Mountain Xpress 11.24.21 by Mountain Xpress

OUR 28TH YEAR OF WEEKLY INDEPENDENT NEWS, ARTS & EVENTS FOR WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA VOL. 28 NO. 17 NOV. 24-30, 2021

C O NT E NT S

FEATURES

PAGE 6

WELLNESS

ARCHIVES

FEATURE

NEWS

ROAD TO GLORY 10 LET IT SHINE (LESS) WNC wrestles with light pollution

16 Q&A WITH FRED MCCORMICK The Valley Echo editor forges his own path for Black Mountain news

19 ‘NEWLY ACQUIRED TASTE’ Local beer sales spike in the aftermath of Prohibition, 1933

From April to September, Asheville Tourists baseball players call McCormick Field home, entertaining spirited fans while pursuing dreams of making their way to the major leagues. But what happens when the season ends? COVER PHOTO Tony Farlow COVER DESIGN Ele Annand

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6 NEWS 14 BUNCOMBE BEAT

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22 WELLNESS 24 ARTS & CULTURE

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38 CLASSIFIEDS 39 NY TIMES CROSSWORD

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ASSISTANT EDITOR: Daniel Walton ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR: Thomas Calder OPINION EDITOR: Tracy Rose STAFF REPORTERS: Able Allen, Edwin Arnaudin, Thomas Calder, Justin McGuire, Brooke Randle, Jessica Wakeman, Daniel Walton

CONTRIBUTING EDITORS: Peter Gregutt, Rob Mikulak

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EDITOR: Thomas Calder

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34 CLUBLAND

29 METER AND DIME Local poet shares insights on the world of self-publishing

ASSISTANT TO THE PUBLISHER: Susan Hutchinson

CARTOON: IRENE OLDS

20 COMMUNITY CALENDAR 24 FIRST EDITION Patti Fertel’s book sculptures featured in new Pink Dog exhibition

PUBLISHER & EDITOR: Jeff Fobes

COMMUNITY CALENDAR & CLUBLAND: Justin McGuire, Andy Hall

22 LOCKED AND UNLOADED Gun safety measures seek to reduce suicides

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OPINION

Send your letters to the editor to letters@mountainx.com.

Young people can’t afford Asheville Asheville’s housing is completely unaffordable to those who wish to start a life here, with starting rent prices with utilities effectively starting at $1,200 within the metro area, and with median individual wages at roughly $30,000, it is simply impossible for young people to feasibly consider staying in Asheville as independent individuals. The simple solution to this issue of housing prices would be to build new houses. Every person knows price equals supply and demand, so if there is high demand, such as in Asheville, to create affordable housing, there has to be an increase in supply. It’s infuriating to see so many people complain about lack of affordable housing and then in the same conversation oppose new developments. We simply cannot have both. I’ve lived in Asheville for three years as a young person (in my 20s), and unless things change soon, I’ll leave this beautiful town soon for greener pastures, leaving this place to the retirees and snowbirds who can afford it. — Jeremiah Blake Asheville

Everyone deserves housing I am feeling upset, mad, frustrated and disappointed with Asheville’s city and county government as I write this tonight as well as all of the local churches. There’s a Code Purple for tonight (Saturday, Nov. 13), meaning the temperature is expected to be below freezing (down to 27 F, according to my weather app), and no government nor church officials are opening up any of their buildings or churches tonight to allow homeless people to come in from the cold and not risk freezing to death, with other shelters being full and/or inaccessible (according to local news channel WLOS). I came through downtown Asheville earlier, and Pritchard Park had a handful of homeless people already zipped up in their sleeping bags on the ground/concrete for the night, including an individual’s personal tent set up across from the park beside an empty bank building. Last winter, at times, they even allowed some homeless people to sleep in the hallway of the civic center due to the pandemic. If they did that then, surely they can do it now also, at the very least on Code Purple nights. And churches have no excuse not to provide shelter to those in need, especially on a cold night like

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C A R T O O N B Y R AN DY M O L T O N this. There are a ton of churches just in the downtown area that together could easily accommodate all the people downtown who are out trying to sleep in the freezing cold. Someone with the authority to use these buildings and churches needs to do something! — Lisa Brennan Asheville

Place public safety ahead of revenue Please shut down Harrah’s Cherokee Center – Asheville until such time as mask mandates are no longer in effect. On Friday, Oct. 29, I attended a sold-out concert at Harrah’s Center because face masks and proof of vaccination or negative COVID-19 test were required. I was surprised when I attended the concert that the vast majority of 6,500 people in attendance

were not wearing face masks, and the city-owned venue is unable to enforce a face-mask requirement indoors. In fact, their announcement just prior to the concert commencing was that face masks are strongly encouraged. I emailed our City Council members to ask if they had made the change from face masks required to strongly encouraged, and I am still waiting for a reply. Furthermore I added: Are you aware of this, and if so, what will or can you do about it? I urge you to place public safely ahead of revenue needs and not resume events at Harrah’s Center until mask mandates are no longer in effect. Their website should have a disclaimer for all of our protection to the effect of: “While masks are required for indoor activities, the city of Asheville is unable to enforce this mandate at Harrah’s Center. Please enter at your

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OPINION

Send your letters to the editor to letters@mountainx.com.

own risk and agree to hold Harrah’s and the city harmless in the event of COVID-19 illness or death.” Perhaps a line as well agreeing: “In the event of death from attending an event at the venue, my successors or heirs will also hold them harmless.” — Ian Rudick Asheville Editor’s note: Xpress contacted city spokesperson Polly McDaniel with a summary of the letter writer’s points, and we received the following response: “The city of Asheville, including Harrah’s Cherokee Center, has worked closely with Buncombe County Public Health to follow each federal, state and local mandate. Staff at the entrance ensure that each person is wearing a mask and either has proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test. The mask requirement is posted throughout the building and is stated in an email to attendees and on social media. Buncombe County and the city of Asheville encourage everyone to get vaccinated, as it is the No. 1 tool to fight against COVID-19, followed by regular testing and masks.”

Looking for safeguards in Woodfin

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There’s a saying that perception is reality. And fair or not, it often holds true. For years, the town of Woodfin has been perceived to be operating in secrecy, shutting out the public, changing ordinances to favor developers over taxpayers. In the past year, I’ve heard many locals suggest there should be an investigation to see if any elected officials have conflicts of interest or have reaped personal gain. When you ignore your

constituents, all sorts of rumors (true or false) tend to swirl about. I am one of a handful of concerned citizens who has been asking for answers about the proposed Bluffs development for nearly a year. After all this time, we have not been given any assurances from Woodfin officials or staff that they will take any steps to safeguard our community, the French Broad River, Richmond Hill Park, Silver-Line Park or the quality of life of people who have invested decades and significant amounts of money to carve out lives and homes. On Nov. 2, the public made their voices heard loud and clear at the polls. Commissioners-elect Eric Edgerton, Jim McAllister and Hazel Thornton defeated three Woodfin incumbents in landslide victories that came about largely due to all that I’ve mentioned above. The town of Woodfin has obfuscated when it should have been more honest and clear. It should have made a concerted effort to protect the environment and the people; it should have responded to our questions and concerns rather than saying our well-founded questions backed up by facts were merely conjecture. I have repeatedly asked that two very reasonable sentences be added to Woodfin’s zoning ordinances, and I wish to state them publicly here: • Require environmental studies for all projects over a certain size that border — or that will have significant potential runoff — into the French Broad River or its tributaries. • Require a traffic study for all large projects regardless of what the developer estimates the traffic to be.

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NOV. 24-30, 2021

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Donate to Give!Local to keep funds in region With the time here once again for the Give!Local program, which runs Nov. 1-Dec. 31, I would like to call out to everyone how important this program is for the western mountain area. I have always donated to charities that were close to my heart, and they were all national programs. Then I started to research where all the funding went, and I was shocked to see that a lot of big, national programs had a lot of money going to advertising and bureaucracy, an extraordinary amount going to pay the president’s or chairman’s salaries! Four hundred thousand dollars to a certain one that I was giving to and many others well over $100,000. Then after moving to AVL several years ago, I decided to look into the local charities and found that all of the monies raised go to actually helping the subject of the charity. So I ask you all now to give generously to whatever local charity that piques your interests, be it wild animals, humanitarian reform, the environment or our beloved pets. I myself am also a volunteer with the Wild for Life Raptor Rehabilitation Center, which deals with rehabbing injured or orphaned hawks, owls, vultures and even some songbirds. These organizations also need, besides monetary help, volunteering help. Check out wildforlife. org for more information. And let’s donate to Give!Local and keep our funds in our region. — Bern Sroka Asheville

Thanks for spotlighting animal adoption agencies

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As any reasonable, forward-thinking human can see, my requests have nothing to do with NIMBYism or any of the derogatory statements often bandied about when locals oppose development. My desire to protect the river and my fellow citizens stems simply from caring and common sense. — Robert McGee Asheville

C A R T O O N B Y I R E N E O L DS

Thank you for shining the light on animal adoption agencies [“Pandemic Perplexity: How Local Animal Shelters Are Surviving COVID,” Nov. 10, Xpress]. What a thrill to find brothers Roy and Rudi on the Xpress cover! I was privileged to foster them. They were adopted together. For the past year, I’ve been fostering for the Blue Ridge Humane

CARTOON BY BRENT BROWN Society — a bittersweet experience with rewards that far outweigh the challenges. I’m proud to be part of the solution for 24 kittens and counting. — Patricia Darcy Hendersonville

On conflicts of interest [Regarding: Buncombe Proposes Overhauling Conflict of Interest Policy," Oct. 30, Xpress:] While I did not read the entire document [avl.mx/auj], the beginning that describes gifts, favors and outside employment seems pretty straightforward. It is always up to the official/s who have the authority and the responsibility to enforce the rule to simply enforce the established rule! We get ourselves into so much back-and-forth — from everyday experiences to work-related experiences to city government to national government — when we only have to follow and enforce the existing rules! — Reuben DeJernette Asheville

A Navy vet’s thoughts about Veterans Day If half the money and energy that is spent putting American flags on

graves was spent on helping living veterans, we would live a lot longer. Both the media and the public love covering and actually putting the American flag on our graves every Veterans Day, while so many living veterans are alone or homeless or both. Both of them do this every year because it makes them feel good, especially politicians who want to get reelected. Meanwhile, many veterans are on the street or at home by themselves thinking about how hungry or in pain from isolation and injuries they are (avl.mx/auh). Asheville has a very large number of homeless vets, and if you don’t believe this, just ask the VA or BeLoved Asheville and the rescue mission. By the way, God bless the charities and the VA employees who help us every day. I am not saying don’t honor us with the flags after we are gone, but do something to help us living veterans as well. — John Penley U.S. Navy Air Traffic Controller Petty Officer Second Class,1972-76 Las Vegas

Help support Alzheimer’s care act With the recent rise in COVID-19 cases, it is more important than ever that Congress supports those living with Alzheimer’s and dementia. As research suggests that COVID-19 may be associated with long-term cognitive dysfunction, care for those with dementia is more crucial than ever. The number of people with this disease in North Carolina is expected to rise to 210,000 by 2025. This will pose a tremendous burden on family members who provide unmatched care for people with dementia at the expense of their own health. My grandfather suffered from dementia, and I have witnessed the intense physical, mental, emotional and financial toll it can take on close family members. However, congressional support of the Comprehensive Care for Alzheimer’s Act (S.1125/ H.R.2517) can play a crucial role in widening access to quality care for Alzheimer’s and dementia patients

through reducing costs and easing the challenges of caregivers. This act will help provide services such as the development of a dementia care plan, care coordination, navigation, education and support, which will be extremely beneficial to caregivers. Please join me and the Alzheimer’s Association in the appeal to U.S. Sen. Richard Burr to co-sponsor the Comprehensive Care for Alzheimer’s Act. This small act of support can make a huge difference in the families and lives of those who are fighting this disease. Please use your voice to reach out to the senator’s office today! — Radita B Shams Greensboro

NOW! Give online to

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Editor’s note Due to changing health recommendations related to COVID-19, readers are encouraged to check with individual businesses for the latest updates concerning upcoming events.

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NOV. 24-30, 2021

NEWS

Road to glory

Asheville Tourists players pursue big league dreams in offseason

A CUT ABOVE: Asheville Tourists shortstop Shay Whitcomb takes a swing at McCormick Field in August, shortly after being promoted from the Low-A Fayetteville Woodpeckers. Photo by Tony Farlow, courtesy of the Asheville Tourists

BY EDWIN ARNAUDIN earnaudin@mountainx.com From April to September, Asheville Tourists baseball players call McCormick Field home, entertaining spirited fans while pursuing dreams of making their way to the major leagues. But what happens when the season ends? While the Tourists’ front-office staff remains busy on the local front, planning for the next season and making improvements to the 97-yearold minor league ballpark, the players head off in different directions, focused on staying in shape and improving their skills in hopes of continuing their upward trajectory. As players count the days until Feb. 14 — the day pitchers and catchers report to spring training — Xpress spoke with two Tourists from the 2021 season about their time in Asheville, their plans for the winter months and how the minor league 6

NOV. 24-30, 2021

experience isn’t as glamorous as it may seem.

STARS OF TOMORROW

Part of the Tourists’ opening day roster, outfielder Alex McKenna was a three-sport athlete at Bishop Alemany High School in Los Angeles but focused on baseball over football and basketball his senior year. At California Polytechnic State University — which has produced a number of major league players, including Seattle Mariners right fielder Mitch Haniger — McKenna says coach Larry Lee taught him “how to play the right way, play the game hard, play to win and be a good teammate,” lessons that he’s carried with him into professional baseball. The Houston Astros, of which the Tourists are the High-A affiliate, selected McKenna in the fourth round of the 2018 draft. Although he feels he had “a great pro debut”

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in 2018 with the Tri-City ValleyCats and Quad Cities River Bandits, the following season with Quad Cities found him battling injuries. “I realized I needed to dedicate more of my time into getting physically stronger and learning more about what that entails with nutrition, and even learning more about the game at this level,” McKenna says. “But I think all that adversity that I went through in ’19 set me up for this season, and then with COVID, and baseball being taken away from us for a year, it gave me lot of time to reflect. And I felt like I reinvented myself going into ’21.” McKenna’s refocused mindset paid off: In 41 games for the Tourists, he carried a .305 batting average with 13 home runs and 8 stolen bases — numbers that garnered a midseason promotion to the Double-A Corpus Christi Hooks. Fellow California native Shay Whitcomb played shortstop for

University of California San Diego. While he says it’s difficult to get drafted as a position player from a Division II school, his 2019 season in the collegiate summer Cape Cod League elevated his baseball standards and impressed major league scouts, resulting in the Astros selecting him in the fifth round of the 2020 draft. Though Whitcomb says not getting to play in the COVID-canceled 2020 season was “anticlimactic,” he was able to dedicate that time to training and emerged extra motivated at the start of the season with the Low-A Fayetteville Woodpeckers. His performance earned him a midseason promotion to Asheville, where he hit .300 with 16 home runs and Tourists season highs of 22 doubles and 16 stolen bases — especially impressive numbers for only 58 games played.

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N EWS That type of quick advancement isn’t necessarily the norm across minor league baseball. “Players move a lot more in the Astros’ organization than other orgs,” Whitcomb says. “When people play well, they move them. There’s no point in keeping them at the same level.” Though they each only spent half a season in Asheville, McKenna and Whitcomb both consider McCormick Field one of the best places they’ve played on their baseball journeys. From unusually strong fan support to a higher elevation that allows the ball to fly a little farther, their time in Western North Carolina made the minor league grind that much easier. “Sometimes you get on a bus on a Friday, and it’s 14-15 hours to the next destination, then you play the next day. And obviously we don’t make nearly the amount of money that big leaguers make,” McKenna says, noting that he gratefully receives financial support from his parents. “But I try to view it as a positive because it just keeps you hungry to accomplish the next thing and try to get to the ultimate thing, which is the big leagues.” The current minimum weekly salary for Class-A players is $500 ($12,000 for a six-month season) and $600 for Double-A ($14,400/season); the 2021 minimum salary for major league players is $570,500 per year. Teams have historically not provided housing assistance for players, but with pandemic restrictions limiting the number of roommates and the involvement of host families for the 2021 season, the Astros became the first major league team to pay for furnished apartments for all of their minor league players. The move has since prompted Major League Baseball to require all teams to provide housing for their minor leaguers beginning in the 2022 season.

ON THE MOVE

When the season ends in September, players pack up their lockers after the final game and usually leave town that night or the following morning. “It’s been a long season. It’s typically 140 games, so they’re ready to get out and see friends and see family,” says Doug Maurer, director of broadcast and media relations for the Tourists. “They’re basically out of town no more than 48 hours after the season ends, and we typically won’t see them again unless they are reassigned to Asheville the following year. That’s certainly possible, but their goal is to move up.” Upward of 50 players from across the Astros’ minor league system are 8

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GOING, GOING, GONE: Tourists outfielder Alex McKenna began the season in Asheville, then was promoted to the Astros’ Double-A team in Corpus Christi, Texas. Photo by Tony Farlow/Asheville Tourists then picked for Instructional League at the team’s training complex in Florida, where they work directly with coaches and player development staff for two weeks to improve their skills. Maurer says “Instructs” is a prestigious invitation for players but that the Arizona Fall League is even more noteworthy. There, each major league team selects six or seven players from across their minor league affiliates, who are then combined with prospects from four other teams to form a squad. “That’s typically going to be your top prospects, or your guys who you have a feeling have an opportunity to be really good in the major leagues,” Maurer says. “It’s another opportunity for guys to be able to play against top competition and have some of the top coaching.” The remaining players typically return to their hometowns, where it’s their own responsibility to keep up their conditioning. Maurer says some reunite with personal coaches that they’ve worked with since high school; to cover those and other expenses in lieu of an in-season salary, many players get part-time jobs. One popular option is teaching baseball clinics and offering one-on-one lessons to aspiring young players in their hometowns. Latin American players, which Maurer estimates comprised 40% of the Tourists’ roster in 2021, usually head home as well — often to topnotch facilities built and operated by the organization. He notes that the Astros have a complex in the Dominican Republic where players

can train and receive help from team employees. “It gives them some extra support where they may not necessarily have a gym at every corner that they could go and work out,” Maurer says. “It’s got fields, bullpen mounds, a weight room, a cafeteria — guys can take advantage of that.”

REGROUP AND REFOCUS

McKenna has been to Instructs multiple times, followed by training at the P3: Sports Science performance facility in Santa Barbara, Calif., but is taking a different route this offseason. After spending a few weeks at home, he and his girlfriend relocated to Scottsdale, Ariz., where he’s training at PUSH Performance, a private gym unaffiliated with Major League Baseball, alongside fellow minor league players. Several big leaguers also use PUSH facilities, including pitchers Logan Webb (San Francisco Giants), Zach Plesac (Cleveland Guardians) and free agent Kevin Gausman, who made the 2021 National League All-Star Team as a member of the Giants. “It’s awesome to have guys in there that are working toward the same

MR. CONSISTENCY: Asheville first baseman Scott Schreiber holds the runner near the bag. The University of Nebraska product’s .319 batting average led the 2021 Tourists. Photo by Tony Farlow/Asheville Tourists thing that you are, because unless you play minor league baseball, no one really understands the journey and the stuff that we go through on a day-to-day basis,” McKenna says. “And the major league guys have been in our shoes and understand

what it takes and the sacrifices you have to make to try and make your dream come true.” Meanwhile, Whitcomb was invited to Instructs for the second consecutive year. “It was really nice to get a little recap of the season, and they

send you on your way to the offseason with some things to work on and keep in mind,” he says. “Then I took about two weeks off and started to get back into my routines of hitting and throwing and lifting every day.” Whitcomb trains four or five times per week at EXOS Athletic Training in San Diego, fees for which are covered by the sports agency that represents him. Although Whitcomb will work a few baseball camps this offseason, he and McKenna feel fortunate not to have to seek additional employment this winter, allowing them to focus solely on baseball as they await word of where they’ll be in the spring. Both players hope that will include an invitation to a major league training camp. “There’s a lot of things that go into that — what you did in the previous season and age as well. I’m 24 now, so I’m definitely not old by any means, but kind of in that middle zone where they want to see what you’ve got and if you can compete at that level,” McKenna says. “It’s all out of my control, and whatever they decide to do is what they decide to do. But I’m going to try to do everything I can to be ready if that opportunity comes.” X

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NOV. 24-30, 2021

NEWS

Let it shine (less)

WNC wrestles with light pollution

BY SARA MURPHY hello@saramurphyphd.com When Lakeside Produce opened its 15-acre greenhouse in Mills River in July 2020, the facility’s owners and local leaders alike touted its environmental friendliness. The tomatoes grown there require roughly 15 times less water than those grown in traditional fields, and both water reuse and carbon capture systems are in place for more efficient operations. Despite these measures, however, Lakeside Produce contributed to a different kind of greenhouse effect. On Oct. 1, the facility’s neighbors were disturbed when they saw its grow lights coloring the cloudy night sky a hazy orange-yellow. “It was like an amber coral glow in the northern sky,” recalls Patricia Gearity, who saw the light from her home approximately 3 miles away. “I’ve never seen anything like that before.” Driving home at 10 p.m., Mills River resident Susan Sauer stopped near the Mills River Brewing Co., about a mile away, to take a photograph. “It was horrible!” she says with a wry laugh. The sight affected her so much that she drove by Lakeside Produce to investigate and noticed that a portion of the curtains used to reduce the brightness of the greenhouse was not in place. Sauer posted her pictures on the Nextdoor social network, asking, “Is this OK with you?” For Gearity, Sauer and other residents who chimed in on Nextdoor from Horse Shoe, Haywood Knolls, Dogwood Forest and other neighborhoods, the situation was decidedly not OK. Mills River, they felt, had a light pollution problem. Defined by the International DarkSky Association as “the inappropriate

MARMALADE SKIES: The glow from Lakeside Produce’s greenhouse turned the clouds above Mills River a yellowish orange Oct. 1. Photo by Susan Sauer or excessive use of artificial light,” light pollution impacts more than 99% of the U.S. population. Beyond being an inconvenience for stargazers and a danger to nocturnal animals, too much of the wrong kind of light can cause night blindness and disrupt circadian rhythms. In 2016, the American Medical Association issued a statement advocating for lower-intensity LED streetlights based on those health impacts.

In recent years, many cities and counties nationwide have adopted outdoor lighting ordinances to limit the negative effects of light pollution. Neither Mills River nor Henderson County is among them, nor does either have plans to introduce any in the near future. “I don’t want people to think we’re just turning all the lights off,” says Astronomy Club of Asheville advisory board member Bernard Arghiere, who worked closely on the outdoor lighting ordinances passed in Asheville and Buncombe County in 2012. “Outdoor lighting is much more than just protecting night skies. … The primary function is safety.”

SHADES OF GREEN

With the notable exception of the IDA-certified dark sky park at the Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute in Transylvania County — one of only two such facilities in the state — few skies in Western North Carolina are untouched by light pollution. Most of the region scores around a 3 or 4 on 10

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the Bortle Scale, in which 1 is complete darkness and 9 is the Las Vegas Strip, the brightest spot on the planet. Central Asheville can get as high as a 6, while Mills River is usually a 4. On a cloudy night when greenhouse lights are on, the sky above Mills River brightens significantly. Nevertheless, says Mark Williams, “Local growers have generally gone above and beyond what is legally required.” Williams is the executive director of Agribusiness Henderson County, a Hendersonvillebased nonprofit dedicated to growing the agricultural sector. He points out that Lakeside Produce planned to install curtains as the company developed the greenhouse; Van Wingerden International, also in Mills River, has used grow lights at night for 30 years without, to his knowledge, community pushback. “Free sunlight is preferred,” Williams says, but supplemental lighting is crucial during darker months and cloudy evenings to meet consumer demand, extend the growing season and make this form of agriculture economically viable. “Greenhouse production includes light, and even with best efforts to

reduce it, some still exists,” Williams says. “Benefits, on the other hand, are many — fresh, local, safe supply of food/plants; lower water and chemical usage; less transportation; jobs and tax revenues for county services.” When asked specifically about the light issue in Mills River Oct. 1, Lakeside Produce spokesperson Jelena Dereta explained via email that a mechanical malfunction delayed the closing of the curtains when the lights came on around sunset. She said that Lakeside uses “industry leading” curtains that result in 90% light blockage. Dereta emphasized that members of the company’s head office visit the area twice a week and would gladly sit down with residents to discuss any concerns over light pollution. “Being a good neighbor is extremely important to us,” she stressed. “I don’t want to bash the greenhouses,” Sauer says, noting that she worked at the Van Wingerden facility when she first moved to the area in 2000. “I know you can’t take away all the light.” Still, she says she misses the night sky that partly inspired her move to Mills River from Hendersonville. “My friends would come over, and we’d ‘ooh’ and ‘ahh’ on the stars and how amazing the night sky was here,” Sauer says. “It’s very few and far between that we get a really nice night sky here anymore.”

LESS IS MORE

In more urban areas such as Asheville, streetlights outshine greenhouses as a source of light pollution.

While conventional wisdom suggests that more light leads to better nighttime vision, that’s not always the case. As Paul Bogard notes in his 2013 book The End of Night: Searching for Natural Darkness in an Age of Artificial Light, humans see best under focused light that shines directly onto an object, maximizing contrast with a dark background while minimizing light going directly into the eye. One way to preserve this contrast is to install shielded lights known as cutoffs or full cutoffs. These designs focus beams downward, in contrast with the more common “cobra heads” that scatter light in all directions. Both Asheville and Buncombe County require most new outdoor lights to adhere to these standards, with the exemption of those in “historical” areas like Biltmore Village. While the 2016 AMA statement on the health impact of outdoor lights briefly mentions shielding, it primarily focuses on correlated color temperature, or CCT. This metric, expressed using the Kelvin scale, indicates the temperature to which a black object would have to be heated to emit a certain type of light: The icily bright blue of some LED streetlights, for example, ranges from about 5,700 to 7,000 K, while the warm orange hues of sunset are roughly 1,850 K. In 2012, when the Asheville and Buncombe County ordinances were enacted, 4,100 K was the lowest CCT readily available for streetlights. According to Arghiere, the city original-

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LIGHT SHOW: The Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute in Transylvania County, one of only two internationally certified dark sky parks in North Carolina, is one of the region’s best places to see the Milky Way unimpeded by light pollution. Photo courtesy of PARI ly planned to set its upper CCT limit at 5,200 K until he intervened; the current limit for both the city and the county is 4,300 K. In 2016, however, the AMA recommended a CCT no higher than 3,000 K, pointing to studies showing correlations between exposure to highCCT streetlights and poor sleep, obesity and even cancer. (Lighting industry bodies disputed the findings.) “The No. 1 complaint from people in the city of Asheville is that those LED lights are extremely harsh. They’re glaring and they can cause night blindness,” Arghiere says. Once the AMA statement came out, Arghiere presented the findings to the city’s Sustainability Advisory Committee on Energy and the Environment. In a subsequent memo from March 2017, the committee recommended that City Council adopt the lower CCT as the new threshold, but no formal action has been taken. According to Amber Weaver, the city’s chief sustainability officer, the 3,000 K recommendation is part of ongoing discussions with Duke Energy about over 9,000 streetlights owned and operated by the city. “Over the last couple of years, the city has been working with the utility to address upgrading LED fixtures as well as lowering the Kelvin temperature,” she wrote in an email to Xpress. Duke Energy has already installed some 3,000 K lights in WNC, replacing

approximately 700 non-LED fixtures in Brevard in 2020. “They were pretty amenable to it,” recalls Jim Hardy, who participated in negotiations to get the lower CCT lights in 2018 as vice chair of the Pisgah Group of the Sierra Club. While Hardy does not see the Brevard lights on a nightly basis from his home in Pisgah Forest, many residents have told him that they appreciate their warmer, yellower color. “I’ve had several people mention to me how much more friendly the lighting is in Brevard now,” he says. Hardy also appreciates how shielded, lower-CCT LEDs can mitigate artificial light’s effects on humans and animals. Light pollution affects insects’ abilities to find food and reproduce, thereby contributing to mass declines of insect populations worldwide. Excess light also increases birds’ likelihood of colliding with buildings, especially during migration periods; one study conducted in Chicago estimates that halving nighttime lights could reduce bird deaths by as much as 60%. Cities as varied as Los Angeles, Denver, Pittsburgh, Tucson, Ariz., Portland, Maine and Gloucester, Mass. have all instituted lower CCT lights. Arghiere feels it’s time for Asheville to do the same. “This is not a maverick move,” he says. X

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BUNCOMBE BEAT

Low-barrier shelter not funded by Buncombe board The Buncombe County Board of Commissioners made its largest round of awards from federal COVID-19 recovery funds to date Nov. 16: over $11 million, divided among 17 local nonprofits and county government projects. The biggest single award, nearly $2.55 million, went to Mountain Housing Opportunities to finance affordable rental units; Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity got $1.6 million to install roads and other infrastructure at new affordable housing developments. Not on the list was a controversial low-barrier homeless shelter proposed by the city of Asheville for a Ramada Inn in East Asheville. The city went under contract to purchase the property earlier this year, although Asheville City Council delayed a vote, initially planned for Aug. 24, to allocate $9.75 million for the project. Emily Ball, the city’s homeless services systems lead, had requested roughly $9.2 million in Buncombe support for the shelter. In her application to the county, Ball said that about $4.88 million of those funds would go toward acquisition of the hotel, with the remainder supporting renovations and the first five years of operating costs. While board members did not speak to their decision to omit the shelter during the meeting, nearly 20 residents of nearby neighborhoods and business owners at the adjacent River Ridge Marketplace shopping center shared their opposition during public comment. Echoing concerns raised during an Aug. 12 community meeting, many gave personal stories about impacts from the city’s current temporary shelter at the location. Tony Morris, owner of Asheville Sun Soo Martial Arts, said he regularly has to clean up drug needles in a field used by children in his after-school programs. On three occasions, he added, a Ramada resident entered the building and physically threatened his staff. “I was able to negotiate an exit, but it was pretty precarious for a bit,” noted the eighth-degree taekwondo black belt. And Judith Kaufman, a resident of River Ridge Apartments, said she’s found human feces and trash in the complex’s parking areas, seen people overdosing and witnessed public indecency since the shelter opened. She pushed back against reports that police activity hasn’t increased in the area, pointing out that for many quality-of-life concerns, it would be useless to call law enforcement. “By the time you report somebody who’s having sexual intercourse on 14

NOV. 24-30, 2021

EMPTY-HANDED: The city of Asheville received none of the $9.2 million it had requested from Buncombe County for the purchase and operation of a low-barrier homeless shelter at an East Asheville Ramada Inn. Photo courtesy of the city of Asheville your lawn, it’s over. 911 isn’t going to be there,” Kaufman said. According to Nikki Reid, Asheville’s community and economic development director, the city remains under contract to buy the Ramada Inn, with a closing date in December. She said City Council “is expected to make decisions about the future of the property” Tuesday, Dec. 14.

Law enforcement group calls for equity head’s resignation Just over two weeks from her first day with the county, Rachel Edens, Buncombe’s first chief equity and human rights officer, is facing demands to resign. Rondell Lance, who leads Asheville’s chapter of the N.C. Fraternal Order of Police, said during public comment that Eden had expressed negative views about police officers on social media. “If I had on my Facebook page, Twitter page, that I thought most teachers were sexual predators, and it’s inherent in their job because they’re around kids all the time … you wouldn’t hire me and you shouldn’t hire me if I had that view out on the internet,” Lance argued. “But you have hired someone who’s just as biased against law enforcement.” He said deputies with the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office

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had approached him with concerns and proceeded to read several tweets from Edens’ profile, for which he said she should immediately resign or be terminated. In emails to Xpress after the meeting, Lance shared screenshots of the now-private messages and said his demands were supported by the local FOP’s roughly 250 members across 12 different Western North Carolina law enforcement agencies.

UNWELCOME WAGON: Rondell Lance, president of the Asheville chapter of the N.C. Fraternal Order of Police, called for the resignation or firing of Rachel Edens just over two weeks after her first day as Buncombe County’s chief equity and human rights officer. Photo courtesy of Lance

“The police continue to murder us, with what seems an uptick since the [white police officer Derek] Chauvin conviction [for the murder of Black Minneapolis resident George Floyd]. We will not accept these terrorist reprisals for the carriage of actual justice,” ran one of Edens’ tweets, which she had posted in April. The commissioners did not respond to Lance’s claims during the meeting. Aaron Sarver, spokesperson for the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office, said Nov. 17 that Sheriff Quentin Miller was unavailable for immediate comment and did not respond to a follow-up request. In response to an Xpress request for comment from Edens, county spokesperson Lillian Govus sent the following statement via email: “Comments like those shared last night only further demonstrate why it’s so critical that as an organization, as a service provider and as a community we authentically engage in racial equity work. Even before a pandemic heightened disparate health outcomes for our BIPOC [Black, Indigenous and people of color] community, racism was identified as a public health and safety crisis. Buncombe County is committed to making progress toward real racial equity, and with Rachel Edens as our chief equity and human rights officer, we can do that work.”

— Daniel Walton X

BUNCOMBE BEAT

City forum highlights Asheville’s growth despite pandemic At the last City Manager’s Development Forum, held in fall 2019, Asheville’s leaders in commercial and residential development discussed affordable housing, hotel construction, development trends and responsible growth. This year’s event — the first since the start of the pandemic — covered many of the same themes, while also acknowledging the impact that COVID-19 has had on the city’s economy and housing market. “Both residents and businesses have been impacted in many ways, including the shutdown of businesses, labor and lumber shortages, supply chain issues and many others,” said City Manager Debra Campbell. “In spite of these challenges, development activity has continued at a good pace.” Ben Woody, Asheville’s development services director, noted that the city had received roughly 25% fewer applications for residential and commercial building and renovating permits from April through June of 2020 compared with the same period in 2019. However, permitting recovered in the following months, returning to — and in certain months, exceeding — the number of pre-pandemic applications. “In the immediate short term of COVID, we had a really strong dip and a lot of uncertainty,” Woody noted. “But what’s really remarkable is how quickly we ... turned that around,” Woody noted. He also argued that the city’s development service portal, created to make the permitting process faster and easier, is working as intended. The portal allows residents and developers to submit applications online rather than in person. Woody explained that 93% of permits have been submitted online this year to date, compared with 31% in 2017. Director of Planning and Urban Design Todd Okolichany then provided updates on several city initiatives, including AVL Shares Space, which permits local business owners to use public and private property to increase their outdoor space for dining, merchandise or programming. The city is considering extensions to some components of the program, while other aspects could be left in place indefinitely. Okolichany also highlighted hotel regulations, adopted in February after an 18-month moratorium

(UN)ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT: City Manager Debra Campbell, along with leaders in the city’s development and planning and design departments, examined construction trends and highlighted Asheville’s resiliency despite the economic impacts caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Photo courtesy of the city of Asheville on new hotel construction, which established a hotel overlay district, design constraints and an incentive-based program that allows

developers to clear projects without Council review if they contribute to equity-related public benefits. He said that city staff is developing recommendations to update the regulations and will present options to City Council during its meeting of Tuesday, Dec. 14. “The main element that we’re looking at changing for the hotel regulations is to try to address a newer type of land use and hotel that we’re seeing called the ‘condotel,’” Okolichany explained. In areas outside Asheville’s downtown core, Okolichany highlighted the city’s new Urban Place Zoning, approved in September, which loosens building requirements for large commercial developments if property owners add residential units. The new zoning, he said, is meant to encourage more mixed-use development and walkability in areas currently dominated by big-box stores. The first phase of urban center rezonings focused on Merrimon Avenue, Tunnel Road, Bleachery Boulevard; the next phase will examine properties along South Tunnel Road. And Paul D’Angelo, the city’s community development director, noted that while affordable housing remains an issue in Asheville — which he attributed to stagnant wages and rising housing costs —

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the city is using an array of tools to work with both developers and residents to increase the number of affordable units in the city. He noted that some initiatives in the city’s pipeline for 2022, including 319 Biltmore, the Deaverview Purpose Built Communities, 50 Asheland Ave., a partnership with Haywood Street Community Development, Neighborhood Lots for Affordable Housing and working with Homeward Bound for permanent supportive housing, could contribute more than 500 affordable units. “A healthy, affordable, mixed income community needs a variety of housing types at a variety of price points in both homeownership and rental for the variety of incomes and wages we produce in Asheville,” he said. City Manager Campbell said that the next development forum is expected to take place in May.

— Brooke Randle X

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Q&A with Fred McCormick, editor of The Valley Echo The story of Fred McCormick’s path to journalism is so distinct that it warrants an article of its own. A native of Florida, McCormick first visited Western North Carolina when coming to see his mother in Marion. She then began remodeling a house in Black Mountain and invited him and his wife to move in. “We just fell in love with the area,” McCormick says. “The first time I ever came to Black Mountain, I was, like, ‘I need to live here,’ because I had never seen anything like this.” Though he’d written for a startup magazine in Tampa, McCormick primarily worked in children’s mental health care. But when his family moved to Cashiers and he became a stay-at-home dad, that flexibility allowed him to get part-time work at the Crossroads Chronicle newspaper. A few years later, the family returned to Black Mountain, and in 2014 the Black Mountain News hired McCormick as a full-time reporter. From then until he left the Gannett Co.-owned paper in late 2019, McCormick estimates he wrote around one million words about the Swannanoa Valley. In February 2020, he launched The Valley Echo, a hyperlocal news website providing independent coverage. Xpress spoke with McCormick about the challenges and rewards of running a one-man publication and what gave him the optimism to embark on such an endeavor. This interview has been condensed for length and edited for clarity. How were you able to stand out while interviewing for the Black Mountain News position, since you were fairly new to journalism? I basically begged for that job. Jennifer Fitzgerald was the editor and I told her, “I’m sure you’re going

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MAN ON THE STREET: Fred McCormick launched The Valley Echo in February 2020 to continue the passionate local coverage of the Swannanoa Valley that he built over the course of six years as a reporter for the Black Mountain News. Photo by Kendra Diaz to find people who are more qualified. There’s probably people who are better at aspects of this job than me, just because I don’t have a whole lot of experience. But you’re not going to find someone who’s going to work harder. I will dedicate myself to this completely.” And then she hired me. I was shocked and probably a little overwhelmed. But I wanted to honor my word that I would try my hardest, and I’ve been hanging on for dear life ever since. Why did you ultimately decide to leave the Black Mountain News? With these large corporations that own newspapers, I started to understand that as things are changing, it appeared likely that a community this size probably wasn’t going to get

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all of the [financial] support [from] the company that owned the paper. By the time I left, I was the only news employee there. Editor, sports, politics, crime, business — you name it. So my thought was, because I did see the writing on the wall with what the future looked like, I wanted to create my own thing and try to keep news local. What gave you the confidence to start The Valley Echo? There’s a great amount of accountability doing what I do in a town with only 8,500 people. If I write an article, I’m going to see one of the people I interviewed at Ingles later that week — and I think that has helped me in a lot of ways. It’s helped me make sure that I’m being objective when I go into situ-

ations and think about how it’s going to impact the community as a whole. What that broad range of topics I covered at the Black Mountain News ended up doing was put me in touch with so many people in the community. Still to this day, people stop me and say, “I loved this story” or “Thank you for doing this story.” Knowing that and engaging with the community in that way, it helped me understand people were paying attention to what I was doing. And that’s what made me confident that if I continued to do the best that I could, the community was going to support it. Were you concerned about being an exclusively online news organization? I played a role in establishing a Black Mountain News social media presence because I knew it was important. I knew that a lot of people here consumed news online. I would have loved to have been able to have my own newspaper, just for the glory of it all. But the truth is that market is shrinking, and I wanted to start a business on a platform that’s being consumed by more people every day. I think more people are likely to turn to the internet for news for the first time than they are to turn to a newspaper for the first time. What has been your experience running The Valley Echo independently of a media conglomerate, like Gannett or Tribune Publishing Co.? I’ve been fortunate up to this point where the majority of the businesses are approaching me about advertising. It’s a great position to be in, but I’m always very honest with people and I tell them the goal is for this to be free for readers. I don’t want there to be any obstacles for people to access the information about the community. That’s very important, and I make sure to tell local business owners that. My feeling is the more that everyone knows about what’s going on in their community, the better the community. And so far, everyone has been receptive to that. What other goals do you have for the site? I want this to be in the community after I’m gone. It’s been less than two years since I started this, so I still look at it as the pretty early stages. But ultimately, the goal is for the community to have some sort of buyin to this ... to build this thing slowly in a sustainable way, and to allow the community to have a voice in The Valley Echo in its future. For more information, visit avl.mx/atw

— Edwin Arnaudin X

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NOV. 24-30, 2021

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FEA T U RE S

ASHEVILLE ARCHIVES by Thomas Calder | tcalder@mountainx.com

‘Newly acquired taste’ At the stroke of midnight on May 1, 1933, residents toasted to the return of beer, after Prohibition’s 13-year run came to an end. Of course, in Asheville, the dry spell had begun 12 years earlier, when city voters approved a local measure enacting Prohibition within city limits. On July 2, 1933 — just two months after beer’s triumphant return — the Asheville Citizen-Times reported that the county had collected $3,300 for beer licenses (or roughly $69,600 in today’s currency). Two weeks later, the paper spoke with 12 of the city’s largest retailers, who noted a steady increase in sales and an ongoing improvement in the quality of beer being produced. “Wholesalers and retailers say that it is practically impossible to give a good estimate of the amount of beer consumed here weekly,” the article stated, “but it runs into thousands of bottles and several hundred gallons of draft beer.” Both men and women enjoyed the beverage, the paper continued, though the latter didn’t consume it in all the same locations as the former. “Women drink beer in restaurants and from hotel service, or in their homes,” the article stated. “Since the opening night here, no women have been served at the billiard parlor bars.” But there was one segment of the local population — “old-time beer drinkers” — who were dissatisfied with the new brews. “They want five to seven per cent beer instead of the 3.2,” the article asserted. “Many of them say that 3.2 to them means ‘three bottles of beer and two batwings.’” Batwings, the paper explained, were “the small, flat eight or 10-ounce bootleg pints of corn liquor.” Meanwhile, some teenagers used the beverage to cover up other indulgences. According to the article, “Many youngsters … tell their parents or friends that

Local beer sales spike in the aftermath of Prohibition, 1933

BEER ME: In 1933, beer was back on tap in Asheville. But after an initial citywide celebration, some locations serving the beverage limited services to men. “Since the opening night here, no women have been served at the billiard parlor bars,” the Asheville Citizen-Times reported on July 16, 1933. This photo, likely taken decades earlier, shows residents inside an unknown pool room. Photo courtesy of Buncombe County Special Collections, Pack Memorial Library the odors on their breaths are caused by legal beer, when they are often caused by something illegal and much stronger.” At the time, the total number of stores carrying beer totaled 105 within the city and an additional 25 in Buncombe County. Collectively, around 10 different “growler and schooner suds” were available for purchase, as well as 15 bottled brands. Prices ranged from 15-20 cents a bottle and five-10 cents per glass. “Very few persons drink beer for its effect, since not many persons have the capacity to ‘hold enough’ to feel the 3.2 per cent alcohol in the volume required,” the paper reported. “Beer is consumed

because of a long-remembered or newly acquired taste, for health purposes, for the mild stimulant afforded, for hospitality and for food beverage.” The good times did soon slow down. According to the Asheville Citizen-Times’ July 23, 1933, edition, beer sales declined by as much as a half. “Asheville’s young folks,” the paper wrote, “have deserted it in large numbers in recent weeks.” None of the retailers could offer a definitive reason for the drop-off among the city’s youth, but they had their theories. “There were some who wagged their heads [and] said that after a steady diet

of mountain corn whiskey there was no wonder the beverage of low alcoholic content failed to draw favor from the drinking members of the younger generation,” the paper reported. “Others were of the opinion that the price was too stiff.” But not everyone had abandoned the brew. “The ‘old heads’ are remaining true,” the paper continued, “even though it does not have the ‘authority’ it carried in the days when one could take a little change and a bucket around the corner and bring back enough for the family.” Editor’s note: Peculiarities of spelling and punctuation are preserved from the original documents. X

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COMMUNITY CALENDAR NOV. 24-DEC. 2, 2021 For a full list of community calendar guidelines, please visit mountainx.com/calendar. For questions about free listings, call 828-251-1333, opt. 4. For questions about paid calendar listings, please call 828-251-1333, opt. 1.

Online Events = Shaded WELLNESS Skate-ville All levels. Every Wednesday and Sunday. WE (11/24, 12/1), 8:30am, SU (11/28), 3pm, Carrier Park, 220 Amboy Rd Queer Trans Body Love: a Yoga class in the Park All people across the LGBTQIA+ spectrum and allies are welcome. Meet at the bridge to the picnic pavilions. SA (11/27), MO (11/29), 11am, Carrier Park, 220 Amboy Rd Yoga in the Park All-level friendly Hatha/ Vinyasa flow taught by certified yoga instructor Ceiara Cartony along the French Broad River. SA (11/27), SU (11/28), 1:30pm, Carrier Park, 220 Amboy Rd Ben's Friends A local meeting of the national support group for people in the hospitality industry struggling with addiction. MO (11/29), 10am, Free, AB Tech Culinary Arts & Hospitality School, 30 Tech Dr Steady Collective Syringe Access Outreach Free naloxone, syringes and educational materials on harm reduction. TU (11/30), 2pm, Firestorm Books & Coffee, 610 Haywood Rd Quest4Life 5Rhythms Waves Class Weekly instructional classes based on Gabrielle Roth's work. No dance experience necessary. TU (11/30), 7pm, $12-22, Terpsicorps Academy, 1501 Patton Ave Yoga and the 12 Steps of Recovery (Y12SR) The Y12SR model addresses addiction as a physical, mental and spiritual disease. WE (12/1), 8:30am, Free, Asheville Yoga Center, 211 S Liberty St Montford Tai Chi Hosted by local acupuncturist Tyler White. All ages, every Thursday. TH (12/2), 9am, Free, Montford Recreation Center, 34 Pearson Dr Introduction to Tai Chi Taught by Roger Byrd Class size is limited. TH (12/2), 10:30am, Free, Asheville Yoga Center, 211 S Liberty St

ART

(11/28), MO (11/29), TU (11/30), TH (12/2), Push Skate Shop & Gallery, 25 Patton Ave Nocturne A collection of works in a variety of media that celebrates the drama and mystery of the night. Through Feb. 19. WE (11/24, 12/1), FR (11/26), SA (11/27), SU (11/28), MO (11/29), TU (11/30), TH (12/2), Momentum Gallery, 24 N Lexington Ave

Aquatic Insect Art Auction Online auction of large paintings of small aquatic insects by Tess Darling, to benefit Laurel Community Center of Madison County. Place bids by Nov. 30. For more info call (828)6563633, avl.mx/atc

Small Work/Big Impact An annual exhibition that assembles intimately-scaled works in a variety of media. Through Feb. 19. WE (11/24, 12/1), FR (11/26), SA (11/27), SU (11/28), MO (11/29), TU (11/30), TH (12/2), Momentum Gallery, 24 N Lexington Ave

20th Annual Survivor Art Show Call for Submissions Submissions due by Nov. 30 for the Dec. 17 show opening. Curated by Different Wrld, in partnership with Our Voice. Revolve, 821 Riverside Dr, #179

Grounded Flow Exhibit featuring works by apprentices Caroline Woolard and Keira Peterson. Through Nov. 28. WE (11/24, 12/1), FR (11/26), SA (11/27), SU (11/28), The Village Potters, 191 Lyman St, #180

Travel the World with Living Images An immersive art experience combining paintings by artist Jaime Byrd, inspired by her travels around the globe. Through Nov. 30. WE (11/24, 12/1), FR (11/26), SA (11/27), SU (11/28), MO (11/29), TU (11/30), 10am-5pm, Trackside Studios, 375 Depot St

A Dance of Images and Words: The Nancy Graves/Pedro Cuperman Tango Portfolio Exhibition presents Graves’s eight prints alongside the portfolio frontispiece and a page of Cuperman’s text. WE (11/24, 12/1), FR (11/26), SA (11/27), SU (11/28), MO (11/29), TH (12/2), Asheville Art Museum, 2 S Pack Square

20 Views of Leicester Library Oil paintings, photography, scuplture and more on display to celebrate what the library has meant to the community. Through Nov. 30. WE (11/24, 12/1), FR (11/26), SA (11/27), SU (11/28), TU (11/30), Leicester Library, 1561 Alexander Rd, Leicester The Price of Progress: Remembering the WNC Railroad and the People Who Built It An exhibit focusing on the builders of the Western North Carolina Railroad, the first rail line to penetrate the state’s mountain region and open it for trade and tourism. WE (11/24, 12/1), FR (11/26), SA (11/27), SU (11/28), TU (11/30), TH (12/2), Mountain Gateway Museum and Heritage Center, 102 Water St, Old Fort The Last Rock & Roll Art Show Fourteen artists from NC were given 12 months to create or produce pieces for the exhibition. Artwork and photography for bands include Widespread Panic, Animal Collective and Wilco. WE (11/24, 12/1), FR (11/26), SA (11/27), SU

NOV. 24-30, 2021

Gestures: Mid-Century Abstraction from the Collection This exhibition explores works in a variety of media that speak to the vibrant abstract experiments in American art making during the middle of the 20th century. WE (11/24, 12/1), FR (11/26), SA (11/27), SU (11/28), MO (11/29), TH (12/2), Asheville Art Museum, 2 S Pack Square Modernist Design at Black Mountain College Highlights the collection of design from Black Mountain College and situates it in the context of its influences and surroundings at BMC. WE (11/24, 12/1), FR (11/26), SA (11/27), SU (11/28), MO (11/29), TH (12/2), Asheville Art Museum, 2 S Pack Square Ruminations on Memory This exhibition features all nine prints from Robert Rauschenberg’s Ruminations portfolio, Judy Chicago’s Retrospective in a Box portfolio, and other selections. WE (11/24, 12/1), FR (11/26), SA (11/27), SU (11/28), MO (11/29), TH (12/2), Asheville Art Museum, 2 S Pack Square

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SIGN OF THE SEASON: Santa Claus will be the guest of honor as he flips the switch to light up the tree at downtown Hendersonville’s annual Holiday Tree Lighting on Friday, Nov. 26, at 6 p.m. The festivities take place 5-8 p.m. at historic Courthouse Plaza, complete with Christmas carols, hot cocoa, live music from Lewendahl and free carriage rides. Photo courtesy of the city of Hendersonville Unearthing Our Forgotten Past Exhibit exploring the Spanish occupation of Fort San Juan and the native people who lived in the Joara area of WNC. Sponsored by the Western NC Historical Association. FR (11/26), SA (11/27), TH (12/2), Smith-McDowell House Museum, 283 Victoria Rd Art on the Page Book sculptures and shadowboxes from Patti Fertel. Opening reception 6-8pm Nov. 26. Through Jan. 2. FR (11/26), SA (11/27), Pink Dog Creative, 348 Depot St World AIDS Day: Day With(out) Art Special programming in partnership with Western North Carolina AIDS Project and Visual AID. WE (12/1), 11am, Asheville Art Museum, 2 S Pack Square Joyful Light A group show featuring images that portray the light and joy of the season. Daily through Dec. 31. WE (12/1), TH (12/2), 11am, Asheville Gallery of Art, 82 Patton Ave Bullets & Bandaids A touring exhibition from a nonprofit veteran and civilian collaborative project. TH (12/2), 5pm, One World Brewing West, 520 Haywood Rd

ART/CRAFT STROLLS & FAIRS Aurora Studio & Gallery’s Fun on Friday Arts fundraising activity for Asheville visitors. To register, text Lori Greenberg at 828-335-1038. Suggested donation. FR (11/26), 2:30pm, $20, The Refinery, 207 Coxe Ave Sip & Shop Local vendors with holiday goods, in honor of Small Business Saturday. SA (11/27), 12pm, Upcountry Brewing Co, 1042 Haywood Rd Maker’s Market Featuring handmade homegoods, pottery, apparel, fine art and functional crafts. With Grush’s Cajun Dino Grill food truck. SA (11/27), 1pm, Oak and Grist Distilling Company, 1556 Grovestone Rd, Black Mountain Jackson Arts Market Weekly event every Saturday through Dec. 18. SA (11/27), 1pm, 533 W Main St, Sylva Asheville Punk Flea A pop-up flea market featuring vendors from local and surrounding areas. SU (11/28), 12pm, Fleetwood's, 496 Haywood Rd

SPOKEN & WRITTEN WORD GSMNP Author Book Signing Local hiker and outdoor educator Nancy East

will be signing her new book, Chasing the Smokies Moon, which chronicles her adventures as a search and rescue team member and FKT Great Smoky Mountains National Park 900 record setter. SA (11/27), 2pm, Blue Ridge Hiking Company, 70 College St Malaprop's Science Fiction Book Club Participants will discuss Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik. MO (11/29), 7pm, Registration required, avl.mx/au7 Malaprop's Book Club Participants will discuss Homeland Elegies by Ayad Akhtar. WE (12/1), 7pm, Registration required, avl.mx/aa2 Malaprop's Crime and Politics Book Club Participants will discuss Ghettoside: A True Story of Murder in America by Jill Leovy. TH (12/2), 7pm, Registration required, avl.mx/a3t

THEATER A Flat Rock Playhouse Christmas A family-friendly holiday song and dance revue, featuring seasonal classics along with several new adaptations and medleys. Through Dec. 19. FR (11/26), 8pm, SA (11/27), 2pm & 8pm, SU

(11/28), 2pm, TH (12/2), 7:30pm, Flat Rock Playhouse, 2661 Hwy 225, Flat Rock

as well as raffle prizes. FR (11/26), 2pm, Wagbar, 320 Merrimon Ave, Weaverville

The Nutcracker The Academy at Terpsicorps presents a new production of the classic holiday ballet. FR (11/26), 7:30pm, SA (11/27), 2pm & 7:30pm, SU (11/28), 1pm & 6:30pm, $23.50, Diana Wortham Theatre, 18 Biltmore Ave

Bee the Love, Stride for Change: 5K Fun Run + Walk Including a holiday gift collection and post-race gathering with a DJ. All profits will go to benefit Beloved Asheville. SA (11/27), 10am, Carrier Park, 220 Amboy Rd

FUNDRAISERS & BENEFITS 5Point Adventure Film Festival A special Giving Tuesday screening by Mountain True to inspire exploring and protecting wild places. Donations appreciated. TU (11/30), avl.mx/aud Third Annual South Asheville Turkey Trot 5K presented by Hunter Subaru to support Sheep Dog Impact Assistance. Space is limited to 1500 runners. TH (11/25), 9am, $20-35, Cecil Park, Biltmore Park Town Square, 30 Town Square Blvd Your Dog Here Black Friday Fundraiser Asheville Humane Society invites you and your dog to join in support of the local animal community. With a doggy photo booth and the opportunity to get your dog featured on DSSOLVR’s “YOUR DOG HERE” beer label,

BIG LOVE! for Liana Joy This Giving Tuesday several local musicians will perform, there will be an auction of art and services, and healers will offer their talents to support the Ihde family. TU (11/30), 6pm, $10, Salvage Station, 468 Riverside Dr

CLASSES, MEETINGS & WORKSHOPS November American Red Cross Blood Dr To register, visit RedCrossBlood.org/give and enter the sponsor code AshevilleOutlets. FR (11/26), 11am, Asheville Outlets, 800 Brevard Rd The Blood Connection Mobile Bus Blood Dr SA (11/27), 10am, Asheville Outlets, 800 Brevard Rd Community Blood Dr Partnering with The Blood Connection. Each donor will receive a $20 Visa gift card. TU (11/30), 3pm, Archetype Tap Lounge + Venue, 174 Broadway

Introduction to Medicare - Understanding the Puzzle The Council on Aging of Buncombe County, in conjunction with the N.C. Department of Insurance’s SHIIP, is presenting a webinar that will explain how Medicare works. To register, visit www.coabc.org or call 828-277-8288. TH (12/2), 2pm, avl.mx/9hz What Can We Do about Single-Use Plastics? Anna Alsobrook of MountainTrue and Drew Ball, former executive director of Environment NC, will talk about how single-use plastics are polluting our waterways and what we can do locally.For more information, contact judymattox15@gmail. com, (828) 683-2176. TH (12/2), 7pm, Free, avl.mx/977

FOOD & BEER Weaverville Tailgate Market Local weekly market every Wednesday through Dec. 22. WE (11/24, 12/1), 2pm, 60 Monticello Rd, Weaverville RAD Farmers Market Year round, midweek market featuring 30+ local farmers, makers, bakers, and craft artisans. WE (11/24, 12/1), 3pm, Pleb Urban Winery, 289 Lyman St ASAP Farmers Market Local market, Saturdays through Dec. 18. SA (11/27), 9am, A-B Tech, 340 Victoria Rd North Asheville Tailgate Market Holiday Bazaar Since 1980, over 40 vendors with local, sustainably produced food and crafts. Saturdays through Dec. 18. SA (11/27), 8am, 3300 University Heights West Asheville Tailgate Market Local market, every Tuesday. TU (11/30), 3:30pm, 718 Haywood Rd

FESTIVALS & HOLIDAY EVENTS 15th Annual Gingerbread Cookie Contest Entries Sought Cookies must be 100% edible and submitted by Dec. 1. Winners will be announced during Narnia Studios’ 27th Annual Christmas Open House on Dec. 3, with cookies on display throughout that weekend. WE (12/1), Narnia Studios, 408 N Main St, Hendersonville Winter Tree Carnival Over 50 decorated trees will be on display, featuring creative, unique decor from local brands and non-profits. Daily except Monday (weather permitting). Outdoors. WE (11/24, 12/1),

TH (11/25, 12/2), FR (11/26), SA (11/27), SU (11/28), TU (11/30), Free, Rabbit Rabbit, 75 Coxe Ave NCGC Winter Wonderland With glass ornaments, snowflakes, snowmen, candy canes, and live glassblowing demonstrations. WE (11/24, 12/1), FR (11/26), SA (11/27), SU (11/28), MO (11/29), TH (12/2), 10am-5pm, North Carolina Glass Center, 140 Roberts St, Ste B Holiday Magic Marketplace and Exhibition An invitational event with homemade gifts created by local artists. Saturdays with music and games from 1-4pm. WE (11/24, 12/1), FR (11/26), SA (11/27), TU (11/30), TH (12/2), 11am, Transylvania Community Arts Council, 349 S Caldwell St, Brevard

(11/26), SA (11/27), SU (11/28), MO (11/29), TU (11/30), Grove Arcade, 1 Page Ave Hendersonville Tree Lighting Free carriage rides, Christmas carols, hot cocoa and Santa lighting the tree, with live music from Lewendahl. FR (11/26), 5pm, 1 Historic Courthouse Square, Hendersonville Miracle on Haywood Road A holiday-themed pop up bar with specialty drinks and decor. Nightly except Wednesdays. FR (11/26), SA (11/27), SU (11/28), MO (11/29), TU (11/30), 5pm, The Golden Pineapple, 503 Haywood Rd Black Friday RADical Weekend Family-friendly event with Black Santa, food trucks, Christmas Carol-oke, kids activities, and a market place. SA (11/27), 8am, Black Wall Street AVL, 8 River Arts Pl

Sippin’ Santa A holiday oasis with festive decor and a tikithemed cocktail menu, with 10% of all proceeds from the sale of signature glassware to the James Beard Foundation’s Open for Good campaign, to aid the relief efforts of independent restaurants. WE (11/24, 12/1), TH (11/25, 12/2), FR (11/26), SA (11/27), SU (11/28), MO (11/29), TU (11/30), The Montford Rooftop Bar, 199 Haywood St

Holiday Arts Festival at The Refinery AVL Items from cards, prints, t-shirts, silk scarves, mixed media, paintings and more, from a non-profit supportive art space for creatives who have been impacted by mental health needs, addiction or being unhoused. SA (11/27), 11am-6pm, The Refinery AVL, 207 Coxe Ave

Hard Candy Christmas Arts and crafts show, in the Ramsey Center. FR (11/26), SA (11/27), 10am-5pm, Free-$5, Western Carolina University, 176 Central Dr, Cullowhee

Yuletide Boxcar Bazaar Handcrafted goods from Appalachian Maker’s Collective. SA (11/27), 12-5pm, Whistle Hop Brewing Co, 1288 Charlotte Hwy, Fairview

Holiday Pop Up Market 50+ vendors of handmade, vintage and fair trade from sweet treats to jewelry, decor, greeting cards, and more. FR (11/26), 12-5pm, Archetype Tap Lounge + Venue, 174 Broadway

Tree Lighting iHeart Radio will broadcast live starting at 4pm, with music from the Enka High School Marching Band. Bring an unwrapped children’s toy to benefit Martha’s Kids Charity Organization. SA (11/27), 6pm, Asheville Outlets, 800 Brevard Rd

Highland Holiday Market 20+ local vendors plus Boyd McNeely’s tree lot and wreaths. FR (11/26), 12-6pm, Highland Brewing Co., 12 Old Charlotte Hwy NC Arboretum Winter Lights Walk through the gardens lit with one million lights to support the Arboretum’s largest annual fundraiser to support educational programs. WE (11/24, 12/1), TH (11/25, 12/2), FR (11/26), SA (11/27), SU (11/28), MO (11/29), TU (11/30), 6-10pm, $25-30 per vehicle, NC Arboretum, 100 Frederick Law Olmsted Way Winter Wonderland The historic 1920s Grove Arcade is decked for the holidays with Mr. and Mrs. Claus visits, a tree lighting ceremony, indoor snow and more. Through Jan. 3. WE (11/24, 12/1), TH (11/25, 12/2), FR

29th Annual National Gingerbread House Competition A holiday tradition, on display daily through Jan. 22. SU (11/28), MO (11/29), TU (11/30), WE (12/1), TH (12/2), The Omni Grove Park Inn, 290 Macon Ave Photos with Santa Visitors receive one free 4” by 6” photo and digital download of a single image (while supplies last). SU (11/28), 1pm, Asheville Outlets, 800 Brevard Rd Advent Pause Concert with Joshua Messick An instrumental concert with hammered dulcimer offered in the FBCA sanctuary. Tuesdays during Advent. TU (11/30), 12pm, First Baptist Church of Asheville, 5 Oak St

Peppermint Bear Scavenger Hunt Kids of all ages are encouraged to help mama bear Peppermint locate her lost cubs by picking up a scavenger hunt brochure at the Hendersonville Visitor Center and search for them at downtown merchants. FR, (11/26), SA (11/27), SU (11/28), MO (11/29), TU (11/30), WE (12/1), TU (12/2), Historic Downtown Hendersonville Lake Julian Festival of Lights A drive-through tour with thousands of lights around the lake. Twenty percent of proceeds benefit Special Olympics of Buncombe County. WE (12/1), TH (12/2), 6pm, $10-25 per vehicle, Lake Julian Park and Marina, 406 Overlook Extension, Arden Deck The Trees: A Black Mountain Christmas Thirty-five plus decorated trees situated at the Monte Vista Hotel and in stores and businesses throughout Black Mountain and the Swannanoa Valley area, to help raise funds for the Swannanoa Valley Christian Ministry Fuel Fund. Through Jan. 3. TH (12/2), Free, Various locations, Black Mountain

SPIRITUALITY Baha'i Holy Day Observance and Devotions The local Baha’i Community will observe the Day of the Covenant with prayer and music. All are welcome. WE (11/24), 7pm, Free, avl.mx/ata Online Baha'i Sunday Devotional An unstructured, informal Sunday gathering via Zoom. All are welcome. SU (11/28), 10am, avl.mx/a9m

VOLUNTEERING Project Linus The WNC chapter is seeking volunteers to make children’s blankets to donate to area children in crisis. Contact Ellen Knoefel at (828)645-8800 or Pat Crawford (828)873-8746. Edible Park Community Work Day Mulching, pruning and clearing invasive plants. FR (11/26), 2:30pm, Dr George Washington Carver Edible Park, 30 George Washington Carver Ave Experiential Garden Volunteers Needed Looking for people who are interested in landscaping, gardening, carpentry, and art. Please contact Polly Phillips at pphillips@ verneremail.org. Verner Center for Early Learning, 2586 Riceville Rd

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NOV. 24-30, 2021

WELLNESS

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Gun safety measures seek to reduce suicides

BY JOHN OWENS jowens328@gmail.com Patti Best describes her youngest son, Jared Best, as thoughtful, talented and highly intelligent. Following his older brother into the Army, Jared served with distinction in Iraq and Afghanistan before returning home to Haywood County in 2014. However, the toll of combat and the physical harm caused by close contact with explosive devices left Jared with a severe case of post-traumatic stress disorder. On Dec. 31, 2016 at the age of 26, Jared died by suicide with a firearm. “He was so levelheaded, so steady,” Best tells Xpress. “Jared is someone that we would never in a million years have thought would’ve ended his life. It’s something that we will never totally recover from. Implosion is the word that comes to mind.” According to data collected by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, North Carolina reported 181 reported veteran suicides in 2019, and firearms were used in 76.2% of those incidents. Yet the usage of firearms in deaths by suicide extends beyond the veteran community: North Carolina experienced 1,322 deaths by suicide in 2019, of which 799 (59%) involved firearms. That same year, the United States experienced 45,861 deaths by suicide, of which 23,283 (50.8%) involved firearms. Asheville Police Department’s crime analysis supervisor, Douglas Oeser, shared with Xpress that the department reported 37 suicides and 127 suicide attempts since 2016. Firearms were involved with 12 of the total incidents.

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PREVENTIVE MEASURES

“Easy access to a gun is often what makes the difference between someone feeling depressed and hopeless for a while, and someone who ends up dead forever,” says Jeffrey Swanson, a professor in psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the Duke University School of Medicine. In addition to access to firearms, other risk factors for death by suicide are “drugs, having prolonged stress like bullying, a relationship breakup, unemployment, divorce, financial crisis [and] a history of child abuse,” says Sarah Cothren, N.C. associate area director for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.

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WOUNDED WARRIOR: Jared Best served in Iraq and Afghanistan before returning to Haywood County in 2014. His death by suicide in 2016 shocked his family. Photo courtesy of the Best family Eleven states have legislation about locking firearms, according to the Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence. North Carolina is not one of them. Capt. Joe Silberman of the APD encourages gun owners to lock up their firearms. “We give away gun locks as part of Project Child Safe, though I personally recommend some kind of gun safe,” he says. He notes that APD can also provide literature about deterring access to guns to at-risk people. For example, Project Child Safe, a project of the Firearm Industry Trade Association, recommends the temporary off-site storage of a firearm if an individual in the home is at risk for suicide. “Simply hiding a firearm is not secure storage and poses a risk,” Project Child Safe notes.

The Charles George Department of Veteran Affairs Medical Center in Asheville also provides gun safety locks, as well as suicide prevention coordinators and case managers who can offer support, counseling and other services. Nationwide, the VA is promoting the safe storage of firearms within the veteran community. On Sept. 17, the agency released a campaign stating “a simple lock puts space between a thought and a trigger.” In testimony before Congress on Sept. 22, Dr. Matthew Miller, executive director of the VA’s Suicide Prevention Program, addressed lawmakers’ concerns about potential infringement of legal gun owners’ rights and underscored the campaign is a public health intervention. “We are not gearing any campaign or messaging towards restriction,” Miller told Congress, as reported by Military

Times. “We are gearing our messaging and campaign towards safety, time and space between a person, a firearm and ammunition.”

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WARNING SIGNS

The U.S. Department of Justice suggests “extreme risk protection order” legislation — sometimes called “red flag laws” or “gun violence restraining orders” — as another potential tool for the prevention of firearm suicides. The specifics of ERPO legislation varies by state, but they generally empower law enforcement and/or a family member to acquire a temporary court order to remove firearms from an at-risk individual. Swanson, the Duke psychiatry professor, participated in a research team that examined the effectiveness of ERPO laws in Connecticut and Indiana. In studies published in 2017 and 2019, the team concluded for every 10 firearm removal actions, one life was saved through an averted death by suicide. “Gun violence prevention advocates and mental health stakeholders need to come together and work to pass laws like risk protection orders,” Swanson tells Xpress. Nineteen states and the District of Columbia have ERPO legislation, according to Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence. In 2019, Rep. Marcia Morey, D-Durham, co-sponsored HB454 in the N.C. General Assembly to establish ERPO legislation. Morey tells Xpress, “I have seen, being a former judge in Durham, many times witnesses after a shooting say, ‘I knew this was going to happen.’ The warning signs were there.” The bill empowered a family or household member and a law enforcement officer or agency to petition a district court to remove firearms following “an allegation that the respondent poses an imminent danger of physical harm to self or others by having in his or her care, custody, possession, ownership, or control a firearm.” HB454 died in the House Rules committee. Paul Valone, president of Grass Roots North Carolina, stated in NC Health News when the legislation was introduced that it lacked due process protections for gun owners, saying, “I challenge you to find any other constitutionally protected right that can be taken away without due process.” Morey says that allegation is inaccurate, as the legislation requires the gun owner to be notified of the hearing in which the ERPO may be issued. “There is total due process,” she says. “If there’s no factual basis and the judge says this doesn’t rise to the level of removing a gun, a judge wouldn’t do it.” However, Best, who lost her son to death by suicide, believes ERPO laws

Health Focused Mercury Safe Dentistry SAFETY FIRST: Capt. Joe Silberman of the Asheville Police Department encourages gun owners to use gun locks and to lock up their firearms. Photo courtesy of APD might dissuade at-risk individuals from seeking help for mental health issues. “Our oldest son said that the reason that he never talked to anyone when he was coming out of the service about his PTSD symptoms was because he was afraid his guns would be taken from him,” she says. Best believes that the military needs to prioritize mental health care for veterans, such as treatment for PTSD. “Our government is perfectly happy to send them to war — then just totally forget about him when they come home,” she says. “You need to beat down the doors of whatever agency to get help for your son or daughter.” You can reach The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 24/7 at 800-273-8255 for free, private help and assistance finding local counseling. You can reach the Veterans Crisis Line 24/7 via online chat or by texting 838255. X

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NOV. 24-30, 2021

ARTS & CULTURE

First edition

Patti Fertel’s book sculptures featured in new Pink Dog exhibition

BY EDWIN ARNAUDIN earnaudin@mountainx.com For Patti Fertel, life is more interesting when stories are being told. The Asheville-based artist has long strived to communicate narratives through her creative work, particularly in her book sculptures, which have been her primary focus for the past decade. “I really enjoy the repurposing of older things — especially things that were not in good condition,” Fertel says. “I feel as though I’ve saved the images, even if the content is no longer really in good shape.” Select pieces from this period will be on display in the exhibition Art on the Page: Book Art by Patti Fertel at Pink Dog Gallery, which opens Friday, Nov. 26, and runs through Sunday, Jan. 2. PAPER DOLLS AND SCULPTURE A native of Chicago, Fertel has made collage art since she was 6 years

THE NEW CLIP ART: Asheville-based artist Patti Fertel’s book sculptures often explore themes of nature or retro scenes. Photos courtesy of the artist old and still has her first such piece, which her grandmother preserved. From there, she began a 30-year journey creating paper dolls, as well as collecting them in tandem with Victorian scrap die cuts and other images clipped from old books. At Brandeis University, Fertel majored in art history and took studio classes focusing on ceramic sculpture, beginning with one-of-a-kind, fired terracotta pieces, and moving to plasticine, from which molds were made to produce duplicates. “Then I realized I would prefer working with people, so I became a therapist,” she says. “My artwork really helped me as a therapist 24

NOV. 24-30, 2021

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because I thought about things in a slightly different way. I didn’t know at the time that those two things would ever come together, but they really do.” Fertel continued to create art, but as she and her husband, Rich Fertel, pursued their careers in suburban Ohio while raising two sons, the art form in which she was trained became less compatible with her schedule — and her scissors began to look even more appealing. “For me, sculpture is very labor intensive, and it’s a big commitment of blocks of time. That really didn’t work with either my professional life as a therapist or with my family,”

Fertel says. “Working with paper, I can start and stop and answer the phone in the middle of it.”

OLD BOOKS, NEW ART

One day, Fertel read an article about folded books and felt moved to combine that craft with her interest in paper cutouts. Upon taking stock of her collection of images, she realized she had a surplus of birds, taken from various dictionaries, and used St. Martin’s Press’ Birds of North America as the base from which to pair her cutouts and create her first book sculpture. She contin-

ued to find books that “called out” to her, including one on ballroom dancing, into which she incorporated a vinyl record with cutouts of people dancing atop. “And then I began to just branch out and realized that I didn’t need to have the book actually be the subject,” she says. “It could be a kind of a book that was the same size or something similar.” Subsequent book sculptures have featured butterflies, marine life and the phases of the moon, reflecting Fertel’s long-held love of nature. In sourcing the images, she pulls from holdings left over from her Ohio days, where she “haunted” a monthly flea market and perused multiple used bookstores, the latter of which she’s continued in Asheville as she stays on the lookout for inspiration. “Sometimes it’s the cover of the book. Sometimes it’s the illustrations. It just has to draw me in,” Fertel says. “Somebody was asking me, ‘Well, I can find books for you.’ And I thought, ‘Hmm, I don’t think so.’ They might be able to, but I think I have to see the book to know if that’s going to work.”

CONTINUING EDUCATION

Fertel notes that, like most artists with their respective crafts, she initially pursued book sculptures for herself. But when others saw the work and admired it, the encouragement helped further propel her down that path. Such was the case when multiple artist friends complimented her pieces and several of the creations won awards at a faculty art show when Fertel worked at Ohio State University’s College of Medicine. After retiring, the Fertels wanted to be closer to family. One of their sons lives in Manhattan and the other in Asheville, and though they seriously considered both places,

Commemorate your

win with an

official plaque

Western North Carolina won out for the increased living space options — which have allowed Fertel to work from a home studio — and the overall lifestyle, including an enhanced relationship with nature. They moved in 2018 and, once settled, she soon felt welcomed by the community and began making connections with her fellow North Asheville artists. “The opportunity to be part of the [Beaverdam Studio] Tour — that really pushed me to be more serious about it and to really commit to making more pieces and different pieces,” Fertel says. “That’s really been fun.” She’s also enjoyed the challenges of preparing for the Pink Dog show, particularly thinking about the best ways to display her book sculptures, and is curious to hear what people think about her work, which she feels she’s developed on her own without copying anyone else’s style. “I never thought at this point in my life that I would be doing what I’m doing,” Fertel says. “It was always very personal, and now it feels a little unusual to have other people look at it and like it because it was really just something I needed to do.” X

WHAT Art on the Page: Book Art by Patti Fertel WHERE Pink Dog Gallery, 348 Depot St. avl.mx/adl WHEN Opening reception Friday, Nov. 26, 6-8 p.m. On display through Sunday, Jan. 2. Free to attend.

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ARTS & CU L T U R E

LITERATURE

Dark angel

Local author examines music, obsession and death in her debut novel

BY THOMAS CALDER tcalder@mountainx.com Despite its title, readers do not have to be fans of Led Zeppelin to appreciate local author Christy Alexander Hallberg’s recently published debut novel, Searching for Jimmy Page. Of course, admirers of the English rock band (and its guitarist in particular), will find plenty of references to the group’s discography and career throughout the tale. But at its heart, the book is a coming-of-age story that offers an unflinching look at family, death, sexuality and the ways we connect with the living, dead and lost. At 18, Luna Kane, the novel’s narrator, is still grappling with her mother’s suicide from 10 years prior. Raised by her religious grandmother, Luna’s extended family has all but ignored the tragedy and its lingering impact. “My mother had committed the most unholy of sins, and her blood had marked her daughter more conspicuously than a Scarlet Letter,” Luna reveals early on in the story. As the narration progresses, Luna reconnects with her deceased mother through their shared appreciation for Led Zeppelin and their mutual infatuation with Jimmy Page. But as the teenager falls deeper into her obsession with the musician, she develops a theory that the legendary guitarist is

FIFTEEN YEARS IN THE MAKING: Local author Christy Alexander Hallberg’s recently published debut novel, Searching for Jimmy Page, is a book 15 years in the making. A series of tragedies and personal quests delayed the project prior to its October release. Author photo courtesy of Hallberg her long-lost father. Ultimately, Luna leaves her home in eastern North Carolina, running away to England to resolve the matter once and for all. The novel, which took Hallberg 15 years to complete, is informed by her own childhood obsessions, though the work itself is far from autobi-

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ographical. But personal tragedies, the author notes, factored into the story’s overall themes as well as the project’s many delays. DARK ANGEL WITH A SIX STRING Like her narrator, Hallberg grew up in the eastern part of the state, idolizing Led Zeppelin and the band’s guitarist. Her obsession began at 15, after seeing the 1976 documentary The Song Remains the Same, which captures the group’s three-night stand at New York City’s Madison Square Garden. “My immediate reaction to Jimmy was a visceral, intense experience,” she remembers. “He was this dark angel with a six string.” Meanwhile, the band’s sound provided her something “a bit more mysterious than what life in Greenville, N.C., was able to offer me in 1985.” Joining her for that evening’s film viewing was her mother, Frances Baker Alexander, who in 2003, lost her battle with cancer. Her death coincided with Hallberg’s first semester in graduate school at Goddard College in Plainfield, Vt., where she was working on the initial draft of what later became Searching for Jimmy Page. “It was a defining moment in my life,” Hallberg says of her mother’s passing. “It changed me. And I knew I’d be grappling with death in the story.”

She did not, however, anticipate the unrelenting loss that ultimately drained her of all creative energy required for the project. Though she finished a version of the story as her MFA thesis, Hallberg put the book aside for several years as she continued to mourn her mother. In 2005, the process led the writer to England, where she hoped to meet Page in an attempt “to shake myself out of my grief.” Though she would exchange brief words with her hero inside the hall of the former Hammersmith Palais, the encounter did little to alleviate her sadness. Afterward, she began work on a memoir chronicling the journey and its connection to her mother. But the writing felt more like an act of grief therapy, Hallberg remembers, as opposed to a work of literary merit. Over the subsequent decade, Hallberg married, moved from Greenville to Leicester and tragically endured another loss, this time the death of her husband in 2014. Throughout these life-changing experiences, the author notes, Page’s music remained a constant. And soon the urge to revisit her fictionalized account of the guitarist and his influence on the young Luna Kane returned.

FAR FROM FAN FICTION

“I come from a literary background,” says Hallberg. “I never intended my novel to be fan fiction. I want people to know the story is much bigger than just chasing Jimmy Page across the globe. It’s a story about a family grappling with trauma and individuals figuring out their personal identity, using art, myth and family lore to craft their own personal narrative.” It’s also a story that wears its artistic influences on its sleeve. Along with music, Luna’s narration is packed with literary references and allusions to such iconic authors as William Shakespeare, Edgar Allan Poe, Gertrude Stein and Jack Kerouac. Luna’s appreciation for literature creates several clever moments of metafiction throughout her narration, while Hallberg’s mastery as a writer comes to a head near the book’s end, as the author pulls off a twist that should leave readers satisfied and contemplative. “I hope readers come away with an appreciation for the power and necessity of art,” says Hallberg. “And I’m using that as an umbrella term that encapsulates music, literature, myth — all sorts of things. Because it’s so important, the stories that we tell each other and the stories that we tell ourselves. They help shape who we are.” To learn more about Searching for Jimmy Page, visit avl.mx/at6. X

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ART S & C U L T U R E

THE COST OF CREATIVITY

Meter and dime Local poet shares insights on the world of self-publishing

BY JOHANNA PATRICE HAGARTY johannahagarty@gmail.com Local poet Tiffany Narron has thought a lot about what it takes to share her work with the world. Apart from the creative undertaking itself, there’s the price to produce, distribute and connect one’s work to a community. “The Cost of Creativity,” a new Xpress series, intends to discuss the financial, mental and emotional components tied to creative endeavors. For its debut, Xpress speaks with Narron about her evolution from an online blogger to a two-time self-published author, the insights she’s gained along the way and what it means to be part of the local creative sector.

EYE-OPENING EXPERIENCE

After graduating from UNC Asheville in 2011, Narron began work as a digital marketing specialist, putting aside her creative writing for professional copy. But in 2015, she revisited daily journaling and later enrolled in classes, including Mary Ellen Lough’s Farmhouse Poetry workshops. These decisions resulted in the 2016 launch of her website, tiffanynarron.com, where she continues to publish her poetry. And while Narron says she remains excited about sharing her work on a digital platform, the poet always envisioned her poetry in print form, as well. “Even as a naturalist and environmentalist, I still like to read and hold a book and be able to share it with my mom and granny who may not fully understand what a digital blog is,” she explains. “So the first iteration of doing that was a zine I created around the holidays in 2016.” The 25-page self-published work included poems and handmade collages, as well as inspirations from other artists and personal insights. Over the next two years, she spent an estimated $1,200 in print costs. The positive feedback she received from family and friends led Narron to consider turning the work that

she shared as a holiday gift into a business. “I needed to decide if what I loved could be what I did full time. So in 2019, I started seriously trying to figure out what I would need and how much it would cost,” she says. A $1,000 grant from the Haywood County Arts Council helped Narron fund her first poetry collection, Soft With Me. She used part of the funding to hire an editor, who “helped with the layout and project management so I could work my day job while someone else kept me on track, which I didn’t even know I needed. “I also didn’t know you needed bar codes to be able to sell at any bookstore — indie, corporate or otherwise,” Narron continues. The realization came postproduction, which prevented local shops such as Malaprop’s Bookstore/Café from carrying her debut. “That was a big eye-opener,” the poet says.

LEARNING FROM OTHERS

Shortly after producing Soft With Me, Narron joined fellow local poet

WRITE ON: Local poet Tiffany Narron shares insights about the unexpected costs and hurdles of self-publishing. Photo courtesy of Narron

SECOND TIME’S A CHARM: TIffany Narron took what she learned from her first self-published book of poems to improve upon the production of her latest collection, Letters for Tallulah. Photo courtesy of Narron Daniel Francis for a reading in Hot Springs. Impressed by Francis’ latest book, You Deserve Flowers, Narron picked his brain about online platforms that make self-publishing easier and cheaper. The conversation and subsequent research led Narron to BookBaby, which provided her with a comprehensive overview of the financial costs required for her latest collection, Letters for Tallulah. The platform’s services, Narrow says, allowed her to focus more on other aspects of the self-publishing process, including social media marketing and fundraising campaigns. In total, 100 copies of Letters for Tallulah cost $2,200 to produce. The breakdown, says Narron, included $9 to print each copy, $500 for editing, $400 for the book’s artwork and $400-plus for Kickstarter rewards. The poet notes that her professional background as a digital marketing and crowdfunding specialist saved

NOW!

her thousands of additional dollars in production costs. For Narron, her latest publishing experience reemphasizes the many layers involved in producing creative work and its potential to overwhelm those new to the process. Art, she stresses, requires time, space and resources to emerge. All of which, she continues, can be hard to come by “in a capitalistic culture that has devalued and suppressed” the art of creation. But the end result, she maintains, is worth the hurdles. “We do this by showing up true to our visions despite the odds.” The Cost of Creativity intends to offer a behind-the-scenes look at individual artistic projects. If you know someone whose story should be considered for publication, please reach out to ae@mountainx.com with a brief description. The subject line should be: The Cost of Creativity. X

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ARTS & C U L T U R E

FOOD ROUNDUP

What’s new in food

When it came time to name his first restaurant, Reynaldo Macario turned to his birthplace for inspiration. “In Vera Cruz, [Mexico], when we go out to a fiesta, dance or party, we say, ‘Let’s go to la rumba,’” he explains. LaRumba Restaurant Latino, located in the former Bonefish Grill in East Asheville, is an extension of that convivial mindset, he continues. “We want people to come to LaRumba for good food, good drinks and a good time, where they can relax and enjoy the margaritas.” Though born in Vera Cruz, Macario was raised in California before moving to Asheville in 2003. Over the last decade, he’s worked as the district manager for Cook Out. But after growing weary of corporate culture, he decided to partner with his friend Luis Rodriguez to pursue a long-held dream of opening a restaurant that reflected his culture and heritage. LaRumba’s menu highlights include mojarra frita (whole fried fish), carne de puerco en adobo con napoles (braised pork shoulder in a spicy adobe sauce with cactus) and calabacitas con elote (zucchini marinated in chicken broth, mayonnaise, corn grains, onions, tomato, pepper, margarine and queso fresco), in addition to house-made guacamole, empanadas, chili rellenos, tamales and tostadas. All tortillas are also made on-site. Additionally, the restaurant offers brunch all day, seven days a week. Highlights include huevos rancheros (tortillas topped with refried beans, corn and black bean salsa, queso fresco, avocado and two eggs), chilaquiles (fried

LaRumba Restaurant Latino brings the party to East Asheville

QUALITY CONTROL: LaRumba Restaurant Latino owners Luis Rodriguez, left, and Reynaldo Macario are ready to rumba at their newly opened East Asheville restaurant. Photo courtesy of LaRumba tortilla chips tossed in salsa and topped with avocado, onion, cilantro, queso fresco, sour crema and two eggs), huevos con chorizo (two scrambled eggs mixed with spicy Mexican sausage served with black refried beans, queso fresco and tortillas). “Our food is so authentic, guests are surprised to learn our chef, Mike Martin, is from West Virginia,” Macario says. “But he lived in Texas for a long time and learned the Latino cuisine. And Luis and I are right here to be sure!” LaRumba Restaurant Latino is at 105 River Hills Road, Suite C. For more information, visit avl.mx/atd.

Mother knows best Fans of Heidi Bass’ Mother sourdough bread pop-ups, which launched in March, will soon be able to purchase her artisan breads at the baker’s new brick-and-mortar store. Bass and her partner, Brett Watson, signed a lease on the 180-square-foot space on Artful Way in the River Arts District in late October, with plans to open later this year or in January. The storefront will also carry wine chosen by Watson and a small selection of provisions to pair with bread and wine. Bass’ entry into the bread business began when she teamed up

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with Metro Wines for its Focaccia Fridays wine/bread promotions in October 2020. She later expanded her product line for the bimonthly pop-ups, staged Sunday mornings on her front yard in Montford; at the same time, she was also growing her client base with local restaurants. On Nov. 10, Bass launched her company’s website for orders and delivery, a service she intends to keep at least until the storefront opens. The menu includes focaccia, sourdough loaves, hot dog buns, brioche sandwich buns, sourdough pretzels and her cult-following English muffins. For a complete menu, visit avl.mx/atg.

Oodles of noodles At the start of November, Hannah Kirschner’s Hashi Hana became New Origin Brewing Co.’s first resident food truck. To celebrate, Kirschner reintroduced ramen to her menu. “I’ve also added miso soup,” she says. “I make all my own noodles and my own tofu, along with everything else. The ramen is a miso base, so it is vegan. I’m working on a gluten-free noodle, but it’s a process.” Kirschner’s interest in Japanese food began in childhood with a deep curiosity about Japan and its

culture. When she later studied culinary arts at A-B Tech, the program offered only one semester of Asian cuisine. Her adviser urged her to study it on her own through cookbooks, online videos and hands-on experience in Asian restaurants, which she found during her stint at Gan Shan Station. Meanwhile, her entry into the food truck scene came about during COVID-19. She had the compact shiny silver capsule that resembles the iconic Airstream design custom-built in California, after losing her job at High Climate Tea Co. amid the shutdown. “I took my entire life savings and bought a food truck,” she says with a laugh. New Origin Brewing Co. is at 131 Thompson St. For Hashi Hana’s hours and additional locations, follow Kirschner on Instagram at avl.mx/ati.

The Golden Pineapple is at 503 Haywood Road; The Montford Rooftop Bar is at 199 Haywood St. To learn more about either event, visit avl.mx/ats.

Naughty and nice

Santa’s not the only one making a list. The three organizers behind the annual holiday cocktail celebration staged in bars around the country — Greg Boehm, Joann Spiegel and Jeff Berry — have supervised the creation of the 2021 repertoire of themed alcohol libations for the seasonal spirit pop-ups taking place Monday, Nov. 22, to Friday, Dec. 31. In Asheville, Miracle decks the walls of The Golden Pineapple, and Sippin’ Santa is back for its third year at The Montford Rooftop Bar. Miracle concoctions include a Christmapolitan, On Dasher, Jingle Bells Nog and a Snowball Old Fashioned. Sippin’ Santa sips feature Kris Kringle Kolada, Azul Navidad, White Russian Christmas and Yule Log Grog.

Fit to be pied

If you’re a quick study, there’s still time to learn how to make a pie for a happy ending to your Thanksgiving feast or perfect your skill for December holiday potlucks. Spicewalla’s culinary director Alyse Baca has recorded a 25-minute tutorial from her tiny kitchen on how to make the perfect pie crust for two specific holiday recipes — a traditional golden (butter) milk pie and cranberry star anise pie bars. To view the cooking video, visit avl.mx/atk. For both pie recipes, see avl.mx/atl.

Sow good

Every year at the end of growing season, Sow True Seed donates thousands of packets of seeds to organizations that run gardens built to support communities and/ or gardening education programs. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has created a greater need but lower supply for these programs. In response, the Asheville-based nonprofit is prioritizing local organizations, with a particular emphasis on those that serve communities of color. The deadline to apply for seed packets is Tuesday, Nov. 30; the link to the application is available at avl.mx/atm. The free 2022 Sow True Seed catalog can be found at avl.mx/atn.

— Kay West X

We Need Your Donations To Help Us Build Bikes As Holiday Gifts For Foster Children

Holiday Bike Build December 7th 5-7PM Smoky Park Supper Club 350 Riverside Dr. Asheville

SOUPS ON: Hannah Kirschner, owner of Hashi Hana food truck, offers a cure for the big chill — ramen with homemade noodles and lots of veggies in chicken miso broth. Photo courtesy of Kirschner

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AR T S & C UL T U R E

ROUNDUP

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Around Town

Museum exhibition highlights use of written Cherokee language

– Susan Roderick

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WRITTEN WORD: A new exhibit at the Asheville Art Museum, organized in conjunction with the Museum of the Cherokee Indian, features works by Cherokee artists who use the tribe’s written language in their works. Photo courtesy of the Asheville Art Museum In the early 1800s, a Cherokee innovator named Sequoyah developed the tribe’s first written language in the form of a syllabary. The set of symbols, each of which signifies a different syllable, inspired rapid growth in literacy among the Cherokee and is still used as a form of cultural expression and pride. A new exhibit at the Asheville Art Museum, organized in conjunction with the Museum of the Cherokee Indian, examines how today’s Cherokee artists use the syllabary in their works. A Living Language: Cherokee Syllabary and Contemporary Art, now open, runs through Monday, March 14. The show features more than 50 works by over 30 Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and Cherokee Nation artists. The media represented includes animation, wood-fired ceramics, book arts, photography and painting. “I have spoken to several of [the artists] about how their use of the syllabary is in part activism to preserve the Cherokee language and to uplift its importance,” says Hilary Schroeder, assistant curator at the museum. (For more, see “Cherokee Fight to Save Language From Extinction,” Sept. 29, Xpress.) 32

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Many skillful artists who are members of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians live and work in Western North Carolina, including on the Qualla Boundary, Schroeder says. “We want to ensure that folks living here in the area and visitors coming from out of town know about these artists.” Along with visiting the latest exhibit at the Asheville Art Museum, Schroeder encourages community members to head to the the Museum of the Cherokee Indian, 589 Tsali Blvd. in Cherokee, to learn more. The Asheville Art Museum, 2 S. Pack Square, is open WednesdayMonday, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. with extended hours on Thursday. For more information, visit avl.mx/att.

Saints in the city In his debut novel, British American artist Julyan Davis turned to his adopted home for inspiration. “I wanted a playful and gentle depiction of the Asheville that drew me here: full of quirky ‘refugees’ from the broader South,” Davis says. The novel, A History of Saints, was recently published by Kentuckybased Shadelandhouse Modern Press. Set in fall 2008, the story

is a satirical retelling of the Great Recession and one man’s reluctant decision to rent rooms in his home to a cast of eccentrics to keep from losing his property. Davis will do a meet-and-greet followed by a reading on Wednesday, Dec. 1, at 5 p.m., at Blue Spiral 1 gallery, 38 Biltmore Ave. An exhibition of his paintings, Rooted in the South, is on view in the gallery until Wednesday, Dec. 29. Blue Spiral 1 is at 38 Biltmore Ave. Hours are Sunday-Tuesday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. and Wednesdays-Saturdays, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. For more information or to buy the book, go to avl.mx/ate.

Deck the (music) hall In Henderson County, it’s beginning to look a lot like ... well, you know the rest. A year after going virtual, A Flat Rock Playhouse Christmas returns with a new in-person show Friday, Nov. 26-Sunday, Dec. 19. “The energy to return to live theater, especially with this show, is electric,” says Matthew Glover, artistic associate with the theater. “Virtual was fun, but it is thrilling to be back on the stage.”

MOVIE LISTINGS The song-and-dance revue will feature classic carols, contemporary holiday tunes and plenty of tap dancing, Glover says. The cast, which is smaller than past years due to COVID-19 concerns, includes the Flat Rock Playhouse chorus as well as students from Hendersonville’s Pat’s School of Dance. “I was honored in 2017 when I was asked to conceive this show,” Glover continues. “I never dreamed that I would be writing a fifth production. I am lucky that it has now become such a tradition in our community.” The Flat Rock Playhouse is at 2661 Greenville Highway, Flat Rock. For more information or to buy tickets, visit avl.mx/ath.

Visions of sugar plum fairies

Four regional dance companies will present productions of the classic holiday ballet The Nutcracker at the Wortham Center for the Performing Arts this holiday season. The Academy at Terpsicorps, an Asheville-based ballet school, gets things started Friday, Nov. 26, at 7 p.m., and Saturday, Nov. 27, at 5 p.m. This family-friendly version tells the story of a girl named Clara who receives a special Christmas present that inspires a series of magical adventures. Things will take a bit of a turn when the Asheville Contemporary Dance Theatre presents The Nutcracker and the Mouse King on Friday, Dec. 3, at 7:30 p.m., and Saturday, Dec. 4, at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. The ACDT’s performance, now in its 10th year, is based on the original 1816 story by German author E.T.A. Hoffmann and is darker than better-known versions. The Asheville Ballet, North Carolina’s oldest nonprofit dance company, will perform the show on Friday, Dec. 10, at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 11, at 2:30 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 12, at 2:30 p.m. And finally, the Ballet Conservatory of Asheville puts on performances Thursday, Dec. 16, at 6:30 p.m., Friday, Dec. 17, at 4:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., and Saturday, Dec. 18, at 10 a.m. The Wortham Center for the Performing Arts is at 18 Biltmore Ave. For more information or to get tickets, go to avl.mx/atv.

Play time

ArtPlay, a new collaborative arts studio and gallery, recently opened in the River Arts District. The

studio allows visitors to view new works as well as interact with creative materials. “The emphasis is on ‘play,’” studio owner Kristen Edge says in a press release. “My goal with ArtPlay is to provide an atmosphere where people feel free to make, create, make mistakes and start over without having that little judge on their shoulder.” Among ArtPlay’s offerings are Playdates with an Artist, a Friday night workshop guided by local artists, and Saturday Stay + Play, which allows people to work with various art materials for 45 minutes. Art created by local and regional artists will be featured on a rotating basis throughout the year. ArtPlay is at 372 Depot St., Suite 44. The studio is open Tuesday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. and noon-5 p.m. on Sunday. For more information, go to avl.mx/atx.

GHOSTBUSTERS: AFTERLIFE: Jason Reitman, son of Ghostbusters (1984) director Ivan Reitman, carries on the family tradition with this thoroughly entertaining legacy sequel that’s fittingly about a new generation of paranormal investigators. Grade: B-plus. Rated PG-13 KING RICHARD: True to its title, this fact-based tennis drama is far more about Richard Williams than his superstar daughters, Venus and Serena, who are depicted as mere pawns in his game. As the stubborn, visionary patriarch, Will Smith delivers his first respectable performance since Men in Black 3 (2012). Grade: B-minus. Rated PG-13

NOW OPEN!

Light ’em up

Haywood County’s first drive-thru Christmas light show opens at the Smoky Mountain Event Center, formerly Haywood County Fairgrounds, on Wednesday, Dec. 1, and runs through Saturday, Jan.1. The Strand of Lights: Drive-Thru Christmas & Beyond Light Show was created in partnership with a professional light-installation company that specializes in large-scale, outdoor shows. The event winds around the event center campus for nearly a mile and includes numerous 2D displays and lighted buildings. The Smoky Mountain Event Center is at 758 Crabtree Road in Waynesville. Tickets are $20 per vehicle with a limit of 100 cars per one-hour time slot. To purchase tickets, visit avl.mx/aty.

Edwin Arnaudin’s latest critiques of new films available to view in local theaters and on popular streaming services include:

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

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In the mix

Asheville-based Spoon + Hook was recently named a runner-up in the crafts category of Garden & Gun magazine’s 12th annual Made in the South Awards. Spoon + Hook, a business started by Anneliesse Gormley, works with a network of Western North Carolina lumber and salvage yards to find cherry, walnut and maple, which Gormley carves into mixing spoons, serving sets and coffee scoops. “It has become my life’s joy to work with materials that may otherwise be thrown away,” Gormley told Garden & Gun. For more information, go to avl.mx/atz.

— Justin McGuire X MOUNTAINX.COM

NOV. 24-30, 2021

CLUBLAND

TALK OF THE TOWN: The JackTown Ramblers will play at Burntshirt Vineyards in Chimney Rock on Sunday, Nov. 28, 2-5 p.m. The Morganton-based quartet plays bluegrass, swing and jazz. Their latest album, Ramblin’ On, was released in June. Photo courtesy of the JackTown Ramblers

In the

Spirit

Coming 12.15.21

Issue

The featured icon indicates which venues or artists require proof of vaccination for upcoming shows. Due to the evolving nature of the matter, the list may not be comprehensive. Before heading out, please check with all venues for complete information on any vaccine or negative COVID-19 requirements. For questions about free listings, call 828-251-1333, opt. 4.

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 24 185 KING STREET Trivia Night, 7pm ALLEY CAT SOCIAL CLUB Asheville's Best Karaoke, 8pm ASHEVILLE BEAUTY ACADEMY • Beauty Parlor Comedy w/Rachel Foglettok 7pm • Aquanet: Goth Nightk 9pm ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL Disclaimer Stand-Up Lounge Comedy Open Mic, 8pm

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BEN'S TUNE UP Big Blue (jam), 8pm BLACK MOUNTAIN BREWING • Dark City Kings (rock), 2pm • Jay Brown (roots), 6pm

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BOLD ROCK HARD CIDER Trivia Night, 6pm CITIZEN VINYL Open Folk, 6pm GREEN MAN BREWERY Green Man Trivia, 7pm HANDLEBAR & GRILL Ladies Night Karaoke, 7pm HI-WIRE BREWING BIG TOP Free Weekly Trivia Night, 7pm HIGHLAND BREWING CO. Well-Crafted Wednesdays w/Matt Smith (Americana, singer-songwriter), 6pm ICONIC KITCHEN & DRINKS Marc Keller (acoustic), 6pm MYSTIC DOME STUDIO Open Jam in the Dome (open mic), 6:30pm

OFF THE WAGON All Request Piano Show, 8pm OKLAWAHA BREWING CO. French Broad Valley Mountain Music Jam, 6pm ONE STOP AT ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL Wild Wednesday Funk-n-Rock w Free Anesthesia, 10pm SILVERADOS Open Mic Night, 7pm SOUTHERN APPALACHIAN BREWERY Jazz Night w/Jason DeCristofaro, 5:30pm SWEETEN CREEK BREWING Witty Wednesday Trivia, 6:30pm THE 2ND ACT Round Robin Open Mic w/Letters to Abigail, 6pm THE GETAWAY RIVER BAR Dirty Bingo, 9pm THE GREY EAGLE Mary Lattimore, William Tyler & Walt McClements (indie folk, pop rock)k 8pm

TURGUA BREWING CO Trivia Night w/Pub Trivia Nerds, 6pm WHITE HORSE BLACK MOUNTAIN Irish Music Circle, 7pm

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 25 131 MAIN Aaron LaFalce (soul, rock, pop), 6pm

ONE STOP AT ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL Phursdays w/Gunslinging Parrots (Phish tribute), 9:30pm RYE KNOT KITCHEN BREWERY DISTILLERY Chris Flanders (acoustic), 6pm

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 26

305 LOUNGE & EATERY Bob Sherill (singer-songwriter), 1pm

185 KING STREET Mike & Mike Present the Umpteenth Annual Hometown Holiday Jam, 8pm

ALLEYCATAVL Live Music Open Mic w/Lincoln, 8pm

ALOFT HOTEL Andrew Thelston (rock, blues, folk), 7pm

ASHEVILLE BEAUTY ACADEMY Move On Up: Soul/R&B Nightk 9pm

ASHEVILLE BEAUTY ACADEMY Everybody Free Dance Partyk 10pm

ASHEVILLE CLUB Mr Jimmy (blues), 5pm

ASHEVILLE GUITAR BAR Mr Jimmy Friday Night Blues, 7:30pm

BEN'S TUNE UP Offended! Open Mic (comedy), 9:30pm DOUBLE CROWN Gospel Night w/The Highway QCs, 9pm

BLUE MOUNTAIN PIZZA & BREW PUB Acoustic Swing (acoustic duo), 7pm

THE OMNI GROVE PARK INN The B's (jazz, standards), 7pm

JACK OF THE WOOD PUB Bluegrass Jam w/Drew & the Boys, 7pm

BURNTSHIRT VINYARDS CHIMNEY ROCK LyriSmith (acoustic duo), 5pm

TRISKELION BREWING CO. TriskaTrivia, 7pm

OFF THE WAGON All Request Piano Show, 8pm

DRY FALLS BREWING CO. Billingsley (rock), 7pm

FLEETWOOD'S Greg Cartwright, Rod Hamdallah & The Squealers (rock), 8pm GUIDON BREWING David Payne (singer-songwriter), 7pm ISIS MUSIC HALL & KITCHEN 743 Kat Williams & Company (blues, soul, rock)k 8:30pm JACK OF THE WOOD PUB Mose Wilson (bluegrass, classic country, blues), 8pm MAD CO. BREW HOUSE Chris Wilhelm (Americana, folk rock), 6pm OFF THE WAGON All Request Piano Show, 8pm OKLAWAHA BREWING CO. Trio de Janeiro (rock, funk, alternative), 8pm ONE STOP AT ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL Free Dead Friday w/ Gus & Phriends & Generous Electric Duo (Grateful Dead tribute), 9:30pm ONE WORLD BREWING WEST High Blue Heron (Americana, blues), 7pm SAWYER SPRINGS VINEYARD Myron Hyman (classic rock, blues), 2:30pm

ST. PAUL MOUNTAIN VINEYARDS IN FLAT ROCK Friday Night Jams w/ Wiregrass (bluegrass), 6pm STATIC AGE RECORDS Gina the Machina w/ Toward Space (postpunk, alternative), 8pm THE 2ND ACT The MRK Blues Band (oldies), 7pm THE BLACKBIRD RESTAURANT Sister Ivy (neo-soul, jazz, rock), 10pm THE DUGOUT Ricky Gunter Band (rock), 8pm THE GETAWAY RIVER BAR Chaotic Comedy, 8pm THE GREY EAGLE David Wilcox's Annual Thanksgiving Homecoming Concert (singer-songwriter) k 8pm

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 27 ALLEY CAT SOCIAL CLUB Karaoke All Night, 9pm ALOFT HOTEL DJ Molly Parti, 7pm ASHEVILLE CLUB Kyle Corbett (acoustic), 6:30pm ASHEVILLE GUITAR BAR 40 20 10s (Americana, outlaw country), 7:30pm ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL MIZE, Black Carl!, Audio Goblin, & Sophron (dance, synth, electronica) BATTERY PARK BOOK EXCHANGE Dinah's Daydream (jazz), 5pm

THE ORANGE PEEL Black Friday Blackout Diaries (comedy)k 8pm

BURNTSHIRT VINYARDS CHIMNEY ROCK Roots and Dore (roots), 2pm

UPCOUNTRY BREWING COMPANY J.C. Tokes (country), 6pm

DRY FALLS BREWING CO. 3 Cool Cats (oldies), 7pm

WILD WING CAFE SOUTH Commodore Fox (rock, dance), 8:30pm

FLEETWOOD'S Safety Coffin, Pons & Tea Doggy (rock, blues)k 8pm

GUIDON BREWING John Friday (rock, folk, country), 7pm

THE 2ND ACT Jason Whitaker (acoustic), 6:30pm

ISIS MUSIC HALL & KITCHEN 743 • Rev. Billy C. Wirtz (blues, humor, boogie woogie)k 7pm • Seth Walker (Americana, roots, blues), 8:30pm

THE BLACKBIRD RESTAURANT In Flight (world, jazz, funk), 10pm

LEICESTER LIBRARY Zydeco Ya Ya (Cajun) k 8pm MILLS RIVER BREWING Shooting Creek (Southern rock), 2pm OKLAWAHA BREWING CO. Abbey Elmore Band (pop, rock), 8pm ONE WORLD BREWING WEST Krave Amiko w/Pixel Vision (alt, indie), 6pm SAINT PAUL MOUNTAIN VINEYARDS Sunlight Drive (acoustic duo), 3pm SALVAGE STATION Funksgiving w/The Legendary House Band & Josh Clark’s Visible Spectrumk 8pm STATIC AGE RECORDS Nerve Endings (punk), 8pm SUNNY POINT CAFÉ Albi (vintage jazz), 6pm

THE BURGER BAR Karaoke, 9pm THE GETAWAY RIVER BAR Slasher: Hard Dance (techno), 10pm THE GREENHOUSE MOTO CAFE Plywood's Band of Gypsies, ALR Trio (rock), 6pm THE GREY EAGLE Acoustic Syndicate's Annual Thanksgiving Homecoming (rock, jam)k 9pm THE POE HOUSE Bill Altman (acoustic blues), 7pm WHITE HORSE BLACK MOUNTAIN Josh Goforth (old time, bluegrass, swing), 8pm

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 28 185 KING STREET Open Electric Jam w/ the King Street House Band ft. Howie Johnson, 6:30pm

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NOV. 24-30, 2021

CLU B LA N D ASHEVILLE BEAUTY ACADEMY Sunday Dance Party w/ DJ RexxStepk 10pm

LITTLE JUMBO Fly Casual Organ Quartet w/Brian Felix (jazz)k 7pm

BURNTSHIRT VINYARDS CHIMNEY ROCK The JackTown Ramblers (bluegrass), 2pm

OKLAWAHA BREWING CO. It Takes All Kinds Open Mic Night, 7pm

HIGHLAND DOWNTOWN TAPROOM Mr Jimmy Blues & Brews, 1pm ISIS MUSIC HALL & KITCHEN 743 The Page Brothers Quartet (jazz), 7pm JACK OF THE WOOD PUB Bluegrass Brunch w/ Supper Break, 12pm OKLAWAHA BREWING CO. Human Ladder (classic rock & pop), 4pm ONE WORLD BREWING WEST Andrew Wakefield (folk, rock, bluegrass), 6pm RIVERSIDE RHAPSODY BEER CO. Drinkin' & Thinkin' Trivia w/Allie & Alex, 5:30pm SALVAGE STATION The Carolina Waltz: A Tribute to The Band's "Last Waltz" w/Josh Daniel & Friendsk 8pm SLY GROG LOUNGE Open Mic with Mike, 6pm THE GETAWAY RIVER BAR Drag Show: Sissy Sunday, 9pm THE ODDITORIUM Game Night w/the Sisters, 8pm

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 29 ASHEVILLE CLUB Freshen Up, Comedy Open Mic, 7pm DOUBLE CROWN Country Karaoke, 10pm HAYWOOD COUNTRY CLUB Open Mic Night, 7:15PM HIGHLAND BREWING COMPANY Totally Rad Trivia w/ Mitch Fortune, 6pm

THE GOLDEN PINEAPPLE Robert's Totally Rad Trivia, 8pm THE JOINT NEXT DOOR Mr Jimmy & Friends, 7pm

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 30 185 KING STREET Tuesday Casual Collaborations Hosted by Travis Book ft. Christina Vane w/ Mike Ashworth and Tommy Maher (Americana), 6pm 305 LOUNGE & EATERY Bob Sherill (singer-songwriter), 1pm FRENCH BROAD RIVER BREWERY Robert's Totally Rad Trivia, 7pm GREEN MAN BREWERY Old Time Jam, 5pm HI-WIRE BREWING BIG TOP Free Weekly Trivia Night, 7pm MILLS RIVER BREWING Trivia Night, 6pm ONE WORLD BREWING WEST Grateful Family Band Tuesdays (Dead tribute), 6pm SLY GROG LOUNGE MINKA, Daydream Creatures & PrettyPretty (rock, dance, electric), 7:30pm THE GETAWAY RIVER BAR Turntable Tuesday, 10pm THE GREY EAGLE Squirrel Nut Zippers Holiday Caravan (jazz, swing)k 8pm WAGBAR Tuesday Trivia Night, 6pm

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 1

NOV. 24-30, 2021

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ASHEVILLE BEAUTY ACADEMY • Queer Comedy Party w/Kathleen McDonaldk 7 pm • Aquanet: Goth Nightk 9pm ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL Disclaimer Stand-Up Lounge Comedy Open Mic, 8pm BLACK MOUNTAIN BREWING • Dark City Kings (rock), 2pm • Jay Brown (roots), 6pm GREEN MAN BREWERY Green Man Trivia, 7pm HIGHLAND BREWING COMPANY Songwriter Series w/ Matt Smith, 6pm ICONIC KITCHEN & DRINKS Marc Keller (acoustic), 6pm OFF THE WAGON All Request Piano Show, 8pm OKLAWAHA BREWING CO. French Broad Valley Mountain Music Jam, 6pm ONE STOP AT ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL Wild Wednesday Funk-n-Rock w/Free Anesthesia SALVAGE STATION Ghost-Note (dance, electronic)k 8pm SWEETEN CREEK BREWING Witty Wednesday Trivia, 6:30pm THE DUGOUT 3 Cool Cats (vintage rock-n-roll), 7pm THE GREY EAGLE The Steel Wheels (rock, folk)k 8pm THE OMNI GROVE PARK INN The B's (jazz, standards), 7pm THE ORANGE PEEL Mipso (bluegrass, indie folk)k 8pm

HIGHLAND DOWNTOWN TAPROOM Cheers to Chess, 5pm

185 KING STREET Trivia Night, 7pm

TRISKELION BREWING CO. TriskaTrivia, 7pm

JACK OF THE WOOD PUB Quizzo Pub Trivia w/ Jason Mencer, 7:30pm

ALLEY CAT SOCIAL CLUB Asheville's Best Karaoke, 8pm

TURGUA BREWING CO Trivia Night w/Pub Trivia Nerds, 6pm

NOW! 36

ARCHETYPE BREWING Bluegrass & Brews w/ Knob Creek Incident, 6pm

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 2 131 MAIN Aaron LaFalce (soul, rock, pop), 6pm 185 KING STREET Caleb Caudle (country, soul), 7pm 305 LOUNGE & EATERY Bob Sherill (singer-songwriter), 1pm ASHEVILLE BEAUTY ACADEMY Move On Up: Soul/R&B Nightk 9pm ASHEVILLE CLUB Mr Jimmy (blues), 5pm ASHEVILLE GUITAR BAR Will Ray and the Space Cooties (rock, blues, jam), 7:30pm ASHEVILLE PIZZA & BREWING CO Game Room Comedyk 7pm BEN'S TUNE UP Offended! Open Mic (comedy), 9:30pm CASCADE LOUNGE Team Trivia, 7:30pm GINGER'S REVENGE CRAFT BREWERY & TASTING ROOM Gluten-Free Comedy (open mic), 6pm ISIS MUSIC HALL & KITCHEN 743 The Jackson Grimm Band w/Jane Kramer (Americana, folk, old time), 7:30pm JACK OF THE WOOD PUB Bluegrass Jam w/Drew & the Boys, 7pm OFF THE WAGON All Request Piano Show, 8pm ONE STOP AT ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL Phursdays w/Gunslinging Parrots (Phish tribute), 9:30pm RYE KNOT KITCHEN BREWERY DISTILLERY Chris Flanders (acoustic), 6pm SILVERADOS Laurel River Showcase (90’s country, Southern rock, bluegrass), 7pm THE 2ND ACT Russ Wilson & The 2nd Act Orchestra (swing), 7pm THE ORANGE PEEL Darrell Scott (singer-songwriter)k 8pm

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NOV. 24-30, 2021

FREEWILL ASTROLOGY ARIES (March 21-April 19): Aries author Chris Brogan says, “Don’t settle. Don’t finish crappy books. If you don’t like the menu, leave the restaurant. If you’re not on the right path, get off it.” That’s the best possible counsel for you to hear, in my astrological opinion. As an Aries, you’re already inclined to live by that philosophy. But now and then, like now, you need a forceful nudge in that direction. So please, Aries, go in pursuit of what you want, not what you partially want. Associate with the very best, most invigorating influences, not the mediocre kind. TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Author Kurt Vonnegut wrote wistfully, “I still catch myself feeling sad about things that don’t matter anymore.” If similar things are running wild in your head, dear Taurus, the coming weeks will be a favorable time to banish them. You will have extra power to purge outdated emotions and reclaim at least some of the wild innocence that is your birthright. P.S.: There’s nothing wrong with feeling sad. In fact, feeling sad can be healthy. But it’s important to feel sad for the right reasons. Getting clear about that is your second assignment. GEMINI (May 21-June 20): “I’ll walk forever with stories inside me that the people I love the most can never hear.” So says the main character in Gemini author Michelle Hodkin’s novel The Evolution of Mara Dyer. If that heart-rending statement has resonance with your own personal experience, I have good news: The coming weeks will be a favorable time to transform the situation. I believe you can figure out how to share key stories and feelings that have been hard to reveal before now. Be alert for unexpected opportunities and not-at-all-obvious breakthroughs. CANCER (June 21-July 22): A study of people in 24 countries concluded that during the pandemic, over 80% of the population have taken action to improve their health. Are you in that group? Whether or not you are, the coming weeks will be a favorable time to go further in establishing robust self-care. The astrological omens suggest you’ll find it easier than usual to commit to good new habits. Rather than trying to do too much, I suggest you take no more than three steps. Even starting with just one might be wise. Top three: eating excellent food, having fun while exercising right and getting all the deep sleep you need. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Leo-born scholar Edith Hamilton loved to study ancient Greek civilization. She wrote, “To rejoice in life, to find the world beautiful and delightful to live in, was a mark of the Greek spirit which distinguished it from all that had gone before.” One sign of Greece’s devotion to joie de vivre was its love of play. “The Greeks were the first people in the world to play,” Hamilton exulted, “and they played on a great scale. All over Greece, there were games” — for athletes, dancers, musicians and other performers. Spirited competition was an essential element of their celebration of play, as was the pursuit of fun for its own sake. In resonance with your astrological omens, Leo, I propose you regard ancient Greece as your spiritual home for the next five weeks. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Virgo singer-songwriter Florence Welch of the band Florence and the Machine told an interviewer why she wrote “Hunger.” She said, “I looked for love in things that were not love.” What were those things? According to her song, they included taking drugs and performing on stage. Earlier in Welch’s life, as a teenager, “love was a kind of emptiness” she experienced through her eating disorder. What about you, Virgo? Have you looked for love in things that weren’t love? Are you doing that right now? The coming weeks will be a good time to get straight with yourself about this issue. I suggest you ask for help from your higher self. Formulate a strong intention that in the future, you will look for love in things that can genuinely offer you love.

NOV. 24-30, 2021

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): There’s a Grateful Dead song, with lyrics written by John Perry Barlow, that says, “You ain’t gonna learn what you don’t want to know.” I propose you make that your featured advice for the next two weeks. I hope you will be inspired by it to figure out what truths you might be trying hard not to know. In so doing, you will make yourself available to learn those truths. As a result, you’ll be led on a healing journey you didn’t know you needed to take. The process might sound uncomfortable, but I suspect it will ultimately be pleasurable. SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Scorpio author and philosopher Albert Camus was a good thinker. At age 44, he won the Nobel Prize for Literature — the second-youngest recipient ever. And yet he made this curious statement: “Thoughts are never honest. Emotions are.” He regarded thoughts as “refined and muddy” — the result of people continually tinkering with their inner dialogue so as to come up with partially true statements designed to serve their self-image rather than reflect authentic ideas. Emotions, on the other hand, emerge spontaneously and are hard to hide, according to Camus. They come straight from the depths. In accordance with astrological potentials, Scorpio, I urge you to keep these meditations at the forefront of your awareness in the coming weeks. See if you can be more skeptical about your thoughts and more trusting in your emotions. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Poet Renée Ashley describes what she’s attracted to: “I’m drawn to what flutters nebulously at the edges, at the corner of my eye —just outside my certain sight. I want to share in what I am routinely denied or only suspect exists. I long for a glimpse of what is beginning to occur.” Although I don’t think that’s a suitable perspective for you to cultivate all the time, Sagittarius, I suspect it might be appealing and useful for you in the coming weeks. Fresh possibilities will be coalescing. New storylines will be incubating. Be alert for the oncoming delights of the unknown. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): What could you do to diminish your suffering? Your next assignment is to take two specific steps to begin that process. You’re in a phase of your astrological cycle when you’re more likely than usual to see what’s necessary to salve your wounds and fix what’s broken. Take maximum advantage of this opportunity! I proclaim this next chapter of your life to be titled “In Quest of the Maximum Cure.” Have fun with this project, dear Capricorn. Treat it as a mandate to be imaginative and explore interesting possibilities. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): “It is a fault to wish to be understood before we have made ourselves clear to ourselves,” wrote my favorite Aquarian philosopher, Simone Weil. I agree. It’s advice I regularly use myself. If you want to be seen and appreciated for who you really are, you should make it your priority to see and appreciate yourself for who you really are. The coming weeks will be a favorable time to make progress in this noble project. Start this way: Write a list of the five qualities about yourself that you love best. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Nigerian author Ben Okri, born under the sign of Pisces, praises our heroic instinct to rise above the forces of chaos. He writes, “The most authentic thing about us is our capacity to create, to overcome, to endure, to transform, to love and to be greater than our suffering.” You’ve been doing a lot of that excellent work throughout 2021, dear Pisces. And I expect that you’ll be climaxing this chapter of your life story sometime soon. Thanks for being such a resourceful and resilient champion. You have bravely faced but also risen above the sometimes-messy challenges of plain old everyday life. You have inspired many of us to stay devoted to our heart’s desires.

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MARKETPLACE

BY ROB BREZSNY

REAL ESTATE & RENTALS | ROOMMATES | JOBS | SERVICES ANNOUNCEMENTS | CLASSES & WORKSHOPS | MIND, BODY, SPIRIT MUSICIANS’ SERVICES | PETS | AUTOMOTIVE | XCHANGE | ADULT Want to advertise in Marketplace? 828-251-1333 advertise@mountainx.com • mountainx.com/classifieds If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Remember the Russian proverb: “Doveryai, no proveryai,” trust but verify. When answering classified ads, always err on the side of caution. Especially beware of any party asking you to give them financial or identification information. The Mountain Xpress cannot be responsible for ensuring that each advertising client is legitimate. Please report scams to advertise@mountainx.com RENTALS HOMES FOR RENT CHOICE RENTAL: SEEING IS BELIEVING 2bd/2ba, Deluxe Chalet in the Mts. with vista views from wrap around decks with gardens and privacy tastefully furnished and immaculate west burnsville with easy access to 26; 20 min to Weaverville and 45 min to Asheville; Gas Fireplace and 3 big screen tv's and much more. no pets. ref. $1500+ 1 OR 2 people, 1 car please. Lets talk…Text 954.496.9000.

EMPLOYMENT SKILLED LABOR/ TRADES HISTORIC RESTORATION TECHNICIAN Ready for an exciting career in a sustainable construction trade? We are a historic window and door preservation company that is focused on preserving our

historic built environment. Now hiring full time entry-level technicians with training provided. Pay $16-20/ hour. Email michael@ logan-restoration.com.

SALES/ MARKETING

SALES PROFESSIONAL Mountain Xpress is looking to add a new member to our sales team. This is a full-time position with benefits. Ideal candidates are personable, organized, motivated, and can present confidently, while working within a structure. Necessary skills include clear and professional communications (via phone, email, and in-person meetings), detailed record-keeping, and working well in a team environment. While no outside sales experience is required, experience dealing with varied and challenging situations is helpful. The position largely

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entails account development and lead generation (including cold-calling), account management, assisting clients with marketing and branding strategies, and working to meet or exceed sales goals. If you are a high energy, positive, cooperative person looking to join an independent, community-minded organization, please send a resume and cover letter (no walk-ins, please) explaining why you are a good fit for Mountain Xpress to: xpressjob@mountainx.com

DRIVERS/ DELIVERY DELIVERY DRIVER: FT & PT AVAILABLE Make Extra Money for the Holidays! Weekend delivery drivers needed. Sat-Sun with 10 hour shifts. Pay starts $16.50 per hour with bonus opportunities. Text SummitDelivers to 464646 to apply.

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to humanresources@journeyhomeeast.com Journey Home East is an Equal Opportunity Employer. No phone calls or walk-ins please. Employees must pass a background check and drug screen. www. journeyhomeeast.com

TEACHING/ EDUCATION FT, GREAT PAY/BENEFITS, REWARDING Black Mountain Academy is seeking Overnight Residential Coaches for 3rd shift to work at our therapeutic boarding school supporting adolescent males with Level 1 (high-functioning) Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) or who have social challenges, anxiety, and difficulty in traditional academic settings. Interested candidates, please send your resume and cover letter to jobs@theblackmountainacademy.com.

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CAREGIVERS COMPANION • CAREGIVER • LIVE-IN VACCINATED • Alzheimer's Experienced • Heart failure and bed sore

THE N EW Y OR K TI M ES C ROSSWORD P UZ Z LE care • Hospice reference letter • Nonsmoker, with cat, seeks live-in position • References • Arnold, (828) 273-2922.

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LEGAL NOTICES NON-RESIDENT NOTICE In the chancery court for Carter County at Elizabethton, Tennessee. Peter Arnold Zolton,

Jr., Plaintiff VS Penny Leigh Marler Zolton, Defendant. Civil Action No. 31387. In this cause, it appearing from the Plaintiff's bill, which is sworn to, that the Defendant, Penny Leigh Marler Zolton, last known address, 258 Luther Road, Candler, NC 28715, it is ordered by me that publication be made for four successive weeks, as required by law, in the Mountain Xpress, a newspaper published in Asheville, NC, in Buncombe County, with a general circulation in Candler, North Carolina, notifying said Defendant to appear before our said Chancery Court, at the Courthouse, 801 East Elk Avenue, Elizabethton, TN within (30) days after this notice has been published for four successive weeks in said newspaper, and make answer to said complaint, or the allegations there of will be take for confessed and this cause will be set for hearing ex parte as to Penny Leigh Marler Zolton. This, the 19th day of November, 2021. Andrew J. LaPorte, Clerk and Master. NOTICE TO CREDITORS Having qualified as Executor for the Estate of the late Kenneth Wayne Fraher of Buncombe County, North Carolina, the undersigned does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against the estate of said decedent to present them, in writing, to the undersigned at c/o Paula A. Kohut, Kohut & Adams, P.A., P.O. Box 269, Wilmington, North Carolina 28402 on or before the 4th day of February, 2022, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons, firms and corporations indebted to the said estate will please

make immediate settlement with the undersigned. This the 3rd day of November, 2021. Robert Grey Bustle III, Executor for the Estate of Kenneth Wayne Fraher. Paula A. Kohut, KOHUT & ADAMS, P.A., 513 Market Street, Wilmington, NC 28401. PO Box 269, Wilmington, NC 28402.

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edited by Will Shortz | No. 1020

ACROSS 1 Museum wings? 4 “Wonder Woman” actress Gadot 7 Novelty brand with the slogan “Watch it grow!” 14 Got hitched 16 Jimi in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame 17 “Who’s your favorite roguish ‘Star Wars’ character? Han ___?” 18 “How famous is that actress? Is she unknown ___?” 19 Partner of born 20 AOL, e.g., in brief 22 Actor Wilson 23 One, in Berlin 24 Fashion line 26 Have a fight 29 One of several in a Venn diagram 30 Genre of the “Broken Earth” trilogy by N. K. Jemisin 32 Permissive 33 Fixing a faucet or mending a fence, say 35 Dramatic segment 36 Running event 37 “How do you handle losing? Do you feel calm ___?” 40 Flu fighter 43 2018 Pixar short about a dumpling boy 44 Plaza de la Raza locale in SoCal 48 “Mazel ___!” 49 Most prone to preening 51 Unedited 52 Work of art 54 Flippers 55 Polynesian crop with medicinal properties 56 Where to find lots of Letts 58 Hound sound 59 Declare 60 “What’s the best way to spend less on shopping? Coupons ___?”

22 25

26 31

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59 63

63 “What kind of greens do you want? Spinach ___?” 65 Active during the day 66 Like the king of the jungle 67 Envoy’s workplace 68 Latin law 69 Director Spike

DOWN 1 1962 Paul Anka hit 2 Got hitched 3 Handsome trait? 4 Drink flavored with juniper berries 5 Capital of Ethiopia 6 Let out a notch, perhaps 7 Actor John who plays Sulu in “Star Trek” films 8 Knight in shining armor 9 “Ish” 10 Irene who’s central to the scandal of “A Scandal in Bohemia” 11 Chip in a tube 12 German winter hazard 13 Palindromic alternative to .exe

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15 Root beer brand 21 Southern part of South America 25 Weapon with a heavy head 27 Home of the Burj Khalifa, for short 28 Office no. 30 In favor of 31 Like a day off, ideally 34 Write (down) 36 Some O.R. and E.R. staffers 38 Credulous sort 39 Swallow 40 Valvoline rival 41 ___ polloi 42 Augment, as a musical track

45 Labor 46 With 64-Down, noted trans activist and actress 47 One accepting an Oscar, e.g. 49 Ones unlikely to enjoy the land of milk and honey? 50 Register 53 Olds of old 55 “Blazing Saddles” actress Madeline 57 “So it goes” 60 Bobbie Gentry’s “___ to Billie Joe” 61 Salted part of a margarita glass 62 Crafty 64 See 46-Down

ANSWER TO PREVIOUS NY TIMES PUZZLE

C L E F P A L E L A S T I H O L D E S O I S A M R O M A I S C A L K A T I S A A B I R C U N I T M O S E

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