades to come. For those who have been following the industry closely, the last decade or so has been a tough time for local news. The traditional advertising model that has kept publications like ours funded has been upended by the digital revolution and an increasing focus on national news. I’m coordinating special efforts to double down on our business model and help grassroots journalism thrive.
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Well, that sounds challenging. What projects have you been working on so far? In addition to developing a membership program for readers — more on that below — I’ve been focusing on how Xpress can better connect with readers beyond our flagship print product. In November, we launched our new weekly newsletter, “Local Matters,” which highlights news, opinion and other WNC happenings from our publication. It’s been fun and rewarding to collaborate with other team members on that project. We’re also looking to develop our website, specifically our events page, into a more dynamic space for all the happenings in WNC. Any other ideas regarding initiatives you’d like to see at Xpress? I’m an email away! Most encouraging thing that has happened this year? At the time of writing this, we’ve had around 40 individuals make a contribution to support Xpress’ newsroom. In addition to needed resources, those contributions have given us some muchappreciated moral support as we work to ensure Xpress’ sustainability over the long haul. It was a little scary to put ourselves out there and ask for help, but each time we gain a new supporter, I feel a flutter of excitement. It’s nice to know that the community we’ve served since 1994 has our back. What can readers look forward to in 2020? A project that I’m really excited to introduce to our readers at the start of 2020 is our membership program. Mountain Xpress has always been — and must remain — an independent, local and free publication, but that doesn’t mean that it’s free to produce. That’s why we’re calling on our readers to contribute — not just financially, but with skills, ideas and perspectives! At a grassroots level, we want to invite our audience to join in our mission to build community, strengthen democracy and cultivate civic dialogue. X
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by Brooke Randle
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BUILDING HOPE As fall turns into winter and local temperatures plummet, most folks break out the warm clothes, turn up the heat and hunker down indoors. But for hundreds of Buncombe County men, women and children, the winter months are spent struggling to stay warm on the streets or in temporary shelters. Last January, the annual Pointin-Time survey, a nationwide tally of the number of individuals and families experiencing homelessness, found that roughly 580 county residents had nowhere to go. Overall homelessness rose 4%, but the county’s chronic homeless population — those who’ve had no place to live for a year or more while struggling with a disabling condition such as substance abuse or mental illness — grew by 50% compared with the previous year. Emily Ball, senior program director at Homeward Bound, says the increase — the first after nearly a decade in which Asheville’s homeless population held steady at around 500 people — most likely reflects the city’s dwindling supply of affordable housing. “Folks have a hard time getting back into housing because the units aren’t there or they’re not affordable, so people are staying homeless longer,” she explains. The survey also found increases among multiple subpopulations. The number of homeless families rose by just over 5%. Homeless veterans saw a 3.6% increase from the previous year, but they accounted for almost half of the local homeless population, with more than
FIRST THINGS FIRST
ON CALL: Robert Stevenson says his new position as the city’s homelessness outreach case manager will allow him to provide direct support for Asheville’s homeless residents. Photo by Brooke Randle
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Local groups devise innovative strategies to tackle homelessness
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250 people counted. Meanwhile, the number of unaccompanied homeless youth and young adults registered a 26% jump. If those numbers seem discouraging, however, there’s also good news: Several innovative projects currently in the works should substantially alter the equation in the coming months. Developed by local nonprofits, faith organizations and city-funded initiatives, these efforts will provide housing and support for some of Asheville’s most vulnerable residents while also addressing the deeper causes of homelessness.
In the last decade, the conventional wisdom on how to deal with the problem has changed, says Brian Huskey, the city’s lead homelessness analyst Current thinking favors a “housing first” model that tackles the physical aspect of homelessness before attempting to remedy potential causes such as substance abuse or mental illness, notes Huskey, who also serves as a liaison to the AshevilleBuncombe Homeless Initiative. Previously, he explains, “The approach had typically been ‘housing ready’: What steps do people need to take before they’re ready to go into housing? Is it getting their GED or getting their behavioral health care provided for? Is it getting clean and sober?” That approach, he maintains, “created a lot of burning hoops that people had to jump through before they would go into housing.” Ensuring that people have a place to live, says Ball, helps them develop a sense of stability and safety as they begin to seek help with other issues. “There’s no preconditions: It’s just like, ‘Oh, you’re homeless? You need a home.’ It’s that simple.” In October, her organization bought a multifamily property on Short Michigan Avenue in West Asheville to develop into a 13-unit affordable housing community. Funded by a Housing Trust Fund loan, a grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and support from anonymous donors, Key Commons will provide permanent residences for people who earn up to 30% of Buncombe County’s median family income. According to HUD, that means a family of four could have an income of up to $19,920 and still qualify for the development. Although Homeward Bound has helped place more than 279 people in residential units through partnerships with private landlords and the Housing Authority of the City of Asheville, Key Commons will be the first property to be owned by the nonprofit, which Ball says could pave the way for more such efforts. “Certainly the goal is to keep replicating that model so that we can have additional housing across the community,” she explains. “Ideally, we’ll have a really diverse portfolio and can be sort of nimble in how we are connecting people with the units,
so that it can be the right fit for them and a sustainable fit.” THINKING BIG The Rev. Scott Rogers, executive director of the Asheville Buncombe Community Christian Ministry, says the faith-based organization has a long history of helping Asheville’s homeless women and children, begining with the establishment of Steadfast House in 2011. With nearly 50 beds, the facility provides transitional housing and case management services that have benefited hundreds of local women and children. But a large and persistent waiting list, notes Rogers, was a sign that the organization needed to do more. “For the last five years, we’ve had 300 women on the waiting list,” he says. “So when we found this 24 acres, we thought, ‘What would a facility to really take care of 300 women, including moms with children, look like?’” In partnership with churches, support groups and funders, ABCCM envisioned Transformation Village, a massive 43,000-square-foot facility that will occupy a 24-acre site near the Asheville Outlets on Brevard Road. The housing complex will feature 50 emergency shelter beds, 100 transitional housing units, an on-site clinic and longer term supportive housing units for an additional 150 women and children. The ambitious undertaking will be built in stages, with a roughly $13 million price tag for phase one; to date, the nonprofit has raised nearly $10 million. The entire project is expected to cost about $23 million. “We are so excited,” Rogers exclaims while gazing at the building as construction workers mill around the site. “It’s overwhelming.” The completed project will also require about 1,000 new volunteers. The ABCCM team, says Rogers, also worked with the county’s Family Justice Center to develop trauma-specific areas where survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault and other forms of abuse can meet with counselors. Other rooms will offer child enrichment opportunities and training for 17 different careers, including culinary arts. Each woman under Transformation Village’s care, he explains, will receive an individualized recovery plan spanning education, child care and counseling. While the women will be able to call the state-of-the-art facility home for up to two years, Rogers expects that most will stay for seven-12 months. “Our success rate for the last 11 years, for men and women, is that 8 out of 10 leave us and never come
“For the last five years, we’ve had 300 women on the waiting list.” — the Rev. Scott Rogers, ABCCM back to homelessness. And we know they don’t come back because we’re following them for two years after they leave us,” he notes. “A lot of programs may follow folks for six months or a year, but we’re there with them, making sure that if they
Celebrating
do hit potholes or speed bumps in life, there’s someone there to help them strategically process those or overcome them and stay on their feet.”
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“We had a sister freeze to death on the streets of Asheville.” — the Rev. Amy Cantrell, ABCCM
Once Transformation Village is fully operational, continues Rogers, ABCCM plans to sell Steadfast House and move both its current residents and those on the waitlist into the new facility. BUILDING WEALTH “We had a sister freeze to death on the streets of Asheville,” remembers the Rev. Amy Cantrell, co-director of BeLoved Asheville. “Her name was Janet Jones.” The homeless woman, who died of hypothermia in October 2016, was a tragic example of what can happen to people who lack shelter, says Cantrell. In the aftermath, “We literally sat in a circle of folks impacted by the housing crisis. It was a real natural container to say, ‘What are we going to do about this?’ Her death really became the catalyst for some of the most innovative work that we’ve gotten to do.” BeLoved’s latest endeavor is also the organization’s most ambitious to date: building a community of 12 deeply affordable, energy-efficient tiny houses at 15 Overbrook Place in East Asheville. The homes will provide permanent living space for selected Asheville residents who earn up to 30% of the area’s median income, and the project is structured to enable residents to build equity over time. “People are often housed into poverty forever,” Cantrell points out. “We said, ‘That’s not good enough: We really need to help people build wealth.’” To achieve that while ensuring that the homes remain affordable long term, BeLoved came up with a highly creative approach. “The homes will have equity accounts with an ‘appreciation trigger,’ rather than the homes literally taking the appreciation,” Cantrell explains. “A good portion of the monthly payment will go into the resident’s equity account, along with a percentage accounting for appreciation. Residents will be able to take the equity from their account when they leave and we move the next residents in at deeply affordable rates. Residents may also borrow from their equity to mitigate crises or for things like transportation and education, to help them move forward in their lives.” Applications, she continues, “will be reviewed and placements determined by a committee of community members.” And though the initial project is expected to accommodate 12-24 people, “We expect to serve many more as this model expands through replication.” The total cost for the project is hovering around $1 million; to date, the 16
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town, or even someone that works at AHOPE, because the nature of their work leaves them confined within certain very specific roles.” City officials and Homeward Bound staffers say they hope the new position will help de-escalate tensions between police officers and people experiencing homelessness. Stevenson says he welcomes the opportunity to intervene in nonemergency situations when possible, to reduce the number of arrests and address common grievances and misunderstandings related to homelessness. “Folks don’t necessarily want to call the police; they don’t want to get someone in trouble,” he maintains. “They’re calling the police because they don’t know who else to call. I may not have an answer, but I’m at least going to come in and be someone you can call.” MOVING THE NEEDLE
ALL TOGETHER NOW: Volunteers work to construct tiny homes for BeLoved’s Village. The project is one of several initiatives aimed at providing housing for Asheville’s homeless and low-income residents. Photo by Brooke Randle nonprofit has raised enough to fund the first home, with contributions from private individuals, local businesses, faith communities and neighborhood groups. Retired contractors, artists and engineers have joined hundreds of volunteers to offer their knowledge and expertise at no cost. The collaborative nature of the project, says Cantrell, is reminiscent of the barn-raising tradition, in which people worked together to help a community member get established. “This is a really ground-up solution,” she says. “We just began leveraging all the gifts that were already here in our community circle.” The 440-square-foot homes will feature locally made furniture, artwork, dishes and other essentials to give new residents a sense of community that affordable housing options don’t always provide. “What we heard over and over was, ‘We want trees and land; we want to be able to plant gardens; we want a porch; we want a place that feels like a home,” Cantrell explains. “For us, it’s not just walls and a roof. I think that’s part of the real power in this: This is about dignity; it’s about a place of belonging and community.” STARTING CONVERSATIONS All three new developments — Key Commons, Transformation Village and BeLoved Village — are expected to come on line by next summer. In the meantime, hundreds of men and women who
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are currently living on Asheville’s streets recently gained a new ally: In November, Robert Stevenson started his new job as the city’s homelessness coordinator after Asheville City Council members allocated $150,000 to Homeward Bound to fund the position for three years. The full-time staffer will help bridge the gaps between Asheville’s homeless residents and other community members. “You’ve got the city and the needs of the city, the housed, and then people who are also residents of the city that are staying outdoors, and both of those groups have legitimate claims and blind spots,” says Stevenson, who’s worked with Homeward Bound for more than nine years. “Starting conversations between them is really where I see myself.” Rather than operating out of a formal office, Stevenson envisions one-on-one engagement with Asheville’s downtown homeless population. He’ll be available to assist folks in a variety of ways: driving them to the Division of Motor Vehicles to obtain identification cards, connecting them with mental health providers, and helping them navigate the deluge of paperwork and documentation required to apply for many city services. “We do have some great services and resources in Asheville,” Stevenson explains. “But bureaucracy is bureaucracy, and the way that people move through systems isn’t always ideal and doesn’t always fit the places that people are in. I have a lot more freedom than somebody that works for one of the behavioral health providers here in
Ending homelessness in Asheville won’t be easy, Cantrell concedes, but she’s confident that the current efforts by BeLoved and other organizations will stimulate city residents’ shared sense of compassion. “We believe that the people in the community are going to come forward and say, ‘This is what we need in Asheville, and we are willing to support it,’” she predicts. Huskey agrees. “There’s a huge need, but it’s not like we’re going to have to do a big supportive housing project year after year,” he points out. “We do two or three really good ones over the next three to five years, and we’re going to put a huge dent in this problem. Five hundred and eighty? That’s not like Los Angeles County, where you have 60,000. This is an achievable goal.” X
To learn more... Homeward Bound 828- 252-8883 homewardboundwnc.org ABCCM Transformation Village 828- 259-5300 abccm.org BeLoved Village 828- 242-8261 belovedasheville.com Robert Stevenson, City outreach case manager 828- 768-3435 robert@homewardboundwnc.org
BUNCOMBE BEAT
Former Commissioner Bill Stanley linked to Buncombe corruption A second elected official has been implicated in the ongoing federal investigation of Buncombe County corruption. Speaking at a Dec. 17 meeting of the county Board of Commissioners, attorney Ron Payne said that former Commissioner Bill Stanley had been accused by former Assistant County Manager Jon Creighton of improperly accepting unspecified “things of value” from former county contractor Joseph Wiseman Jr. Payne said Creighton made the allegations in a sworn deposition he provided before reporting in October for an 18-month sentence at USP McCreary, a federal prison in Kentucky. While Creighton and Wiseman, along with former Buncombe officials Wanda Greene, Michael Greene and Mandy Stone, were convicted of federal corruption charges on Aug. 28, former Commissioner Ellen Frost is the only other elected official yet formally accused of participating in improper county government activity. In response to Creighton’s testimony, the commissioners unanimously voted to remove Stanley’s name from the William H. Stanley Center, host to the county’s Family Justice Center and other government offices. The building will henceforth be known by its previous name of 35 Woodfin St. According to a letter provided to the county by Stanley’s family dated Oct. 14, he “is unable to admit or deny allegations made against him concerning his tenure on the Board of Commissioners.” The letter continues that the family “respects the work and investigation of Commissioner Stanley and others for past acts” and accepts the county’s decision to strip his name from 35 Woodfin. As of press time, no federal criminal charges had been filed against Stanley in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of North Carolina. The board also did not announce any civil proceedings against the former commissioner; at the same meeting, Payne said that the county had filed a lawsuit against Frost and Greene to recover taxpayer funds that were allegedly misdirected to out-of-county equestrian activities. During his update to the board, Payne also provided a letter detailing
POINTING THE FINGER: Former Buncombe County Commissioner Bill Stanley is the second former Buncombe elected official to be accused of participating in improper county government activity connected to former County Manager Wanda Greene and her associates. Photo by Margaret Hester the results of interviews he and his colleague Philip Anderson had conducted with current and former commissioners regarding their connections to Wiseman. He said that no one interviewed had recalled meeting Wiseman or seeing him at county-related events. However, Payne added that some of the commissioners may have unknowingly benefited from Wiseman’s largesse. After some meals at conferences attended by county representatives, he said, “Ms. Greene or Mr. Creighton would call Mr. Wiseman and have him phone in his credit card number to pay for meals when Ms. Greene was afraid that it would be so much that the public would get upset.” Payne said that four former commissioners had not made themselves available for interviews about any dealings with Wiseman: Frost, Stanley, David Young and Nathan Ramsey. Contacted by Xpress after the meeting, Young wrote that he did not meet with Payne “because I have no knowledge of any wrongdoing by me or any other commissioners. I have not served as commissioner for 11 years.” In an email message to Xpress, Ramsey wrote that he had spoken with Payne
NEWS BRIEFS by News staff | news@mountainx.com ASHEVILLE CITY SCHOOLS SELECTS GENE FREEMAN FOR SUPERINTENDENT Asheville City Schools announced Dec. 19 that the system had chosen Gene Freeman as its new superintendent. Freeman is currently the superintendent of the Fox Chapel Area School District, located in a suburb of Pittsburgh, and has more than 25 years of experience in education. The Asheville City Board of Education began its search for a new superintendent following the resignation of Denise Patterson June 12 for unspecified medical reasons. Freeman was chosen from a pool of 28 candidates and will start work on Wednesday, July 1. Bobbie Short will continue to serve as interim superintendent throughout the transition. More information is available at avl.mx/6te. CAMPBELL ANNOUNCES ASHEVILLE POLICE CHIEF FINALISTS Asheville City Manager Debra Campbell held a public meet and greet Dec. 17 to introduce the city’s top three candidates for chief of police of the Asheville Police Department. Those choices were David Zack, who works as the police chief in Cheektowaga, N.Y.; Cincinnati Police
NEW HIRE: Gene Freeman has been named new superintendent of Asheville City Schools and will start work next July. Photo courtesy of Asheville City Schools Department Capt. Maurice Robinson; and James Nolette, assistant chief at the Fayetteville Police Department. The candidates were recruited by research and consulting group Police Executive Research Forum, which the city hired to help fill the position. The search for a new police chief launched in November following the abrupt resignation of former Chief Chris Bailey in September after less than two months on the job (avl.mx/6sc). Campbell said she expects to select one of the candidates in January. NEUROSCIENTIST RICHARD DAVIDSON TO SPEAK AT UNCA FEB. 13-14 Richard Davidson, coauthor of Altered Traits:
by phone about a month ago. During that conversation, Ramsey said, he shared that he “had no awareness of Joe Wiseman until I read news reports about him” in connection with the Buncombe corruption scandal. Payne noted that the county is currently seeking a court order to com-
Science Reveals How Meditation Changes Your Mind, Brain, and Body, will give a lecture on how meditation and related contemplative practices improve well-being at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 13, at UNC Asheville’s Lipinsky Auditorium. Davidson will then lead a master class at 9 a.m. on Friday, Feb. 14, in the Highsmith Student Union Blue Ridge Room. Both events are free and open to the public, and no tickets are required. More information is available at avl.mx/6tc. APD TO ADD NEW PATROL DISTRICT The Asheville Police Department plans to add a new patrol district, known as the Charlie District, that will cover downtown, the South Slope, South French Broad, River Arts District and neighborhoods along Martin Luther King Jr. Drive starting in January. The department also plans to realign its three current patrol districts, located in West Asheville, North and Central Asheville and South and East Asheville, to increase efficiency and response time. More information can be found at avl.mx/6td. X
pel financial records from Wiseman’s employer before 2014, CDM Smith, to gain further details about his alleged gifts to Buncombe officials. Once those records are received, Payne said, Wiseman’s deposition will be taken to guide further investigation.
— Daniel Walton X
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ASHEVILLE ARCHIVES
C OMMU N IT Y V O I CES
YEAR IN REVIEW
by Thomas Calder | tcalder@mountainx.com
Preserving the past
Back to the future
What were the greatest preservation initiatives in 2019?
Where would you take historical figures in 2019?
What were some of the most impactful preservation initiatives in 2019? We raised the question to Jack Thomson, former executive director of The Preservation Society of Asheville & Buncombe County, who served the nonprofit from September 2010 to November 2019. Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority funding for (1) African American Cultural District and Interactive Museum and (2) YMI Cultural Center Improvements (see “Local nonprofits resurrect Asheville’s African American history,” Xpress, Jan. 18) A cumulative total of $900,000 has been awarded by the BCTDA to celebrate and enhance the rich history of Asheville’s African American community. The development of the African American Cultural District will bring attention to both the Southside and East End neighborhoods, while professional museum enhancements at the StephensLee Alumni Room will increase the accessibility to the important story of early black education initiatives. History Harvest at the North Carolina Room at Pack Library (see “Asheville reflects on the legacy of slavery,” Xpress, Oct. 17) The North Carolina Room serves as Buncombe County’s special historical research collection. Through public
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outreach known as a History Harvest, it is proactively working to tell a more detailed story of our African American communities. The public is encouraged to bring their scrapbooks, letters and photographs for scanning and inclusion in the collection, while the owner retains the original materials. Johnny Baxter Award (see “Asheville reflects on the legacy of slavery,” Xpress, Oct. 17) Johnny Baxter, an amateur historian and founding member of PSABC, was the leading figure in the preservation of the YMI in the late 1970s. To honor Baxter’s work, PSABC has established an award in his memory, funding UNC Asheville student-led research into the history of the African American community as represented through our historic built environment. PSABC grants program PSABC has committed $20,000 per year in our new preservation grant program designed to support projects with funding from $500 to $5,000 in the following categories: Bricks & Mortar, Public Education and Planning/Survey/Designation. Basilica Historic Structures Report Designed by Rafael Guastavino, the masterpiece of St. Lawrence is a national treasure and in severe need of critical restoration efforts. The privately funded Historic Structure Report serves as the principal planning document charting a course to a successful preservation project. X
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For she’s a jolly good historian! A tribute to Zoe Rhine Today we celebrate history in the making: Zoe Rhine, special collections librarian at Pack Memorial Library’s North Carolina Room, will retire at the
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end of 2019, concluding a 25-year career serving Buncombe County residents through her historical research, programs and writing. Along with her contributions to the community, Rhine’s insights and knowledge were crucial in helping this column get started. She has fielded many historical questions from this reporter.
If you could grab a drink or a bite to eat in 2019 with a local historical figure, who would it be, and where would you take that person? We posed these questions to Katherine Cutshall, specialist of the North Carolina Room at Pack Memorial Library. Her top five list follows. Lillian Exum Clement Stafford, suffragette and North Carolina’s first female legislator (see “Asheville Archives: Lillian Exum Clement takes her seat in the House, 1921,” Xpress, March 7) I’ve always admired Exum and thought we could chat like a couple of old friends. I would want to have her along for a no-frills night out and get her caught up on the state of womankind. A pizza dinner at Asheville Brewing, then to Banks Ave. for libations! Leah Arcouet Chiles, artist, businesswoman, mayor of Kenilworth Jargon seems like the place to go with this Jazz Age artist and businesswoman. The atmosphere, especially on a late weekend night, reminds me of her photography aesthetic: a little mysterious, but obviously fun.
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Dr. Esperanza Weizenblatt, civic leader, outdoor enthusiast, optometrist and philanthropist (see “Asheville Archives: The quit contributions of Dr. Esperanza Weizenblatt,” Xpress, Oct. 14) A member of the Carolina Mountain Club, Weizenblatt loved the outdoors as much as she enjoyed contributing to arts and humanities organizations. I think a dinner at the supercreative Forestry Camp would be her style. E.W. Pearson, civic leader, businessman, founder of the Burton Street Neighborhood (see “Asheville Archives: Royal Giants take the field, 1916,” Xpress, Feb. 26) Pearson was the founder of Asheville’s first Negro League Baseball team. If I had the chance to take him out, I would head to McCormick Field for a deep-fried Moon Pie from the concession stand. Francesca Guastavino, wife of famed architect Rafael Guastavino Mrs. Guastavino immigrated to the U.S. from Mexico and was known to have some unique personality traits. According to oral histories, she was a real spitfire. A trip to Mountain Madre for a flight of tequila would only serve to highlight her famed personality. X
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In celebration of her career, Rhine’s friends and colleagues offer the following statements. “Zoe let her love for Asheville history show every time she brought something out of the stacks for research,” says writer Nan Chase. “Her face lit up as though she had just unearthed buried treasure.” “Her passion is taking history to the people with programs that draw hundreds to the Lord Auditorium,” notes researcher Joe Newman. “Zoe is motivated to explore a sense of place to help all of us better understand who we are and where we are
going in our communities in Asheville, in Buncombe County and in WNC,” says former Friends of the North Carolina Room board President Lynne Poirier-Wilson. “And she does it well.” Finally, Louise Maret, chair of the Friends of the North Carolina Room, praises Rhine’s dedication in bringing to life the stories and contributions of “the unheard voices of our area’s history.” Maret adds, “Stepping out of the archives, she pursues the stories of our time, preserving them for the future.” Thank you, Zoe, for all your hard work. We wish you a happy retirement! X
FEATURES
YEAR IN REVIEW
by Thomas Calder | tcalder@mountainx.com
#HASHTAG
Xpress’ 2019 Instagram review
Each week, our Instagram account features photos from our latest issue, along with happenings we come across in and around town. To recap 2019, we’ve selected one post from each month. Be sure to follow us at @mountainxpress. X
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Throughout the winter and spring, Timothy Harden helped us digitally archive our earliest publications (19942004). He scanned thousands of pages at The North Carolina Room at Pack Library. Photo by Virginia Daffron
Chaise Lounge w/ New Upholstery Find on Shakedown St.
Best of WNC since 2014!
Asheville’s 10th annual Green took Ea place Satu ster on the 20, at Roge rday, Square Parkr McQuire Green in April Photo and . Photo courtesy of Pack Images IMA
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COMMUNITY CALENDAR DEC. 25, 2019 - JAN. 2, 2020
CALENDAR GUIDELINES For a full list of community calendar guidelines, please visit mountainx.com/calendar. For questions about free listings, call 828-251-1333, ext. 137. For questions about paid calendar listings, please call 828-251-1333, ext. 320.
=❄ ACTIVISM CITIZENS-POLICE ADVISORY COMMITTEE • 1st WEDNESDAYS, 5pm - Citizens-Police Advisory Committee meeting. Free. Meets in the 1st Floor Conference Room, Public Works Building, 161 S. Charlotte St.
BENEFITS Some events from this section may be found in the Give!Local calendar on p. 24 DECK THE TREES ❄ Through MO (1/6), 10am-9pm - Proceeds from Deck The Trees in the theme of Go Tell It On the Mountain benefit the Fuel Fund for the Swannanoa Valley Christian Ministries. Free to attend. Held at Monte Vista Hotel, 308 W. State St., Black Mountain
BUSINESS & TECHNOLOGY FLETCHER AREA BUSINESS ASSOCIATION • 4th THURSDAYS, 11:30-noon - General meeting. Free. Held at YMCA Mission Pardee Health Campus, 2775 Hendersonville Road, Arden
CLASSES, MEETINGS & EVENTS AMERICAN LEGION POST 70 • LAST MONDAYS, 6pm - General meeting. Dinner at 6pm.
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Meeting at 7pm. Free. Held at American Legion Post 70, 103 Reddick Road ASHEVILLE ROTARY CLUB • THURSDAYS, noon-1:30pm - General meeting. Free. Held at Trinity Episcopal Church, 60 Church St. BLACK MEN MONDAYS • LAST MONDAYS, 6:30-8pm - Black Men Mondays brings positive, strong and like-minded black men together for the benefit of one another and the community. Information: 828-3614529. Free. Held at Community Action Opportunities, 25 Gaston St. BUNCOMBE COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARIES buncombecounty.org/ governing/depts/library • THURSDAYS, 10:30am-noon - Modern money theory study group. Free. Held at North Asheville Library, 1030 Merrimon Ave. • THURSDAYS, 5pm - Spanish Conversation Group for adults. Free. Held at Pack Memorial Library, 67 Haywood St. LAUREL CHAPTER OF THE EMBROIDERERS’ GUILD OF AMERICA • TH (1/2), 10am-noon - General meeting and making no-sew fleece blankets for Project Linus. Free. Held at Cummings United Methodist Church, 3 Banner Farm Road, Horse Shoe
DEC. 25 - 31, 2019
WONDERLAND WARBLER: Asheville-based, multi-instrumentalist and singer/songwriter Heather Taylor performs solo on her octave mandolin Saturday, Dec. 28, 3-5 p.m., at the Grove Arcade as part of its Winter Wonderland series. Taylor draws on elements of folk, soul, blues and rock for her songwriting with recurring themes of peace and love. Taylor works in Advertising at Mountain Xpress. Free to attend. Photo courtesy of Cindy Kunst (p. 45) ECO RIVERLINK RIVERFRONT BUS TOUR • 1st THURSDAYS, 10am1pm - Proceeds from the Riverfront bus tour benefit RiverLink. Registration: avl.mx/68a. $45.
FARM & GARDEN ADVANCED ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT (PD.) THU. FEB 6TH 3PM-7PM. Advanced Enterprise Development will dig into enterprise development and help farmers understand the factors that influence farm profitability, assess recordkeeping and farm documentation in order to enhance their farm financial picture. organicgrowersschool.org/ farmers/advanced-enterprise-development/ IMPROVING FARM COMMUNICATIONS (PD.) JAN. 12 & JAN. 19. 10AM-4PM. In Improving Farm Communication workshop participants will use real life farm situations to learn communication styles, how to have better conversations, and practice new skills. For farmers and employees on farms. organicgrowersschool.org/
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farmers/improving-farm-communications/
FOOD & BEER ASHEVILLE VEGAN RUNNERS • 4th SATURDAYS, 5:306:30pm - Asheville Vegan Runners, open group meeting. Free to attend. Held at Firestorm Books & Coffee, 610 Haywood Road
FESTIVALS WINTER LIGHTS EXHIBITION
❄ Through SA (1/4), 6-10pm - Winter Lights, outdoor holiday lights exhibition. $18/$12 children/ Free under 5. Held at NC Arboretum, 100 Frederick Law Olmsted Way
GOVERNMENT & POLITICS CITIZENS-POLICE ADVISORY COMMITTEE • 1st WEDNESDAYS, 5pm - Citizens-Police Advisory Committee meeting. Free. Meets in the 1st Floor Conference Room, Public Works Building, 161 S. Charlotte St.
KIDS Some events from this section may be found in the Give!Local calendar on p. 24 EMPOWERING THE LEADER IN EACH YOUNG MAN (PD.) Journeymen is supporting adolescent boys on their paths to becoming men of integrity. Our cost-free program is now enrolling young men 12-17. Mentees ("J-men") participate in bi-weekly mentoring groups and a semi-annual Rites of Passage Adventure Weekend, where they develop compassion, selfawareness, accountability, resilience and authenticity. Learn more: journeymenasheville.org Contact: journeymenasheville@ gmail.com (828) 771-6344. APPLE VALLEY MODEL RAILROAD & MUSEUM • WEDNESDAYS, 1-3pm & SATURDAYS, 10am-2pm - Open house featuring operating model trains and historic memorabilia. Free. Held at Apple Valley Model Railroad & Museum, 650 Maple St., Hendersonville BUNCOMBE COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARIES buncombecounty.org/ governing/depts/library
• FR (12/27), 4pm - Lego building, ages 5 and up. Free. Held at Leicester Library, 1561 Alexander Road, Leicester • FR (12/27), 4pm - Sign up to read for 15-minutes with J.R. the therapy dog. Free. Held at Enka-Candler Library, 1404 Sandhill Road, Candler • 1st WEDNESDAYS, 11am-noon - Storytime + Art, project for preschool students. Free. Held at North Asheville Library, 1030 Merrimon Ave. SKATING RINK
❄ Through WE (1/1), 11am-6pm, except Christmas Eve 11am-3pm, Christmas Day Closed, New Year’s Eve 11am-3pm and New Year’s Day from 1pm-6pm - Iceless ice skating. $10/$5 children 10 and under. Held at Hendersonville Visitor Center, 201 S. Main St., Hendersonville
OUTDOORS TANBARK RIDGE OVERLOOK STARGAZE • FR (12/27), sunset - Public stargaze at Tanbark Ridge Overlook. Free. Held at Tanbark Ridge Overlook, 3767 Blue Ridge Parkway
PARENTING MONTFORD HOLIDAY CAMP • FR (12/27), MO (12/30), TU (12/31), TH (1/2) & FR (1/3), 8:30am-6pm - Asheville Parks & Recreation holds Holiday Camp for youth and teens in grades kindergarten through middle school. $50/camper and COA residents get $10 off. Held at Montford Community Center, 34 Pearson Drive MOTHERS CONNECTION • THURSDAYS, 11:30am1:30pm - Social gathering for mothers and their babies. Registration required. Free to attend. Held at Haywood Regional Medical Center, 262 Leroy George Drive, Clyde STEPHENS LEE HOLIDAY CAMP • FR (12/27), MO (12/30), TU (12/31), TH (1/2) & FR (1/3), 8:30am-6pm- Asheville Parks & Recreation holds Holiday Camp for youth and teens in grades kindergarten through middle school. $50/camper and COA residents get $10 off. Held at Stephens Lee Recreation Center, 30 George Washington Carver Ave.
SENIORS ASHEVILLE NEW FRIENDS (PD.) Offers active senior residents of the Asheville area opportunities to make new friends and explore new interests through a program of varied social, cultural and outdoor activities. Visit www. ashevillenewfriends.org CHAIR YOGA • THURSDAYS, 2pm Chair Yoga. Free. Held at Weaverville Public Library, 41 N. Main St., Weaverville
SPIRITUALITY ANATASATI MAGGA (PD.) Sujata Yasa (Nancy Spence). Zen Buddhism. Weekly meditations and services; Daily recitations w/ mala. Urban retreats. 32 Mineral Dust Drive, Asheville, NC 28806. 828-367-7718. info@anattasatimagga.org. WWW. ANATTASATIMAGGA. ORG ASTRO-COUNSELING (PD.) Licensed counselor and accredited professional astrologer uses your chart when counseling for additional insight into yourself,
YEAR IN REVIEW
X P R ESS R E FL ECT IO N S
Mark your calendars Throughout the year, Lauren Andrews and Deborah Robertson make sure our readers stay up-to-date on the latest happenings around town. The two look back on the trends and changes of 2019.
Lauren Andrews
Deborah Robertson
Clubland editor
Community Calendar editor
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What trends did you notice in your 2019 event coverage? Lauren Andrews: I’ve noticed an increase in fundraisers benefiting individual community members. From smaller jams to raise money for a friend’s medical bill or traffic tickets to charities created to boost animal welfare, our community has rallied to extend talent and time to help our neighbors. Deborah Robertson: Some of the outlying communities that surround Asheville are taking better advantage of the substantial reach of the Community Calendar. I am pleased to see a lot more events taking place on the edges of our distribution area. I love seeing what’s happening in Burnsville. They hold a Luthier Invitational Festival as well as a Mountain Literary Festival, which featured Charles Frazier in 2019. What event(s) did/do you look forward to covering the most this year? DR: I’m always eager to see what Revolve studio and gallery has planned. Their events are edgy and innovative. Some of this year’s highlights included the panel discussion A Full-bodied Discussion of the Sex Work Spectrum; Dear Satyr (an evening of erotic spoken word); and the exhibit Flags on the Floor and Other Popular Transgressions. What has changed about how you cover your section in 2019? LA: This year we extended our Clubland coverage to include two features and introduced “Local Love,” giving dedicated space to a WNC artist or group in each week’s issue and allowing for more diversity of coverage. DR: More people are entering their own events into our online
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SceneThink portal. This seems to have empowered our readers and users of the Community Calendar. It’s an opportunity to enter photos illustrating their event, which improves both the appeal of the event and the aesthetics of our events page. What’s the weirdest/wackiest Asheville event you covered in 2019? DR: I loved covering the concert by Brooklyn duo Charming Disaster, which was held at Julyan Davis’ studio for the opening of his Murder Ballad exhibition of paintings at Weizenblatt Gallery. I don’t know how the stars aligned to get these two noir story-singers to Asheville, but it was a polished performance delivered by Ellia Bisker and Jeff Morris. Audience members selected random tarot cards, and the singers performed songs they’d written to correspond to each image. How do you anticipate growing your coverage in 2020? LA: Our readers vote the Community Calendar and our entertainment coverage as some of their favorite parts of the paper in the Best of WNC poll each year. I think we’ll continue to expand on our diversity of coverage and begin to introduce creative ideas, adding more value to our digital reporting. DR: Because I’m seeing so many events on the fringes of our community, I plan to reach out to more local nonprofits and arts organizations to encourage them to get their events included in the Community Calendar. X
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Try something new in the New Year Join your local APA Pool League
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Re-Imagine Senior Living
Now Open
More Affordable Rental Retirement Community Givens Gerber Park is pioneering the next generation of affordable housing for 55 year olds and better with a range of one- and two-bedroom rental apartments and beautiful on-campus amenities. Residents can enjoy lunch with friends in our café or walk to nearby shops and restaurants while enjoying breathtaking views of the North Carolina mountains. We welcome you to make the most out of your next chapter at Givens Gerber Park. Contact Nicole Allen at (828)771-2207 or nallen@givensgerberpark.org to schedule an appointment. For more information, to download applications, or to view floor plans, go to www.givensgerberpark.org MOUNTAINX.COM
DEC. 25 - 31, 2019
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CONSCIOUS PARTY
You Are Invited to Odyssey’s Open House for New Families!
LIGHT UP THE NIGHT: Wander through The North Carolina Arboretum’s gardens and explore a landscape cloaked in more than half a million holiday lights. The Winter Lights program includes interactive games, a model train exhibit, crafts, a nature-themed animatronic children’s program and more. Proceeds from Winter Lights help support the arboretum’s educational programs and exhibits all year long. Winter Lights runs every evening through Saturday, Jan. 4. Tickets are available online at avl.mx/6tb. Photo courtesy of The North Carolina Arboretum (p. 20)
Thursday, January 9th 6:30PM RSVP Admissions Director, Kristin Harkey kharkey@odysseycommunity.org 90 Zillicoa Street Asheville 259-3653 odysseycommunity.org
your relationships and life directions. Stellar Counseling Services. Christy Gunther, MA, LPC. (828) 258-3229. THE CENTER FOR ART AND SPIRIT AT ST. GEORGE'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH 1 School Road, 828-258-0211
• 4th FRIDAYS, 10amnoon - Contemplative Companions, meditation. Free. • LastTUESDAYS, 7-9pm - Aramaic, Hebrew and Egyptian vocal toning, breath work and meditation. Admission by donation.
Some events from this section may be found in the Give!Local calendar on p. 24
to deliver food boxes to homebound people living with HIV/AIDS. Registration: 828-252-7489 x 315 or wncapvolunteer@ wncap.org.
WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA AIDS PROJECT • 2nd & 4th SATURDAYS, 10am-noon - Volunteer
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S D N E N G CAMPAI . 31 DEC g r o . e d i u g givelocal profits
on n l a c o l 5 Help 4
GIVE!LOCAL NONPROFITS’ CALENDAR HIGHLIGHTS This week the Community Calendar is highlighting events that are sponsored by nonprofits that are participating in the Give!Local campaign. The campaign is raising money for 45 worthy local nonprofits that make a big difference where we live. These events are wonderful examples of some of the great work that these nonprofits do within our communities! BENEFITS NORTH CAROLINA GLASS CENTER 140 Roberts St., Suite B, 828-505-3552, ncglasscenter.org ❄ Through TU (12/31) - 10am6pm - Proceeds from the sale of blown glass ornaments benefit Open Hearts and Pisgah Legal.
KIDS ASHEVILLE MUSEUM OF SCIENCE 828-254-7162, colburnmuseum.org • SUNDAYS, 2:30-4pm - Tour of the night time sky in an inflatable astronomy dome. Admission fees apply. Held at Asheville Museum of Science, 43 Patton Ave. BELOVED ASHEVILLE LIBERATION STATION 10 N. Market St., belovedasheville.com
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• MONDAYS & THURSDAYS, 3:30-4:30pm - Spanish/ English immersion for kids from Spanish and English speaking backgrounds to come together. Free.
VOLUNTEERING TEACH A CHILD TO READ (PD.) • Give a child in need the gift of reading by becoming a tutor with the Literacy Council. There’s still space in our January training class. For more info: litcouncil.com or call 828-254-3442. TUTOR ADULTS/YOUTH IN NEED WITH THE LITERACY COUNCIL (PD.) • Give someone another chance to learn. Provide reading, writing, and/or English language tutoring and change a life forever. Volunteer orientation 1/6 (5:30pm) or 1/9 (9am) RSVP: volunteers@litcouncil.com.
Learn more: www.litcouncil. com. Free. HOMEWARD BOUND OF WNC 19 N. Ann St., 828-258-1695, homewardboundwnc.org • THURSDAYS, 11am - See the Hope Tour, find out how Homeward Bound is working to end homelessness and how you can help. Registration required: tours@homewardboundwnc.org or 828-785-9840. Free. For more volunteering opportunities visit mountainx.com/ volunteering
WELLNESS BELOVED ASHEVILLE LIBERATION STATION 10 N. Market St., belovedasheville.com • WEDNESDAYS, 2:30-4pm - Street medic outreach clinic. Free.
Health and well-being A local public health official and health care organization leaders consider the health and wellness trends, strategies and issues that defined 2019.
Five things that make me hopeful about the future of health in WNC
their health and well-being by reducing unintended pregnancies. Increased support for harm reduction: Through ongoing community conversations and response to the opioid epidemic, I believe there is growing support for more harm reduction tools like medication-assisted treatment, naloxone and clean injection supplies. I am hopeful that more organizations and individuals will join these efforts to save lives and reduce communicable disease. Shield of Protection Immunization Coalition: Since 2018, parents, grandparents, nurses, doctors, childcare and school administrators from WNC have been working on strategies to improve immunization rates in our area. I am especially hopeful about peer-to-peer education of vaccine hesitant parents.
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Dr. Jennifer Mullendore Medical director for Buncombe County
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YEAR IN REVIEW
WELLNESS
C OMMU NIT Y V O I CES
Larger focus on the social determinants of health: Up to 80% of a person’s overall health is driven by social and environmental factors — like housing, education and income — and the behaviors they influence. Policymakers, insurers and others are working to address these factors that go beyond the doctor’s office visit. Mothering Asheville’s efforts to eliminate disparities in infant mortality rates: In Buncombe County, black babies are four times more likely than white babies to die before their first birthday. This is unnatural, unacceptable and a result of structural racism. Mothering Asheville’s efforts center around building community capacity, addressing clinical bias and advocating for policy change. Upstream North Carolina: This initiative provides clinical training and support to increase access to contraception and patient-centered reproductive life planning. This will give individuals more control over
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Top threats to WNC health at the end of 2019
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CEO of UNC Health Sciences at MAHEC
health challenges and suicide that contribute to a decreased life expectancy. Increasingly, our rural health systems can’t maintain vital services. Most WNC counties have shortages of primary care physicians, mental health professionals and dentists. Nationally, last year we witnessed the largest number of rural hospital closures; locally, six rural hospitals discontinued OB services over the past five years. Complicating matters, our region’s community-based services and nonprofits are understaffed and underfunded. There is also a growing gap in health disparities. The most recent 2018 Buncombe County data show that black babies are nearly four times more likely to die in the first year of life than white babies. All of these threats are made worse for those who are uninsured or underinsured. Only 25% of WNC residents have commercial insurance. Many rely on Medicare, Medicaid or safety-net care, which can be hard to access in rural areas. Many more go without care. UNC Health Sciences at MAHEC and our partners across the region are work-
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Those who live in rural areas tend to be older, poorer and sicker than those living in urban areas. Here in WNC, we also have more “diseases of despair” like substance use, mental
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We realize we are spiritual people, so we focus on healing bodies, strengthening minds and lifting spirits. Spiritual wholeness screenings: Along with the standard questions about physical health, our care teams ask every patient, “Do you have someone who loves you and cares for you? Do you have a source of joy in your life? Do you have a sense of peace today?” This helps us meet their whole-person health needs. More than 80% of
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patients like knowing their caregivers see them as spiritual people. We also have chaplains from a variety of different faiths to help meet any patient needs. Community partnerships to address specific health and wellness needs: Because our mission is to extend Christ’s healing ministry, we are able to work with other Christian organizations to provide food, shelter and education. Local, national and international mission trips: We provide scholarships for our physicians and care teams to help cover the cost so they can focus on caring for people — body, mind and spirit. Extending whole-person care to our team members: We offer wellness, spiritual and career support so they can feel whole. From their first encounter with AdventHealth, we share our mission. They understand our values, and most choose to work with us because of our Christian values. As the only faith-based, not-forprofit health care system in Western North Carolina, we do not take this sacred responsibility lightly and we promise to live it out with every person, every time. X
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Wellness 2020 Issues
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WELL NESS CA L E N DA R Some events from this section may be found in the Give!Local calendar on p. 24 PILATES CLASSES AT HAPPY BODY (PD.) Individualized, Challenging, Equipment and Mat classes. Call 277-5741. Details at: AshevilleHappyBody. com
SOUND HEALING • SATURDAY • SUNDAY (PD.) Every Saturday, 11am and Sundays, 12 noon. Experience deep relaxation with crystal bowls, gongs, didgeridoo and other peaceful instruments. $15. At Skinny Beats Sound Shop, 4 Eagle Street. www. skinnybeatsdrums.com
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GREEN SCENE
C OMMU NIT Y V O I CES
Sustainability Local experts offer reasons for hope in the environmental future of our region, as well as evidence of threats.
Western North Carolina’s top 2019 sustainability threats
acres of trees, within the city limits. Losing tree canopy means losing the benefits trees provide in cleaning the air, cooling the surrounding environment, soaking up stormwater and providing habitat for wildlife. Single-use plastic: Things like grocery bags, takeout containers and cups are meant to be used at most a few times and then thrown away. These items cannot be recycled in curbside recycling. While some places take them for special recycling, most plastic bags, containers and cups will end up in the trash — or worse yet, in our waterways. Litter pollution: In 2019, GreenWorks volunteers collected over 60,000 pounds of litter in Buncombe County. That’s the equivalent of five elephants! Plastic litter breaks down into smaller
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Dawn Chávez Executive director of Asheville GreenWorks
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Development: Construction of new development does not have to mean destruction of the natural environment. However, unregulated development can lead to negative impacts and threaten environmental sustainability. Loss of urban tree canopy: Asheville lost 6.4% of its tree canopy between 2008 and 2018. That’s about 18,000 trees, or 890
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pieces to become microplastics, which can be ingested by fish and other wildlife. Increased population without proper infrastructure: Asheville and surrounding communities are burgeoning with new residents and tourists. Infrastructure improvement projects might meet current needs when they’re eventually completed, but will they meet the future needs of an even larger population 10 to 20 years from now? Investing in green infrastructure like trees, public transportation and renewable energy will help our region handle the influx of new people.
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Jeremiah LeRoy Judy Mattox Chair of the Western North Carolina (WENOCA) Sierra Club Group
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Why be optimistic about Buncombe County sustainability in 2019?
Buncombe County’s sustainability officer
Our local Western North Carolina Sierra Club has been very involved in working with Chair Brownie Newman of the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners to issue a request for proposals to place solar installations on county, city and school properties, as well as A-B Tech, as the first major step to fulfill the 100% renewable energy resolution passed by the city and the county. The RFP was issued in December. We worked with Youth for Environmental Stewardship, a coalition of all nine area public high schools, to gather over 2,000 petition signatures and speak before the Buncombe County Board of Education, Asheville City Board of Education and Buncombe County to achieve their participation in the solar RFP. The Sierra Club and other environmental organizations worked with Gov. Roy Cooper’s staff to create a carbon reduction plan for the state, which sets the goal of a 40% reduction of carbon emissions by 2025 and a 70% reduction by 2030. A coalition of environmental groups, including the Sierra Club, partnered with the Southern Environmental Law Center to file DEC. 25 - 31, 2019
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Top 2019 actions supporting a healthy WNC environment
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lawsuits that halted the construction of the Atlantic Coast Pipeline. WENOCA created the Kids’ Adventure Club, which this year partnered with Hillcrest Community summer camp and Marvelous Math of Pisgah View Apartments to connect as many as 35 youth with 20 adult volunteers for excursions involving creeks, animal encounters, the natural world and trains.
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The Goals: We’re fortunate to have leadership at the highest levels of the county and the city that has adopted aggressive goals and continues to push 100% clean energy for our community. The Progress: A great deal of work has been done. Between the accomplishments of the EITF [Energy Innovation Task Force] to avoid the new [Duke Energy gasfired] peaker plant and the work to get solar on public facilities and land, we have a lot to be proud of and a lot to build on for the future. The Passion: We live in a community that cares about these issues. They will continue to push staff and elected officials to make the investments necessary to reach our goals. They won’t let us rest — and that’s a good thing. The Work: 2019 was a foundational year for a lot of our clean energy work. 2020 is shaping up to be the first year we will make significant headway in the actual construction of renewables for the county. The Choice: The gravity of these issues can feel overwhelming at times. The stakes are so very high. But given all of the reasons stated above, I make the choice to be optimistic and hopeful for our future in Buncombe County. I hope that the folks reading this choose to do the same. X
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YEAR IN REVIEW
X P R ESS R E FL ECT IO N S
Green in review
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Green Scene editor and writer Daniel Walton shares his picks of moments and stories from 2019.
Daniel Walton Green Scene editor, writer
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What was the most contentious environmental topic of 2019? Activists turned out in force throughout the year to demand more immediate action on renewable energy at both the state and local levels. A March listening session for the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality’s Clean Energy Plan found Asheville residents largely disappointed by the projected pace of change (avl.mx/6ru), while the joint Asheville-Buncombe County 100% Renewable Energy Plan (avl.mx/6rv) drew criticism for its reliance on renewable energy certificates. “It’s a distraction,” said Kat Houghton, executive director of Ashevillebased nonprofit Community Roots, about the latter proposal. What 2019 piece did you have the most fun writing? I always like when I’m able to get out of the office for a story, so I had a blast on my field trip to the Metropolitan Sewerage District’s wastewater treatment facility in Woodfin, which I took while reporting a piece about Asheville’s water treatment residuals (avl.mx/6rw). Roger Edwards, the MSD’s operations manager, graciously toured me through the entire plant to help me understand how it ensures water quality — as a former biology major, I was geeking out something fierce. Which story yielded the biggest surprises of 2019? I’ll admit to sharing the N.C. Wildlife Resource Commission’s
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skepticism when Help Asheville Bears first proposed a theory that ne’er-do-wells were trapping and cutting the limbs off of area black bears (avl.mx/6r9). But since the group was founded in August, it’s gotten the wildlife commission to investigate, earned the backing of Montana wildlife officials and recruited over 74,000 followers to its Facebook page (avl.mx/6rx). Conclusions have yet to be drawn about Asheville’s ursine inhabitants, but animal cruelty concerns have clearly touched a nerve. Where do you think your reporting made the most difference in 2019? My story on Duke Energy’s use of aerial herbicide application for plant control along transmission lines in Western North Carolina (avl.mx/6ry) got readers talking. Although the utility has been spraying chemicals from helicopters in the area since 2016, many didn’t know about the practice and were troubled to learn about it. I was proud to give people the information they needed to talk intelligently about aerial spraying and request to opt out if so desired. What 2019 newsmakers do you expect to have the most impact in 2020? Climate change entered the public dialogue throughout 2019 in a way I haven’t seen previously, and the Asheville chapter of the Sunrise Movement was on the front lines of making that happen locally. Although only founded in February, the regional offshoot of the national environmental organization has subsequently organized several rallies, pushed Buncombe County on renewable energy and sparred with Asheville city government (avl.mx/6rz) over a climate emergency resolution. I anticipate that activism will only grow more strident as a new decade begins. X
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FOOD
COM M U N I TY VOI CES
Key ingredients Local food and beer experts share their insights on 2019.
Local beverage industry highlights of 2019
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On-site sales of cocktails at distilleries. Having a drink at the source gives consumers a chance to “feel” the personality of the brand, meet the makers and be part of the story. It allows manufacturers to sell the product directly to consumers with no transportation or distribution costs. In 2019, the N.C. General Assembly made these advantages available to distilleries. Look for retail tasting bars and a boom in the number of distilleries across the state. Multiple brewery locations. How does a brewery increase on-site sales? Have a bigger taproom. Once that taproom is maxed out, time to get a new location. Local breweries have shown that multiple locations in the same town can make sense. Moreover, the best way to expand your brand’s geographic reach is to put a brick-andmortar location in the place you’d like to be. Distribution without a physical presence is a tough business unless you’re the biggest of the big. Consolidation of breweries/cideries. In the age of consolidation, you either get smaller or bigger. Distributing breweries of all sizes have shown a willingness to realize market reach and efficiencies over this past year. In separate deals, both New Belgium Brewing Co. and Bold Rock Hard Cider have recently entered this category. Boozy water. Not my favorite trend. Not even close. As craft beer sales have plateaued (and are maybe down slightly year over year), the market has shown us once again that kids don’t want to drink what their parents drink. Say hello to boozy water (Zima Part II). Decline of the traditional beer festival format. Beer festivals used to be one of the only ways to try out new beers, but with the proliferation of new breweries, bottle shops and retailers that serve craft beer, they no longer serve that purpose. The festivals
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in our area that continue to do well are those with very specific niches (e.g., HiWire’s Stout Bout) or those that offer some element beyond craft beer, like food, music or art.
Jane Anderson Executive director of Asheville Independent Restaurants
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Chow Chow: An Asheville Culinary Event. Being involved with designing a culinary festival for Asheville started when I started my job over six years ago. To see how it evolved, the passion of the chefs and makers that went into it and the work done personally by the individual people on the board to make the event as encompassing and as spectacular as it was just blew my mind. Ben’s Friends substance abuse support group. The idea to start an Asheville Ben’s Friends chapter popped up over a year ago. We spent months talking to restaurant owners and chefs as we were trying to pull it together, and now to see people attend the meetings every week has just been incredible. Changing restaurant culture. The common food and beverage industry mindset of “Let’s all go out and get drunk or high after we finish our shift” is not sustainable for people. So our restaurants are now working on creating individual cultures that support people who want to stay in this line of business and grow in it. Environmental sustainability. There are more voices than ever before who are talking about sustainability and food waste both in and outside the local restaurant industry. We’ve got some vendors interested, we’ve got Asheville GreenWorks, we’ve got AIR members — I think these issues are going to continue to be at the forefront of the conversation for restaurants. Resilience. People always come up to me and say, “Oh, more new restaurants,” or “More restaurants are
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YEAR IN REVIEW closing.” But it dawned on me that most of the closures this past year have been chain or concept restaurants, like Takosushi and Famous Toastery. Our organization continues to grow because our members are creating new concepts and locations. And I think that’s pretty cool — we’re seeing the sustainability of the independents. We’re up to 170 member restaurants, and when I started at AIR in 2013, we had 60 members.
Impactful developments in the local food community in 2019
Ronni Lundy James Beard Award-winning food writer
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Benne on Eagle. The single most important event of 2019, not simply in Western North Carolina, not just in the world of Southern foodways, but in the American food scene overall, is the opening of Benne on Eagle. Ashleigh Shanti’s brilliant menu, developed with community activist/ cook Hanan Shabazz and restaurant owner/chef John Fleer, is alone worthy of Time’s designation of Benne as one of the 100 Greatest Places in the World. The restaurant matters profoundly for
Top five Asheville discoveries of 2019
Kay West Veteran restaurant reviewer After more than 30 years writing about Nashville’s dining scene, when people found out I was moving to Asheville last January, I was inundated with restaurant recommendations. Since then, I have checked out many and discovered some on my own. Here are five of the countless food-related reasons I’m glad to be here. All you can eat mussels, Bouchon. No place made a solo stranger feel more at ease than Bouchon on Monday nights when I bellied up to the bar with a bowl of plump mussels Parisienne-style,
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broadening the story of Appalachian and Asheville foodways to include the significant African American contribution to both cultures. And Fleer has demonstrated powerfully how white men who have profited most from the contemporary food economy can use their opportunities and position to create space for and shine a light on the vital work of women and other races. Ashley Capps. Recognition from the James Beard Foundation Awards annual nominations for baker Ashley Capps thrilled me, not simply for the magnificent pastry menu she created at Buxton Hall Barbecue, but because she is a true collaborator with her peers. Looking forward to her next adventure. Spicewalla. Likewise, I was excited about Oprah’s recognition of Spicewalla’s fresh, flavorful contribution to American foodways. Homeplace Beer Co. In my own town of Burnsville, I’m thrilled that Homeplace Beer Co. is refurbishing a building downtown to become a brew hub focused on community and that the local farmers market will have a new, spacious, permanent home downtown. Appalachian Food Summit. I’m excited that the Appalachian Food Summit announced that its 2020 gathering will take place in Western North Carolina for a deep dive into the past and future of our foodways. X
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a cone of crisp frites, a hunk of baguette, a ramekin of butter and a cold, local IPA. Creamed nettles, Cucina 24. Who knew nettles were edible? Not me, but after a fellow Nashville expat and I shared this creamy, dreamy dish at a high-top in the bar one night, I went back a week later for an encore, only to find out the season was fleeting. But not so my abiding affection for Cucina 24. Lengua taco, Taqueria Munoz. They had me at hand-patted fresh corn tortillas, but ladle on chunks of braised, melt-in-your-mouth-tender beef tongue, squirt on some fresh lime and a sprinkle of cilantro, and I was hooked. Beef tartare, Bargello. Executive chef Jordan Arace creates a delectable presentation of this classic — a log of dry-aged beef, perfectly salted, subtly seasoned with Moroccan-spice ras al hanout, egg yolk dabs on the plate for dipping and grilled sourdough. Tailgate markets. It has been pure joy and delightful discoveries getting to know Western North Carolina seasons, growers and makers via Asheville’s weekly tailgate markets.
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YEAR IN REVIEW
X P R E S S R E FLECTI ON S
Cheers!
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Staff writers and editors look back over culinary trends and surprises in 2019.
Five questions about Asheville’s 2019 food scene
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impacted me forever. The resilience, compassion and courage evident in the dozens of people who shared their experiences with me gave me hope that we can eventually heal and strengthen our food system. What story really surprised you? I’d say this one’s a tie. In June, I interviewed Chris Smith about his book The Whole Okra: A Seed to Stem Celebration and discovered that not only could this erroneously maligned vegetable help feed the world as the climate changes, but crafty DIYers can also use okra to make things like holiday lights, biodegradable drinking straws and hair conditioner — seriously! And for a September story about figs, Alison Arnold of the N.C. Cooperative Extension and Clara Curtis of The N.C. Arboretum helped me wrap my head around the unexpected intricacies of this incredibly bizarre fruit (which is not a fruit). Read it for all the juicy details (avl.mx/6rn). What issues will you continue to follow in 2020? I will definitely be doing more deep dives into the realities of local individuals struggling with inadequate food access. I’m also planning to dig into more aspects of the food waste conundrum in WNC.
Food editor, writer
What trends did you observe in covering Asheville’s food scene in 2019? Bubble tea. CBD. Plastic straw angst. Food halls. Ramen — so much ramen. All those trends were evident this year in Western North Carolina, but in 2019, Asheville also stepped into a couple of national conversations in a meaningful way. In August, we recognized the problem of addiction and substance abuse in the service industry when local restaurant employees Jonathan Johnson and Brian Rea partnered with Asheville Independent Restaurants to launch a local chapter of Ben’s Friends, a support group for industry workers. And WNC addressed the issue of food waste with a number of small workshops and larger events, including the three-day Use Food Scraps symposium in Transylvania County and the Asheville Buncombe Food Policy Council’s Food Waste Solutions Summit. What were some of the most notable food events of 2019? The biggest food happening of the year — both in its sprawling geographic footprint and its impressively ambitious scope — was Chow Chow: An Asheville Culinary Event. It’s unlikely that attendees will soon forget the inspiring speech made by Nobel Peace Prize-nominated chef and humanitarian Jose Andres as he took a quick break from his work feeding Hurricane Dorian survivors in the Bahamas to join his friends Katie Button and Felix Meana at Pickled in the Park. And, as always, I loved the exciting variety of pop-up concepts that kept things lively from week to week, including Mukase, Agya Boakye-Boaten’s West African dinner event at West End Bakery in February, and Love Songs, Silver Cousler’s and Cherry Iocovozzi’s Filipino dinner series at Gan Shan West in October. What story changed your life a little? The multiple stories I did in 2019 on local struggles with food insecurity have
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Beer in review
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Staff writer
What trends did you notice in your 2019 beer and cider coverage? Even though it’s just a few blocks from the South Slope brewing district, downtown Asheville has become its own distinct region. Lexington Avenue Brewery and Habitat Brewing Co. shuttered in the past year, and in their former spaces are two exciting additions: the CANarchy Craft Brewery Collective’s Collaboratory — the exclusive home of new beers made by Cigar City Brewing mastermind Wayne Wambles with brewers from near and far — and Archetype Brewing’s second location. Add in Noble Cider’s Greenhouse bar and bistro and the newly opened DSSLVR, both in the historic Tyler Building, and there was plenty to cover this year from this vibrant, evolving district alone.
How would you characterize the city based on your beer and cider coverage this year? Asheville remains home to residents who passionately care about their local beer. Be it celebrating the 25th anniversary of its flagship brewery, Highland Brewing Co., or vocally reacting with disbelief after changes to their beloved Brewgrass Festival and Beer City Festival, it’s clear how deeply invested these craft beer consumers are. What stories uplifted you in 2019? As part of a concerted effort to meet more brewing industry folks out in the field this year, I finally made it out to Burnsville late this summer to meet with Homeplace Beer Co. owner/brewer John Silver and tour the business’s forthcoming new location. When I first spoke with Silver a little more than two years ago, right when Homeplace was opening, the town native was upfront about the risk — calculated, but a risk nonetheless — that he was taking by launching the newly wet community’s first brewery. The operation’s expansion and plans for even more growth are proof that his Yancey County neighbors support Homeplace and recognize the numerous benefits it brings to the town at large. I expect to see similar success stories in other small Western North Carolina towns. Which beer or cider article was the most interesting to research? My beer section writing partner Tony Kiss and I had fun answering our most-asked question — “Is there room in Asheville for any more breweries?” — over the course of a two-part series. While it was neat to get takes from industry stalwarts, new additions and a handful of connected, wellinformed figures, it was even more engaging to explore the phenomenon of new and expanding breweries setting up shop in structures formerly occupied by other breweries. Talking with Hi-Wire Brewing co-owner Chris Frosaker about inheriting Craggie Brewing Co.’s comically quirky brewing system — itself the famed original Highland system, made from retrofitted dairy equipment — was a highlight of this year on the beer beat. Which story/topic from 2019 do you anticipate revisiting in 2020? The sale of New Belgium Brewing Co. to Kirin Group subsidiary Lion Little World Beverages is still so new that it doesn’t seem real. The ramifications of going from a 100% employee-owned company to being part of a global corporation will soon play out, and it will be important to report on the impact the shift has on New Belgium’s staff and products, as well as the Asheville community. X
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Happy New Year!
Sincerely, The Mountain Xpress Staff MOUNTAINX.COM
DEC. 25 - 31, 2019
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BEER SCOUT
FOOD
by Edwin Arnaudin | earnaudin@mountainx.com
Informed opinions
Asheville beer and cider industry notables reflect on 2019
Beer Scout asked three representatives of Western North Carolina’s craft beverage industry to reflect on 2019. Here’s what they said:
or schwarzbier on tap. Besides being styles that I love, it showed me that our breweries, despite all their diversity and experimentation with the latest styles and obscure ingredients, are still interested in executing classic traditional styles. It really reminded how much I appreciate our beer scene.
GEOFF ALEXANDER, APPALACHIAN VINTNER, CO-OWNER Favorite new Asheville-area beer from 2019: Zillicoah Beer Co.’s Open Ferment Helles Lager. Lager is life and, well, this lager was sort of like soul food. Insane levels of delicious tradition. Very happy to see local breweries taking the time to produce clean, classic styles like this and do an amazing job to boot. Favorite new beer from 2019 not made in Western North Carolina: [Cedar Grove, N.C.-based] Botanist & Barrel Farmhouse Seriously Dry Cider cans. It’s rare you find a true can-conditioned, unrefined, unfiltered, unpas-
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2019 ACCOLADES: In the past year, Wicked Weed Brewing founder Walt Dickinson, left, has enjoyed Fonta Flora Brewery’s Lake James lagers. Appalachian Vintner co-owner Geoff Alexander, right, was thrilled about Botanist & Barrel’s cider. A favorite for Bruisin’ Ales co-owner Jason Atallah, not pictured, was Catawba Brewing Co.’s breakfast stout. Photo of Dickinson courtesy of Wicked Weed; beer photos courtesy of the breweries; photo of Alexander by Luke Van Hine teurized, natural cider that is literally just straight-fermented, cold-pressed apples. More like a natural wine than most ciders — and now in cans! Favorite beer-related moment or local industry accomplishment from 2019: Eurisko Beer Co. announcing their expansion. Adding new distribution areas, canning, etc. is exactly what they needed. They are already making world-class beer, and this will allow them to get it to more people in Asheville as well as other markets. Superexcited for this group of dedicated folks, especially for our upcoming barrel-aged stout collaboration.
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Favorite new Asheville-area beer or cider from 2019: 1) Catawba Brewing Co.’s Honey Combed Breakfast Stout: A fairly rare low-ABV (which I appreciate) and not-barrel-aged example of the style that still has all the rich, roasty coffee flavor I love. A soft touch with the honey and milk sugar gives it hints of all those flavors without being too sweet and allows the coffee flavor to come through. 2) Zebulon Artisan Ales’ The Devil & Me No. 2: A bit less breakfast-y in
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its ingredients than some of my other picks. A big, dry, roasty imperial stout with just enough coffee and vanilla to know they’re there and fill your nose on the finish. Like all of [brewer/ owner] Mike [Karnowski]’s stuff, just perfectly executed. Favorite new beer from 2019 not made in Western North Carolina: I really love what Newgrass Brewing Co. [in Shelby, N.C.] and Heist Brewery [in Charlotte] have been doing this year. And while their hazy IPAs have been most popular, these stouts really stood out to me: 1) Newgrass Bridges of Woe: Double Fudge Imperial Stout with cocoa nibs from French Broad Chocolate Factory. Need I say more? 2) Heist Leafer Season: Imperial Stout with maple syrup and Madagascar vanilla beans. Maybe a bit too much maple for some (not me), but once your tongue gets used to the sweetness, it’s a great sipper on a cold, damp day. Favorite beer-related moment or local industry accomplishment from 2019: On a random spontaneous brewery crawl — maybe in late spring or early summer — [some friends and I] went to four or five breweries (I think Zillicoah, Burial Beer Co., Green Man Brewery, Catawba and Twin Leaf Brewery), and every one had either a dunkel lager
Favorite new Asheville-area beer from 2019: 2019 Fonta Flora Brewery Lake James Series — Rind, Lime, Lite and Life. Fonta Flora has always made world-class beers, and I really enjoyed them bringing that same intention and integrity to a fun, lightdrinking lager. I loved being able to pick a lime, watermelon or a lite, and the low ABV is just perfect for me right now. I’m excited to see what new releases [brewmaster] Todd [Boera] and his crew bring in 2020. Favorite new beer from 2019 not made in Western North Carolina: Flying Machine Brewing Co.’s Electronic Fog Hazy IPA and Berliner Weisse series. I got to meet the Flying Machine team this year and fell in love with their beers. The Berliner Weisse series is superfun and spot on. They have a bunch of different fruit additions and just a perfect series for summers in Wilmington [N.C.] — or really anywhere. Electronic Fog is one of the best hazy IPAs that I have had all year — fruit forward, superbright and a solid mid-range ABV. Favorite beer-related moment or local industry accomplishment from 2019: Chow-Chow 2019 was so impressive this year. Katie Button and the entire Chow-Chow board worked extremely hard to organize a culinary experience that would stand alone from all other food festivals — and they accomplished that goal, without a doubt. The logistics to be able to successfully execute an event at this level are simply unbelievable. There are so many ins and outs to coordinate with the city while hosting thousands of folks visiting Asheville, many for the first time. Katie and the board were phenomenal on all levels and have set up Chow-Chow 2020 to be a tremendous success by evolving the culinary experiences and continuing to blow minds and expectations. X
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DEC. 25 - 31, 2019
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SMALL BITES
FOOD
by Thomas Calder | tcalder@mountainx.com
The business formerly known as District Wine Bar “It’s a classic case of trademark bullying,” says Lauri Nichols, co-owner of the District Wine Bar — or rather, the business formerly known as District Wine Bar. Recently, the word “District” has been noticeably absent from the company logo on the venue’s website and social media accounts following a trademark dispute brought by Peter and Martha Pollay of Mandara Hospitality Group and owners of the new District 42 inside the Arras Hotel. When Xpress reached out to Peter Pollay for comment, he directed the paper to his official statement (available at avl.mx/6sv), which explains that the concept for District 42 was established in 2016, two years before District Wine Bar opened. “This is an unfortunate and challenging situation for all parties, and we want everyone to thrive,” the statement reads. “Small business is the backbone of this community.” Barrett Nichols, fellow owner of the venue formerly known as District Wine Bar, doesn’t see why the two names couldn’t co-exist. “It’s like Red Lobster suing The Lobster Trap for having ‘lobster’ in their name,” he says. “As small-business owners, all of our money is in that business,” adds Lauri. “For someone to claim the word ‘district’ and then take us on as a legal battle — there is only so much we can do.” Rather than pour money into attorney fees, the couple have opted to change the wine bar’s name — a process they are currently working on. According to the Nicholses, they have until March 1 to remove the word
join Bun Intended food truck’s second Guest List Pop-up at The Scarlet Bee on Sunday, Dec. 29. The event will feature dim sum with an a la carte menu including shrimp siu mai, scallion pancakes, steamed buns, garlic gai lan and much more. Prices range from $6-$9. The event runs 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 29, at The Scarlet Bee, 853 Merrimon Ave. For details and to make reservations, visit avl.mx/6tf.
NAMELESS BAR: Following a trademark dispute, Barrett and Lauri Nichols are required to change the name of their business, District Wine Bar, by March 1. Photo by Thomas Calder “District” from all remaining signage and promotional materials. “A name is just a necessity to have a business,” says Barrett. “It’s not what it is. Our business is what happens inside the walls, not what’s posted on the front.” “But it still makes me sad,” Lauri adds. “There is blood, sweat and tears in that space.” The recent experience, she continues, has been draining. “If we had more money, maybe things would be different. But we’re a mom and pop shop.” The business formerly known as District Wine Bar is at 37 Paynes Way. To learn more, visit avl.mx/6sw.
Dim sum pop-up Cúrate executive sous chef J. Chong and local pastry chef Beth Kellerhals will
Feasting for the new year Below are a handful of the many venues in Western North Carolina that will host events on Tuesday, Dec. 31, to welcome 2020 with food, drinks and fun.
Capella on Cloud 9 To celebrate the New Year, Capella on Cloud 9 rooftop bar will offer guests a welcome cocktail, hors d’oeuvres (with vegan and vegetarian options), live music and a Champagne toast. Tickets are $75 per person. The celebration runs 8 p.m.-1 a.m. at Capella on 9 at the AC Hotel, 10 Broadway. For tickets, visit avl.mx/6sm.
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MON: House Pastrami Reuben TUES: House Smoked Turkey & Brie WED: Blackbird Burger 11:30am to THUR: Classic BLT 2:30pm FRI: Mushroom Melt
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DEC. 25 - 31, 2019
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Daphne at Twisted Laurel Daphne at Twisted Laurel will ring in the new year with a dinner celebration featuring ribeye, seared jumbo scallops and porter Carolina bison short ribs along with a dessert buffet. Local craft beer or a glass of wine comes with the meal. The Free Flow Band begins at 9 p.m. A midnight toast will be followed by a breakfast bar. Tickets are $119 per person. The celebration runs 6:30 p.m.-1 a.m. at Daphne at Twisted Laurel, 130 College St. For tickets, email jordan@twistedlaurel. com or call 828-515-4151. To learn more, visit avl.mx/6ss.
Isa’s French Bistro Isa’s French Bistro will welcome 2020 with a four-course prix fixe menu in its recently renovated Cellar. The evening will also feature music, dancing and a midnight Champagne toast. Reservations are required. Tickets are $105 per person, plus tax and gratuity. The dinner runs 7:30 p.m.-1 a.m. at the Cellar at Isa’s French Bistro, 1 Battery Park Ave. For reservations, call 828-5759636 or visit avl.mx/6st.
Point Lookout Vineyards Point Lookout Vineyards in Hendersonville will host a New Year’s Eve dinner, dance and Champagne toast. Menu highlights include stuffed chicken breast with garlic, filet mignon with bearnaise
sauce and chocolate fudge lava cake with fresh raspberries. Vegetarian options are also available. Tickets are $90 per person or $170 per couple. The revelry begins at 6:30 p.m. at Point Lookout Vineyards, 408 Appleola Road, Hendersonville. For tickets, visit avl.mx/6sn.
Rustic Grape Wine Bar Rustic Grape Wine Bar will toast the new year with live music, sweets and drinks. The $50 ticket includes an artisan dessert board for two featuring chocolate truffles, housemade sweet bites and local gourmet cheeses, plus a complimentary midnight toast. Musician Lindsey Meyers will perform. Additional wines, Champagnes and mocktails will be available for purchase. The celebration runs 9:30 p.m.12:30 a.m. at Rustic Grape Wine Bar, 14 Aston St. For tickets, visit avl.mx/6sp.
game meats, sausages, meat pies, root vegetables, homemade bread, sides and maple-drenched desserts. Tickets are $50 and include a cocktail and a surprise. The Beaver Club feast starts at 7 p.m. at Sawhorse, 101 New Leicester Highway. For tickets, visit avl.mx/6sq.
Storm Rhum Bar Storm Rhum Bar will offer three seatings for its New Year’s Eve
dinner. The menu was not available at press time. Tickets range from $75 to $175 per person. Classic Prohibition-era cocktails will be served at the 8 p.m. seating. DJ Molly Kummerle will provide music starting at 10 p.m. Dinner is at 5 and 8 p.m, with bar seating and small plates available at 10 p.m. For details and tickets, visit avl.mx/6sr. X
Sawhorse Sawhorse will launch the Beaver Club event series with a New Year’s Eve celebration. According to the restaurant’s website, the club is inspired by 18th-century fur-trapping barons and the dining society they formed to celebrate their survival of the harsh winters of eastern Canada. The family-style New Year’s Eve dinner includes
Come celebrate dinner before the after parties!
Rezaz
New Year’s Eve Dinner 3 COURSES, $47 PER PERSON (A La Carte Menu Available)
Call for your reservation
828.277.1510 Located at
28 Hendersonville Rd
in Historic Biltmore Village
bubbles. bites. boogie Join us for dinner featuring NYE menu 5-11 pm. Party the night away and ring in the New Year with us! N O COV E R . S TA R T I N G AT 1 0 PM .
CHA M PAG N E | DJ R A M AK CE LE B R ATE 20 WA LL S TRE E T 2 52- 4162 w w w. m a rke t p l a ce - rest a u ra nt .com MOUNTAINX.COM
DEC. 25 - 31, 2019
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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
IN WITH A ROAR
WNC’s New Year’s Eve celebrations usher in the ’20s
BY ALLI MARSHALL
party favors (tiaras!), hors d’oeuvres and desserts. 8 p.m. $25 advance/$30 at the door. avl.mx/6qv
amarshall@mountainx.com As one year wraps and a new one begins, the passing of the torch takes place in a number of ways and at an array of venues. From dance parties and symphonic masterpieces to contemplative chanting and righteous reggae vibes, there’s a celebration for every taste. And, because this is the start of the Roaring 20s, 2.0, it deserves all the sparkle, flare, shimmer and shine we party people can muster. So where will you welcome in the next decade? Check out the list below and visit Calendar and Clubland for more New Year’s Eve ideas. • As we collectively reach the ’20s, at least one party asks us to recall the other ’20s — last century’s era of elegance, excess, jazz and high style. “Usher in the next decade by stepping back a century,” reads an invite to the Grove Arcade-presented New Year’s Eve Roaring Twenties extravaganza. The evening includes music from Red Echo Lab and Justice Mann of Shabidukah, a Prohibition-reminiscent cocktail curated by Jonny Burritt of The Chemist, hors d’oeuvres and “speakeasy-style entertainment” all within the art deco environs of the Grove Arcade. Flapper servers and a photo booth will be part of the celebration. 1 Page Ave. 7-10 p.m. $40. nye.grovearcade.com • “This is a chance to hear the Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club [Band] album backed by a live orchestra, as it was originally recorded in the studio,” said David Whitehill, Asheville Symphony Orchestra executive director, in a statement about the group’s New Year’s Eve concert. For Tuesday, Dec. 31, Asheville Symphony teams up with the Classical Mystery Tour band (including cast members from Broadway’s Beatlemania) for a popmeets-classical collaboration of the famed album and other Beatles hits. “Hear ‘Penny Lane’ with a live trumpet section, listen to ‘Yesterday’ with a string quartet and enjoy ‘I Am the Walrus’ blended with a full orchestra,” says a press release. Thomas Wolfe Auditorium, 87 Haywood St. 8 p.m. $42-$85. ashevillesymphony.org 38
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MAKE THE LEAP: One festivity-filled evening separates the old year from the new one. Ring in 2020 with Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, pictured, at U.S. Cellular Center, among many other offerings. Photo courtesy of the band • If your New Year’s Eve isn’t complete without a good murder ballad (one could argue the appropriateness, considering the outgoing year is being laid to rest), the Dec. 31 show by Ellis Dyson & the Shambles might be just the ticket. The Chapel Hill-based purveyors of “whiskeysoaked, foot-stompin’ songs that bring party music of departed eras,” as the band’s bio puts it, will perform early New Orleans jazz and the aforementioned Piedmont murder ballads at Isis Music Hall, 743 Haywood Road, starting at 9 p.m. $20. (A New Year’s Eve dinner menu is available starting at 5 p.m.) isisasheville.com • Those familiar with Tom Wolfe’s 1968 work of new journalism, The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test — an account of Ken Kesey’s cross-country, LSD-fueled adventures with his followers the Merry Pranksters — might see an immediate connection to Pigeons Playing Ping Pong Presents: The Electric Kool-Aid Asheville Test, A Psychedelic New Year’s Eve Celebration slated for U.S. Cellular Center, 87 Haywood St. But even without the painted school bus and dosing, the Baltimore-derived funk/jam band does promise, “We pour every ounce of ourselves into every note when we perform live” and that its “very existence is rooted in the unyielding quest for joy and positive energy,” according to show notes. Rock quartet Tauk opens. 8 p.m. $32.50 plus fees. ticketmaster.com • Michael Trent and Cary Ann Hearst of Shovels & Rope have long taken
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cool to new levels. They hang out with John Paul White of The Civil Wars. They curate a music festival (High Water Festival in North Charleston, S.C.). They’ve written a children’s book and they recently released a concert film. The latter was originally intended as live footage from two nights at The Orange Peel but grew to include a narrative. The drum and guitar duo will return to that stage, with support from Indianola, for a New Year’s Eve show. 101 Biltmore Ave. 9 p.m. $37-$40. theorangepeel.net
• The Vintage New Year’s Eve Celebration is an audience participation event in that concertgoers bring the retro attire. “Throw on your favorite vintage look and ring in the new decade with face-melting soulrock, surprise music collaborations and a complimentary Champagne toast provided by the bands at midnight,” says the website for Ambrose West, 312 Haywood Road, which hosts the happening. The Broadcast and DownTown Abby & The Echoes perform. (Honeypot Vintage, 86 N. Lexington Ave., offers 10% off New Year’s Eve apparel and sells tickets, too). 9 p.m. $18 advance/$30 day of show. ambrosewest.com • The Odditorium, 1045 Haywood Road, turns up the volume for the Blue Mountain Mischief-presented New Year’s Eve Massacre. Local and regional metal and punk acts (Bleedseason, Fractured Frames, Bound by the Crown, Stand Defiant, Forsaken Profits and Some Kind of Nightmare) take the stage for an allages show. 9 p.m. $10. avl.mx/6qy
• While event details are sparse for New Year’s Eve at Salvage Station, little needs to be said beyond Yo Mama’s Big Fat Booty Band and Empire Strikes Brass. Either of the local, funk-infused bands is enough to guarantee a crowded dance floor and party in full effect. The pairing is likely to blow the roof off (and yes, the all-ages show will be on the indoor stage). 8 p.m. $25. 466 Riverside Drive. salvagestation.com
• Travel back in time a quartercentury for the Party Like It’s 1995! NYE Bash at White Labs Kitchen & Tap, 172 S. Charlotte St. The date isn’t arbitrary: The New Year’s Eve celebration also kicks off White Labs’ 25th anniversary (the yeast and fermentation company launched in California in 1995). “Don’t forget to wear your best ’90s outfit (denim and scrunchies highly recommended!) to compete for gift cards and other prizes,” says an invite. The party starts at 8 p.m. with ’90s trivia at 10 p.m. and DJed music all night. Free. avl.mx/6qz
• And now for the math fans: Say you ring in 2020 at the 38th annual Epic NYE Bash at The Grove House, 11 Grove St., in the historic 1924 YMCA building. The soiree includes three dance floors, three DJs, three balloon drops, six bar stations, eight themed areas (Old School Christmas, Winter Wonderland and Santa Saloon, among them) and more than $1,000 offered in cash and prizes. So, how many parties will you be attending? Don’t worry, we lost count, too. But a single ticket covers all of that, plus
• Searching for a more thoughtful observation of the year’s end? Weaverville Yoga, 7 Florida Ave., Weaverville, opens for a New Year’s Eve Candlelight Kirtan and Sound Meditation. “We will chant sounds of the chakras and healing mantras before relaxing back in a luxurious sound healing restorative meditation,” explains the event page. Vocalist Linda Go will be accompanied by Celtic harp, acoustic guitar, Tibetan bowls and Native American flutes. 7:30
HIGHER VIBRATIONS: ReggaeInfinity, pictured, returns to The BLOCK off Biltmore for a thoughtful New Year’s Eve commemoration. Another reverent approach is a kirtan and sound meditation at Weaverville Yoga. Photo courtesy of the band p.m. $15 advance online registration/$20.20 at the door. avl.mx/6r1 • Also soulful will be the annual ReggaeInfinity performance at The BLOCK off Biltmore, 39 S. Market St. The Columbia, S.C.-based roots music collective boasts members from throughout the Caribbean. Bandleader Ras B writes and arranges most of the group’s songs. 8 p.m. avl.mx/6r2 • Fans of DJ Marley Carroll’s popular Lose Yourself to Dance series can wrap up the year at an especially celebratory installment of the event. The dance floor awaits at One Stop, 55 College St. 10 p.m. $5. avl.mx/6r3 • Make a list and check it twice (if it’s good enough for Santa, it’s good enough for Baby New Year): balloon drop, countdown, drink specials and The Kavalactones featuring Aaron Woody Wood. The local guitar hero et al. play at Noble Kava, 268 Biltmore Ave., starting at 9 p.m. avl.mx/6r4 • Head beyond downtown Asheville for a Great Gatsby New Year’s Eve Party at The Gem at Boojum Brewing Co., 50 N. Main St., Waynesville. The 1920s-themed fête offers a Champagne toast at midnight and small bites and desserts before the ball drops. Fancy dress is suggested (because: Gatsby!) but not required. 9 p.m. $5. avl.mx/6r5 • “Bundle Up – Throw Down” is sort of a tagline for The Oskar Blues NYE Hootenanny, 342 Mountain Industrial Drive, Brevard. Described as “a Western North Carolina tradition, complete with foot-stompin’ music and Brevard-brewed beers,” the gathering takes place on the brewpub’s heated patio (hence the bundling up) with food trucks on-site and performances by Darby Wilcox + the Peep Show (7:30-8:30 p.m.), High Flying Criminals (9-10 p.m.) and Jeff Sipe’s Electric Buddha featuring Mike Barnes + Melissa Reaves (10:30 p.m.-12:15 a.m.). The fun starts at 7 p.m. Free. avl.mx/6r6 • As has already been established, New Year’s Eve is a beginning, but it’s also
high society Black & White Ball at the Plaza Hotel in New York, “was a great fit for us,” says Book Exchange co-owner Donna Wright. “It paired well with our shop, which offers a fabulous mix of music, books and, of course, Champagne.” Advanced VIP tickets to BLACK & WHITE: A Party of the Century include jazz music, reserved seating, complimentary drinks, a midnight Taittinger toast and a late-night breakfast buffet. 9 p.m. $110-$200. avl.mx/6rq
• Despite its question-raising name, the Don’t Come as You Are New Year’s Eve Masquerade Ball promises a “supercharged” party. Local vocalist Kat Williams “will be welcoming you and all things possible with a toast at midnight and balloon drop with special surprises,” says a press release for the gala, held at the Renaissance Asheville Hotel ballroom, 31 Woodfin St. The 1st Generation Band from Atlanta will also perform. 9 p.m. $50 single ticket/$75 pair of tickets. williamsrothentertainment.com X
an end. Enter the decisively named Murder By Death, which will put the final nail in the coffin of 2019 at The Grey Eagle, 185 Clingman Ave. The Louisville, Ky.-based quintet is an innovator of early 2000s Americana (not the 1976 mystery parody film of the same name). The band is currently on its 20th anniversary tour, including its all-ages New Year’s Eve show. 9 p.m. $22 advance/$30 day of show. thegreyeagle.com • Local musicians Mark Conti, Christian Ferri, Eric Ciborski, Edwin Mericle and Greg Norris comprise the Asheville Waits Band, a tribute to singer-songwriter and personality Tom Waits. And, because Tom Waits for no man, the group has been tasked with bringing in 2020 at Barley’s Taproom & Pizzeria, 42 Biltmore Ave. 9 pm. avl.mx/6r7 • Sometimes there is truth in advertising: Florida-based festival favorite Grass Is Dead plays bluegrass versions of Grateful Dead covers. “It is not complicated or artsy; this is a straightforward hootenanny built to last,” says the band’s bio. The group plays Asheville Music Hall’s Ball in the Hall, wrapping up 2019 with help from North Carolina supergroup Songs from the Road Band (Mark Schimick, Charles Humphrey III, Sam Wharton and James Schlender, blending yet more bluegrass with Americana and jazz). 31 Patton Ave. 10 p.m. $20 advance/$25 day of show. avl.mx/6r8 • Ride into 2020 with Asheville on Bikes’ Bright Light Biker & New Year’s Dance Party. Meet at Catawba Brewing Co.’s South Slope location, 32 Banks Ave., No. 105, at 8 p.m. for a 3- to 5-mile group pedal through downtown Asheville (decorated bikes are encouraged). A dance party follows, with DJ Jut Rut spinning, 9:30 p.m.-midnight. avl.mx/6su • In perhaps a surprise twist, Battery Park Book Exchange, 1 Page Ave., No. 101, turns back the clock to … 1966. The idea to throw a party based on author Truman Capote’s MOUNTAINX.COM
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A&E
by Bill Kopp
bill@musoscribe.com
TRANCE FOLK Songwriter and musician David Matters has a background playing bluegrass and old-time music. And, while he maintains a love for those styles, the music he started writing a few years ago didn’t fit comfortably into those idioms. So he launched Life Like Water, now a trio with a sound that draws from American and European folk as well as classical music of India and North Africa. Life Like Water introduces its new album, I Am Listening, at a Friday, Jan. 3, show at The Grey Eagle. The new songs developed as Matters experienced a series of major transitions in his personal life. “I had been living in Colorado for a number of years,” he says. “I had a very successful band out there. And, in one fell swoop, all the stuff I had going for me came down and collapsed. I quit the band, moved away and lost all of my community.” Matters and his family landed in Asheville, where he initially found
Life Like Water celebrates its first full-length release
SONGS OF THE HEART: The music of Life Like Water — written by singer-guitarist David Matters, center — effectively combines the trance-friendly feel of Eastern classical music with acoustic folk textures more associated with the West. Photo courtesy of the artists himself depressed and confused about what he was doing. “So I started kind of looking inward, just trying to figure out where I wanted to go from there,” he says. “And the music grew out of that place.” He says that the process was as simple as “allowing myself to see what was really going on with me and what I really wanted. It doesn’t sound radical, but for me, it was a very big shift.” The songs that Matters wrote once he settled in Western North Carolina didn’t sound at all like the music he had written for newgrass band Gipsy Moon. A 2017 EP, Empty Sky, Quiet Mind, debuted the first, tentative steps in the songwriter’s new direction. “I had this handful of songs that I’d been working on,” he says, “but I didn’t have a full-on idea about where this music was going to go. The EP was really an attempt to solidify the sound.” He admits that “Life Like Water started out as a vehicle for me to express myself” but says that today the music represents the collective character of the rest of its members as well: fiddle player Megan Drollinger and percussionist Charles Furtado. On paper, Drollinger’s background of jazz and Celtic music might not seem a good fit for Matters’ trance-leaning folk melodies. “But,” the songwriter says, “the first time Megan and I played together, I showed her one of my one-chord songs, and she took to it immediately.”
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The group takes its name from a Lao Tzu quote in the Tao Te Ching. “One of his poems says, ‘Life should be lived like water, for water benefits all things and goes against none of them.’ And that was just so powerful to me,” Matters says. “Don’t force your way through life, but by being that strong current in yourself, you can overcome all things without having to step on people to get ahead.” Eastern concepts and values inform both the words and the music of Life Like Water. “I’m not trying to sound Indian or African or anything,” Matters says. “I’m just trying to capture that feeling.” He continues, “I was listening to a whole bunch of North African and West African music — Ali Farka Touré in particular — but also Hindustani music, traditional ragas and classical,” Matters says. And he emphasizes that meditation has been part of his life for many years: “That music captures much of that essence for me.” Matters’ lyrics tend toward the contemplative and introspective as well. “I really don’t try to convey a particular thing when I write,” he says. “I just have a lot of these themes that are bouncing around in my mind: trying to integrate all my relationships with my family, being a father, being a bandleader, being a musician, being somebody who’s involved in a community. All these things inform so many parts of my life.” The globe-spanning vibe of I Am Listening will be captured at the Grey Eagle album release show with the help of guest musicians River Guerguerian (percussion) and Scott Sheerin (flute). “We’re going to play all of the songs on the album but not in order,” Matters says. Again, it’s about capturing the right feeling: “The flow is good for the album, but live, you don’t want to pull out all the stops right away.” X
WHO Life Like Water with Black Sea Beat Society WHERE The Grey Eagle 185 Clingman Ave. thegreyeagle.com WHEN Friday, Jan. 3, 8 p.m. $10 advance/$12 day of show
YEAR IN REVIEW
C O MMU N I T Y V O I CES
Local artists and influences The city’s creatives discuss their favorite happenings in 2019.
been sharing dates with the likes of The Killers [and] Jimmy Eat World, receiving international acclaim and selling out venues all over the country. [At the Asheville show], several of the local musicians [and I] were arm-in-arm in the crowd singing along and will look back on it and say, ’I saw them when.’”
2020
2017
Wellness Issues
and important look at the often-blurred lines of sexual consent. Filled with humor and humanity, in the end, it was up to the audience to decide how Ted’s broken family might move forward and heal.”
Caroline Christopoulos
Cleaster Cotton
1
Artist and educator
“I loved the vibrant, beautiful, uplifting On the Cusp contemporary art exhibit by Youth Arts Empowerment students Gloria Estrada, Brenda Estrada, Trinity Harper, Jubilee Morrell, Eden Mosley, Zion Mosley, Evie Thomas and Max Curtis. I enjoyed seeing and hearing each young artist present their insight and inspiration, medium and technique to the diverse community members who came out in support. The exhibit was hosted by Pink Dog Creative in the River Arts District and the Asheville Area Arts Council at Refinery Creator Space in the South Slope and thrilled viewers from near and far.”
Ryan RnB Barber
2
Musician
“I guess my favorite moment of 2019 would be the release of the new Empire Strikes Brass album, Brassterpiece Theatre. [The band] really raised the bar with this project and left me wanting more. ESB, along with The Fritz, creates art that always inspires me to step up my game, musically.”
Barbie Angell
3
Poet, playwright and actor
“Written by Asheville’s Jamie Knox, The Education of Ted Harris (produced by Different Strokes! Performing Arts Collective) was a unique
7 Katie Jones Artistic director of The Magnetic Theatre
4
“Shakespeare in Love, presented by Montford Park Players. I loved the show because it was funny and creatively staged, with truly heartfelt performances. That, coupled with being outside on a beautiful May evening, made me feel at least a little connected to the Bard himself. It was a wonderful reminder that this work is still relevant, even 400 years later.”
Gold Leaf Literary
“[Lauren Harr and I] are superpsyched that 2019 marked the welldeserved profile elevation of local horror writer Nathan Ballingrud. Nathan’s book Wounds launched at Malaprop’s in April, a short story from this collection was made into a feature film, and a TV series based on his short story collection North American Lake Monsters is in the works. We are longtime fans of Nathan’s, as a writer and as a person, and are delighted that he is getting more and more recognition.” X
Coming Jan. 29th & Feb. 5th 828-251-1333 x 100 advertise@mountainx.com
Joseph Pearson
5
Artist
“My top pick of 2019 is the fresco mural that Chris Holt did for Haywood Street Congregation. It’s my top pick because, as a social realist painter, I appreciate that Chris addressed the social/political issue of indigents. The models he used are real people, and he depicted them with the dignity they deserve.”
Andrew Scotchie
6
Musician
“White Reaper on June 26 at The Mothlight. Ahead of their latest album, You Deserve Love, the Louisvillebased band delivered a filler-free set of anthemic garage rock. [The band has]
MOUNTAINX.COM
DEC. 25 - 31, 2019
41
YEAR IN REVIEW
X PR ESS R EF LECTI ON S
Creative triumphs and tribulations
A&E editor and writer Alli Marshall reflects on the 2019 local art scene. let fans know she was parting ways with Asheville’s overpriced rents. How about the triumphant returns? And, finally, a number of art institutions reopened following extensive (and expensive) renovations and expansions: the Wortham Center for the Performing Arts, the Center for Craft and the Asheville Art Museum. Also returning: Connect Beyond Festival and The East End/Valley Street Community Heritage Festival; and N.C. Poet Laureate Jackie Shelton Green, who made multiple stops in Western North Carolina this year. What were some other highlights from the year? In addition to covering these moves, the Xpress arts section kept tabs on local literature, music, dance, fringe arts, visual arts, crafts, drama, comedy, puppetry, performance art and more. It’s our weekly mission over here to cover as many art forms and creative undertakings as possible — and to include the voices of makers, movers and shakers of all sorts of backgrounds, perspectives and creative communities. What were your favorite articles and what excites you about 2020? Among the stories we’re proudest of are “A Real Bowtie Stand-up Guy” (about hip-hop artist and wrestling champion Marcus “Mook” Cunningham), “More Than Good Technique” (celebrating Asheville Contemporary Dance Theatre’s 40th anniversary) and “Putting the Oomph in Oompah” (following the trajectory of Asheville’s Mountain Top Polka Band from a church-based collective to an in-demand Octoberfest outfit) — just to name a few. Looking ahead to 2020, we’re hoping to look at local festival trends, makers from underrepresented communities and neighborhoods, innovative approaches to funding of the arts and arts programming, and a few new additions to Asheville’s vibrant creative industries that we can’t share just yet. Stay tuned! X
3
Alli Marshall A&E editor, writer
1
How would you characterize the 2019 local art scene? The year in local art could be summed up in hellos, goodbyes and triumphant returns. In the first category: public art installations such as Cleaster Cotton’s “Going to Market” and Art Ecologie’s project for Celebrating African Americans Through Public Art (in collaboration with local artists Joseph Pearson and Phyllis Utley) — both on The Block — along with murals (the fresco at the Haywood Street Congregation, a collaborative work at the Mission Cancer Program parking deck and the likeness of Catawba Falls by local painter Ian Wilkinson, installed on the public stairwell connecting Battery Park and Wall Street). Literary launches including Disappearing, Inc. by National Endowment for the Arts fellowship recipient Brandon Amico, Appalachian Book of the Dead by author Dale Neal and Jim Gardner’s spokenword-to-music project Poetry DNA. And we can’t forget album releases including Abominable Creatures by Natural Born Leaders, Sleeping on the Woodlands by Alex Krug Combo, Dark Synthetics by Secret Shame and Rejuvination by Ryan RnB Barber, among many others. And the goodbyes? Perhaps “goodbyes” is too permanent a word for the second category, which includes the announcement of hiatuses such as All Go West Music Festival and the Warren Haynes Christmas Jam. Captain’s Bookshelf announced it would move its brick-and-mortar business to an online-only platform, and beloved busker Abby the Spoon Lady
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DEC. 25 - 31, 2019
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SMART BETS by Edwin Arnaudin | Send your arts news to ae@mountainx.com
Ashley Heath Asheville-based singer-songwriter Ashley Heath’s 2019 has included such high points as a rocking fullband performance on Merlefest’s opening night and communitybuilding through her residency at Archetype Brewing’s Sunday blues gatherings. Through it all, she’s been laying the groundwork for the next Ashley Heath & Her Heathens album and will debut those new songs in acoustic form on Friday, Dec. 27, at The Grey Eagle. Attendees at the seated show not only get a first listen of the tunes before being reworked into full-band versions in the studio, but showgoers will also directly fund the project with their ticket purchase. The evening begins at 8 p.m. Each $30 ticket includes a vinyl copy of Ashley Heath & Her Heathens’ most recent album, Where Hope Never Dies. thegreyeagle.com. Photo by Stephan Pruitt Photography
Papadosio When Papadosio comes to town, the band makes the visit count. This fall alone, the Asheville-based electro-synth/prog-rock quintet has played consecutivenight stands in Denver, Nashville, Charlotte, Detroit, Tempe, Ariz., and Santa Fe, N.M., plus scattered single shows in between. Following a well-earned Christmas break, bandmates Mike Healy, Sam Brouse, Rob McConnell, Anthony Thogmartin and Billy Brouse return home for back-to-back gigs at Isis Music Hall before heading to Columbus, Ohio, to close out the year with — you guessed it — dual performances. Dubbed “Holidosio,” the intimate shows take place Friday, Dec. 27, and Saturday, Dec. 28, both at 9 p.m. $25 advance/$30 day of show. Two-day passes are sold out. isisasheville.com. Photo courtesy of the band MOUNTAINX.COM
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N E W
Y E A R ’ S
A & E CALENDAR
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COUNTDOWN TO
2020
AT PACK’S TAVERN! TOPPERS AND FAVORS | $20 BOT TLES OF BUBBLY | SPECIALT Y COCK TAILS | Music by A SOCIAL FUNCTION at 9:30PM in our SOUTH BAR! $ 2 0 AT T H E D O O R | 8 P M T U E S D AY, D E C E M B E R 31 S T, 2 0 1 9 (828) 225- 6944 | 20 SOUTH SPRUCE ST. ASHE VILLE, NC 28801
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=❄ ART BUNCOMBE COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARIES buncombecounty.org/ governing/depts/library • Through TU (12/31) Fairview fiber artists Julie Bagamary, Paula Entin and Laura Gaskin display their work. Held at Fairview Library, 1 Taylor Road, Fairview • MO (12/30), 10am-noon - Itch to Stitch, a casual knitting and needlework group for all skill levels. Free. Held at Weaverville Public Library, 41 N. Main St., Weaverville
music and refreshments. Free to attend. Held in Downtown Brevard Held at Transylvania Community Arts Council, 349 S. Caldwell St., Brevard
AUDITIONS & CALL TO ARTISTS ARTSCAPE BANNER • Through SA (1/18) Applications accepted for artists who wish to participate in the 2020 ArtScape Banner Project in downtown Hendersonville. Information: artscapehvl.org. CALL TO WNC ARTISTS
ART/CRAFT STROLLS & FAIRS BREVARD’S 4TH FRIDAY GALLERY WALK • 4th FRIDAYS, 5-8pm Brevard 4th Friday gallery walk with open galleries, art stores, restaurants, live
• Until SA (2/1) - Call to WNC illustrators and narrative artists for the second annual juried open show in March. To apply email two jpgs to Lauren@zapow.com. Free. Held at ZaPow!, 150 Coxe Ave., Suite 101
DANCE TWO NEW DANCE CLASSES STARTING WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 8TH (PD.) Six-week sessions: 7-8 PM: Nightclub (beginner) and 8-9 PM: Two-Step (Intermediate). Contact Richard: 828-333-0715, naturalrichard@mac.com, www.Danceforlife.dance OFFICE WORKER’S WARM UP • MONDAYS until (1/2), noon - Office Worker's Warm Up with Coco Palmer Dolce helps relieve stress by releasing back, neck and shoulders. Registration: avl.mx/6m2. $12. Held at Henry LaBrun Studio at Wortham Center for the Performing Arts, 18 Biltmore Ave.
MUSIC ACAPELLA - SINGING VALENTINE (PD.) Help out Cupid this Valentines Day! Quartet brings singing Valentines
to your home, business, or restaurant. Order at www. ashevillebarbershop.com 866.290.7269 AFRICAN DRUM LESSONS AT SKINNY BEATS SOUND SHOP (PD.) Wednesdays 6pm. Billy Zanski teaches a fun approach to connecting with your inner rhythm. Drop-ins welcome. • Drums provided. $15/ class. (828) 768-2826. www.skinnybeatsdrums. com ASHEVILLE DRUM CIRCLE • FRIDAYS, 6-9:50pm Asheville outdoor drum circle. Free. Held at Pritchard Park, 4 College St. ASHEVILLE SYMPHONY AND THE CLASSICAL MYSTERY TOUR • TU (12/31), 8pm - New Year's Eve with the Asheville Symphony and the Classical Mystery Tour band featuring cast members from Beatlemania. $39.50. Held at Thomas
GALLERY DIRECTORY Wolfe Memorial, 52 N. Market St.
Wolfe Auditorium, 87 Haywood St.
CHRISTMAS AT CONNEMARA ❄ SA (12/28), 1-3pm - Christmas at Connemara with Lucy Allen and Marshall Goers sing holiday folk music, 2pm, Geriatric Jukebox. From 1-3pm, Patrick Ballard plays guitar, banjo and mandolin. Admission fees apply. Held at Carl Sandburg Home NHS, 1800 Little River Road, Flat Rock
WINTER WONDERLAND
JAMIE LAVAL’S CELTIC CHRISTMAS ❄ SA (12/28), 8pm - Jamie Laval’s Celtic Christmas with music, dance, poetry and stories. $34.50-$39.50. Held at Asheville Community Theatre, 35 E. Walnut St. OLE TYME PICKERS FRIDAY BLUEGRASS • 2nd & 4th FRIDAYS, 7pm - Ole Tyme Pickers, bluegrass concert. Free. Held at Big Willow Community Building, Willow Road, Hendersonville SLY GROG OPEN MIC • SUNDAYS, 7pm - Open-mic for storytellers, poets, musicians and all kinds of performance artists. Sign ups at 6:30pm. Free to attend. Held at Sly Grog Lounge, 271 Haywood St. SOUNDS OF THE CITY • SA (12/28), 7:30pm - Three teenage prodigies play Sounds of the City at a Hendersonville residence. Tickets: avl.mx/6sl. $28. • SU (12/29), 2pm - Three teenage prodigies play Sounds of the City. Tickets: avl.mx/6sl. $28. Held at St Giles Chapel, In the Deerfield Episcopal Retirement Community, 1617 Hendersonville Road THE ELECTRIC KOOLAID ASHEVILLE TEST • TU (12/31), 8pm - Pigeons Playing Ping Pong presents: The Electric Kool-Aid Asheville Test. $32.5057. Held at Thomas
❄ SA (12/28), 3-5pm - Winter Wonderland features Heather Taylor folk/appalachia music. Free. Held at Grove Arcade, 1 Page Ave.
SPOKEN & WRITTEN WORD APOLOGIES • TH (1/2), 6-7:30pm - Hear your written apology read aloud. Free to attend. Held at Firestorm Books & Coffee, 610 Haywood Road
AMERICAN FOLK ART AND FRAMING ❄ The annual Wish List show features ornaments and mantel pieces for the holiday season as well as pottery, paintings and sculptures. Nov. 29-Dec. 30 64 Biltmore Ave. ASHEVILLE AREA ARTS COUNCIL • Through Our View We Find, group exhibition curated by Elliot Kulwiec. Dec. 6-Jan. 10 207 Coxe Ave. ASHEVILLE GALLERY OF ART • A Life of Art, features works by three new
members, Robin Wethe Altman, Tina Honerkamp and Deb Sholly. Reception: Friday, Jan. 3, 5-8 p.m. Jan. 1-Jan. 31 82 Patton Ave. DOWNTOWN BOOKS & NEWS • Exhibition of paintings by Cheryl Eugenia Barnes. Dec. 13-Feb. 29 67 N. Lexington Ave. GALLERY 1 SYLVA • Small Wonders, paintings, photographhy, wood, printmaking, jewelry and glass. Reception: Friday, Dec. 6, 5pm. Dec. 6-Feb. 29
MALAPROP'S BOOKSTORE AND CAFE 55 Haywood St., 828-254-6734, malaprops.com • TH (1/2), 6pm - Michael DiettrichChastain presents his book, Changes: The Busy Professional's Guide to Reducing Stress, Accomplishing Goals and Mastering Adaptability. Free to attend. • TH (1/2), 7pm - Crime and Politics Book Club reads The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher: A Shocking Murder and the Undoing of a Great Victorian Detective by Kate Summerscale. Free to attend. NEW DIMENSIONS TOASTMASTERS • THURSDAYS, noon1pm - General meeting. Information: 828-3294190. Free to attend. Held at Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity, 33 Meadow Road THE WRITER'S WORKSHOP: ANNUAL MEMOIRS CONTEST • Through TU (12/31) - Annual Memoirs Contest. Registration: twwoa.org. $25 per entry. Held at The Writer's Workshop, 387 Beaucatcher Road
Contact us today! 828-251-1333 x 100 advertise@mountainx.com
604 West Main St., Sylva HAYWOOD COUNTY ARTS COUNCIL 86 N. Main St., Waynesville • It’s A Small, Small Work, features 62 artists and ~240 works that are no larger than 12x12x12”. Dec. 1-Jan. 4 JACKSON COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY • Jenean Hornbuckle's new landscape paintings and a series of prints on display at the Rotunda Gallery. Dec. 7-Jan. 7 310 Keener St., Sylva
5th Annual
PINK DOG CREATIVE • Völuspá Vision Story – Valeria Watson explores Norse Mythology focusing on the witch or wise woman and her role in prophecy. Dec. 6-Jan. 5 348 Depot St.
NYE Celebration with ReggaeInfinity! Tuesday, 12/31 • 10pm-1am
Caribbean Vegan Dinner $30 w/ Dinner • $20 Show Only • 8-10pm
THE WEDGE STUDIOS • The WOWS - Women of WhiteSPACE, five women painters show their works. Dec. 7-Jan. 7 129 Roberts St.
39 S. Market Street • 254-9277
Contact the galleries for hours and admission fees
Wellness 2020 Issues
Publish Jan. 29 & Feb. 5
heville M Join tfhorethAesnext Movie Noivghiet! Guys The evening includes a brief introduction by the Asheville Movie Guys, Bruce C. Steele and Edwin Arnaudin of AshevilleMovies.com, as well as a lively discussion with the audience after the credits.
LITTLE WOMEN Mon., 12/30, 7pm • Fine Arts Theatre 36 Biltmore Ave., Asheville
Do you want an email reminder prior to each Asheville Movie Guys night? Send an email with ‘Asheville Movie Guys’ in the subject line to ashevillemovies@gmail.com Xpress readers who say “Marmee” at the box office receive a discounted ticket price of $6.50 per person. MOUNTAINX.COM
DEC. 25 - 31, 2019
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CLUBLAND
JAN
JAKE SHIMABUKURO FEB
08
DUSTBOWL REVIVAL WITH BIRDS OF CHICAGO
BILL ENGVALL FEB
29
31
FEB
09
THE HILLBENDERS: WHOGRASS! LEO KOTTKE
MAY
28
BÉLA FLECK & THE FLECKTONES
APR
07
TICKETS @ PARAMOUNTBRISTOL.ORG OR CALL 423-274-8920
CRAZY DIAMONDS: Expect classic hits as well as deep cuts from the Pink Floyd tribute band Interstellar Echoes. Last month, the collective — based in Atlanta — celebrated the 40th anniversary of the release of Pink Floyd’s The Wall with double performances in Woodstock, Ga. The group brings its arsenal of covers to Asheville Music Hall on Friday, Jan. 3, at 9 p.m. $15. ashevillemusichall.com. Photo courtesy of the musicians
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 25 ASHEVILLE CLUB Free Live Music, 6:00PM CROW & QUILL Orphan's Christmas: Cheeky Christmas Music & Movies, 5:00PM FUNKATORIUM Grass at the Funk feat. the Saylor Brothers, 6:30PM ONE WORLD BREWING WEST OWB West: Latin Dance Night w/ DJ Oscar (Bachatta, Merengue, Salsa), 9:00PM
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 26 5 WALNUT WINE BAR Pleasure Chest, (blues, rock, soul), 8:00PM ALOFT HOTEL Thursday Night Flicks: Christmas Vacation, 8:00PM ASHEVILLE CLUB Free Live Music, 6:00PM ASHEVILLE GUITAR BAR Will Ray and the Space Cooties, 7:00PM
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CROW & QUILL Big Dawg Slingshots (western swing), 10:00PM FLEETWOOD'S Boxing Day Karaoke, 5:00PM FLOOD GALLERY FINE ART CENTER True Home Open Mic, 6:30PM JACK OF THE WOOD PUB Bluegrass Jam, 7:00PM Quizzo Pub Trivia, 7:30PM LOBSTER TRAP Hank Bones, 6:30PM LOCAL 604 BOTTLE SHOP Vinyl Night (bring your to share!), 8:00PM MARKET PLACE Bob Zullo (pop, rock, jazz & blues), 6:00PM ODDITORIUM Party Foul Drag Circus, 9:00PM OLE SHAKEY'S Karaoke w/ DJ Franco Nino, 10:00PM ONE STOP AT ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL Mitch's Totally Rad Trivia, 7:00PM
BEN'S TUNE UP Offended! Comedy Open Mic, 9:30PM
ONE WORLD BREWING OWB Downtown: Lenny Pettinelli, 9:00PM
BROWN MOUNTAIN BOTTLEWORKS NC Songsmiths, Jackson Grimm, 7:30PM
ONE WORLD BREWING WEST OWB West: One World Family Band Jam, 9:00PM
POLANCO RESTAURANT Pop Up DJ Dinners w/ DJ Phantome Pantone Collective, 10:00PM PURPLE ONION CAFE Chuck Brodsky, 7:30PM SANCTUARY BREWING CO. Stray Mutt feat. Ashley Bean, 7:00PM THE 63 TAPHOUSE Weekly 8 Ball Tournament (sign ups at 7:00PM), 8:00PM THE BLOCK OFF BILTMORE David Serra's Classical Guitar, 6:00PM Pizza Karaoke w/ the Spins, 9:00PM THE BARRELHOUSE Ter-rific Trivia, 7:00PM THE IMPERIAL LIFE The Roaring Lions (jazz), 9:00PM TWIN LEAF BREWERY Craft Karaoke, 9:00PM WHITE HORSE BLACK MOUNTAIN Amanda Horton, 7:30PM WILD WING CAFE SOUTH Acoustic Karaoke!, 10:00PM ZAMBRA Kessler Watson, 7:00PM
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 27 27 CLUB Bad Ties, Witch Disco, The Parlor Pinks, 9:00PM 5 WALNUT WINE BAR Peggy Ratusz & Daddy Long Legs, (blues, jazz), 9:00PM AMBROSE WEST Reasonably Priced Babies Comedy Improv, 8:00PM ARCHETYPE BREWING Drag Trivia: Dirty Christmas Party, 9:00PM ASHEVILLE BEAUTY ACADEMY Barrio Candela LatinX Dance Party, 10:00PM ASHEVILLE CLUB Free Live Music, 6:00PM ASHEVILLE GUITAR BAR Mr. Jimmy hosts The Big City Blues Jam, 8:00PM BATTERY PARK BOOK EXCHANGE Dinah's Daydream (Gypsy jazz), 7:00PM BOLD ROCK HARD The Paper Crowns, 6:00PM CAPELLA ON 9 @ THE AC HOTEL DJ Dance Party w/ Phantom Pantone DJ Collective, 9:00PM CORK & KEG One Leg Up, 8:30PM CROW & QUILL 9th Street Stompers (swing, blues, rockabilly), 9:00PM
FRI
27 FUNKATORIUM It's A Supatight Christmas, 8:00PM GASTRO PUB AT HOPEY DOWNTOWN The Mic is Open hosted by Heather Taylor, 7:00PM HIGHLAND BREWING COMPANY For the Love of Beer Holiday Workshop: Chocolate, Cheese, & Beer, 6:00PM ISIS MUSIC HALL & KITCHEN 743 Holidosio: An intimate night w/ Papadosio Night I, 9:00PM
MOE'S ORIGINAL BBQ WOODFIN Gene Holdway, 7:00PM NEW BELGIUM BREWERY Live Music: 5J Barrow, 5:30PM ODDITORIUM Asheville After Dark Presents: Perversions (kink), 9:00PM OLE SHAKEY'S Friday After Work Concert Series, 5:00PM
LUELLA'S BAR-B-QUE BILTMORE PARK Friday Night Live Music Series, 8:00PM
ONE STOP AT ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL Free Dead Fridays feat. members of Phuncle Sam (acoustic), 5:00PM Free Dead Fridays feat. members of Phuncle Sam acoustic, 5:30PM Dirty Dead's 2nd Annual Solstice Jam, 9:00PM Joslyn & The Sweet Compression, 10:00PM
MAD CO BREW HOUSE Colby Dietz Solo, 6:00PM
ONE WORLD BREWING WEST Laura Blackley and the Wildflowers, 9:00PM
JACK OF THE WOOD PUB Irish Session, 3:00PM LOBSTER TRAP Hillbilly Diamonds, 6:30PM Mark Bumgarner, 6:30PM LUELLA'S BAR-B-QUE Friday Night Live Music Series, 8:00PM
h T
ORANGE PEEL The Space Cowboys & The Cosmic Girls: A Tribute To Jamiroquai, 9:00PM PACK'S TAVERN Dance Friday w/ DJ RexxStep, 9:30PM
SALVAGE STATION Dopapod w/ GhostNote, 9:00PM SANCTUARY BREWING CO. Matt Walsh and The Movers LIVE at Sanctuary Brewing Co., 8:00PM Matt Walsh & The Movers, 8:00PM
FRI
LIFE LIKE WATER
11TH ANNUAL
SAT
MINDSHAPEFIST + AITTALA
29 MON
30
THE GREY EAGLE An Evening With Ashley Heath at The Grey Eagle, 8:00PM
3
4
GRAM PARSONS & GENE CLARK TRIBUTE
OPEN MIC NIGHT
SUN
5
W/ BLACK SEA BEAT SOCIETY
W/ BROAD RIVER NIGHTMARE
NIGHTRAIN
A GUNS N’ ROSES TRIBUTE EXPERIENCE
EXCITING UPCOMING EVENTS! WEST ASHEVILLE
THU. 12/26: ONE WORLD FAMILY BAND 9PM
5 WALNUT WINE BAR Red Hot Sugar Babies, (Hot Jazz), 9:00PM
Jan. 1 5
2
Asheville’s longest running live music venue • 185 Clingman Ave TICKETS AVAILABLE AT HARVEST RECORDS & THEGREYEAGLE.COM
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 28
M AL I s I N A s e es lish b u P
THE GRATEFUL BROTHERS 10PM
SUN
ZAMBRA Hot Club of Asheville, 7:00PM
THE BARRELHOUSE David Earl, 7:00PM
W/ BAD MOLLY
SAT
28
WILD WING CAFE SOUTH A Social Function Acoustic, 9:00PM A Social Function Acoustic, 9:00PM
THE BLOCK OFF BILTMORE Dj Smokifantastic Dec 20th & 27th Free, 6:00PM Free Flow, 9:00PM
BRAD HELLER & THE FUSTICS, JANGLING SPARROWS, THE MODERN STRANGERS
ASHEVILLE VAUDEVILLE 7PM
THE JOINT NEXT DOOR Perry Wing Combo, 7:00PM
WHITE HORSE BLACK MOUNTAIN Andrew Finn Magill Jazz Trio: #NewlyComposed, 8:00PM
SLY GROG LOUNGE Spogga; Brother Hash, 8:00PM
MURDER BY DEATH
THU
28
TOWN PUMP Ghost Latch, 9:00PM
TUE
31
SAT
THE IMPERIAL LIFE DJ Dance Party feat. Phantom Pantone Collective, 10:00PM
THE OMNI GROVE PARK INN Andrew J. Fletcher (solo jazz piano), 2:30PM
PILLAR ROOFTOP BAR Riyen Roots, 7:00PM
ASHLEY HEATH
TICKET PURCHASE INCLUDES VINYL ALBUM
FRI. 12/27: LAURA BLACKLEY AND THE WILDFLOWERS 9PM SAT. 12/28: THE FREE FLOW BAND 9PM SUN. 12/29: PROJECTOR SHOWING OF “ELF” 6PM MON. 12/30: JAZZ JAM 8:30PM
ue
TUE. 12/31: N.Y.E. AT ONE WORLD WEST FLOW FEAT. MURKURY 8PM-2AM 21+ • NO COVER
WAVL- 520 HAYWOOD RD. CONVENIENTLY LOCATED PARKING BEHIND BREWERY
THIS WEEK AT AVL MUSIC HALL & THE ONE STOP!!!
www.oneworldbrewing.com
Dirty Dead’s Joslyn
2nd Annual Solstice Jam FRI, 12/27 - SHOW: 10 pm DONATION BASED COVER
& the Sweet Compression
FRI, 12/27 - SHOW: 10 pm [Funk/Soul] DONATION BASED COVER
VOODOO VISIONARY SAT, 12/28 - SHOW: 10 pm (DOORS: 9 pm) DONATION BASED COVER
RINGIN' IN 2020 BLACK GARLIC BALL IN THE HALL w/ DJ Marley Carroll w/ The Grass is Dead 4th Annual
SAT, 12/28 - SHOW: 10 pm [Rock/Jazz/Funk] DONATION BASED COVER
NYE 12/31 - SHOW: 10 pm (DOORS: 9 pm) - adv. tix: $20
NYE 12/31 - SHOW: 10 pm [Dance Party] DONATION BASED COVER
LOCAL THURSDAY SHUFFLE - 10pm
Free Dead Friday - 5pm
SUN
Mitch’s Totally Rad Trivia - 6:30pm
FRI
disclaimer comedy - 9:30pm
THU
Tuesday Early Jam - 8PM Tuesday Night Funk Jam - 11PM Electrosoul Session - 11:30PM
WED
TUE
1/3 - Interstellar Echoes - A Tribute to Pink Floyd • 1/4 - BomBassic, WiZO, Double Helix, Captain EZ • 1/11 - Goopsteppa, spacegeishA, KirbyBright, Astoria • 1/17 - Michal Menert, Late Night Radio, Robbie Dude • 1/18 - Andrew Scotchies B-Day Bash World Famous Bluegrass Brunch - 10:30am-3pm Shakedown Sundays - 4pm-7pm MOUNTAINX.COM
@AVLMusicHall @OneStopAVL DEC. 25 - 31, 2019
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C LUBLAND ASHEVILLE BEAUTY ACADEMY Dance Party with DJ Lil Meow Meow, 10:00PM ASHEVILLE CLUB Free Live Music, 6:00PM
COMING SOON FRI 12/27 9:00PM–HOLIDOSIO :: TWO INTIMATE NIGHTS WITH PAPADOSIO (NIGHT ONE)
SAT 12/28 9:00PM–HOLIDOSIO :: TWO INTIMATE NIGHTS WITH PAPADOSIO (NIGHT TWO)
SUN 12/29 6:00PM–PEGGY RATUSZ’S STUDENT SHOWCASE: VOICES ON THE VERGE 7:30PM–DIRTY LOGIC - A STEELY DAN TRIBUTE
TUE 12/31
ASHEVILLE GUITAR BAR Swing Step Band followed by The Travelling Pilsburys of Asheville, 5:00PM ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL Voodoo Visionary, 10:00PM BOLD ROCK HARD CIDER Rhoda & the Risers, 6:00PM CORK & KEG Cajun/Zydeco AllStars, 8:00PM FLEETWOOD'S CHEW, Via, Axxa/ Abraxas, 9:00PM FOGGY MOUNTAIN BREWPUB Falcon 3 (funk, jam), 10:00PM GROVE ARCADE Winter Wonderland at Grove Arcade w/ music by Heather Taylor (solo), 3:00PM
9:00PM–NEW YEARS EVE WITH ELLIS DYSON & THE SHAMBLES TUE 1/7 7:30PM–TUES. BLUEGRASS SESSIONS HOSTED BY DARREN NICHOLSON BAND
WED 1/8 8:30PM– THE JUSTIN RAY BIG BAND CD RELEASE
THU 1/9 7:00PM–STEVIE TOMBSTONE AMERICAN SONGWRITER
FRI 1/10 7:00PM– CASSIDY AND THE MUSIC 8:30PM– DANCE PARTY W/ THE BIG THROWBACK
SAT 1/11 7:00PM– AN EVENING OF TALL TALES 8:30PM– 3RD ANNUAL WOMEN IN MUSIC SERIES
SUN 1/12 7:30PM– 3RD ANNUAL WOMEN IN MUSIC SERIES
TUE 1/14 7:30PM–TUES. BLUEGRASS SESSIONS HOSTED BY THE JAKOB’S FERRY STRAGGLERS
WED 1/15 7:00PM– ANDREW HIBBARD AND PAUL DECOSTER 8:30PM– CASHAVELLY MORRISON
ISISASHEVILLE.COM DINNER MENU TIL 9:30PM LATE NIGHT MENU TIL 12AM BRUNCH 10-2 SUNDAY ONLY
TUES-SUN 5PM-until
743 HAYWOOD RD | 828-575-2737 48
DEC. 25 - 31, 2019
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ISIS MUSIC HALL & KITCHEN 743 Holidosio: An intimate night w/ Papadosio Night II, 9:00PM JACK OF THE WOOD PUB Left Lane Cruiser, 9:00PM LAZOOM ROOM LaZoom Comedy: Eric Dasilva, 8:30PM LOBSTER TRAP Sean Mason Trio, 6:30PM LOCAL 604 BOTTLE SHOP Kevin Spears, 8:00PM OLE SHAKEY'S DJ Cliff Throwbacks, 10:00PM ONE STOP AT ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL Black Garlic, 10:00PM ONE WORLD BREWING WEST OWB West: Free Flow Band, 9:00PM ORANGE PEEL Clutch, 8:00PM PACK'S TAVERN Blaze the City, 9:30PM PURPLE ONION CAFE Carver Carmody & McIntire, 8:00PM SALVAGE STATION Toubab Krewe, 9:00PM
SANCTUARY BREWING CO. Wyatt Espalin Duo, 8:00PM SLY GROG LOUNGE Intimate: An Evening of House Music, 9:00PM THE BLOCK OFF BILTMORE CommUNITY Salsa, 9:00PM THE ROOT BAR Perry Wing Combo, 9:30PM TOWN PUMP Linda and the Live Wires, 9:00PM TWISTED LAUREL DJ Dance Party w/ Phantom Pantone DJ Collective (rotating DJ's), 11:00PM WHITE HORSE BLACK MOUNTAIN The Asheville Jazz Orchestra, 8:00PM WICKED WEED BREWING Wicked Weed Brewing's 7 year Anniversary Party feat. Taylor Martin, 7:00PM WILD WING CAFE Karaoke, 9:30PM WILD WING CAFE SOUTH Close Kin, 9:00PM ZAMBRA Dinah's Daydream, 7:00PM
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 29 5 WALNUT WINE BAR Random Animals, (soul, rock, funk), 7:00PM ARCHETYPE BREWING Post-Brunch Blues, 4:00PM ASHEVILLE CLUB Free Live Music, 3:00PM ASHEVILLE GUITAR BAR Pot Luck & Musician's Jam, 3:00PM BATTERY PARK BOOK EXCHANGE Pimps of Pompe Trio (Gypsy jazz hip-hop), 2:00PM BOLD ROCK HARD CIDER Elliot Humphries, 3:00PM CORK & KEG The 9th Street Stompers at the Cork & Keg!, 4:00PM FLEETWOOD'S Comedy at Fleetwoods: Petey Smith McDowell, 8:00PM
FUNKATORIUM Gary "Macfiddle" Mackey (bluegrass), 1:00PM HIGHLAND BREWING COMPANY 1st Annual Asheville Gift Exchange! (White Elephant gift exchange & party, donations accepted for MANNA) 1:00PM ISIS MUSIC HALL & KITCHEN 743 Peggy Ratusz’s Student showcase: Voices on the Verge, 6:00PM Dirty Logic: A Steely Dan Tribute, 7:30PM JACK OF THE WOOD PUB Irish Session, 3:00PM LOBSTER TRAP Phil Alley, 6:30PM LUELLA'S BAR-B-QUE Sunday Brunch w/ Hank Bones & Jon Corbin, 12:00PM LUELLA'S BAR-B-QUE BILTMORE PARK Sunday Live Music w/ Leo Johnson, 1:00PM NEW BELGIUM BREWERY Totally Rad Trivia Crossover, 5:00PM
ODDITORIUM Witch Party, Never Understand, Cyber Twin, Anywhere From Here (indie), 9:00PM ONE STOP AT ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL World Famous Bluegrass Brunch, 10:30AM World Famous Bluegrass Brunch, 10:30AM THE BLOCK OFF BILTMORE An Evening of Tango with De la Noche, 8:30PM THE BARRELHOUSE Weekly Original Music Open Mic, 6:00PM THE IMPERIAL LIFE DJ Dance Party feat. Phantom Pantone Collective, 9:00PM
MONDAY, DECEMBER 30 5 WALNUT WINE BAR CaroMia, April B, Nicole Nicolopoulos (folk, R&B), 9:00PM ARCHETYPE BREWING Old Time Jam, 5:00PM CATAWBA BREWING SOUTH SLOPE Musicians in the round hosted by Jon Edwards, 6:00PM FLEETWOOD'S New Year's EVE EVE Service Industry Party, 9:00PM JACK OF THE WOOD PUB Quizzo Pub Trivia, 7:30PM Open Mic Night, 9:30PM LOBSTER TRAP Bobby Miller, 6:30PM
WILD WING CAFE NFL Sundays with DJ Razor!, 1:00PM
ODDITORIUM Risque Monday Burlesque hosted By Deb Au Nare, 9:00PM
ZAMBRA Drayton and Friends, 7:00PM
ONE WORLD BREWING OWB Downtown: Open Mic, 8:00PM
ONE WORLD BREWING WEST OWB West: Jazz Jam, 12:00AM ORANGE PEEL Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, 9:00PM SANCTUARY BREWING CO. Open Mic Night w/ It Takes All Kinds, 7:00PM SLY GROG LOUNGE Ironing, Oariana, Daddy’s Credit Card, 8:00PM THE BLOCK OFF BILTMORE Ambigious Roots w/ Jamar Woods, Brennan Dugan & Adam Chase, 9:00PM THE GOLDEN PINEAPPLE Robert's Totally Rad Trivia, 8:00PM
TAVERN 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 c k out Pac k ’s C he 02 C ou nt do w n t o 2 0 pa r t y! C ! a l l f or de t a i ls
THU. 12/26 Jeff Anders & Justin Burrell (acoustic rock)
FRI. 12/27 DJ RexxStep
(dance hits, pop)
SAT. 12/28 Blaze the City
(dance, rock, funk)
THE IMPERIAL LIFE Leo Johnson Trio, 9:00PM US CELLULAR CENTER Pigeons Playing Ping Pong - Night I, 12:00AM
20 S. Spruce St. • 225.6944 packStavern.com
2020
Wellness Issues
Happy Holidays!
Bubble & Oyster Thursdays
Coming Jan. 29th & Feb. 5th 828-251-1333 x 100 advertise@mountainx.com
828-350-0315 SMOKYPARK.COM MOUNTAINX.COM
DEC. 25 - 31, 2019
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CLU B LA N D
Local UPCOMING SHOWS: DOORS 7PM
DEC 27
DOORS 9PM
DEC 31
NYE WITH:
THE BROADCAST BAND
AND DOWNTOWN ABBY & THE ECHOES
DOORS 7PM
JAN 3
DOORS 6PM
JAN 4
WORTHWHILE SOUNDS PRESENTS:
RYAN MONTBLEAU
SHOW 8PM
DEC 27
SHOW 9:30
DEC 31
SHOW 8PM
JAN 3
THE LOST CHORD
SHOW 7PM
A GREAT DISASTER
SHOW 8PM
MOODY BLUES TRIBUTE BAND CELEBRATES THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF “TO OUR CHILDERNʼS CHILDRENʼS CHILDREN”
DOORS 7PM
JAN 10
REASONABLY PRICED BABIES
WITH SPECIAL GUEST DAVID EARL BAND
JAN 4
JAN 10
TICKETS SOLD HERE: W W W. A M B R O S E W E S T. C O M B OX O F F I C E S : T H E H O N E Y P O T & T H E C I RC L E
BOOK YOUR WEDDING OR EVENT NOW: 828.332.3090 312 HAYWOOD ROAD
BOUNCE HOUSE: Asheville Beauty Academy continues its popular residency and LGBTQ/POC advocacy initiative, Barrio Candela LatinX Dance Party, weekly throughout January. The late-night collective features DJ Juan Bounce and friends playing styles such as bachata, reggaeton and salsa. The party kicks off at 10 p.m. on Fridays beginning Jan 3. avlbeautyacademy.com. Photo by Chewie Dread
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 31
E v e nts THURSDAY NIGHTS
18 to party, 21 to drink FRIDAY NIGHTS
Latin dancing EVERY SATURDAY
Live DJ pop 40, hip hop, trap, R&B
COMING SOON V-12 Hookah Bar at Paradox for the grown & sexy. Your favorite craft beer & hookahs. FREE PARKING
5 WALNUT WINE BAR Pleasure Chest, 7:00PM Shake It Like a Caveman, (rock n’ roll), 10:00PM AMBROSE WEST New Year’s Eve w/ The Broadcast Band and Downtown Abby & The Echoes, 9:30PM ARCHETYPE BREWING Free Trivia Night, 7:00PM ASHEVILLE BEAUTY ACADEMY Roaring 20’s New Year's Eve, 8:00PM
ASHEVILLE CLUB New Year's Eve Blues Jam w/ Mr. Jimmy, 6:00PM
CROW & QUILL The House Hoppers Roaring 20's NYE Party, 9:00PM
ASHEVILLE GUITAR BAR New Year's Eve Early Bird Celebration, 5:00PM
EXPLOREASHEVILLE. COM ARENA AT U.S. CELLULAR CENTER ASHEVILLE Pigeons Playing Ping Pong Presents: The Electric KoolAid Asheville Test, 8:00PM
ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL 4th Annual New Year's Eve Ball in The Hall w/ The Grass is Dead & Songs from the Road Band, 10:00PM Tuesday Night Funk Jam, 11:00PM BUXTON HALL BBQ NYE at Buxton, 10:30PM CAPELLA ON 9 @ THE AC HOTEL Capella on Cloud 9 NYE 2020, 8:00PM
LOBSTER TRAP Jay Brown, 6:30PM MAD CO BREW HOUSE Freewheelin’ Mama's NYE, 8:00PM MARKET PLACE Rat Alley Cats (instrumental jazz), 6:30PM
FOGGY MOUNTAIN BREWPUB New Years Eve Dance Party w/ Dad Bod (funk, soul), 10:00PM
ODDITORIUM Blue Mountain Mischief Productions New Years Eve (metal), 9:00PM
HAYWOOD COUNTRY CLUB Turntable Tuesdays hosted by VTT, 10:00PM
OLE SHAKEY'S New Year's Eve Booty Drag Show, 10:00PM
ISIS MUSIC HALL & KITCHEN 743 New Years Eve w/ Ellis Dyson & the Shambles, 9:00PM
ONE STOP AT ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL Tuesday Early Jam, 8:00PM
Doors open 10pm nightly
Located in the heart of Downtown AVL
38 North French Broad Ave 828-458-5072
Paradox Nightclub 50
DEC. 25 - 31, 2019
MOUNTAINX.COM
celebrating 25 Years!
ONE WORLD BREWING OWB Downtown: Jack Pearson's Comedy Cosmos, 8:00PM NYE w/ Joel Parisoe, 9:00PM ONE WORLD BREWING WEST OWB West: FLOW feat. Murkury 6 Hour NYE Journey Set, 9:00PM ORANGE PEEL Shovels and Rope , Indianola: New Year"s Eve, 9:00PM PILLAR ROOFTOP BAR New Years Eve Party, 4:00PM PURPLE ONION CAFE NYE w/ Shana Blake Band, 9:00PM SALVAGE STATION Yo Mama's Big Fat Booty Band &Empire Strikes Brass NYE, 8:00PM SANCTUARY BREWING CO. Team Trivia Tuesdays, 7:00PM The World's Greatest Party Band & The Gathering Dark, 9:00PM
WHITE HORSE BLACK MOUNTAIN Irish Session-Jam, 6:30PM Open Mic, 8:45PM The Riccardis & Band, 9:00PM WILD WING CAFE New Year's Eve Party, 9:00PM WILD WING CAFE SOUTH New Years Eve w/ the Ryan Perry Band, 10:00PM ZAMBRA Jason Moore, 7:00PM
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 1
Wing Wednesdays, 11:00AM FUNKATORIUM
Sexy Tunes w/ DJ Franco Nino, 10:00PM
THOMAS WOLFE AUDITORIUM Asheville Symphony New Year’s Eve: Classical Mystery Tour, 8:00PM TOWN PUMP Lunchbox Junkies, 9:00PM URBAN ORCHARD CIDER CO. SOUTH SLOPE New Year's Eve w/DJ Malinalli, 8:00PM
DJ MALINALLI FOR YOUR DANCING PLEASURE 8PM-2AM FREE ADMISSION CHAMPAGNE & CIDER SPECIALS ALL DAY
BOLD ROCK HARD CIDER
SLY GROG LOUNGE NYE w/ The Styrofoam Turtles, The Kindest People, Sous Sol, Disco Goddess, 8:00PM
THE MOTHLIGHT NYE Freakout #14: Dance Party, 9:00PM
with the Urban family at South Slope!
Free Live Music, 6:00PM
Grass at the Funk feat. the Saylor Brothers, 6:30PM
THE BARRELHOUSE Stephan Horvath w/ Aimless Vibrations (champagne toast at midnight), 10:00PM
Ring in the New Year
ASHEVILLE CLUB
SCANDALS NIGHTCLUB Grove House 38th Epic NYE Bash, 8:00PM
THE BLOCK OFF BILTMORE 5th Annual NYE Dance party feat. ReggaeInfinity (roots reggae, midnight blessing, vegan Caribbean dinner at 8 PM), 8:00PM
North Carolina’s First Cider Bar Family Owned & Operated
24 BUXTON AVE • 210 HAYWOOD RD
URBANORCHARDCIDER.COM
OLE SHAKEY'S
ONE STOP AT ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL
Daily select $4 drafts and $3 singles
Disclaimer Lounge Comedy Open Mic, 9:00PM
12/25
ONE WORLD BREWING WEST
12/26 $4 WNC drafts
OWB West: Latin Dance Night w/ DJ Oscar (Bachatta, Merengue, Salsa), 9:00PM SLY GROG LOUNGE Weird Wednesday Jam, 5:00PM THE BLOCK OFF BILTMORE HempYEAH! Hangover Bash (music, vendors, treats, industry discussion & updates), 6:00PM
WED
CLOSED
THU
MUSIC BINGO
FRI
LIVE MUSIC
SAT
COLLEGE FOOTBALL BOWL GAMES
12/27 w/ Johnnie Blackwell
12/28
$6 brats, 1/2 off boneless wings
SUN
$4 WNC drafts
MON
TEAM TRIVIA
TUE
Toast at midnight and free munchies starting at 10pm. Closing at 1am.
12/29 All Food BOGO 1/2 off off food 12/30 1/2 for service industry workers
CHAMPAGNE TOAST
12/31
THE FOUNDRY HOTEL 3 Cool Cats, 6:00PM
+ LSU/Oklahoma, Ohio State/ Clemson watch parties
$2 off 16oz pours, wine pours and $2 off food specials
35 rotating taps
@CasualPintAsheville 1863 Hendersonville Rd MOUNTAINX.COM
DEC. 25 - 31, 2019
51
MOVIE REVIEWS
Hosted by the Asheville Movie Guys HHHHH
EDWIN ARNAUDIN earnaudin@mountainx.com
= MAX RATING
H PICK OF THE WEEK H
Little Women HHHHH
DIRECTOR: Greta Gerwig PLAYERS: Saoirse Ronan, Florence Pugh, Timothée Chalamet DRAMA/ROMANCE RATED PG Fans of Louisa May Alcott’s iconic 19th century novel — you may release a sigh of relief and rejoice. This newest version of Little Women is not only the most beautiful film adaptation of Alcott’s book, it’s the most honest nod to the beloved writer’s original work. Writer/director Greta Gerwig has taken a dearly adored American classic and
Celebrating
rs Ye a 52
DEC. 25 - 31, 2019
revised it with a refreshing sense of contemporary boldness. Informed by Alcott’s words and indomitable spirit, Gerwig’s Little Women follows the journey of the March sisters — Amy (Florence Pugh), Jo (Saoirse Ronan), Beth (Eliza Scanlen, HBO’s “Sharp Objects”) and Meg (Emma Watson) — as they navigate the tumultuous waters of adolescence and early adulthood in post-Civil War Massachusetts. With Jo as our navigator, we watch the not-so-tidy elements of their lives unfold, as they oscillate between honeyed childhood memories and real world letdowns, impatient to become who they’re destined to be. Using an fascinating, nonlinear structure, Gerwig introduces us to the four sisters at key points in their lives — keeping their respective ages identifiable by differing behavioral traits, visual stylizations and hairstyles (yes, I am referring to bangs as the surest sign of youth). The approach also allows Gerwig to juxtapose important related moments that are separated in time, a decision that cleverly maximizes every emotional payoff. Having already left her beloved family behind, we begin Jo’s story in a cutthroat New York City publishing house and watch as she haggles over the price of her work with a stern magazine editor (Tracy Letts, Lady Bird). She’s not yet an estab-
MOUNTAINX.COM
BRUCE STEELE bcsteele@gmail.com lished writer, for she’s selling salacious stories and refusing to attach her name to them, but we immediately get the sense that she’s hellbent on achieving success and doing so on her own terms. Even more interestingly, we begin with the acute knowledge that Jo has already rejected the marriage proposal of her next-door-neighbor-turned-bestfriend Laurie (Timothée Chalamet) — which creates an entirely new narrative intrigue. If this story isn’t about Jo and Laurie getting together, what else is left to tell? Gerwig’s screenplay instead focuses largely on Jo’s ambition and her personal journey to success, one that isn’t defined by men or marriage or societal convention. It’s a brilliantly constructed framework that effectively solves the story’s greatest problem from the onset while maintaining a sense of mystery for audiences familiar and unfamiliar with the material alike. Read the full review at mountainx.com/ movies/reviews Starts Dec. 25 at the Fine Arts Theatre REVIEWED BY KRISTINA GUCKENBERGER KRISTINA.GUCKENBERGER@GMAIL.COM
63 Up HHHHH DIRECTOR: Michael Apted PLAYERS: Bruce Balden, Lynn Johnson, Nicholas Hitchon DOCUMENTARY RATED NR It’s a rare privilege to see humans grow from childhood to maturity, and one we typically only get with our own family members. For 55 years, the Up series has provided that intriguing opportunity with a set group of individuals, seen through the lens of a simple thesis – that a 7-yearold child already displays the character of who he or she will become. Every seven years beginning in 1964, documentary filmmaker Michael Apted (himself now 78) has explored this idea, layering it with a critique of the British class system and the way it influences people’s paths. It’s a fascinating takeoff point. It’s also bittersweet in 63 Up, as his former child subjects, now middle-aged, wrestle with their mortality and their regrets, reflecting on their lives with poignant vulnerability. I remember seeing two installments of the series (14 Up and 21 Up) during a high
THIS WEEK’S CONTRIBUTORS
Kristina Guckenberger
Ali McGhee
Ian Casselberry
school summer program, and while the earlier films are enthralling, they aren’t required viewing for the latest entry. In 63 Up, we meet the series’ 14 subjects one at a time and get to linger with each of them, even those who have dropped out or passed away, revisiting their earlier selves as the film knits past and present together to reveal both continuities and surprises. East Ender Tony, who dreamed of being a jockey at 7 but had to abandon the profession, has moved to a rural retirement community where he can visit horses every day. Lynn, who as a young adult expresses a desire never to have children, later has two of them, as well as a career as a beloved children’s librarian. Other characters face hard roads as they struggle through cancer diagnoses and mental illness. The film chronicles the passage of time through its participants but also through the medium itself as it moves from black-and-white interviews to grainy, then more vibrant, color. We mark each scene’s moment in time through such clues as film quality and fashion choices. In each segment, the person looks back on his or her life and to the road ahead, and also comments on how it feels to be in the Up series. Most complain about tabloid attention, and one astutely notes that the series has given his relationships and major life decisions “more intensity and focus.” In all of them, they reveal what one subject, Peter, refers to as “the tapestry of a lifetime.” Overall, the adults still relate to their 7-year-old selves, and they seem more or less content and hopeful about their remaining years. What a gift it is to spend a few hours with these wise people, who are not so different from us. Starts Dec. 25 at Grail Moviehouse REVIEWED BY ALI MCGHEE ALIMCGHEE@GMAIL.COM
Cats H DIRECTOR: Tom Hooper PLAYERS: Taylor Swift, Judi Dench, Idris Elba, Francesca Hayward MUSICAL/DRAMA RATED PG Those familiar with the stage production of Cats might enjoy seeing the musical adapted to film. Director Tom Hooper
(Les Misérables; The King’s Speech) tries admirably to bring the audience onto the stage and into the world of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical. Rather than watch from afar, viewers follow the feline ensemble through the alleys and the trash, jumping up on countertops, prowling underneath sinks and making abandoned theaters their playground. Yet the make-up and furry tight-suits of the stage production make an unsettling transition to the screen with digitally rendered fur, whiskers and tails. The sight of the cats is initially creepy with their human faces and, in the case of female characters, other bodily features. Some viewers might lose themselves in the performances and accept what they’re seeing. Others won’t get over how the cats look, which never quite seems right. (If you fall asleep early on, you might be shocked when you wake up and see Judi Dench as Old Deuteronomy and believe you’re dreaming about a new The Wizard of Oz with Dench as the Cowardly Lion.) Besides the troubling visual elements, the lack of a story is glaring. As you ponder what “jellicles” are, the narrative jumps from one musical number to another. Meet Victoria (Francesca Hayward). Hello, Jennyanydots (Rebel Wilson), dancing with mice and cockroaches! Go to a milk bar with Rum Tum Tugger (Jason Derulo)! Another fat cat, Bustopher Jones (James Corden), provides the most amusing performance. Old Gus the Theater Cat (Ian McKellen) slurps milk out of a bowl. There’s no chance to breathe. What narrative there is builds to a climax. The villain, Macavity (Idris Elba), lurks in the shadows before getting a showcase with Bombalurina (Taylor Swift) in a song composed for the film. Grizabella (Jennifer Hudson) is the one character who gets anything resembling a story, punctuated by the show’s signature song, “Memory.” The music of Cats might revive fond memories for anybody who has seen the show. Yet most everyone else will be left wondering what the hell they just watched. What works on stage doesn’t always work on screen. REVIEWED BY IAN CASSELBERRY IANCASS@GMAIL.COM
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker HHHHS DIRECTOR: J.J. Abrams PLAYERS: Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, John Boyega ACTION/ADVENTURE RATED PG-13
Edwin Arnaudin: After nine films spanning 42 years, we arrive at the (alleged) end of the episodic Star Wars saga. Is The Rise of Skywalker a fitting finale? Bruce Steele: It’s entirely fitting for the arc of this third and final trilogy. It’s entertaining, full of action, and hits the same beats as its two predecessors with regard to scope (always bigger!) and character development (never give up hope). I’m not sure it can be judged as a conclusion to the nine-film series since each trilogy seems to me to be self-contained in terms of its storytelling approach. Do you see a clearer 42-year cohesion than I do? Edwin: Apparently. Considering the degree to which the repercussions of Anakin Skywalker’s narrative remain unresolved this far into the series and how characters from both previous trilogies are still a, uh, force in Episode IX, director/co-writer J.J. Abrams’ concluding chapter ties up about every proverbial bow I could imagine. I’m as satisfied with his film as I was with The Return of the King way back in December 2003. Bruce: I’m satisfied, but only as it applies to this trilogy. While I’ve enjoyed this arc, starting with The
Force Awakens, it seems to me more of a spinoff from the original trilogy than a nine-episode climax. It’s a completion of itself, with some cameos of characters from the original trilogy and told within the same universe. But we’re splitting hairs, I think. Bottom line, this is a worthy entry in the Star Wars canon. Read the full review at ashevillemovies.com Now playing at Grail Moviehouse
Uncut Gems HHHHH DIRECTOR: Benny Safdie and Josh Safdie PLAYERS: Adam Sandler, Julia Fox, Kevin Garnett THRILLER RATED R Uncut Gems is a total knockout — both in that it’s a wallop of a film and may inspire a well-deserved nap afterwards, due to exhaustion shortly after the end credits roll. In an epic convergence of nailbiting tension and powerhouse performances, the 2012-set thriller from brothers Benny and Josh Safdie
(Good Time) features a career-best turn from Adam Sandler, who’s brilliant in uncharted territory that nevertheless feels like an apt fit for his talents. The Sandman stars as New York City jeweler Howard Ratner, a compulsive sports gambler up to his diamond-encrusted Furbys in debt. When his loan sharks all come calling at once, Howard concocts grand schemes and new elaborate bets to turn his fortunes around, apparently unsatisfied with the inherent danger of his already fraught situation. If his financial interests weren’t troublesome enough, Howard is also a wreck on the personal front. On the brink of divorce with his wife, Dinah (Idina Menzel), he keeps an elaborate apartment for his gorgeous mistress/ employee Julia (Julia Fox, magnetic in her feature film debut) — all part of a wild juggling act that’s a miracle to behold. Read the full review at ashevillemovies.com Starts Dec. 25 at the Fine Arts Theatre REVIEWED BY EDWIN ARNAUDIN EARNAUDIN@MOUNTAINX.COM
STARTING WEDNESDAY 63 Up (NR) HHHHH Little Women (PG) HHHHH (Pick of the Week) Uncut Gems (R) HHHHH JUST ANNOUNCED Spies in Disguise (PG) An animated action/comedy about an espionage gadget inventor (voiced by Tom Holland) thrust into the field when his agent friend (Will Smith) needs his help.
CURRENTLY IN THEATERS A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (PG-13) HHHH Black Christmas (PG-13) HS Bombshell (R) HHHH Cats (PG) H Fantastic Fungi (NR) HHHH Ford v Ferrari (PG-13) HHHHS Frozen II (PG) HHS Honey Boy (R) HHHHS Jumanji: The Next Level (PG-13) HHHS Knives Out (PG-13) HHHHH Parasite (R) HHHHH Queen & Slim (R) HHHHS Richard Jewell (R) HHHH Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (PG-13) HHHHS MOUNTAINX.COM
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FREEWILL ASTROLOGY ARIES (March 21-April 19): Nazi Germany invaded and occupied Denmark during World War II. In 1943, Hitler ordered all Danish Jews to be arrested — a first step in his plan to send them to concentration camps. But the Danish resistance movement leapt into action and smuggled virtually all of them to safety via fishing boats bound for Sweden. As a result, 8,000+ Danish Jews survived the Holocaust. You may not have the opportunity to do anything quite as heroic in 2020, Aries. But I expect you will have chances to express a high order of practical idealism that could be among your noblest and most valiant efforts ever. Draw inspiration from the Danish resistance. TAURUS (April 20-May 20): When she was 31, Taurus writer Charlotte Brontë finished writing her novel Jane Eyre. She guessed it would have a better chance of getting published if its author was thought to be a man. So she adopted the masculine pen name of Currer Bell and sent the manuscript unsolicited to a London publisher. Less than eight weeks later, her new book was in print. It quickly became a commercial success. I propose that we make Brontë one of your role models for 2020, Taurus. May she inspire you to be audacious in expressing yourself and confident in seeking the help you need to reach your goals. May she embolden you, too, to use ingenious stratagems to support your righteous cause. GEMINI (May 21-June 20): 2020 can and should be a lyrically healing year for you. Here’s what I mean: Beauty and grace will be curative. The “medicine” you need will come to you via poetic and mellifluous experiences. With this in mind, I encourage you to seek out encounters with the following remedies. 1. Truth Whimsies 2. Curiosity Breakthroughs 3. Delight Gambles 4. Sacred Amusements 4. Redemptive Synchronicities 5. Surprise Ripenings 6. Gleeful Discoveries 7. Epiphany Adventures 8. Enchantment Games 9. Elegance Eruptions 10. Intimacy Angels 11. Playful Salvation 12. Luminosity Spells CANCER (June 21-July 22): “There are years that ask questions and years that answer,” wrote author Zora Neale Hurston. According to my astrological analysis, Cancerian, 2020 is likely to be one of those years that asks questions, while 2021 will be a time when you’ll get rich and meaningful answers to the queries you’ll pose in 2020. To ensure that this plan works out for your maximum benefit, it’s essential that you formulate provocative questions in the coming months. At first, it’s fine if you generate too many. As the year progresses, you can whittle them down to the most ultimate and important questions. Get started! LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): The Roman Emperor Vespasian (9–79 AD) supervised the restoration of the Temple of Peace, the Temple of Claudius, and the Theater of Marcellus. He also built a huge statue of Apollo and the amphitheater now known as the Colosseum, whose magnificent ruins are still a major tourist attraction. Vespasian also created a less majestic but quite practical wonder: Rome’s first public urinals. In accordance with astrological omens, I invite you Leos to be stimulated by his example in 2020. Be your usual magnificent self as you generate both inspiring beauty and earthy, pragmatic improvements. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): When Virgo author Mary Shelley was 18 years old, she had a disconcerting dream-like vision about a mad chemist who created a weird human-like creature out of non-living matter. She set about to write a book based on her mirage. At age 20, she published Frankenstein, a novel that would ultimately wield a huge cultural influence and become a seminal work in the “science fiction” genre. I propose we make Shelley one of your role models for 2020. Why? Because I suspect that you, too, will have the power to transform a challenging event or influence into an important asset. You’ll be able to generate or attract a new source of energy by responding creatively to experiences that initially provoke anxiety.
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LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Libra-born mystic poet Rumi (1207–1273) wrote that he searched for holy sustenance and divine inspiration in temples, churches, and mosques—but couldn’t find them there. The good news? Because of his disappointment, he was motivated to go on an inner quest—and ultimately found holy sustenance and divine inspiration in his own heart. I’ve got a strong feeling that you’ll have similar experiences in 2020, Libra. Not on every occasion, but much of the time, you will discover the treasure you need and long for not in the outside world but rather in your own depths. SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Among his many accomplishments, Scorpio rapper Drake is an inventive rhymer. In his song “Diplomatic Immunity,” he rhymes “sacred temple” with “stencil.” Brilliant! Other rhymes: “statistics” with “ballistics”; “Treaty of Versailles” with “no cease and desist in I”; and — my favorite — “Al Jazeera” (the Qatar-based news source) with “Shakira” (the Colombian singer). According to my analysis of the astrological omens in 2020, many of you Scorpios will have Drake-style skill at mixing and blending seemingly disparate elements. I bet you’ll also be good at connecting influences that belong together but have never been able to combine before. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Sagittarian poet Rainer Maria Rilke (1875–1926) embodied a trait that many astrology textbooks suggest is common to the Sagittarian tribe: wanderlust. He was born in Prague but traveled widely throughout Europe and Russia. If there were a Guinness World Records’ category for “Time Spent as a Houseguest,” Rilke might hold it. There was a four-year period when he lived at 50 different addresses. I’m going to be bold here and hypothesize that 2020 will NOT be one of those years when you would benefit from being like Rilke. In fact, I hope you’ll seek out more stability and security than usual. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Fifteenth-century Italian metalworker Lorenzo Ghiberti worked for 28 years to turn the Doors of the Florence Baptistry into a massive work of art. He used bronze to create numerous scenes from the Bible. His fellow artist Michelangelo was so impressed that he said Ghiberti’s doors could have served as “The Gates of Paradise.” I offer Ghiberti as inspiration for your life in 2020, Capricorn. I think you’ll be capable of beginning a masterwork that could take quite some time to complete and serve as your very own “gate to paradise”: in other words, an engaging project and delightful accomplishment that will make you feel your life is eminently meaningful and worthwhile. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): You’re wise to cultivate a degree of skepticism and even contrariness. Like all of us, your abilities to say NO to detrimental influences and to criticize bad things are key to your mental health. On the other hand, it’s a smart idea to keep checking yourself for irrelevant, gratuitous skepticism and contrariness. You have a sacred duty to maintain just the amount you need, but no more—even as you foster a vigorous reservoir of receptivity, optimism, and generosity. And guess what? 2020 will be an excellent time to make this one of your cornerstone habits. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Dante Alighieri (1265–1321) finished writing The Divine Comedy in 1320. Today it’s considered one of the supreme literary accomplishments in the Italian language and a classic of world literature. But no one ever read the entire work in the English language until 1802, when it was translated for the first time. Let’s invoke this as a metaphor for your life in the coming months, Pisces. According to my visions, a resource or influence that has previously been inaccessible to you will finally arrive in a form you can understand and use. Some wisdom that has been untranslatable or unreadable will at last be available.
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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 landrews@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 SERVICES LANDSCAPING TREE AND SHRUB REMOVAL SERVICE 30 years experience in cutting trees in people's yards in Asheville and WNC. • Free quotes. Call Eddy Kieffer: 684-7151.
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EMPLOYMENT GENERAL FULL-TIME POLICE OFFICER A-B Tech is currently taking applications for a Full-Time position Police Officer. For more details and to apply: http:// abtcc.peopleadmin.com/ postings/5266 LIFE GUARDS FOR ASHEVILLE JCC YEAR-ROUND POOL The Asheville Jewish Community Center is seeking Certified Lifeguards. Our state-of-the-art facility offers a 6-lane, 25-yard competition indoor/outdoor pool with the only one-meter spring board diving board in WNC. https://www.jccasheville.org/employment/ certified-lifeguard/ 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
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HUMAN SERVICES DIRECTOR - FULL TIME Journeymen Asheville is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization offering group mentoring and rites of passage to adolescent boys ages 12-17. Our program is based in that simple and organic process of personal relationship development among individuals— it is not therapeutic, clinical, political or advocacy-based. Journeymen follows a group mentoring approach based on Listening, Accepting, Modeling and Blessing. The Director will roughly spend 1/3 of his time in each of the following areas: 1) Delivering direct programming services 2) Program administration and development and 3) Fundraising, donor development and communications. Required Qualifications include: -Minimum education Bachelor Degree -2+ years of experience working with adolescent boys in mentoring, instructing, teaching or counseling capacity. Must have ability to work from home—computer, internet access. Must have reliable transportation. Willing and able to work two evenings each week (until 9 PM) and one weekend day each month (4-6 hour daytime activities.) Willing and able to staff 4 day, 3 night Rites Of Passage Adventure Weekend, twice per year. Compensation: $43-$48K dependent on experience. Application deadline: January 17, 2020. To apply, please visit: journeymenasheville.org/ job-openings.
children’s lives through mentoring and supportive services in Western North Carolina. See www.bbbswnc.org Executive Director Land of Sky Regional Council, a nationally recognized regional development and human services council of governments, is seeking an innovative, seasoned professional to serve as its next Executive Director. Land of Sky, headquartered in Asheville, North Carolina, serves Buncombe, Henderson, Madison, and Transylvania Counties as well as 15 municipalities in those counties. The Council is seeking a candidate with outstanding leadership, management, analytical, and communication skills. For more information about the position, Land of Sky Regional Council, and how to apply, please visit www.landofsky. org/executivedirector. Land of Sky Regional Council is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All aspects of employment, including the decision to hire, promote, discipline or discharge, will be based on merit, competence, performance, and organizational needs. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy, status as a parent, national origin, age, disability (physical or mental), family medical history or genetic information, military service, or any other status protected under federal, state or local law.
TEACHING/ EDUCATION Rainbow Community School Seeks Division Head To oversee operations for the K-5 Division and contribute to a safe, inclusive, and dynamic culture. For details, requirements, and application visit rainbowcommunityschool. org ADJUNCT PART-TIME POSITION Adjunct Veterinarian Instructor, Veterinary Technology For more details and to apply: https:// abtcc.peopleadmin.com/ postings/5289 ADJUNCT PART-TIME POSITION Lab Assistant Instructor, Small Animal Clinical. For more details and to apply: https://abtcc.peopleadmin. com/postings/5290
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EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Big Brothers Big Sisters of WNC seeks a visionary Executive Director with demonstrated fundraising success to lead the organization and build on its mission to: transform
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4 Scores worth six pts. 7 Grates, as a lemon
12 Take the risk 15 Pricey bars 17 Spanish greeting
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Art Therapist, Earth Centered Interfaith Peace Minister), at 828.768.0477, or at swarren28806@gmail. com. PS: Sacred Healing Circles beginning in 2020. I look forward to connecting with each of you. Peace and Gratitude to all.
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SPIRITUAL HE'S KNOWN AS THE CHRIST, THE BODHISATTVA, THE IMAM MAHDI, MAITREYA BUDDHA, ETC. He is inspiring major, benevolent, world changes. He loves everyone, & won't send anyone to hell. We'll all see Him shortly after the collapse of the corrupt world economic system. Learn more: www. share-international.org
edited by Will Shortz 18 Stadium cheer 19 “Fiddler on the Roof ” star 20 Light: Sp. 22 ___ Fridays 23 2018 blockbuster film based on a Marvel comic 28 “TMI!” 31 Time for a trip to Cabo San Lucas or Miami Beach 32 Oohs’ counterparts 34 III, to Jr., say 35 High-level math, informally 36 Its license plates say “Life Elevated” 37 Attraction in Bay Lake, Fla. 40 Hand, informally 42 Latin list ender 44 “___ Believer” 45 Wine ___ 46 Bring about 50 Baseball stat that’s better when it’s lower 51 Sturdier alternative to a cardboard box 53 Lair 54 ___-de-sac
puzzle by Erik Agard 55 German philosopher Georg 59 Sheep 62 Latin American pastry 65 Give ownership of 66 Long fish with a row of barbs 67 Boston airport 68 Ticklee’s syllable 69 Actress Ortiz
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1 No. at an insurance agency 2 When repeated, a toy train 3 Press (down) 4 Immune system protectors 5 Bleu ___ Causses (French cheese) 6 Command before “Shake!” 7 Shape of a lightning bolt 8 Composer Brian 9 Police dept. member 10 Follow directions
No. 1120
11 Laurence Olivier, notably 13 Tyro, in modern parlance 14 Argue repetitively … with a hint to this puzzle’s theme 16 Self-satisfied smile 21 Old TV channel that aired “Moesha” 24 Church part that sounds like what you might have on your smartphone 25 Wheat or soybeans 26 “This Is Us” network 27 Cable cars 28 What fills un lac 29 What rises and falls in a lake 30 Question from a helpful person (or a helpless one) 33 Bygone leaders 38 Actor Dorsey of TV’s “Queen Sugar”
39 Line out the door? 41 Abbr. meaning “We’ll fill this slot in later” 43 Wimbledon call 46 Nonfiction film with a point of view, in brief 47 Sends after 48 Lone Star State sch. 49 Gas that’s a man’s name + E
52 “___, meeny …” 56 Greek earth goddess 57 Biblical paradise 58 In ___ land 60 Below zero: Abbr. 61 Athenian vowel 63 Dashboard stat: Abbr. 64 Chart shape
ANSWER TO PREVIOUS NY TIMES PUZZLE
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