OUR 28TH YEAR OF WEEKLY INDEPENDENT NEWS, ARTS & EVENTS FOR WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA VOL. 28 NO. 19 DEC. 8-14, 2021
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Only 3.4% of Asheville’s population lives in public housing, yet the communities are the location of nearly one fifth of Asheville’s gun violence and other crime. But the redevelopment of Lee Walker Heights and other public housing communities to emphasize neighbor relations and better living conditions may create safer places for their residents.
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OPINION
Send your letters to the editor to letters@mountainx.com.
Poorly managed growth costs us As we hear the various debates about development in Buncombe County, we need to remember what drives these debates. While development benefits certain groups, it also carries with it real externalized (socialized) costs. Residents who have been protesting the development are aware of and struggling to articulate the socialized costs. Those of us who have lived in areas undergoing rapid growth know from experience that unregulated growth drives up taxes, creates traffic snarls, which waste both gas and time, and drives out lower-wage citizens who cannot afford the increased costs. The development impacts the ecosystem, the water quality, the wild animals, the pollinators. These are all long-term costs that our children and grandchildren will pay for. We are seeing poorly managed growth all around the Asheville area have all these impacts. Lax zoning laws allow for predatory development, where an outside developer comes in, makes a quick buck and leaves before the real costs of the development are realized by the community. This is exactly the debate we are seeing over the Woodfin Bluffs. The community knows that the developer will leave with his millions before the infrastructure costs and reclamation costs for impact on the river and hillside come due. He will get the millions. We will pay the long-term costs. His profit margin depends on making us pay the long-term costs. Poorly structured zoning laws actually serve to create higher infrastructure costs by forcing citizens to become more dependent on cars as the various functions of community, housing, goods and services become arbitrarily segregated. Citizens find themselves unable to do anything without getting in a car and sitting in a traffic snarl. The primary purpose of zoning laws should be to mitigate these externalized costs, to prevent development from being a burden on the community. As the Woodfin zoning board moves forward, it needs to make externalized costs the primary focus of their zoning. Their current plan allows for Mountain Village Zoning to impose huge costs on the surrounding community. As Asheville rethinks its zoning and development plan, it needs to consider the problems we can already see growing. Is the development creating more traffic snarls, significantly higher infrastructure costs? Or is it
C A R T O O N B Y R AN DY M O L T O N promoting walkable, bikeable neighborhoods that reduce these costs? Is development driving out the people who actually work here, or is it making it easier for wage earners to live in the community they serve? The residents of Buncombe County need our townships to replace zoning laws that promote externalized costs of development with laws that reduce infrastructure costs and protect critical environments to make it easier and more affordable for the current residents and workers to continue living here. — Karl Kuhn Asheville
Live events must be done safely I read with interest Ian Rudick’s letter to the editor [“Place Public Safety Ahead of Revenue,” Nov.
24, Xpress] concerning Harrah’s Cherokee Center – Asheville not enforcing the mask mandate, as I have seen it, too. This was not the same event Mr. Rudick attended, but a concert on Sunday, Nov. 21, at the Thomas Wolfe Auditorium. Despite a statement to the contrary, there appeared to be no enforcement of the mask mandate at this show. Unmasked attendees were allowed to enter upon showing their vaccination cards, allowed through the security checkpoint and shown to their seats by ushers. And many masks were removed after seating. This went directly against the county mask mandate still in effect at that time. Furthermore, having an announcement saying that masks were “recommended” — not saying “required” — was essentially
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DEC. 8-14, 2021
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OPINION
Send your letters to the editor to letters@mountainx.com.
saying that the mandate would not be enforced. While I applaud the return of live events, they should only be permitted to happen if done safely. This one was not. If an event cannot be held in a safe manner, it should not be held. Pretty simple, right? While some may say that this point is moot, as the mask mandate has ended as of Nov. 30 (unless it is extended or reinstated), it is anything but. Similar situations may occur in the future, and those responsible for
the failure to follow policy and the law should be held accountable. How will public health and safety be compromised next? If a majority of the attendees wanted to bring fireworks or bombs, would that be allowed? The issues are the same, differing only in degree. — Roy Rubinstein Asheville Editor’s note: On Nov. 30, the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners extended the indoor mask mandate for public spaces in
the county and its municipalities through Jan. 5.
Thumbs-ups for AVL Shares Space program [Regarding “Temporary Asheville Space-sharing May Become Long Term,” Nov. 17, Xpress:] If we want our favorite restaurants to be there for us, we need to be accommodating of them during these complicated times. Since so many of us are uncomfortable eating indoors because of the inability to provide safer spacing, we need to remain flexible for them to continue to offer outdoor accommodations so they can survive. As Danny Meyer, the owner of Union Square Cafe and other great restaurants said, “I’ve never figured out how to make money with less than 80% occupancy.” The same same may be true for Asheville’s restaurants, too. — Jeff Altman Asheville
Where’s the ‘charity’ in Afghans’ resettlement? Jessica Wakeman’s Nov. 10 Mountain Xpress news article about the Catholic Charities Diocese of Charlotte helping in resettling Afghan refugees in Asheville was very sympathetic to the needs of these displaced people [“Replanted: 40 Afghan Refugees Being Resettled in Asheville”]. They are indeed very unfortunate in having to leave their homeland in such haste. I have no objection to the process of resettling refugees in our area. What I take issue with is the fact that it is made to sound like the Catholic Diocese is providing this as a charitable activity. Nowhere in her article was it stated that the federal government is paying the Catholic Charities around the country and likely other faithbased “charities” to provide these services. In this case, they aren’t providing charity at all but being paid for their services. U.S. taxpayers are paying for this “charity” work and not the Catholic Diocese. Therefore, what they’re performing isn’t charity work at all. — Dennis Kabasan Fletcher Editor’s note: Thank you for the feedback on the article. Its focus was on the evacuees’ adjustment to Asheville, though it did mention the federal government’s Operation Allies Welcome program. Regarding funding specifics, Xpress contacted the Catholic 4
DEC. 8-14, 2021
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Diocese of Charlotte with a summary of the writer’s points, and we received the following response from Sandy Buck, regional director of Catholic Charities with the Diocese of Charlotte: “Refugee resettlement is a partnership between the U.S. government and agencies such as Catholic Charities. We operate under the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, which resettles nearly one in five refugees arriving in this country. While the government provides some funding for direct assistance to refugees and expenses associated with our services, Catholic Charities must match a percentage of funds through cash and in-kind donations from people of goodwill, including citizens, foundations and businesses. This can equate to $180,000 a year. The government funding is barely enough to cover one month’s rent for a refugee in most major cities, so Catholic Charities supplements funding for food, clothing and utilities as we arrange for employment to help them become self-sufficient. We also arrange for housing, medical care, transportation, school enrollment and cultural orientation. It is our calling to welcome the stranger, house the homeless, clothe the naked and feed the hungry.”
A vote for Buncombe’s branch libraries Please keep the small branch libraries open! — Sarah Jane Thomas Asheville
Animal rescue groups have big impact on WNC I would like to commend Mountain Xpress for a great animal edition! The way each animal welfare organization pivoted and flexed during COVID in order to continue to save animals’ lives is certainly something to applaud [“Pandemic Perplexity: How Local Animal Shelters Are Surviving COVID,” Nov. 10, Xpress]. Our community is fortunate to have so many impactful groups working on behalf of animals, as the need for help is large in Western North Carolina. It takes all of us working together to create a kinder world for animals. Combined, Asheville Humane Society, Brother Wolf Animal Rescue, the Blue Ridge Humane Society and other critical partners save thousands of lives in this community each year. — John Haas Interim executive director Asheville Humane Society Asheville
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The rest of the Pratt & Whitney story On Nov. 23, WLOS produced a 2.5-minute segment on the progress of the Pratt & Whitney plant. While the information and footage of the plant were welcome, what was missing made the segment little more than a puff piece of promotion for the company. Unmentioned were: • The $100 million in subsidies provided by state, county and private sources, including the gift of 100 acres of free land from Biltmore Farms. • The ownership of the company by Raytheon Technologies, the second-largest war corporation in the world. • The intended production of engine components for fighter jets like the F-35 to be sold to Israel and Saudi Arabia for their genocidal attacks in Palestine and Yemen. • The powerful effect on our climate emergency that comes from the aerospace industry that Pratt & Whitney is a part of. • The threat to the French Broad from an industrial plant of this size and nature right on the river.
• The notorious reputation of war corporations to promise jobs that often don’t materialize or are misreported, and are not guaranteed to be for local residents. • The secret decision-making that brought this plant to Buncombe County without adequate public discussion. Reject Raytheon AVL is a local citizens group focused on exposing the rest of the story that was neglected by WLOS. Visit our website for more information: rejectraytheonavl.com. — Ken Jones Swannanoa
Why should city residents pay extra taxes? Buncombe County Tax Department officials have told me that residents of Asheville pay the same rate of tax on residential property to Buncombe County as those in unincorporated parts of the county pay.
Asheville has its own law enforcement, schools, fire and rescue, 911 services, building inspectors, parks and recreation department, and animal services and pays to help support A-B Technical Community College. Why should city residents pay to support our own services and then pay again to support the same services in Buncombe County, which we do not and cannot receive? We in the city receive some services from Buncombe County, such as the library system, restaurant inspections and county health department, which are logical for city residents to contribute to. Paying taxes to the county for services which it does not provide city residents and paying twice for some of them is outrageous. Why are city residents burdened with these extra taxes? — Ralph Lambert Asheville Editor’s note: Asheville City Council and the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners voted last month to merge 911 services.
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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OPINION
Pavement or paradise? Asheville’s future is yours to decide
BY PERRIN de JONG We’ve all seen the damage Asheville’s recent building boom has wrought on our quality of life. Now city planners have big plans for accelerating this change and transforming our town into a place you may not recognize. The name of the proposal is the “open space amendment,” and the goal is to dramatically slash, and in some cases, eliminate, the open space that developers are now required to provide with larger construction projects. It’s more complicated than this, but for the sake of conversation, you can think of open space as anywhere on a piece of property where developers can’t put a building.
A LOPSIDED TASK FORCE
Early this year, city staff from the Planning and Urban Design
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Department assembled a task force to help shape the proposal. I got a sense of what the final product would look like when I saw that most of the task force participants selected were developers, employees of developers or people who work closely with developers in their daily jobs and positions throughout city government. A lopsided minority of the task force was made up of me and other members of the city’s Urban Forestry Commission, along with other community advocates who aren’t aligned with developers’ interests. When the work of the task force got underway, the first thing we asked of staff was to inform the public of the proposals being discussed and solicit public feedback on those plans. It really stuck in my craw when this idea was rejected, as though local residents have no place in shaping the future of their own community. Things got worse when staff kept their thumbs on the scale to ensure that developers got nearly everything they wanted, despite strong opposition from other task force members. They also kept their thumbs on the scale to ensure that the only objectives community-minded advocates on the task force could achieve were those the developers didn’t feel inconvenienced by.
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SLASHING OPEN SPACE
So it came as no surprise when my concerns about the end result of this imbalanced process were realized. Relative to Asheville’s existing openspace laws, the proposal would slash the minimum size of open space by up to 80% and cut the total amount of open space required by up to 50%. As if that weren’t bad enough, the proposal contains many loopholes that allow developers to avoid even those meager requirements. For example, it would: • Relieve some developers from providing up to 80% of their required open space due to the use of stormwater mitigation measures that are legally required anyway. • Relieve developers that provide a percentage of temporary “affordable” housing units from having to provide up to 80% of the open space that would otherwise be mandated. • And relieve developers from providing an extra 10% of the
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open space that would otherwise be required in exchange for providing a flat, rectangular spot with pedestrian-accessible seating, resulting in a total potential discount of 90% of the open space required. What’s worse, the proposal contains provisions to allow developers to meet their open-space requirements without producing any added benefits to city residents. For example, 100% of a developer’s open-space requirements could be met using mandatory property line buffers that are separately required under law. Also, separately required building setbacks could be used to satisfy up to 50% of a developer’s open-space requirements.
FUNDS FOR FUTURE PARKS
Slashing Asheville’s open space means that residents and visitors lose access to the greenery and views of the mountains and sky that undeveloped land provides. But while seeking to aggressively accelerate development and make our community unrecognizable to its residents, this proposal also hobbles Asheville’s efforts to acquire new land for public parks and conservation areas. Currently any developer may avoid providing 100% of their required open space on-site by paying a “fee in lieu” of open space. This money is set aside by the city to purchase land to provide open space for residents to enjoy elsewhere, such as in public parks. The city attorney’s office recently recommended that Asheville not spend any of its open-space fee in lieu funds due to ongoing litigation about the proper use of these funds. City staff used this opinion as a reason to deny the open-space task force the opportunity to define exactly how and when the city should use the funds. As a result, Asheville is expected to sit by and watch — potentially for years — as developers gobble up the best remaining tracts, which could otherwise become our favorite new spot for a stroll with friends, a hike in the woods or a birdwatching outing. All of us who have watched the march of the developers across our city understand intuitively what’s at stake when trees are felled for new high-rises and open ground is sealed forever under a shell of concrete. Flooding, the most significant
PERRIN DE JONG climate change impact predicted to harm us here in Asheville, is made worse. Waterways are choked with sediment from construction, hurting local aquatic wildlife and the species that feed on that wildlife. Asheville’s urban tree canopy, which was slashed by 1.4 square miles between 2008 and 2018, continues to fall faster by the day, making our town hotter, our air dirtier and our streets noisier. Wildlife is killed and pushed out of town as habitat is destroyed. And all of these changes to our living environment threaten public health, increasing the likelihood that we’ll fall ill with heatstroke and respiratory diseases while our mental health and sense of well-being suffers under the escalating racket. And as for “affordable housing,” we know that unrestrained development is the primary driver of the affordability crisis, not its solution.
TIME TO BE HEARD
Planning and Urban Design staff claims that dramatically slashing the amount of open space is the “solution” to Asheville having greater open-space requirements than other cities in the region. Do you agree? I believe that our unique character is what makes Asheville so beloved to so many. Planning and Urban Design has had its say. It’s time for City Council to hear your vision for the future of our community. The open space amendment goes before City Council for a public hearing and a final vote Feb. 8. Let them hear us roar. Perrin de Jong, an 11-year Asheville resident, is a staff attorney at the Center for Biological Diversity and a commissioner on the city of Asheville’s Urban Forestry Commission. X
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DEC. 8-14, 2021
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NEWS
Safe at home
Could holistic redevelopment reduce crime in public housing?
BY BROOKE RANDLE brandle@mountainx.com Jane moved into the Deaverview Apartments, one of Asheville’s 10 low-income housing communities, in September 2017. And from the very beginning, she says, she often feared for her life. “It was a nightmare. If you want to talk about terrifying, I lived there alone,” says Jane, who asked Xpress to use a pseudonym because she feared retaliation. She now lives with her boyfriend and family in South Carolina. During her 14 months at Deaverview, Jane says she heard gunshots on a regular basis and frequently witnessed drug dealing in the streets. But her fear of crossing the wrong person and becoming a victim herself kept her from speaking up to management or the police. The data seems to back her up: As of Oct. 5, the Asheville Police Department had logged 425 “gun calls” in 2021, meaning incidents in which guns were fired or calls for help involving gunshot wounds. Of those calls, 130 — more than 30% — came from inside or within 500 feet of a public housing community. Last year’s data on gun calls tracked about the same, according to an APD spokesperson. Although only 3.4% of Asheville’s population lives in public housing, roughly 16% of the most violent offenses committed within the city limits since January — including homicide, rape, robbery and aggravated assault — played out in those complexes, the APD reports. They’ve also been the location of some of Asheville’s highest-profile murders, including the killing of 24-year-old Tiyquasha Simuel, a pregnant woman who was shot to death at Deaverview in June 2019 after testifying in a murder trial, and 12-year-old Derrick Lee Jr., who was shot and killed in July 2018 at the Lee Walker Heights apartments. The United States Housing Act of 1937 established a federal commitment to provide “decent, safe and sanitary dwellings for families of low income.” As part of this responsibility, the Asheville Housing Authority is charged with maintaining secure and livable public housing communities. But is the authority doing enough to protect residents against gun violence and other crimes? Could redeveloping other local housing 8
DEC. 8-14, 2021
RESIDENTIAL REVAMP: The Asheville Housing Authority’s Executive Director David Nash unveils the kitchen in a newly remodeled apartment located in Maple Crest Apartments at Lee Walker Heights. The new construction replaces the original public housing community that was built in 1950. Photo by Cindy Kunst complexes along the lines of what’s currently being done at Lee Walker Heights make these residents safer?
PRIVILEGE AND POWER
There are many complicated reasons why gun violence and other crimes tend to center on public housing communities, says APD Capt. Mike Lamb, an Asheville native who’s worked in and around the city’s public housing for 24 years. Poverty is the biggest underlying issue, he says. The Housing Authority serves people earning up to 50% of the area median income ($26,300 for a single person; $37,550 for a family of four). Another key problem, notes Lamb, is the lack of social cohesion — “that
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sense of community and having a relationship with folks.” Lamb says that the issue seems to be a trend citywide. “People don’t know their neighbors as well as they used to,” he maintains. When residents have a shared sense of connection, “If you have an issue or confrontation or even just a disagreement, there’s more problem-solving efforts there and more of a willingness to talk out any problems.” David Nash, the Housing Authority’s executive director, cites an even deeper issue: the fact that people in low-income communities lack the privilege and political power that other residents have. “I think it’s because our entire city and our entire society allows [crime] to happen there and doesn’t allow
it to happen in other parts of the city,” he explains. “The activity goes where it can go, which is to a place where people complain less about it, or where their complaints have less impact because they’re not as well connected.” Both Nash and Lamb say that much of the crime that happens within public housing communities is committed by people who don’t actually live there. Residents charged with drug crimes or violence, notes Nash, are evicted.
THE DEAVERVIEW CODE
One step the Housing Authority has taken to reduce crime is increasing the police presence within these com-
munities. Since 2012, the agency has maintained a contract with the APD that pays for eight officers and one sergeant to practice community policing throughout these developments, in addition to the regular police patrols. This involves creating more positive relationships with residents and attempting to address the specific problems they face. But due to APD staffing issues over the last year and a half, says Nash, that team currently has only three or four officers. And in any case, public housing residents are often hesitant to work with the police when violence or other criminal activity occurs. Jane, the former Deaverview resident, says that she and some of her neighbors feared retaliation by the perpetrators if they reported incidents of crime or threatening behavior. “There’s a code in Deaverview Apartments,” she says. “As a tenant, it is a community violation to call the police.” Instead, the way to cope with crime and safety issues is “we handle our own.” Those fears are not unfounded, Lamb concedes. Under state law, prosecutors must make available
“It was a nightmare. If you want to talk about terrifying, I lived there alone.” — former Deaverview resident to defendants all files pertaining to the case, he explains. That means the accused can see the names of whoever provided information to police or came forward as witnesses during investigations. “Let’s say, for example, you have somebody who’s committed a homicide and we do our investigation. We get statements from witnesses and then we put down the name of the individual who gave us the statement and attach it to the case file, so that the courts can subpoena that person as a witness to the shooting or homicide investigation. When the defense attorney gets it, the defendant also gets the same information.” In some instances, he says, files that included the names of witnesses were shared on social media, which can “signal to the community that this person is a snitch. And we’ve seen violence and retaliation against
CRIME STATS: The Asheville Police Department’s Gun Discharge Call dashboard shows statistical trends of gun-related police calls in neighborhoods over time. Screen capture courtesy of the Asheville Police Department
people for cooperating with an investigation or putting their name out there to be a witness.” To combat that and encourage residents to come forward with information, notes Lamb, the APD established an anonymous tip line that enables people to report crimes or share information without risking exposure. He says the tip line has been successful in assisting investigations while protecting residents’ privacy. “We’ve solved a lot of crimes using that tip line, and it is completely anonymous. We can talk back and forth with the tipster but we never know who they are unless they choose to disclose their information,” he reports.
A FRESH START
But increased policing may not be the only solution to rising crime rates. An Oct. 8 op-ed in The New York Times by Eugenia C. South, an assistant professor of emergency medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, reported the positive impact of interventions such as cleaning up trash, planting trees and repairing substandard properties. Two large-scale studies she and colleagues conducted in randomly selected Philadelphia communities found that crime fell as much as 29% in neighborhoods adjacent to vacant lots that were cleaned up, enhanced and maintained. In Asheville, the Housing Authority is trying out a more ambitious version of the same idea. Just south of downtown, the renamed Maple Crest Apartments at Lee Walker Heights completed the final stages of a major redevelopment Nov. 17. Lee Walker Heights was built in 1950, making it Asheville’s oldest public housing, and originally included 96 units on 12.5 acres. “It was a bunch of poor families here. We all grew up as one big family. We all had our doors open — never closed our doors all over the hill,” remembers longtime resident Henry Butch. “And though we grew up poor, we grew up very happy.” Over the years, however, residents increasingly lost that sense of safety. By 2012, he recalls, shootings and other criminal activity had become endemic at Lee Walker. “It was out
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DEC. 8-14, 2021
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N EWS Katrina, the complex was demolished and replaced by Columbia Parc, a mixed-income community with a school, fitness facilities, playgrounds, a clinic, a grocery store and other amenities. Here, too, crime dropped dramatically, from several hundred felonies and over 40 homicides in the five years prior to Katrina to just two attempted felonies and no homicides in the project’s first three years, according to the Build Healthy Places Network, a national nonprofit that works to improve health and well-being in low-income communities.
of control. I was shocked at how bad it was.” But sitting inside his newly remodeled one-bedroom apartment, which features high ceilings, views of downtown Asheville, an oversized bathroom and even central air conditioning — a first for the city’s public housing complexes — Butch says there’s a renewed feeling of safety and calm. “It’s a lot different than the old Lee Walker Heights.” The approximately $37 million remodel, which began in 2017, is now about two-thirds occupied by new and returning residents, notes Nash, and it will continue to fill up by year’s end. New security lighting and cameras are much in evidence. Maple Crest will also offer roughly 212 apartments at market-rate to create a mixed-income community. It’s too soon to know whether the redevelopment will reduce crime in the area, says Nash, but the renovations were much needed in any case. “It’s been a heavy lift for us and for everybody involved, but I think that everybody deserves a nice place to live.”
THE BIGGER PICTURE
With the Lee Walker Heights remodel nearing completion, Nash says the Housing Authority is now setting its sights on the Deaverview Apartments, whose 160 units are home to about 300 residents. Built in 1971 and renovated in 1996, it’s the city’s second-oldest public housing community. In April, City Council unanimously approved spending $1.6 million to buy a 21-acre property at 65 Ford St.
RIGHT AT HOME: Henry Butch, a longtime resident of Lee Walker Heights, sits in the living room of his newly remodeled apartment. Photo by Brooke Randle that could pave the way for a future redevelopment and expansion of Deaverview. One potential plan would follow the Purpose Built Communities model, a holistic approach to neighborhood revitalization that emphasizes health and wellness, education and mixed-income housing. Eytan Davidson, vice president of communications at Purpose Built
“The neighborhood is the unit of change: Improving the environment changes people’s behavior.” — Eytan Davidson, Purpose Built Communities 2022
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Communities, says that public safety has been one of the more visible areas of improvement in the 28 such efforts that are part of the Atlanta-based nonprofit’s nationwide network. The link between crime and public housing, he says, stems from a lack of economic opportunity as well as structural racism dating back to slavery. “If we want to get to the root of poverty in the United States, we really need to look at neighborhoods,” Davidson explains. “We believe that the neighborhood is the unit of change and that improving the environment changes people’s behavior.” He points to Atlanta’s notorious East Lake Meadows public housing community. At one point, the 650unit development became known as “Little Vietnam”: “The crime rate was 18 times the national average,” Davidson reports. But after introducing mixed-income housing and new schools and restoring two historic golf courses that have become sustaining economic anchors, the neighborhood has been transformed, he says. Today, crime in East Lake has fallen by 73% and is below the citywide average. Violent crime has dropped by 90%. The same thing happened at the St. Bernard Projects in New Orleans. In the aftermath of Hurricane
REIMAGINING DEAVERVIEW
The proposed Deaverview remake would include such amenities as a child care center, a school and a community center providing on-site health services. It would also double the number of housing units, bringing the total to roughly 300, including new housing for current residents. Nash says the Housing Authority has begun holding meetings with residents concerning the potential redevelopment and has selected a co-developer and a design team. But Paul D’Angelo, Asheville’s community development program director, says that while Deaverview is listed as a potential redevelopment site, the city has not yet committed to the project. “‘Purpose Built Communities’ has been discussed as a model at Deaverview, but again, no agreements have been made and no further comment from the city at this time,” D’Angelo wrote in an Oct. 1 email to Xpress. Despite the uncertainty, however, Nash takes a positive approach. “The Housing Authority at least is going to do something at Deaverview, whether it’s a full-blown Purpose Built Community in collaboration with the city or more of a Maple Crest/ Lee Walker Heights model on the property that we own,” he explains. “It’s an exciting model and I think it’s something that we’re interested in, but we’re still trying to work out the details of how to plan for it with the city, if that’s the direction the city wants to go.” In the meantime, Nash stresses that he and other Housing Authority staff, including the on-site managers, are available to help residents dealing with crime and safety issues. “I would be glad to talk with anybody who has a concern and try to figure out a strategy with them and APD to address that concern,” he says. “We definitely want to help try to find a solution in a confidential way, if that’s what they prefer.” X
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DEC. 8-14, 2021
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BUNCOMBE BEAT
Former Asheville Council member sues city, Asheville City Schools Foundation over scholarships A $10,000 scholarship for local Black students is the subject of a lawsuit by a group headed by a former Asheville City Council member. Carl Mumpower, president of WNC Citizens for Equality Inc. and a former chair of the Buncombe County Republican Party, filed a civil suit Oct. 11. It names the city of Asheville, City Manager Debra Campbell, the scholarship-granting nonprofit Asheville City Schools Foundation and Copland Arnold Rudolph, executive director of ACSF, as defendants. The City of Asheville Scholarship is described in the ACSF 2021-22 scholarships catalog as being “for Black/ African American students who are committed to pursuing a career in education.” The award is $2,500 per year, renewable for four years, “subject to satisfactory performance and progress.” Per the city, the scholarship will be awarded “in perpetuity
to Black high school students within Asheville City Schools.” WNC Citizens for Equality is representing three students who it says would otherwise apply for the scholarship but are ineligible because of their race. Mumpower declined to identify for Xpress the parents of the three students — one senior and two juniors — represented in the lawsuit. “The families have requested confidentiality per the recommendation of legal counsel and for fear of ridicule and retaliation,” he wrote in an email. The city donated funds for the scholarship from money left over after settling claims from a class-action lawsuit about fees paid by property developers. On April 13, City Council voted to approve the division of nearly $950,000 remaining from that settlement pool between two entities: ACSF and the racial justice group CoThinkk. (The donation to CoThinkk is the sub-
TUITION TALK: Copland Arnold Rudolph is executive director of Asheville City Schools Foundation. Photo courtesy of Rudolph ject of a second lawsuit filed by WNC Citizens for Equality Vice President John Miall.) ACSF used its award to establish The City of Asheville Scholarship, as well as a second scholarship for people of color who are educators or staff at Asheville City Schools and are pursuing additional education or certification. While WNC Citizens for Equality’s lawsuit claims both scholarships “constitute illegal discrmination,” it specifically challenges only the first scholarship, alleging that the defendants are “violating its members’ rights to equal protection and freedom from racial discrimination under the North Carolina Constitution.” Mumpower’s group partnered with Judicial Watch, a Washington, D.C.-based conservative educational nonprofit, and Legal Insurrection Foundation, a conservative nonprofit, on the lawsuit. “We need all the help we can get and are grateful that these two watchdog groups saw merit in our intention to bring formal action against the city of Asheville in federal court,” he wrote, adding, “This is one of those David versus Goliath moments.” City Attorney Brad Branham declined to comment, citing Asheville’s policy on active litigation. He notes that no date has yet been set for a court hearing on the matter.
STANDING FIRM
To be eligible for any ACSF scholarship, a senior must complete a Free 12
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Application for Federal Student Aid and demonstrate financial need. A student must also plan to attend a two- or four-year university, maintain a grade point average of at least 2.75 or 3.0 and support the community through volunteer service. Eligible seniors do not apply for specific scholarships. “There’s nothing here that says, ‘If you’re white, you can’t apply to this scholarship,’” explains ACSF’s Rudolph. “‘Or if you’re Black, you can’t, or if you’re not a field hockey player, [you can’t].’” Instead, students complete a single scholarship application, which is shared with a committee of 16 community members, alumni and teachers. Each application is anonymized and read by at least two committee members, with candidates then being interviewed by adults from the community. The committee matches students for the scholarships that it deems are most suitable. Rudolph says that scholarship donors are empowered to make requirements for award eligibility. For example, a student must have a history of playing field hockey to be eligible for the Bill Dechant Memorial Scholarship. The Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Asheville donates the funds for the Mel Hetland Scholarship, which is “awarded to a student who identifies as belonging to the Global Majority (e.g. BIPOC [Black, Indigenous and people of color]),” and preference is given to those who are the first in their family to attend college. “We stand by our scholarship process 100%,” Rudolph says. In recent years, ACSF has awarded scholarships to as many as 40 students. The first City of Asheville Scholarship was awarded in May 2021 to Jayla Williams to attend N.C. Central University and pursue a degree in education. “Our organization believes that public education is a vital part of a successful democracy and a key element in ensuring the success of all children,” Rudolph tells Xpress. “We invite anyone who’s truly interested in supporting our Asheville City School students to pursue their dreams to join us in our efforts to redress historical inequities and commit to uplifting our school communities towards justice and opportunities for everyone.”
— Jessica Wakeman X
BUNCOMBE BEAT Leemon expressed anger at the city. “Asheville city leaders have got to make somewhere Code Purple for the rest of the year,” he said. “They need to get on it right now. If Asheville wanted to help finance right here [at Trinity], I’m sure these nice folks would oblige. They’ve done this out of their own pocket. Somebody in this church with common sense said, ‘Let’s open our doors. Let’s keep people from dying, regardless of what Asheville, Buncombe County says.’”
Volunteers operate Code Purple emergency shelter for six nights For more than half of nights in November, the Asheville-Buncombe Homeless Coalition called Code Purple: an emergency protocol, triggered when temperatures drop below freezing, to increase space in homeless shelters beyond normal capacity. But for all of those nights, people sleeping on Asheville’s streets had no officially designated place to go. The two Code Purple overnight shelters recognized by the city of Asheville — Asheville-Buncombe Community Christian Ministry for men and Salvation Army for women and children — didn’t begin participation in the voluntary program until Dec. 1. In response, Trinity United Methodist Church at 587 Haywood Road operated an interim volunteer-run emergency overnight shelter Nov. 25-30. Asheville leaders referred most questions about Code Purple to Kevin Mahoney, a volunteer who works as a peer support specialist for the Mountain Area Health Education Center, and Dan Pizzo from ANCHOR, a nonprofit collaborative of homeless services and mental health providers. Asked why Code Purple only began Dec. 1, Emily Ball, the city’s homeless services system performance lead, wrote that “traditionally and ideally Code Purple begins on the first cold night of the season, but staffing challenges at participating agencies have delayed the start date this year.” Melanie Robertson, director of family ministries at Trinity, said church leaders had previously decided they wanted to participate as a Code Purple shelter. That opportunity came on Thanksgiving. “We were called [by Pizzo] and asked if we could be an emergency facility because the city was not quite set up yet,” she says. The all-volunteer effort included Trinity parishioners like Amanda Kollar, Mahoney, Pizzo, volunteers who are employed by Sunrise Community for Recovery and Wellness and community paramedic Claire Hubbard from Buncombe County Emergency Medical Services. “It’s the fastest response I’ve ever encountered in my travels here in Asheville,” says Mahoney. “Everything fell into place, and
OPERATIONS
SERVANT HEARTS: From left, Amanda Kollar, Lee Thomas and Melanie Robertson of Trinity United Methodist Church volunteered at an emergency Code Purple shelter. Photo by Jessica Wakeman everybody who needed to do something was on board.” He said the need for an emergency Code Purple shelter “hit a nerve. I’m glad it did. …. November’s cold, we’re in the mountains — this is not a surprise.” Asheville reported 547 people experiencing homelessness following its participation in the 2020 Pointin-Time street count, conducted in January.
OUT OF THE COLD
EMS and the Asheville Police Department transported people to Trinity during the six nights, as is routinely done when Code Purple is called. Volunteers said the number of guests increased nightly. Two people came to the emergency shelter Nov. 24, when the church operated a test run; 22 people stayed in the shelter, including one child, Nov. 30. Melissa arrived Nov. 29 with D., her 12-year-old daughter. (Xpress is using their first name and first initial, respectively, out of respect for their privacy.) She said Western Carolina Rescue Ministries had first referred her to Haywood Street Congregation; when they arrived, she was concerned by behavior she saw outside. “I turned right-quick back around and said, ‘I’m not taking my kid into that,’” Melissa told Xpress. “We went
to Salvation Army, and when they told me they couldn’t take me in, I think I had a small nervous breakdown. I started crying. I was, like, I just don’t know what to do. I’ve been to every shelter in downtown Asheville. I didn’t want her to freeze.” The security guard at Salvation Army brought blankets outside to Melissa and D., for which they expressed gratitude. Melissa then decided to call for help. “I — literally crying — called 911 and explained to the operator, ‘Look, I’m out here trying to find shelter,’” she said. “‘My child — if I don’t find shelter, she’s going to freeze to death. Look at her. She’s 95 pounds.’” “I was crying,” said D. “I was upset.” She said she was so cold that she couldn’t feel her hands. Melissa said a police officer arrived and contacted EMS, which she said called shelters around Buncombe County. A paramedic called Melissa back and brought the family to Trinity. In Trinity’s emergency shelter, they reconnected with D.’s father, Leemon, who arrived Nov. 26. If he had not been able to get space in Trinity’s emergency shelter, he said he would have called 911 and asked to be taken to an emergency room. “My plan was to stay on the street corner long enough to get frostbitten and then go to the hospital,” he told Xpress.
For the six nights the emergency shelter operated, Trinity opened its doors to guests at 5 p.m. Upon arrival, volunteers asked them to initial a document agreeing not to bring drugs, alcohol or weapons inside. (Masks were mandated indoors; proof of vaccination status was not required.) The church ensured one volunteer per eight people in the shelter each night, said Robertson. Homeward Bound donated 21 mattresses for the shelter’s usage. Guests were separated by gender overnight, with women sleeping in one of the church’s classrooms and men in the fellowship hall, and left the premises by 8 a.m. Robertson credited the nonprofit Asheville Poverty Initiative’s 12 Baskets Cafe for donating several warm meals, as well as cereal and sandwiches; other meals were donated by individuals. She said Trinity plans to continue discussions about how to assist with Code Purple while accommodating other church activities. “We’re recognizing that to make it sustainable, we’re going to have to build a bigger volunteer base,” said Robertson.
— Jessica Wakeman X
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GREEN ROUNDUP
State budget brings millions in environmental funding to WNC After not passing a budget at all in 2019, the Republican-led N.C. General Assembly and Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper agreed last month on nearly $53 billion in state spending through fiscal year 2022-23. Sprinkled throughout the 628-page document are provisions totaling tens of millions of dollars for environmental and conservation projects in Western North Carolina. Among the largest allocations are $12.2 million to accelerate the purchase and opening of Pisgah View State Park in Buncombe County, $7.2 million for the removal of hazardous dams across WNC and $5 million to upgrade the city of Hendersonville’s wastewater treatment plant. Other projects of local interest include $1 million for French Broad River restoration in Henderson County, $750,000 for a recreation master plan at the DuPont State Recreational Forest, $600,000 toward the restoration of WNC hemlocks infested by the woolly adelgid and $500,000 for the Muddy Sneakers outdoor science education program in Brevard. Both of Buncombe County’s state senators supported the budget and drew attention to its local environmental benefits in press releases announcing their votes. “I am thrilled to have earned the role of chairman of an appropriations committee from where I could partner with Rep. [Tim] Moffitt [R-Henderson] and Rep. [Jake] Johnson [R-Henderson] to ensure our WNC voice was heard loud and clear,” wrote Republican Sen. Chuck Edwards. “This budget echoes our voices.” “This budget is not what we wanted, but it will get a lot of good done, and we live to fight another day for the things left undone,” wrote Democratic Sen. Julie Mayfield. “Bipartisan support for any major issue is an accomplishment in our very divided government, and we can and should be proud of what this budget will do.”
WNC armadillo sightings multiply
The nine-banded armadillo, a roly-poly critter native to South and Central America, is becoming an increasingly common presence across WNC. The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission has recorded more than 70 sightings since launching the NC Armadillo project in May 2019. (See 14
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ticipant data, residents are encouraged to look for expansion into neighborhood locations in spring 2022,” writes city spokesperson Polly McDaniel. More information and a program registration form are available at avl.mx/akn. Residents who complete the form can receive a free countertop food-scrap collection bin while supplies last.
Opportunities knock
HIGH-ROLLING HILLS: Mount Pisgah as seen from land that will be included in the future Pisgah View State Park, for which state lawmakers allocated $12.2 million in their latest budget. Photo courtesy of the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy “Armored invasion,” Xpress, Aug. 7, 2019, avl.mx/ayw.) And in at least four WNC counties, armadillos are here to stay. According to NCWRC biologist Colleen Olfenbuttel, the commission has received confirmed reports of multiple armadillos together, indicating an established breeding population, in Cherokee, Macon, Jackson and Transylvania counties. Warmer winters driven by climate change are a key factor in the armadillo’s northward expansion. Olfenbuttel notes that the species had previously been limited from overwintering in the area due to its poorly insulated shell and the difficulty of digging for food in frozen ground. The ecological impact of the armadillo’s arrival is yet to be fully understood. But some local landowners, having experienced lawn and garden damage due to rooting armadillos, have resorted to hiring animal control specialists, as recently reported in British newspaper The Guardian (avl.mx/ayy). The NCWRC encourages residents to report any armadillo sighting via iNaturalist.org or by email at Armadillo@NCWildlife.org. Reports
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should include a photo, location, and date and time of the sighting. More information is available at avl.mx/pru4.
Asheville expands composting pilot program Since October, Buncombe County residents have been able to drop off compostable materials such as food scraps, plant trimmings and paper products at the Stephens-Lee Recreation Center and county landfill convenience center in Alexander. And they’ve been doing so with gusto. According to a press release from the city of Asheville, at least 720 households — most of which had never previously composted — have participated in the drop-off program, together keeping more than 9,200 pounds of material out of the landfill. In response to the high demand, the city has added more roll carts at the composting sites and doubled the rate at which carts are emptied. “As we monitor interest and success of this pilot program and evaluate par-
• S olarize Asheville-Buncombe, a program led by the nonprofit Blue Horizons Project, wants help donating a free solar energy system to a local nonprofit. By reducing electricity costs, the system is meant to free up the recipient’s resources for core mission work. Nominations are open through Monday, Dec. 13; more information is available at avl.mx/ay1. • The Friends of DuPont Forest, a nonprofit booster organization for the DuPont State Recreational Forest, is seeking members for its board of directors. New members will start in April and will help guide the organization’s planning, policy development, financial oversight and mission fulfillment. More information and application details are available at avl.mx/prvc. • Applications are open through January for the Careers in Conservation Scholarship, a program of the N.C. Foundation for Soil and Water Conservation. Current and prospective students at North Carolina colleges majoring in agricultural or conservation fields are eligible for up to $1,000 per year of schooling. More information is available at avl.mx/axz.
Community kudos • The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians passed a resolution empowering Principal Chief Richard Sneed to “set reasonable targets” for reducing the tribe’s carbon emissions. Specific actions outlined in the resolution include the assessment of new construction projects for renewable energy potential and the installation of at least 20 electric vehicle charging stations across the Qualla Boundary by 2024. • UNC Asheville was featured in The Princeton Review’s “Guide to Green Colleges” for 2022. The guide’s authors praised UNCA’s Sustainability Council, organic and local food service in campus dining facilities and alternative transportation options, among other green initiatives.
UP ON THE HOUSETOP: The Solarize Asheville-Buncombe project resulted in 180 new rooftop solar systems, together representing 1.45 megawatts of new generating capacity. Photo by Sophie Mullinax • T he Congregational Church, United Church of Christ in Tryon celebrated the deployment of its solar energy system. Church leaders noted the mentorship of St. Eugene Catholic Church in Asheville and Trinity Presbyterian Church in Hendersonville, both of which have previously installed solar, as pivotal to the project’s success. • Stagg and Cheryl Newman donated 10 acres to the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy for inclusion in the future Pisgah View State Park. The land, to be joined by an additional 23 acres designated as a bequest in the Newmans’ will, contributes to the roughly 1,600-acre park to be established in the Candler area. • SAHC also received a 2021 Dogwood Award from N.C. Attorney General Josh Stein, who highlighted the nonprofit’s work to protect land and drinking water supplies. The honor recognizes “North Carolinians who work to keep people safe, healthy and happy in their communities.” • Luke Morris, an eighth grade student at Hendersonville Middle School, earned third place in a national documentary competition sponsored by filmmaker Ken Burns. Morris’ film, Hetch Hetchy: Constructing the Framework for Modern Environmentalism, covers a failed but influential campaign to protect a valley in Yosemite National Park during the early 1900s. The documentary may be viewed at avl.mx/ayd.
Save the date
• Conserving Carolina offers a virtual trivia contest 6 p.m. Tuesday,
Dec. 14. Questions will cover the Hendersonville-based nonprofit’s projects, as well as general knowledge and holiday themes. More information and registration are available at avl.mx/ayk. • Volunteers can help Asheville GreenWorks break ground on its new East Asheville nursery 10 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 15. The site will allow the nonprofit to grow large native trees for future planting projects; all gear and tools will be provided. More information and registration are available at avl.mx/aym. • Jason Hardin, a senior planner with the city of Raleigh, will share insights on his city’s approach to carbon reduction during a noon webinar Dec. 15 hosted by Building Our City. He will explain how Raleigh conducts carbon emissions analysis on all planning decisions, including rezonings, building code changes and transit routes. More information and registration are available at BuildingOurCity.org. • T he Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy’s virtual hiking challenge returns Friday, Jan. 1. Participants who complete 60 miles in 60 days receive a patch, coupons from local businesses and entry into a raffle for an excursion through USA Raft. More information and registration are available at avl.mx/az0. • The WNC Sierra Club hosts Earl B. Hunter Jr., founder and president of Black Folks Camp Too, for a webinar Thursday, Jan. 6, at 7 p.m. Hunter will discuss his company’s efforts to encourage Black participation in camping, with a focus on national parks. More information and registration are available at avl.mx/977.
— Daniel Walton X
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Q&A: Charlie Jackson, founder of Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project At many grocery stores in the area, consumers can find at least some local produce, meat or dairy products. Plenty of restaurants tout local ingredients on their menus, and farmers markets are ubiquitous here. But it wasn’t always that way. “It’s hard to remember what it was like 20 years ago, but there was not much that you could buy that was grown locally,” says Charlie Jackson, founder and executive director of the Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project. Jackson, who was born in Durham, worked in grassroots sustainable agriculture programs since the 1990s and founded ASAP, a nonprofit dedicated to those same causes, in 2002. After two decades serving farmers and the local food community, Jackson will retire at the end of April. On Jan. 1, Molly Nicholie, who has worked at ASAP for 16 years and became co-director earlier this year, will become ASAP’s executive director. Jackson will shift into a part-time strategic adviser role for the transition before he retires. Xpress caught up with Jackson to learn about ASAP’s origins, the importance of buying local and what tobacco has to do with the local food movement in Asheville. This interview has been condensed for length and edited for clarity. How did you first become interested in agriculture? I grew up with a garden, and my grandfathers were farmers. When I was in graduate school, I did some graduate research projects on the Back to the Land Movement. My graduate degree was in American history, and there have been multiple times in the course of history where people have felt we’ve lost some of our independence by relying on grocery stores or other places to get food and to generate our livelihood. That got me interested in the idea of people connecting with food and where it comes from. The Back to the Land movement was important in Western North Carolina at various times, but there was a resurgence in the 1970s, when land was relatively inexpensive. You could come out here, have a farmstead and grow your own food. How did the founding of ASAP come about? In Western North Carolina, tobacco had been the primary cash crop
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CHARLIE JACKSON for almost a century. By the ‘90s, it was pretty clear that big changes were coming with tobacco and those changes could really have a dramatic impact on our communities. At that time, there was something called the Master Settlement Agreement where the tobacco companies agreed to pay the state for the health care costs associated with smoking. But in 2002, the federal government ended the tobacco program, and tobacco essentially disappeared in Western North Carolina. We started to realize that the problems and challenges of farming in our rural community were really connected to some bigger issues around food: where it comes from, how it impacts the environment, our economy and our health. We became a nonprofit, in part, to help tobacco farmers with that transition. What’s one thing that consumers could do to support a healthy farming economy in WNC? Buy local. That right there triggers all sorts of other opportunities. If more people are thinking about where their food comes from and making the choice to buy local, that makes all the difference for local farmers. From a consumer perspective, when you start thinking about food and the impacts of it on the workers,
on your health, on the environment, on the economy, you then get some power. You get to be an actor in a way that you don’t if you’re just relying on food that you don’t know where it comes from. What gives you hope for the direction WNC is headed regarding our food systems and farming? I’m in a period of looking back and reflecting and seeing how many more farms there are that are growing food, how many more markets there are and how they’re continuing to grow. In the mid-’90s, downtown Asheville was a pretty bad place. There really wasn’t a food scene, and it was actually a kind of a dangerous town. When we started promoting the idea of local food, it was pretty new. Asheville’s growth and development and the whole region around food and its connection to farms all developed together. People are continuing to ask questions of themselves about the food they eat, where it comes from and the impacts. That’s what ASAP has been about — to provide lots of opportunities for people to engage with food. I think it has been remarkable over the last year-and-a-half to see how farmers adjusted and figured out new ways to connect to the people who were buying their food. In some ways, you look around and you see things like the extreme weather, you see the pandemic — it’s just one thing after another! But to see the community bounce back and then to learn from it, [we will] build resiliency so that we’re stronger the next time something happens. So I’m pretty optimistic about things. Why are you stepping down as ASAP’s executive director? Well, I’ve been doing it for a long time. So many things relate to the pandemic these days, but it was certainly a period of reflection. I feel good about what I’ve accomplished. And I feel great about the people that are teed up and ready to come in and take these things to their next place. When you’re involved in a startup, like I was with this as a nonprofit, it’s your whole life for a long time — for over two decades for me. So I just want to step back. I’ll continue to help ASAP wherever they need it. But I’m also ready to rest a little bit.
— Brooke Randle X
ASHEVILLE ARCHIVES by Thomas Calder | tcalder@mountainx.com
‘The impromptu court on the stump’ Black residents testify in suit over the obstruction of popular pathway in Stumptown, 1909 In the autumn of 1909, Stumptown, a former bustling Black neighborhood near Riverside Cemetery, became the talk of the town when a fence was installed blocking a busy pathway known as Tempe Alley. After raising complaints to the city aldermen several times, residents of Stumptown demanded the issue be settled in court. “The plaintiffs will claim that for more than twenty years they have trod that path and toted one thing and another down the hill and up the hill,” The Asheville Citizen wrote on Oct. 20, 1909. “And then they will endeavor to show that this makes it a street and a public highway.” But the defendant, the paper continued, “will show that another street more suitable may be made and equally as convenient. In all there are about twenty families in the hollow.” Along with the case’s details, the article offered a brief history of the neighborhood, noting the first Black residents “settled in the hollow under the brow of the hill” in the early to mid-1880s. Two weeks later, Stumptown resident Squire Kilgore officially filed suit against E.W. Dukes, the man responsible for “obstructing the only available outlet from that region full of gulleys and ravines,” The Asheville Citizen reported on Nov. 2. In addition to demanding the fence be removed, Kilgore was seeking $50 (roughly $1,400 in today’s currency) in damages caused by the closure. Whereas the paper identified Kilgore as Black, it did not note Dukes’ skin color, suggesting the
PRINCIPAL WITNESS: Tempie Avery (spelled as “Tempe” in the 1909 newspaper coverage), was among the key witnesses expected to testify in the lawsuit against E.W. Dukes. Illness kept her from initially participating. It is unclear if she later testified. Photo courtesy of Buncombe County Special Collections, Pack Memorial Library fence owner was white. (The paper also addressed Dukes with the title “Mr.,” while Kilgore received no such courtesy.) According to The Asheville Citizen, several of Stumptown’s first settlers testified about the path’s long-standing use. “Judge [Henry B.] Stevens then asked that the rest of the evidence be postponed until Thursday as he wished to get several more
witnesses and consult some authorities,” the paper concluded. The Thursday request appears to have extended to the following Tuesday. By that time Judge Stevens had recused himself from the case on account an obvious conflict of interest — he was representing Dukes. Stevens’ replacement, Magistrate W.A. James, took the hearing outside the courtroom. “This afternoon the old order and traditions of one magistrate’s court will change and give way to another plan for the meeting of justice and the taking of evidence,” the Nov. 8 issue of The Asheville Citizen declared. “Shades of the great juries and legal lights will awake and take notice. Magistrate James at the hour of three will hold court in Stumptown, one of the suburbs of this metropolis, and listen to the evidence in the famous Tempe alley matter.” The article went on to note Kilgore’s attorney, R.S. McCall, had requested the move to accommodate some of the community’s elderly residents who, due to aliments, would otherwise be unable to testify. “So promptly at the hour of three with all the dignity of the Supreme court Mr. James will sit on a stump, it is understood, and direct the counsel for both sides in the case for the opening of Tempe alley to proceed with the evidence,” the paper reiterated. The following day’s account, however, reveals no such hearing took place. “The famous Tempe alley case which had been postponed indefinitely from the magistrate’s court on the square to the impromptu court on
the stump in Stumptown, that unique suburb of this city, has again been postponed,” The Asheville Citizen wrote. “The reason for this delay is the illness of Tempe Avery, one of the principal witnesses in the case.” Though the article does not state the pathway was named after Avery, it seems likely the case. Avery, who first arrived in Asheville as a slave became a well-respected midwife and nurse after emancipation. (For more, see “Tuesday History: The Half-Known Life of Tempie Avery,” Xpress, Oct. 17, 2017.) The Nov. 9 edition of The Asheville Citizen did, however, note a likely decision within the next week about the lawsuit. Yet, as far as this reporter could find (or not find), there is no evidence of subsequent news coverage about the case. Whether the fence was ultimately removed remains a mystery. Decades later, Stumptown was largely destroyed by urban renewal. Today, woods and the Tempie Avery Montford Center occupy where many of the former homes previously stood. Editor’s note: Peculiarities of spelling and punctuation are preserved from the original documents. X
Unsolved mystery If any readers have information about the 1909 case, please contact Thomas Calder at tcalder@ mountainx.com with the subject line: Tempe Alley case. X
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COMMUNITY CALENDAR DEC. 8-16, 2021
that combines Dickens’ original text with both traditional and unexpected Christmas music, along with old-fashioned foley-style sound effects. WE (12/8, 15) TH (12/9, 16), FR (12/10), SA (12/11), SU (12/12), TU (12/14), $25, North Carolina Stage Company, 15 Stage Ln
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 Yoga and the 12 Steps of Recovery (Y12SR) The Y12SR model addresses addiction as a physical, mental and spiritual disease. WE (12/8, 15), 8:30am, Free, Asheville Yoga Center, 211 S Liberty St Sparkle Time - Holistic Senior Exercise Aerobic, strengthening, balance and flexibilty. Proof of vaccinations and booster required. WE (12/8, 15), MO (12/13) 10:30am, Avery’s Creek Community Center, 899 Glennbridge Rd SE Arden Ready. Set. Goals. A 45-minute workshop. Certified Health Coaches will teach people how to set and reach their goals in the most effective manner. WE (12/8), 4:30pm, Free, Asheville YMCA, 30 Woodfin St; TH (12/9), 5:30pm, Free, Reuter YMCA, 3 Town Center Blvd Montford Tai Chi Hosted by local acupuncturist Tyler White. All ages, every Thursday. TH (12/9, 16), Free, Montford Recreation Center, 34 Pearson Dr Yoga in the Park An all-level friendly Hatha/Vinyasa flow taught by certified yoga instructor Ceiara Cartony, outdoors alongside the French Broad River. SA (12/11), SU (12/12), 1:30pm, Carrier Park, 220 Amboy Rd Skate-ville All levels. Every Sunday. SU (12/12), 3pm, 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 (12/13), 10am, Free, AB Tech Culinary Arts & Hospitality School, 30 Tech Dr Introduction to Tai Chi Taught by Roger Byrd Class size is limited. TU (12/14), 10:30am, Free, Asheville Yoga Center, 211 S Liberty St Steady Collective Syringe Access Outreach Free naloxone, syringes and educational material on harm reduction.
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A Flat Rock Playhouse Christmas A family-friendly holiday song and dance revue, featuring seasonal classics along with several new adaptations and medleys. WE (12/8, 15), TH (12/9), FR (12/10), SA (12/11), SU (12/12), Flat Rock Playhouse, 2661 Hwy 225, Flat Rock
TU (12/14), 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 (12/14), 7pm, $12-22, Terpsicorps Academy, 1501 Patton Ave
An Appalachian Christmas Carol Through the use of shadow theatre and moving panoramas the ghosts of Christmas past, present, and future lead Zebulon in an exploration of the life of Venus, a woman enslaved by the Vances. TH (12/9), FR (12/10), SA (12/11), Vance Birthplace, 911 Reems Creek Rd, Weaverville
ART Preserving a Picturesque America: Along the French Broad Art Sale & Exhibit Features original artworks by local artists of the mountain landscapes in the Hot Springs area. Daily through Dec. 31. Big Pillow Brewing, 25 Andrews Ave N, Hot Springs Joyful Light A group show featuring images that welcome the light and joy of the season. Daily through Dec. 31. WE (12/8, 15) TH (12/9, 16), FR (12/10), SA (12/11), SU (12/12), MO (12/13), TU (12/14), Asheville Gallery of Art, 82 Patton Ave 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 popular acts such as Widespread Panic, Animal Collective and Wilco. WE (12/8, 15) TH (12/9, 16), FR (12/10), SA (12/11), SU (12/12), MO (12/13), TU (12/14), Push Skate Shop & Gallery, 25 Patton Ave Ruminations on Memory On view in conjunction with A Living Language: Cherokee Syllabary and Contemporary Art. WE (12/8, 15) TH (12/9, 16), FR (12/10), SA (12/11), SU (12/12), MO (12/13), Asheville Art Museum, 2 S Pack Square 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 (12/8, 15) TH (12/9,
DEC. 8-14, 2021
WARM UP AT WINTERFEST: The Swannanoa Community Council, Friends and Neighbors of Swannanoa and Friends of the Swannanoa Library will hold their annual Swannanoa Winterfest Saturday, Dec. 11, 3-8 p.m. at Grovemont Square. The traditional European-style festival will include fire pits, caroling, singalongs, holiday lights, food and craft vendors, and a visit from Olaf the Snowman. Photo courtesy of Swannanoa Community Council 16), FR (12/10), SA (12/11), SU (12/12), MO (12/13), Asheville Art Museum, 2 S Pack Square 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 (12/8, 15) TH (12/9, 16), FR (12/10), SA (12/11), SU (12/12), MO (12/13), 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 (12/8, 15) TH (12/9, 16), FR (12/10), SA (12/11), SU (12/12), MO (12/13), Asheville Art Museum, 2 S Pack Square Nocturne A collection of works in a variety of media that celebrates the drama and mystery of the night. Daily 10-6, Sundays 12-5. WE (12/8, 15) TH (12/9, 16), FR (12/10), SA (12/11), SU (12/12), MO (12/13), TU (12/14), Momentum Gallery, 24 N Lexington Ave
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Small Work/Big Impact An annual exhibition that assembles intimately-scaled works in a variety of media by gallery artists and special guests. Daily 10-6, Sundays 12-5. WE (12/8, 15) TH (12/9, 16), FR (12/10), SA (12/11), SU (12/12), MO (12/13), TU (12/14), Momentum Gallery, 24 N Lexington Ave 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. TH (11/9, 16), FR (11/12), SA (11/13), 10:30am, Smith-McDowell House Museum, 283 Victoria Rd
ART/CRAFT STROLLS & FAIRS Art Market at Continuum With local artists, vendors and musicians. SA (12/11), 12pm, Continuum Art, 147 Ste C, 1st Ave E, Hendersonville Jackson Arts Market Weekly event every Saturday through Dec. 18. SA (12/11), 1pm, 533 W Main St, Sylva
COMMUNITY MUSIC The Kingdom Choir Led by Karen Gibson, the London-based choir performed at the royal wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. MO (12/13), 7pm, $40, Diana Wortham Theatre, 18 Biltmore Ave Classical Guitar Holiday Show A mix of solo and ensemble music, including works developed and arranged by Andy Jurik, Steve Newbrough and the accompanied vocals of Rachel Hansbury. Also live streamed on Facebook. TH (12/16), 7:30pm, Asheville Guitar Bar, 122 Riverside Dr
SPOKEN & WRITTEN WORD Miss Malaprop's Storytime Recommended for ages 3-9. WE (12/8), 10am, Registration required, avl.mx/7b9 Discussion Bound Book Club Participants will discuss Bohemians, a novel by Jasmin Darznik. WE (12/8), 12pm, Asheville Art Museum, 2 S Pack Square
UNC Press Presents G. Samantha Rosenthal, author of Living Queer History, in conversation with Samantha Allen The authors discuss Rosenthal's book. WE (12/8), 7pm, Registration required, avl.mx/avd Creative Writing Group A supportive group with several rounds of writing prompts, presented by Buncombe Co. Public Libraries. TH (12/9), 4pm, avl.mx/ayp 2021 Thomas Wolfe Memorial Award The award ceremony will celebrate the winner and four finalists for the 2021 award with readings and remarks by each author. TH (12/9), 6:30pm, avl.mx/axi Black Experience Book Club This week's discussion will be of The Perishing by Natashia Deon. Bi-monthly, sponsored by the YMI Cultural Center and Buncombe Co. Public Libraries. TH (12/9), 6:30pm, avl.mx/9gb Fiction Workshop Karen Ackerson will lead the class on the essentials of writing a story or novel. Students may bring up to five pages to class for review. SA (12/11), 10am, The Writers Workshop, 387 Beaucatcher Rd
Malaprop's Mystery Book Club Participants will discuss Sherlock Holmes and the Christmas Demon by James Lovegrove. MO (12/13), 7pm, Registration required, avl.mx/7jn Leicester Library Book Club Discussion of The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett. TU (12/14), 1pm, Leicester Library, 1561 Alexander Rd, Leicester Enka History Book Club This month's book discussion will be Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World by Jack Weatherford. Books will be available for pickup at the Enka-Candler Library on the book club's shelf. WE (12/15), 3pm, Enka-Candler Library, 1404 Sandhill Rd, Candler Malaprop's Notorious HBC (History Book Club) Participants will discuss Black Wave by Kim Ghattas. TH (12/16), 7pm, Registration required, avl.mx/axv
THEATER Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol: A Play with Music This two man adaptation is a fast-paced and imaginative production
A Christmas Carol Based on the classic tale, these performances are a new adaptation. The productions will be directed by Dominic Michael Aquilino and will feature Michael Lilly in the role of Ebenezer Scrooge. TH (12/9, 16), FR (12/10), SA (12/11), $28-32, Owen Theatre, 44 College St, Mars Hill A Darkly Hilarious Holiday Alternative: It’s the Most _____ Time of the Year: Oil on Canvas A dark comedy with a contemporary take on family dynamics, traditions, and the power of love. Written by local author Erin McCarson, directed by Jessica Johnson. TH (12/9, 16), FR (12/10), SA (12/11), SU (12/12), 4pm, $25, The Magnetic Theatre, 375 Depot St Every Christmas Story Ever Told (and then some) A madcap holiday romp with three actors performing every Christmas story ever told - plus Christmas traditions from around the world, seasonal icons from ancient times to topical pop-culture, and every carol ever sung. FR (12/10), SA (12/11), SU (12/12), $10-20, Hart Theatre, 250 Pigeon St, Waynesville The Nutcracker from the Ballet Conservatory of Asheville The Ballet Conservatory returns for its 4th Nutcracker tour to Western
Carolina University, in its 12th season. FR (12/10), SA (12/11), WCU Bardo Arts Center, 199 Centennial Dr, Cullowhee The Asheville Ballet Presents The Nutcracker North Carolina’s oldest professional non-profit ballet company presents the full-length classical holiday tradition with stars, story, and sugarplums. FR (12/10), SA (12/11), SU (12/12), Diana Wortham Theatre, 18 Biltmore Ave It’s A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play The holiday classic story is staged as an old-fashioned live radio broadcast where the actors portray numerous characters. FR (12/10), SA (12/11), SU (12/12), $20, Black Mountain Center for the Arts, 225 W State St, Black Mountain The Moppets Present: A (slightly chaotic) Christmas Carol A cast of 10 youth actors will randomly draw their roles for each performance just before showtime, giving every audience a fresh take on Charles Dickens’s classic tale. FR (12/10), SA (12/11),
SU (12/12), Free-$10, Dr Wesley Grant Sr. Southside Center, 285 Livingston St
FILM You Can't Take It with You Part of the center’s classic film series; with decorations, introductory speakers, and concessions including specialty beer. TU (12/14), 6:15pm, $7, Tryon Fine Arts Center, 34 Melrose Ave, Tryon
BENEFITS Howliday Dog Drive Accepting donations of new or gently used sheets and towels, bleach, garbage bags, dog treats and toys, small blankets and more to benefit Charlie's Angels Animal Rescue, through Dec. 31. Ruff Life Training Center, 95 Thompson St Operation Outreach March Join the command staff, drill sergeants and soldiers of Echo Company 1-321st REGT as they march to Western Carolina Rescue to deliver items as well
as raise awareness for those in need. SA (12/11), 7am, Carrier Park, 220 Amboy Rd
CLASSES, MEETINGS & WORKSHOPS Geminids Meteor Shower Experience An evening under the stars observing the meteor shower at a historic, mountaintop, Internationally Certified Dark Sky Park. FR (12/10), 4-10pm The Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute, 1 PARI Dr, Rosman The Folding Chair: What it Means to be Black in Asheville Dr. Dwight Mullen will present data that describes policy outcomes in education, healthcare, housing, justice, and economic mobility. MO (12/13), 6pm, Free, avl.mx/ayj Baha'i Fireside: Is Economic Justice Possible? This Zoom event brings Abdu'l-Baha's teachings about economic justice into focus. All are welcome. TU (12/14), 7pm, Free, avl.mx/ayn
FOOD & BEER Weaverville Tailgate Market Local weekly market every Wednesday through Dec. 22. WE (12/8, 15), 2pm, 60 Monticello Rd, Weaverville RAD Farmers Market Local, year-round market in the River Arts District. WE (12/8, 15), 3pm, Pleb Urban Winery, 289 Lyman St ASAP Farmers Market Local market, Saturdays through Dec. 18. SA (12/11), 9am, A-B Tech, 340 Victoria Rd West Asheville Tailgate Market Local market, Tuesdays through Dec. 21. TU (12/14), 3:30pm, 718 Haywood Rd
HOLIDAY EVENTS 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. Grove Arcade, 1 Page Ave
Thank G...It’s of North Carolina
NEW 2022 Health Insurance Join Us at the WWBC Pop Up Market Located at the Asheville Mall December 11th, 11am – 6pm Find Health Insurance Options at: troutinsurance.com/Friday-Health
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C O MMU NIT Y CA L E N D AR Sippin’ Santa A holiday oasis with kitschy, festive décor and a tiki themed 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. Through Dec. 31. The Montford Rooftop Bar, 199 Haywood St Miracle on Haywood Road A holiday-themed pop up bar with specialty drinks and decor. Nightly except Wednesdays. Through Dec. 31. The Golden Pineapple, 503 Haywood Rd, Asheville NCGC Winter Wonderland With glass ornaments, snowflakes, snowmen, candy canes, and live glassblowing demonstrations. Through Dec. 31. North Carolina Glass Center, 140 Roberts St, Ste B 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. Through Dec. 23. Historic Downtown Hendersonville 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. Each tree created to help raise funds for the Swannanoa Valley Christian Ministry Fuel Fund. Through Jan. 3. Various locations, Black Mountain Lake Julian Festival of Lights A drive-through tour with thousands of lights around the lake. Nightly through Dec. 23. 6pm, Lake Julian Park and Marina, 406 Overlook Extension, Arden NC Arboretum Winter Lights: Garden Whimsy The event is the Arboretum’s largest annual fundraiser, to support educational programs. Nightly through Jan. 1. 6-10pm, $25-30 per vehicle, NC Arboretum, 100 Frederick Law Olmsted Way
Winter Tree Carnival Over 50 decorated trees will be on display, featuring creative, unique decor from local brands and non-profits. Outdoors daily except Monday (weather permitting). Free, Rabbit Rabbit, 75 Coxe Ave Holly Jolly Market Featuring handmade, vintage and fair trade with 50+ vendors. Shop vintage clothes, housewares, handmade jewelry, ceramics, apparel and more. Daily through Dec. 19 Rabbit Rabbit, 75 Coxe Ave 29th Annual National Gingerbread House Competition A holiday tradition, on display daily through Jan. 22. The Omni Grove Park Inn, 290 Macon Ave Holiday Magic Marketplace and Exhibition An invitational event with homemade gifts created by local artists including jewelry, pottery, sculpture, paintings, photography, fibert arts, wood working and more. Saturdays with music and games from 1-4pm. Through
Dec. 23. Transylvania Community Arts Council, 349 S. Caldwell St, Brevard International Holiday Market Weavings, jewelry, clothing, pottery, parasols, purses, shoes, and children's items, handmade from all over the world. WE (12/8), 9:30am, Harvest House, 205 Kenilworth Rd Historic Johnson Farm Christmas Tours Tour the decorated farm house and learn about the farm's history. WE (12/8, 15) TH (12/9, 16), FR (12/10), MO (12/13), TU (12/14) 10:30am, $5-15, Historic Johnson Farm, 3346 Haywood Rd, Hendersonville Santa Paws at Highland Brewing Photos with Santa Paws to benefit the Asheville Humane Society. Pets welcome. WE (12/8), 5pm, Highland Brewing Co, 12 Old Charlotte Hwy Cookie Decorating Pop Up Decorate holiday cookies with Jackie from Three Eggs Cakery. Tickets include hands-on instruction with inspiration pages, 12 cookies, royal icing,
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Wishing you a season full of Peace, Joy, and Adventure!
and boxes for the take home cookies. WE (12/8), 6pm, $18, Highland Brewing Downtown Taproom, 56 Patton Ave Citizen Vinyl Holiday Pop Up Local vendors. TH (12/9), 9am, Citizen Vinyl, 14 O Henry Ave Holiday Storytelling for the Whole Family With local tellers Chuck Fink, Kathy Gordon, Chet Allen and Jill Totman. Sponsored by the Weaverville Center for Creative and Healthy Living. TH (12/9), 6pm, Lake Louise Community Center, Weaverville WNC Farmers Market Old Time Christmas Holiday music, Christmas décor, a WNC Farmers Market Wish Book, and NC Christmas trees and all of the trimmings from local farmers. FR (12/10), SA (12/11), SU (12/12), MO (12/13), WNC Farmers Market, 570 Brevard Rd Brunch at the North Pole Seniors get to celebrate at a special brunch while wearing pajamas, drinking hot chocolate, and taking pictures with Santa. Door prizes, line dancing, and more. From Asheville Parks and Rec. FR (12/10), 10am, Stephens Lee Recreation Center, 30 George Washington Carver Ave The Night Before Christmas Storytime and photos with Mr. and Mrs. Claus. FR (12/10), 3pm, Bohemian Baby, Grove Arcade, 1 Page Ave Holiday Mini Market Pop-Up This holiday inspired pop-up features new local artisans each week, with live music from 7-9pm. FR (12/10), 4pm, Highland Brewing Downtown Taproom, 56 Patton Ave Luminary Night Part of Historic Downtown Hendersonville's Home for the Holidays celebrations. FR (12/10), 5pm, Historic Downtown Hendersonville, 145 5th Ave E, Hendersonville
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Downtown Weaverville Candlelight Stroll Horse drawn carriage rides, holiday scavenger hunt, caroling, tree lighting, live music and Santa. FR (12/10), 6pm, Main St, Weaverville
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Breakfast with Santa Designed for children ages 2-9 and their parents. Space is limited, reservations are required. From Asheville Parks and Rec. SA (12/11), 9am, $8, Stephens Lee Recreation Center, 30 George Washington Carver Ave
The Holiday Bazaar Since 1980, providing local, sustainably produced food and crafts. Over 40 vendors, Saturdays through Dec. 18. SA (12/11), 10am,-1pm North Asheville Tailgate Market, 3300 University Heights Holiday Arts Festival at The Refinery AVL Items from, cards, prints, T-shirts, silk scarves to mixed media and paintings for sale, from a local non-profit art space for creatives who have been impacted by mental health needs, addiction or being unhoused. SA (12/11), 11am, The Refinery AVL, 207 Coxe Ave Marshall Christmas Parade An annual holiday tradition. SA (12/11), 11am, Downtown Marshall Hi-Wire Holiday Pop-Up Market This market of 30+ vendors will feature a variety of local creatives highlighting arts, crafts, and artisanal products from Asheville and surrounding areas. SA (12/11), 12pm, The Event Space at Hi-Wire Brewing, 2BHuntsman Place YMI Cultural Center Winter Wonderland A family-oriented event with coat giveaways, a Christmas movie, hot chocolate, gift bags, and a special appearance from Santa Claus. SA (12/11), 1-7pm YMI Cultural Center Impact Center, 39 S Market St Annual Swannanoa Winterfest Modeled on traditional European holiday markets, Winterfest will feature a variety of artisans and vendors selling holiday-themed items. Warm your hands over a fire while enjoying caroling, sing-alongs, festive holiday lights, and even a visit from Olaf the Snowman. SA (12/11), 3pm, Grovemont Square, 101 W Charleston Ave, Swannanoa Holiday Light Night Enjoy warm drinks and refreshments in a land of enchantment as the field is filled with glowing luminaries. SA (12/11), 6pm, Burton St Community Center, 134 Burton St An Appalachian Christmas With Grammy-winning Steep Canyon Rangers front man Graham Sharp on banjo, IBMA award-winning fiddler Julian Pinelli and soprano Amanda Horton. A Hendersonville Symphony tradition with mountain flair. SA (12/11), 7:30pm, Blue Ridge Community College, 45 Oak Park Dr, Brevard
Herbs & Arts HollyDay Market Local herbal, crafts, treats, and other needs for the season including gems, honey, essential oils, singing bowls, apparel, fermented goods, chocolate and more. SU (12/12), 1pm, Weaverville Tailgate Market, 60 Lake Shore Dr, Weaverville Christmastime in Brevard A hometown holiday musical tradition brought to you by the Brevard Philharmonic and the voices of the Transylvania Choral Society. SU (12/12), 3pm, $10-37, Porter Center, 1 Brevard College Dr, Brevard Caroling Through West Asheville With cocoa, fireside s'mores and cookies afterwards. SU (12/12), 4:30pm, Trinity United Methodist Church, 587 Haywood Rd Awakening Light: An Orchestral Evensong for Advent With FBCA Chamber Orchestra and organist Tate Addis, this concert will feature Christmas classics and orchestral carols. SU (12/12), 7pm, First Baptist Church of Asheville, 5 Oak St Blue Ridge Ringers: Carols of the Bells WNC's premier community handbell ensemble will perform traditional carols from around the world as well as contemporary holiday music. SU (12/12), 7pm, Hendersonville Presbyterian Church, 699 North Grove St, Hendersonville Night of Music: Christmas Concert Featuring the Biltmore Brass Band, the Ringing God's Praise Handbell Choir, and the debut of the hot new duo, Vee and Mr. T. In-person and live-streamed. SU (12/12), 7pm, Free, Groce United Methodist Church, 954 Tunnel Rd Holiday Bingo With light refreshments. MO (12/13), 6pm, Shiloh Community Center, 121 Shiloh Rd Advent Pause Concert with Tim Owings A piano concert, offered Tuesdays during Advent. TU (12/14), 12pm, First Baptist Church of Asheville, 5 Oak St Jingle Bell Toddler Party The gym will be packed with inflatables, toys, activity tables and light refreshments - with a special appearance from Santa. From Asheville Parks and Rec. WE (12/15), 10am,
Free, Stephens Lee Recreation Center, 30 George Washington Carver Ave The Sights and Sounds of Advent See nativity displays while hearing a cello ensemble, ending with a carol by candlelight, hot chocolate and sticky buns. WE (12/15), 6pm, First Baptist Church of Asheville, 5 Oak St Photos with Santa Paws Bring your family, friends and dogs as well as a monetary donation of at least $5 for the Asheville Humane Society. TH (12/16), 5pm, Archetype Brewing, 265 Haywood Rd
SPIRITUALITY Jewish Women's Circle: Torah and Tea The theme is "Well-Connected." TH (12/9), 10:30am, Chabad House, 127 McDowell St Online Baha'i Sunday Devotional An unstructured, informal gathering via Zoom. All are welcome. SU (12/12), 10am, avl.mx/a4t Online Baha'i Third Wednesday Devotional All are welcome at this informal monthly gathering. WE (12/15), 7pm, Free, avl.mx/arx
VOLUNTEERING The Free Clinics Seeking volunteers to assist with labeling a large mailing of the winter newsletter. Email volunteer@ thefreeclinics.org. WE (12/8), 9:30am, The Free Clinics, 841 Case St, Hendersonville Project Linus The WNC chapter is seeking volunteers to make children’s blankets to donate handmade blankets to provide a sense of security and warmth to area children in crisis. Contact Ellen Knoefel at (828)645-8800 gknoefel@charter. net or Pat Crawford (828)873-8746. 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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Warren Wilson professor’s new book explores eco-conscious death BY JESSICA WAKEMAN jwakeman@mountainx.com As a professor of environmental education at Warren Wilson College, Mallory McDuff is experienced in teaching the next generation about environmentalism. “Climate is front and center for them,” she says. With the Dec. 7 publication of her book Our Last Best Act: Planning for the End of Our Lives to Protect the People and Places We Love, she’s now educating anyone curious about a conservation-minded death. The book begins with McDuff’s journey through her own parents’ deaths. Her father left directives for a conservation-minded burial, including no embalmment (due to the use of the toxin formaldehyde) and a handmade coffin. From there, she explores options like natural burial in conservation cemeteries, home funerals, flame cremation, mushroom-infused burial suits and other eco-conscious approaches. Prior to researching the greener alternatives, McDuff’s own last wishes were to be cremated — that is, until she learned about the fossil fuels involved. The idea for the book formed during a presentation at All Souls Episcopal Church with Cassie Barrett from Carolina Memorial Sanctuary in Mills River that discussed the environmental impact of cremation. McDuff “realized that cremation is probably not the best option for me, given all the more sustainable choices that I have,” she explains. McDuff continued to teach at Warren Wilson as she spent a year researching the book, examining each of the green funeral options available in Western North Carolina and revising her own plans. “I’d learned about more sustainable choices to leave the earth in the same way I’d tried, however imperfectly, to live on,” McDuff writes. “I saw the possibility of planning for death as my last best act for my children in a warming world threatened by more severe disasters, from blazing wildfires to destructive hurricanes.”
GOING MORE GENTLY
When planning their own deaths, many people consider a choice between two options: a casket buri-
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A GREENER DEATH: Mallory McDuff, a professor at Warren Wilson College, is the author of Our Last Best Act, a book about conservation-minded funerals. Photo courtesy of McDuff al, usually after embalmment, or a cremation. According to the National Funeral Directors Association, nearly 58% of Americans who died in 2021 chose to be cremated, with another nearly 37% choosing burial. However, according to the NFDA’s 2021 Consumer Awareness and Preferences Report, more than half of people report an interest in exploring “green” funeral options. A conventional burial involves a number of items that don’t readily decompose. Caskets and vaults often contain parts of steel, copper, bronze and concrete. And embalming fluid, which slows the body’s decomposition process, contains formaldehyde — “a highly toxic systemic poison that is absorbed well by inhalation,” according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC notes that the toxin irritates the respiratory tract and skin and can cause dizziness and even suffocation. A green burial, or natural burial, is done without embalmment of the body and without the use of a vault or metal casket. Neither a vault nor an outer container is required by North Carolina state law, but cem-
eteries have the right to require either, according to the N.C. Funeral Directors Association. State law also does not require that the deceased be embalmed. Ten funeral providers in North Carolina were certified by the Green Burial Council as of October, according to New Hampshire Funeral Resources, Education and Advocacy, a website that collects nationwide information about green funerals. All Green Burial Council-certified final resting places — there are 340 providers nationwide — are not the same. Some are natural cemeteries, which are fully committed to sustainable practices, and others are hybrid cemeteries, where both green burials and conventional burials occur. The Green Burial Council certifies compliance with its standards for designation as a hybrid cemetery, natural cemetery or conservation burial ground. Forest Lawn Memorial Park Garden in Candler and Green Hills Cemetery in Asheville are both hybrid cemeteries. Carolina Memorial Sanctuary is a conservation burial
ground; the land is protected in perpetuity by a conservation easement. Funeral homes can also be Green Burial Council certified, including eight in North Carolina. For example, Groce Funeral Home, which has offices in Asheville and Arden, offers green burial as a “specialized funeral option.” This option uses caskets from Aurora Casket Co. made out of pine and wooden dowels, nontoxic wood glue and straw bedding. Instead of embalming the body, Groce uses refrigeration units. “One thing that I did learn during the research is that there are so many local funeral directors who are doing amazing work in collaboration with some of these green options,” McDuff says. Different decision-making has to come from all angles of the funeral process. “I’m trying to be clear in the book that one individual action — like one person getting buried at Carolina Memorial Sanctuary — that’s obviously not going to transform climate change,“ she continues. “But I do think that those individual actions, and thinking about climate and community, we do have the capacity to shape how our culture deals with death and dying.”
GOOD GRIEF
A green funeral can be an important grief ritual for loved ones, says Asheville-based licensed mental health counselor Katherine HydeHensley. A grief ritual is meant to both comfort the bereaved and provide symbolism about the individual’s life. “Honoring a chosen ritual, such as green burial, to remember and celebrate a life is essential in a healthy grieving process,” she says. Hyde-Hensley notes that prior to the mid-19th century, families prepared the deceased at home for burial and that immediacy may have led to an easier acceptance of death.
In her experience, she continues, “the simplicity, gentleness, and honesty of green burial create a feeling of intimacy.” Many loved ones don’t receive specific wishes about how the death of a relative should be handled. Throughout her research for Our Last Best Act, McDuff saw how making plans to be laid to rest in a conservation-minded way is an entry point for the living to engage with death. “I found that once I started talking about this, people wanted to talk,” McDuff says. “I think it’s because we don’t often have those opportunities to talk about [death] that it became a topic of conversation.” Everyone dies alone, McDuff notes, and she acknowledges that the topic can sometimes feel isolating. “But in the talking about it — I realized with my father’s death — planning can be a part of a community.” She notes, for example, that she has now had conversations about green funerals with her neighbor, as well as her teenage daughter, whose reactions to her mom’s unusual research subject provide comic relief through the book. The connection of a community to the Earth is what Ben Gordon, a former student of McDuff’s at Warren Wilson College who works as a land steward for Carolina Memorial Sanctuary, finds meaningful. “How a community relates with death is foundational to how a community relates to itself, other communities and the Earth,” he says. Maintaining the land on which green burials take place is meaningful and important work, adds Gordon. “[The] way that a community handles death — with respect and reverence towards all kinds of other things that are also living and dying in a given area — is as good of a direction we might have in our current society in terms of how to relate with death as a community,” he says. X
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ARTS & CULTURE
Changes afoot
Catawba acquisition results in job loss
BY EDWIN ARNAUDIN earnaudin@mountainx.com Brian Ivey isn’t naive to the ways of late-stage capitalism, but the former Catawba Brewing Co. retail marketing and communications director is nevertheless disappointed by what he feels is a lack of honesty and respect that the brewery’s new owners, Alabama-based Wiregrass Equity Partners, showed him and his leadership team colleagues on their way to the unemployment line. On Nov. 1, after running the company for 22 years, Catawba co-owners Jetta and Billy Pyatt sold the business and Charleston, S.C.-based Palmetto Brewing Co. to Wiregrass — whose portfolio includes the craft beer collective holding company Made by the Water, LLC, which owns and operates the Florida-based Oyster City Brewing Co. According to Ivey and former Palmetto marketing manager Tarah Gee, who were present during meetings with the then-prospective buyers, Wiregrass assured the team that everyone’s jobs were secure. “Wiregrass claimed they were investing in our people, whose work they’d observed and admired from a distance for many months,” Ivey says. “We were told that our six-person leadership group would be integral to leading the company into its next generation.” But by Nov. 12, Ivey, Gee and another leadership group member had been fired, along with several other employees. The Pyatts declined to comment for this article. MBTW CEO Alexi Sekmakas, however, says no such employment guarantees were made. He notes that product development and brewing positions “remain fragmented and individualized per [MBTW] location,” but that finance, HR and other administrative support
SHIFTING CULTURE: The recent purchase of Catawba Brewing Co. by Alabama-based Wiregrass Equity Partners has resulted in unexpected job losses and an atmosphere that former employees say is far removed from that of the past 22 years. Photo courtesy of Catawba Brewing Co. jobs “are fully integrated across the platform.” Factor in less than ideal current market conditions, and he says initial operations for Catawba and Palmetto are leaner than he and his colleagues would have hoped. “Our goal was to bring these companies together in as harmonious a way as possible,” Sekmakas says. “Through all the issues we’ve been having with COVID and supply chain shortages and this highly tumultuous, unprece-
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dented time, we just had to make some changes. It’s not something that we ever want to do, but we’re heading into a slow season and we’re coming out of a global pandemic, so I’m hopeful that we’re going to be able to make deeper investments and hire more and more people over the next couple of months, once we come out into the spring.” In hindsight, Ivey says the lack of communication that followed the Nov. 1 deal should have been a red flag, but the Catawba team was told the new owners were focused on closing a deal on a new production facility in Mobile, Ala. He now believes MBTW’s plan all along was to slash payroll, eliminate several jobs and outsource others to the Oyster City team in the Florida Panhandle. Ivey views the strategy as consistent with a larger trend over the past five years of private equity encroaching on craft beer, resulting “in money flowing out of the community to enrich some anonymous multimillionaire investor group that doesn’t care about your town or its local workers.” He adds that because PE investors typically aren’t satisfied to collect off annual profits, the classic PE play-
book involves slashing payroll to maximize short-term profits with the expectation that the newly acquired company, which is now just a portfolio fund, will be quickly flipped again. “Everything that’s happened at Catawba since Nov. 1 points toward a textbook PE slash-and-burn strategy. On the phone call in which my job was declared ‘redundant,’ I spent the first couple minutes with the Wiregrass HR manager answering questions about the weather in Asheville — because he literally knew nothing about where we live and work,” Ivey says. Sekmakas says MBTW wants to continue making investments in Catawba’s two Asheville tasting rooms, including the brewing systems, and that Asheville general manager Ben Wiggins is motivated to add additional Buncombe County locations. Sekmakas also notes that since acquiring Oyster City, MBTW has “done a lot to get ourselves involved with the community” and aims to piggyback on Catawba’s work within Asheville. “We’ve got a great team in there already, but we want to continue pushing the envelope on these innovative beer styles, and Asheville is
the perfect community to do that with,” Sekmakas says. “We feel like we’re taking on a big responsibility with Catawba. This isn’t just another corner neighborhood brewery. It’s a piece of the community and a part of the local, North Carolina beer culture. So, that’s something we don’t want to fumble, certainly, but want to use to advance the craft beer culture of the Southeast as a whole.” Ivey isn’t sure what’s next for him, but says his heart is still in Asheville beer. After the holidays, he’ll begin looking for a new position and would love to use all that he learned in nearly seven years at Catawba and apply it toward telling more stories of local craft beer and the people behind it.
NORTH BUNCOMBE NICHE
Paul Carielli has long worked in sales, moving everything from sneakers to used cars, and even preowned mattresses, all while figuring out what he wanted to do with his life. Then, while serving as the beer rep for Twin Leaf Brewery, he felt empowered to try his hand at entrepreneurship. “I delivered beer to many of the restaurants and bottle shops in this area, as well as Charlotte and Raleigh,” says Carielli, a native of New York’s Hudson Valley area. “I saw everyone being successful and thought maybe I can do this, too.” Drawing inspiration from Bob Ross, whom Carielli refers to as “America’s beloved happy tree painter,” the Weaverville resident opened Hoppy Trees Beer & Spritz Bar in September in his adopted hometown. Situated in the back corner of the historic Shope’s Furniture building, the family-friendly establishment showcases local artists’ works on its walls and offers distinct beverage options. Carielli says he “didn’t want to step on anybody’s toes” in the menu department, noting his bar’s proximity to Eluvium Brewing Co., Zebulon Artisan Ales and Maggie B’s Wine & Specialty Store. When a friend introduced him to Venice Spritz, he knew he had found his niche beverage. According to Carielli, the drink is largely unknown in the U.S. but is popular in Europe and is precisely the type of signature offering he was seeking. “It’s the Italian apéritif bitter liqueur mixed with Prosecco on ice with an orange slice, and it becomes irresistibly refreshing,” Carielli says. “In eight weeks of operation, I’ve sold close to 750 of them already. It’s definitely trumping the beer and wine sales.” That creative flair and respect for Carielli’s neighbors also extends to Hoppy Trees’ draft and packaged products. While working for Twin Leaf, he saw how difficult it was to get
the brewery’s products on tap at certain restaurants, bars and bottle shops, so he’s made it a priority to carry items from smaller, self-distributing, local mom-and-pop breweries as much as possible. Clients thus far have included Homeplace Beer Co., Sweeten Creek Brewing, Hillman Beer and Riverside Rhapsody Beer Co. Hoppy Trees Beer & Spritz Bar is at 7 Florida Ave., Weaverville. For more information, visit avl.mx/wordcap7
SILVER SIPPER
At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Chemist Spirits ownership team decided to focus on hyperlocal projects with Asheville-based companies. In turn, the team developed a chocolate orange gin liqueur with French Broad Chocolates and more recently worked with Green Man Brewery after owner Dennis Thies reached out about collaborating on a special whiskey to celebrate his company’s 25th anniversary. “This project in particular was superattractive because it’s all made with grain that Green Man brings in for their beer, so we knew we wouldn’t have any supply chain shortages,” says James Donaldson,
FROM ITALY, WITH LOVE: Hoppy Trees Beer & Spritz Bar owner Paul Carielli has found his niche in the upand-coming Weaverville beverage scene. Photo by Katie Demere Chemist co-owner and director of marketing. “And in return, they ended up storing barrels for us. We ran out of space and couldn’t build anything during the pandemic.”
Donaldson feels that the 88 proof final product plays to the strengths of Green Man’s abilities as brewers and Chemist’s strengths as distillers and barrel masters. “Really, it was just neighbors coming together to help each other out and make something fun,” Donaldson says. “We would come over and have beers with them; they would come over and have drinks with us. Even this summer, as things were starting to mellow out, we would have them up to our rooftops and have these socially distanced tastings to preview the barrels and talk about how we wanted to approach this product.” The bottle debuted on Nov. 6 and has proved more popular than Donaldson imagined. Though he’d anticipated it lasting through the holidays, it’s looking as if the last batch of a little over 100 cases will sell out before then. “The Green Man customer base is extremely loyal, so we’ve just seen a massive response from not just Chemist fans and people that buy our whiskey, but a whole new category of people that are getting to know our brand and our spirits for the first time, just through Green Man,” he says. X
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MUSIC
Soul warmers
Juan Holladay, Jordan Scheffer, Thieves Like Us and eleventyseven release new albums
BY EDWIN ARNAUDIN earnaudin@mountainx.com Asheville-based vocalist Jordan Scheffer hasn’t let being visually impaired get in the way of her musical dreams. Passionate about singing since the age of 8, she went on to win the 2017 national Blind Idol contest at 18. More recently, Scheffer celebrated the October release of her debut album, Until We Try. Produced by Daniel Seriff, with additional help from her father, Eric, the record is a collection of covers that Scheffer says made her “feel happy inside” while also expressing the human condition. As such, the track list features multiple Bob Marley numbers, in addition to several songs by Nigerian/French artist Aṣa. “Afro-soul and reggae music appeal to me so much because they just sound raw and real, filled with beautiful melodies and rich, warm instrumentation,” Scheffer says.
GIFT EXCHANGE: Clockwise from top left, Jordan Scheffer, Juan Holladay, Thieves Like Us and eleventyseven keep the season bright with their latest releases. Photo of Scheffer by Tom Farr; photo of Holladay by Chris Charles; Thieves photo courtesy of the artists; photo of eleventyseven by Jennifer Mesk “The lyrics speak about humanity, common experiences and how to better the lives of people and the planet, which is always a good thing.” The selections also represent genres the singer has been listening to since her youth, though “it’s just now that I’m really starting to embrace them as a singer and explore their effect on me.” Along with producing, Seriff plays guitar on the album, which also features horns from members of the 26
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New Orleans-based band Naughty Professor. Scheffer notes that her collaborators took the time to see her vision through, including reworking songs to fit her preferred key and singing style. Dave McNair, whose credits include albums for David Bowie, Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen, then mastered the album, proving essential to its ultimate sound, which Scheffer describes as “incredibly clean and clear.”
Shortly after the album’s release, Scheffer performed much of Until We Try at the LEAF Festival in October. Her next gig will be at Isis Music Hall on Friday, Jan. 21. In the meantime, she’s making sure to savor the moment and celebrate realizing her goal of being a recording artist. “It feels wonderful,” she says. “It gives me hope that I can do something bigger and keep succeeding. It feels so surreal to now be on the artist end of the spectrum,
whereas just a few months ago, I was a listener.”
to be more bossa nova style — something really fun and a new direction.”
BEAUTY AND BREVITY
Juan Holladay has been playing less music than usual during the COVID-19 pandemic, but the Asheville-based singer-songwriter’s recorded output suggests an artist who hasn’t stopped creating these past 20 months. Though consisting of a mere five tracks, his new EP, Beauty Sleep, contains lush, soulful soundscapes and songs within songs that make its 10-minute total runtime feel considerably richer than its brevity might suggest. “I work with a lot of different people on these songs at each level,” Holladay says. “I usually add vocals, horn lines and synth lines over instrumentals that I get from my producer-collaborators. And then after that, I might ask someone else to throw down whatever they want here, and then we’ll just dig through and find samples and cut it up.” The EP features several guest musicians, including Raleigh-based vocalist Chris Charles (using his CHVRLES moniker) and local saxophonist Jacob Rodriguez. Meanwhile, longtime collaborator Patrick Doyle is one of several mixers on Beauty Sleep, and fellow local technician David Elliott Johnson mastered the EP. “[Johnson] added his own flavor — definitely a little bit of an artistic flair, even in the mastering process, because we did it kind of lo-fi, but yet it would sound good in a hi-fi system as well,” Holladay says. The album’s standout moment, however, belongs to Holladay himself. While the rapped verse on “Late Bloomer” appears to be a guest spot, it’s actually Holladay’s vocals, altered to a lower pitch through a series of recording techniques that Holladay discovered somewhat by accident. In addition to Beauty Sleep, Holladay also plans to work more with his band the Secret B-Sides. Over the course of the last four years, the group has been struck by a number of tragedies, making it difficult to establish steady growth following the release of their 2014 album, Welcome to Soul City. Keyboardist Jeff Knorr died in 2017, followed by drummer Robin Tolleson two years later. But rehearsals with the current lineup are becoming more frequent as gigs arise, including one Saturday, Dec. 11, at Salvage Station. “We’re just letting the new band settle in,” Holladay says. “I’d love to do a Secret B-Sides album and for it
THE NEW NEW WAVE
“I think about a year ago, I went a little crazy,” says Black Mountainbased guitarist JP Kennedy. “That was the time with COVID cases rising and the election turmoil, and anyone who had any empathy wasn’t sleeping. I had weeks of not sleeping. The whole thing was insane.” To help combat the mental anguish and sleepless nights, Kennedy and fellow local musicians Didier Rubio (bass) and Colleen Rose (vocals/synths) began sending around snippets of songs they’d recorded on their phones — a bass line here, a drumbeat there, some words and a melody. The audio files may have been short and largely just promising ideas, but for friends unable to write, practice or perform as usual, any organized signs of making music together felt like needed rebellion. The result is Thieves Like Us, whose debut album, Sending You Messages, was released in early October. Rounded out by drummer Ari Schantz, the band continued sharing phone recordings before uniting in a practice space to write additional songs once COVID rates fell to a comfortable level and vaccinations added another layer of encouragement. “I do think we were subconsciously writing about the pandemic because so many of the songs have the theme of looking for connection,” Kennedy says. The six original post-punk tracks are unabashedly ’80s-inspired and look to carry on the traditions of Joy Division, New Order, The Cure and Blondie. In Kennedy’s opinion, these “weird underground art bands” wrote some of the best love songs out there, if not “maybe the best songs ever.” “We didn’t want to shy away from this direction,” he continues. “We aimed our ship where our favorite bands had headed — synth washes, bass carrying the main melody line, some shimmery disco drums, no guitar solos. All the melody lines are so pure that you can sing them in the shower.” Steady gigs and general band activities, however, are currently difficult — Rose is traveling in Europe, Rubio and Schantz continue playing in the rock group Miami Gold, and Kennedy is involved in multiple ensembles. But the group’s
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AR T S & C UL TU R E ability to remain creative during the pandemic has them confident that Thieves Like Us is just beginning. “Sometimes I’m writing and I hear something with a moody melody and I think, ‘That’s a Thieves song,’” Kennedy says. “Colleen [Rose] is back in December, so we’re playing a kind of Thieves show at American Vinyl Co. on Dec. 30. The band may just function like this — when we are all in town, we’ll get a beer and look at all the music we’ve sent each other and create some more post-punkinspired pop songs and then play them around town.”
MONSTER MASH
Eleventyseven’s 2012 EP Attack of The Mountain Medley began with a wild hair to try something that sounded like the old country and folk tunes that bandmates Matt Langston and Davey Davenport grew up with in the South. “It was totally a joke at first, but by the time it was finished, we sort of saw a totally different side of ourselves, and it became exciting,” Langston says. “The thinking was that no one would be into it since it sounded so different from our usual synth pop/unicorn party sound. It
New singles spotlight No time to hear a full album? Give these standout singles by local artists a spin. Andrew Scotchie, “Santa Is Real” Following up last year’s emotionally rich, yet melancholic “My First Christmas Without You,” recorded with his band The River Rats, the Asheville-based singer/songwriter pivots to childlike wonder with this new holiday track. Over a bright synth backdrop and a steady beat, Scotchie’s ambiguously aged narrator makes humorously confident justifications for the existence of Kris Kringle & Co., including, “Mrs. Claus ain’t one of my in-laws/ Mama leaves her cookies out just because.” The gifted guitarist then tops the sonic tannenbaum with yet another ripping guitar solo that will make listeners believe in Father Christmas — as well as the power of rock ’n’ roll. avl.mx/axp Moses Sumney, “Bystanders (in space)” One of Asheville’s most famous musical transplants, the singer-songwriter and his band recorded Live From Blackalachia (out Friday, Dec. 10) in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Western North Carolina in summer 2020. The collection features tracks from his studio albums Græ and Aromanticism — including this impressive upper-register vocal
In the 28
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workout over a simple walking synth melody. The Sumney-directed, onetake film, Blackalachia, will accompany the album. “Over the course of two days, we filmed 14 songs, totally live, the trees as our audience, the grasshoppers our background singers,” he says in a press release. “Live From Blackalachia is a wild imagining of what can happen when we seek not just to reclaim nature, but to reintegrate with it.” avl.mx/axq Caitlin Krisko and The Broadcast, “Burn One Down” Recently renamed to spotlight its powerhouse singer/songwriter — a move supported and encouraged by the band — the local rock group closes out 2021 with this country-tinged tribute to departed old friends. While Krisko is known for belting out epic vocals (and indeed goes fairly big on this chorus), she takes a pleasantly relaxed approach overall to fit the sorrowful subject matter and subdued instrumentation, which finds smooth, fingerpicked acoustic guitar mixing well with organ and strings. “I’m looking forward to sharing more of myself with you in 2022 and can’t wait to see y’all on the road at a Caitlin Krisko and The Broadcast show,” she says. avl.mx/axu X
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sort of just took off when we weren’t paying attention and became the most popular thing we’ve done. It still kind of feels like the joke was on us.” Just shy of a decade later, Langston found himself feeling creatively drained amid the ongoing pandemic. Though he’d spent every day in his Rock Candy Studios working on music or producing for other bands, the loneliness of primarily remote work was wearing on him, as was the absence of playing live shows. To regain that spark, he took another break from the synthesizer workflow and started on a new set of folk tunes, dubbed Revenge of The Mountain Medley. “It seemed like a fun creative space to revisit and maybe air out our artistic closets that had begun to feel stuffy,” he says. “We were grateful for the lightning strike of the first EP but weren’t trying to make it hit twice. We just wanted to have some more of that brand of fun.” Desiring a new flavor to fold into the Mountain Medley series, Langston pushed himself to learn lap steel guitar, while also relearning the mandolin. Polishing his banjo skills also took a little time, but since he frequently writes on acoustic guitar, that foundation helped push the project forward. After a few weeks of practicing, he and Davenport felt back in familiar territory and embraced other hurdles as they arose. “The challenging part is going from writing pop tunes and short heart exposés to telling clear and concise arcing stories within a song structure,” he says. “My favorite thing about folk music is that it’s this musical casserole made of history lessons, cautionary tales, love stories and laments. It’s this amazing cultural chronicle and mirror to look into and see who looks back.” While Revenge of The Mountain Medley has much in common with its 2012 predecessor, much has changed for eleventyseven between those sonic departures. As he’s gotten older, Langston feels that becoming a more loving person has made a huge difference in his life, and he strives to pay it forward throughout the community. “My biggest hope for our growth is that we learn how to help people feel seen and understood in really accessible ways,” Langston says. “I’m serving a life sentence in the studio, so I learn something new every time we start a song or a new band comes in to record. You don’t need to be a tortured artist to tell your truth, you just have to be an honest one.” X
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FOOD ROUNDUP
What’s new in food Smasheville food truck brings the beef
Some people might be daunted making their food truck debut for one of Asheville’s most highly regarded chefs and his entire staff. But JT Noah and Kevin Ogren, co-owners of Smasheville, were happy to launch at John Fleer’s staff party at Cascade Lounge in late October. “We joined a Facebook group for food trucks, and the manager of Rhubarb saw us and asked if we would cater their staff party,” Noah explains. “It was the first service we did with the truck. We thought chef Fleer would try the burger, but he got the chicken sandwich and told us he really liked it.” Though Noah and Ogren are proud of their fried chicken sandwich — using more flavorful thigh meat rather than breast — they hang their hat on their beef. A cheerfully painted sheet metal burger fabricated and painted by Ogren’s brother Shane rides atop the truck and announces its arrival. The partners and the truck are all originally from Minnesota. Ogren and his girlfriend, Jes Werkmeister, are classically trained chefs who have worked in fine dining in Minneapolis, Florida and Georgia. Meanwhile, Noah has cooked primarily in resorts and country clubs on Lake Superior’s North Shore. They talked about opening a food truck some years ago, but
it wasn’t until this spring that Ogren lured Noah to Asheville, where he and Werkmeister were living and working. “We decided to go for it,” Noah says. But actually hitting go proved a frustrating process of paperwork and obstacles. The delays, however, allowed the pair to work on Smasheville’s menu and find a beef purveyor, Shipley Farms Beef of Vila. “They do dry-aged beef,” says Noah, “and we grind our own burger meat from their rib-eye, brisket and chuck.” The titular Smasheville burger is a double patty, smashed on a 500 degree grill (“It’s all about the sear,” says Noah), flipped, topped with white American cheese and put on a toasted Geraldine’s bun with waffle-cut dill pickles made in house. Smasheville is at Wedge Brewery Co., 37 Paynes Way, throughout December. For a complete schedule and menu, visit avl.mx/awz.
Source material Katie Button’s new original series, “From the Source,” recently debuted on Magnolia Network, with new episodes released every Friday. The show follows the Cúrate owner and chef as she searches the origin
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MEN AT WORK: Partners JT Noah, left, and Kevin Ogren prepare for service inside their custom-outfitted Smasheville food truck. Photo courtesy Smasheville and stories behind particular food ingredients. So far, she has visited Abundant Seafood in Charleston, S.C., Chapel Hill Creamery in Chapel Hill, Lee’s One Fortune Farm in Marion and Green Heart Farm heritage apple orchard in Hot Springs. Button says a more recent episode exploring the Western North Carolina Center for Honeybee Research was especially meaningful. “I am particularly excited about the honey episode, which is a tribute to the late Laurey Masterton, a local chef in Asheville who was very influential to me and who passed away from cancer a few years after Cúrate opened.” Initial episodes are focused on the region around Asheville, but as the series progresses, Button will travel farther afield. To learn more, visit avl.mx/ax1.
Home improvement The Merry Mischief Bakers, a five-person team from Phoenix repeated their 2020 Grand Prize Win at the 2021 National Gingerbread House competition at the Omni Grove Park Inn with their elaborate “Christmas Around the World” carousel. The 29th annual event returned to an in-person gathering after last year’s virtual contest. There were 12 winners overall among four age-determined categories; more than 120 entries were scored by a nine-judge panel, includ-
ing Omni Grove Park Inn’s executive pastry chef, John Cook. “The competitors spend countless hours getting their pieces just right, and it shows,” he says. “The innovation and skill level of the categories go up every year. It’s exciting to watch competitors rise through the ranks from the child category through the youth/teen categories and eventually into the adult category.” The dozen winners are being revealed one at a time on Omni Grove Park Inn’s social media pages through Sunday, Dec. 12, which is National Gingerbread House Day. The display at the hotel can be viewed anytime by in-house guests through Jan. 2. Nonguests can view the displays on Sunday after 3 p.m. and anytime Monday-Thursday. A portion of the proceeds from the $25 self-park fee will go to local nonprofits. The Omni Grove Park Inn is at 290 Macon Ave. To learn more, visit avl.mx/ax2.
Front Nine
It’s been a wham-bam-thank-youma’am six months for Nine Mile restaurant. This summer the restaurant introduced a trio of signature hot sauces developed by co-owner and chef Aaron Thomas. In October, it learned the line was nominated by USA Today 10Best editors as a contender for the paper’s “best holiday gifts ideas for foodies.” And after a month of online
voting by readers, Nine Mile’s hot sauces came in at No. 1. According to co-owner June Thomas, online orders have tripled since the results were published Nov. 19. The sauces can be found at all three Asheville Nine Mile restaurants as well as online at avl.mx/ax3.
That’s amore
Some people make lemonade when life hands them lemons; Italians make limoncello. On Wednesday, Dec. 15, Howard Rampersaud will offer a class at Metro Wines Asheville about the Italian liqueur and how to make it at home. He’ll also share a taste from his personal batch. Metro Wines Asheville is at 169 Charlotte St. The class is $10 and limited to 20 attendees; should the first class at 5:30 p.m. fill up, a second will be added. For tickets, call 828-5759525 or visit avl.mx/ax4 .
Eat, drink, shop Because no one should have to shop without fortifying provisions, Ginger’s Revenge and Leo’s House of Thirst are hosting holiday markets on-site, encouraging people to buy local while quaffing holiday cheer and bites. Leo’s Maker’s Market, with local vendors, wine by the bottle or glass and a snack menu, will be staged 2-8 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 14. Holiday Market at Ginger’s Revenge is taking place Saturday, Dec. 11, 2-8 p.m., and Sunday, Dec. 12, 2-7 p.m. The event will feature jewelry, house plants, spices, botanical skin care products, gluten-free and vegan baked goods and Ginger’s Revenge ginger beer. Meanwhile, Saturday’s featured food truck will be Bear’s Smokehouse BBQ, while The Trashy Vegan will roll in for Sunday’s market and serve 2-6 p.m. Leo’s House of Thirst is at 1055 Haywood Road, avl.mx/axo; Ginger’s Revenge is at 829 Riverside Drive, avl.mx/axl.
Maker’s mark
Garden & Gun magazine’s annual Made in the South awards were recently announced. Over the decade-plus since the series launched, Asheville makers have snagged eight awards. This year, Anneliesse Gormley’s one-woman shop Spoon + Hook was runner up in the craft category. More recently, Asheville became the big winner with the announcement from the magazine and Explore Asheville of a yearlong collaboration
that will bring the Made in the South awards celebration to the city next fall. “This kind of collaboration helps us shine a spotlight on the passion and inspiration of our community’s top creators, makers and craftspeople and their independent businesses,” says Vic Isley, CEO of Explore Asheville. That spotlight will shine bright in four Garden & Gun editorial print spreads in 2022 celebrating Asheville artisans, producers and entrepreneurs. More than 80 Asheville makers are featured in Explore Asheville’s 2021 Holiday Gift Guide. “The online guide makes holiday shopping in your pajamas by the fireplace even cozier when you know you’re purchasing from local people and supporting local jobs,” says Whitney Smith, Explore Asheville’s content director. The 2021 Holiday Gift Guide can be found at avl.mx/ax9.
MEET OUR YETI FAMILY! Handcrafted from cotton & wool felt in the foothills of Himalayas, this cute snow family will be a fun addition to any tree! ASHEVILLE 10 College St. 828-254-8374
Off the chart
Famously shouty English chef Gordon Ramsey had to tone it down when Asheville Market Place owner and chef William Dissen took him fly-fishing in Saluda for an episode of Ramsey’s National Geographic series “Uncharted.” The visit seems to have left an impression on Ramsey, who recently announced he is partnering with Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort for his first Gordon Ramsey Food Market. Seven concepts by Ramsey — including Fish & Chips, Truffles Pub and Catch Café & Raw Bar — will be housed in the expansion of the resort and provide over 100 new jobs in early 2022. A hiring event will take place Wednesday, Dec. 15, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort, 777 Casino Drive, Cherokee. For additional information, check the resort’s December calendar listing at avl.mx/axx.
— Kay West X
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Wreath-making workshop focuses on Appalachian folklore, yuletide celebrations
FESTIVE FOLKLORE: Rebecca Beyer will lead a wreath-making workshop focused on local flora at the Black Mountain Public Library on Saturday, Dec. 11. “Plant uses are an important part of our region because they were a common language of sustenance and healing,” she says. Photos courtesy of Beyer
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When you deck the halls with boughs of holly this month, you’ll be taking part in a winter tradition that goes back centuries. Holly, along with pine, fir, oak, rose hip and other plants and trees, were believed to have powerful medicinal uses that led people of the past to incorporate them into celebrations of the winter solstice, says professional forager and folklorist Rebecca Beyer. This was particularly true in the Appalachian region. “There are many regionally specific Christmas and winter celebrations and bits of folklore that weave between the plants of the yuletide,” says Beyer, who has taught and presented at universities, conferences and gatherings over the last nine years and teaches foraging and herbalism classes at her school, Blood and Spicebush. Pine, for instance, was an important winter medicine in Appalachian folk medicine, she says, and many people believed placing a pine top under a sick person’s bed was often enough to cure them. The Swannanoa Valley Museum and History Center will present Wreaths of Folk Magic and Medicine at the Black Mountain Public Library on Saturday, Dec. 11, 3-5 p.m. In the
workshop, led by Beyer, participants will use local flora that have rich historical and folkloric associations. Materials will be provided. “Pine, rosemary, rose hips and many more local beauties will aid us in creating wreaths that are not just symbolic of everlasting life, but also of the useful edible and medicinal plants that surround us in Appalachia,” Beyer says. The Black Mountain Public Library is at 105 N. Dougherty St. The workshop is $30 for members and $40 for nonmembers. For more information, visit avl.mx/axh.
Talking about Isaac Hayes
Isaac Hayes released two albums in 1971. The soundtrack to the blaxploitation classic Shaft made him a star. But the second release that year, the ambitious double-LP Black Moses, may have been an even greater achievement. “He had an incredible run of creatively successful and commercially successful albums, but Black Moses stands as the pinnacle of his career,” says Asheville music journalist Bill
Kopp. “It was not only an exemplar of the man’s inimitable style, it was an artistic, cultural and sociopolitical statement.” Kopp will present Never Can Say Goodbye: Isaac Hayes’ Landmark ‘Black Moses’ at Citizen Vinyl on Thursday, Dec. 9, at 7 p.m. Kopp will be joined by musician/ rapper Davaion “Spaceman Jones” Bristol to play select cuts from the the album and to lead a discussion about the music and its place in history. “Isaac Hayes was one of music’s Renaissance men: He wrote, arranged, sang and played multiple instruments,” Kopp says. “Even today, his music is widely sampled, and he’s an influence on countless modern-day artists, whether they realize it or not.” Citizen Vinyl is at 14 O. Henry Ave. For more information or to get tickets, visit avl.mx/axj.
Trailblazers Organizers are seeking local residents to serve on an advisory committee for the African American Heritage Trail, which is expected to be completed late next year with the installation of up to 19 physical markers in and around downtown Asheville. “The African American Heritage Trail is a step in the right direction towards inclusive storytelling,” Aisha Adams of Equity Over Everything says in a press release. The trail’s advisory committee will consist of up to 12 Buncombe County residents and will provide insight and recommendations on the direction of the project, including trail themes, route, design and featured content. Committee members will also be tasked with promoting awareness of the project once it is complete. Organizers will give priority to applicants who are current or past residents of historically Black neighborhoods and communities; connected to Black/African American youth, arts and education; involved in local historic preservation projects; members of a local Black faith community; have direct, lived experiences related to local Black history; have experience with social justice issues and community activism; or are Black business leaders and/or tourism professionals. The deadline to apply is Friday, Dec. 10. Selections will be announced by Dec. 20 with the first advisory committee meeting to be held in early January. For more information or to apply, visit avl.mx/axk.
City sidewalks, busy sidewalks
Main Street in Weaverville will be lined with luminaries as the annual Candlelight Stroll returns Friday, Dec. 10, 6-9 p.m. The event, sponsored by the Weaverville Business Association, will also feature music, caroling, horse carriage rides, holiday-themed crafts, a scavenger hunt and a visit from Santa Claus. The Weaver House, Grapevine Clothing, 5 Little Monkeys Quilt & Sew, Meadowbrooke Bridal, Weaverville Yoga, Hoppy Trees Beer and Spritz Bar and other downtown shops and businesses will be open, offering refreshments and holiday cheer. Businesses also will be collecting donations for the Weaverville Cops for Kids toy drive program. For more information, go to avl.mx/axm
Seasonal Soireé
After a COVID-related cancellation in 2020, the Holiday Soireé returns to Daniel McClendon’s Lift Studios in the River Arts District on Saturday, Dec. 11, 7-10 p.m. “You can expect a festive environment with light bites, libations and lots of art on display,” says McClendon, an Asheville-based visual artist who opened the studio in 2011. Original artwork will be on sale. The event is open to the public, and people are encouraged to dress festively, though they are not required to. “That’s up to you,” McClendon says. “But I mean, why wouldn’t you?” The Lift Studios is at 349 Depot St. Proof of COVID-19 vaccination and masks are required at the studio. For more information, go to avl.mx/al5.
Wolfe tales
The Western North Carolina Historical Association will present the Thomas Wolfe Memorial Literary Award on Thursday, Dec. 9, 6:30-8 p.m., via Zoom. WNCHA has presented the award annually for printed works that focus on Western North Carolina beginning in 1955, when Wilma Dykeman won for The French Broad. Originated by the Louis Lipinsky family, the award is now also supported by the Ruth Siegel and Jacques Sartisky Foundation and the Thomas Wolfe Memorial Advisory Board. The award ceremony will celebrate the five finalists for the 2021
award with readings and remarks by each author. This year’s finalists, chosen from an original group of 40 nominations, are: • Mary Othella Burnette, Lige of the Black Walnut Tree: Growing Up Black in Southern Appalachia • Wayne Caldwell, Woodsmoke • Annette Saunooke Clapsaddle, Even As We Breathe • Vicki Lane, And the Crows Took Their Eyes • Matthew Wimberley, All the Great Territories. This event is free, but registration is required. To register, visit avl.mx/axn.
HEMP & HEALTH HEMPY
Holidaze Visit our newest location at 231 Biltmore Ave. in South Slope! Open 7 days a week
Arts funding
The Buncombe County Board of Commissioners recently awarded the Asheville Area Arts Council $50,000 in American Rescue Plan funding to support the recovery of the creative sector. “The arts council is grateful to Buncombe County government for recognizing the devastating impact the pandemic has had on the local arts sector and the important role these businesses play in our community,” the group says in a press release.
— Justin McGuire X
MOVIE LISTINGS
ASHEVILLE (8 2 8) 5 0 5 -7 10 5
SOU TH SLOPE (8 2 8) 5 0 5 -7 10 5
HENDERSON VILLE (8 2 8) 6 9 7-7 3 0 0
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Introducing
Edwin Arnaudin’s latest critiques of new films available to view in local theaters and on popular streaming services include: C’MON C’MON: Writer/director Mike Mills (Beginners; 20th Century Women) crafts another emotionally rich dramedy with this gorgeous B&W tale of a radio journalist (Joaquin Phoenix) who looks after his preteen nephew (Woody Norman). Phoenix is his usual reliable self, and Gaby Hoffmann warrants awards consideration as his frazzled sister. Grade: A-minus. Rated R ENCANTO: Centered on a Colombian family with supernatural gifts, the latest Disney animated feature is a feast for the eyes — and the ears, thanks to original songs from Lin-Manuel Miranda (Hamilton). Grade: B-plus. Rated PG
NONNAS NEW WORLD GNOCCHI DINNER THEATRE Gluten Free Hemp Gnocchi w/ Interactive Dinner Theatre & a 5-course meal
Dec. 19th • 5 to 8pm Find full reviews and local film info at ashevillemovies.com patreon.com/ashevillemovies
Tickets available on Eventbrite @ Franny’s Farm
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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, DECEMBER 8 185 KING STREET Trivia Night, 7pm ALLEY CAT SOCIAL CLUB Asheville's Best Karaoke, 8pm ASHEVILLE BEAUTY ACADEMY • Beauty Parlor Comedy: Reid Pegram & Justin Scranton) k 7pm • Aquanet: Goth Night)k 9pm ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL Inter Arma, Yautja, Eye Flys & Yashira (edm), 7pm BLACK MOUNTAIN BREWING Jay Brown (roots), 6pm
GREEN MAN BREWERY Green Man Trivia, 7pm HIGHLAND BREWING COMPANY Well Crafted Wednesdays 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, 10pm
LIKE MOTHER, LIKE DAUGHTER: Moon Water will play jazz and holiday favorites at the Highland Brewing Downtown Taproom on Saturday, Dec. 11, 7-9 p.m. The mother-daughter duo of Blu Belle and Jenny Renee is recording an album of original music at Citizen Vinyl. Photo courtesy of Moon Water SALVAGE STATION Mike Zito w/Roots & Dore (Americana, blues)k 8pm SWEETEN CREEK BREWING Witty Wednesday Trivia, 6:30pm THE GREY EAGLE Riddy Arman w/The Local Honeys (country) k 8pm THE ODDITORIUM Desolation (DJ), 9pm THE OMNI GROVE PARK INN The B's (jazz, standards), 7pm THE ORANGE PEEL Flamingosis (soul, funk, electronic)k 8pm TRISKELION BREWING CO. TriskaTrivia, 7pm TURGUA BREWING CO Trivia Night w/Pub Trivia Nerds, 6pm
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 9 131 MAIN Aaron LaFalce (soul, rock, pop), 6pm
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ASHEVILLE CLUB Mr Jimmy (blues), 5pm ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL Jhariah, Beekeepers, Tongues of Fire & Bummer Camp (postpunk, garage, pop goth), 9pm
ONE STOP AT ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL Phursdays w/Gunslinging Parrots (Phish tribute), 9:30pm
ASHEVILLE PIZZA & BREWING CO. Game Room Comedyk 7pm
ONE WORLD BREWING WEST Into the Fog (acoustic/ jamgrass), 7pm
BEN'S TUNE UP Offended! Open Mic (comedy), 9:30pm
RYE KNOT KITCHEN BREWERY DISTILLERY Chris Flanders (acoustic), 6pm
CASCADE LOUNGE Team Trivia, 7:30pm FLEETWOOD'S Terraoke (karaoke), 6pm GINGER'S REVENGE CRAFT BREWERY & TASTING ROOM Gluten-Free Comedy (open mic), 6pm HIGHLAND BREWING DOWNTOWN TAPROOM Drag Music Bingo w/ Divine the Bearded Lady, 6pm
185 KING STREET Aaron Woody Wood (Americana), 7pm
ISIS MUSIC HALL & KITCHEN 743 Griffin House (folk, folk rock, indie), 7:30pm
305 LOUNGE & EATERY Bob Sherill (singer-songwriter), 1pm
JACK OF THE WOOD PUB Bluegrass Jam w/Drew & the Boys, 7pm
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OFF THE WAGON All Request Piano Show, 8pm
STATIC AGE RECORDS Gray Heron, Illustrateur, Fix Collection, Hook Up (post-punk, alternative), 8pm THE 2ND ACT Seth Brand (acoustic solo), 6:30pm THE BLACKBIRD In Flight (jam, fusion) 10pm THE GREY EAGLE Bully w/Graham Hunt Band (alternative, indie)k 9pm THE ODDITORIUM FOTOCRIME, Fool's Ghost, Secret Shame (rock), 7pm, avl.mx/awq THE ORANGE PEEL Hiss Golden Messenger (folk)k 9pm
GINGER'S REVENGE CRAFT BREWERY & TASTING ROOM Frances Eliza (jazz, indie-folk, pop), 7pm
SOUTHERN APPALACHIAN BREWERY Mr Jimmy Power Trio (blues), 6pm
ALOFT ASHEVILLE DOWNTOWN Andrew Thelston (rock, blues, folk), 7pm
HIGHLAND BREWING CO. Thunderstruck Release w/The Get Right Band (psychedelic indie rock), 2pm
STATIC AGE RECORDS Jason Miracle Closing Show (folk, acoustic), 8pm
ASHEVILLE BEAUTY ACADEMY Everybody Free Dance Partyk 10pm
ISIS MUSIC HALL & KITCHEN 743 The Slocan Ramblers (bluegrass), 8:30pm
ASHEVILLE GUITAR BAR Mr Jimmy Friday Night Blues, 7:30pm
JACK OF THE WOOD PUB Tan and Sober Gentlemen (Celtic punk-grass), 8pm
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 10 185 KING STREET Idlewild South (Allman Brothers tribute), 10:30pm
ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL Enter the Earth's 19th Annual Xmas Party w/Bloodkin & Funk'n Around (rock. blues, funk), 10pm BURNTSHIRT VINEYARDS Myron Hyman (acoustic), 3pm BURNTSHIRT VINEYARDS CHIMNEY ROCK Clay Johnson (singer-songwriter), 5pm CORK & KEG My New Favorites (honky tonk, Appalachian)k 8pm FLEETWOOD'S Rocking Around with ROND, 8pm
MAD CO. BREW HOUSE Chris Jamison Duo (singer-songwriter), 6pm OFF THE WAGON All Request Piano Show, 8pm ONE STOP AT ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL Free Dead Friday ft. Gus & Phriends w/ Generous Electric Duo (Grateful Dead tribute, rock), 9:30pm ONE WORLD BREWING WEST Adam Knight's Buried Alive (Phish tribute), 7pm
THE GREY EAGLE Steve Gunn w/Jeff Parker (alternative, indie, jazz)k 9pm THE ODDITORIUM Horseburner, Shun, Burned (metal, hard rock), 7pm THE ORANGE PEEL Holidaze For Habitatk 5pm UPCOUNTRY BREWING COMPANY Iggy Radio (rock, metal, blues), 6pm
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 11 185 KING STREET Sister Ivy (soul, jazz, R&B), 8pm ALOFT ASHEVILLE DOWNTOWN DJ RexxStepp, 7pm ASHEVILLE BEAUTY ACADEMY Rad Ole Opry: A Night of Musical Comedyk 7pm
NOW OPEN! ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL • Rock Academy Winter Showcase (80s, 50s rock, post-punk), 12pm • 5th Annual Very Jerry Xmas w/The Very Jerry Band (Grateful Dead tribute, jam, rock), 9pm
WHITE HORSE BLACK MOUNTAIN Malcolm Holcombe w/George Trouble (Americana, country), 8pm
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 12
BURNTSHIRT VINEYARDS Roots and Dore (roots), 2pm
185 KING STREET Open Electric Jam w/ the King Street House Band ft. Howie Johnson, 6:30pm
BURNTSHIRT VINEYARDS CHIMNEY ROCK Johnnie Blackwell (rock, blues), 2pm
ARCHETYPE TAP LOUNGE + VENUE Winter Holiday Themed Trivia, 5pm
CITIZEN VINYL Drum Major Instinct w/Jeff Arnal & Curt Cloninger (synth), 1:30pm FLEETWOOD'S Caustic Casanova, Fortezza & Augur (post-punk, metal), 8pm GUIDON BREWING Sunlight Drive (acoustic duo), 2pm HIGHLAND BREWING CO. Putts and Pints, 1pm HIGHLAND DOWNTOWN TAPROOM The Moon Water Duo (holiday, jazz), 7pm ISIS MUSIC HALL & KITCHEN 743 • Adeem the Artist (Americana, folk, country)k 7pm • Joe Newberry & April Verch Holiday Concert (Celtic, folk, old time)k 8:30pm JACK OF THE WOOD PUB Blue Ridge Girls (traditional mountain music), 8pm ONE STOP AT ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL Rougarou w/For Def (swampy psych rock), 10pm ONE WORLD BREWING WEST Freeway Jubilee (Southern rock, mountain music, funk), 7pm SALVAGE STATION The Secret B-Sides w/Bryan Colston & Rhyno, Ashley Heath & Her Heathens, & iLLa wiLLa (soul, folk, hip-hop)k 8pm STATIC AGE RECORDS Rbts Win, Alan Charmer, & DJ Juan Bounce (dance, electronic), 8pm SUNNY POINT CAFÉ Albi (vintage jazz), 6pm THE BLACKBIRD cuberow (soulful, indie) 10pm
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ASHEVILLE BEAUTY ACADEMY Sunday Dance Party w/DJ RexxStepk 10pm BURNTSHIRT VINEYARDS CHIMNEY ROCK Rush Morgan (folk, Americana), 2pm DRY FALLS BREWING CO. Awake in the Dream (rock), 7pm FLEETWOOD'S JD Pinkus' Pure Luck Song Swap (Americana, rock) 5pm HIGHLAND DOWNTOWN TAPROOM “Hollywood” Johnny Cosgrove (blues), 1pm ISIS MUSIC HALL & KITCHEN 743 Russ Wilson Presents Have Yourself a Swingin' Little Christmas, 7:30pm JACK OF THE WOOD PUB Bluegrass Brunch w/ Supper Break, 12pm ONE WORLD BREWING WEST An Acoustic Holiday, 5:30pm OSKAR BLUES BREWERY Oskar Blues Brevardiversary w/ Mike Guggino, Mike Ashworth & Steve McMurry (bluegrass, Americana), 12pm
2022
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SALVAGE STATION American Aquarium w/Tommy Prine (rock, alt-country, Americana)k 8pm ST. PAUL MOUNTAIN VINEYARDS IN FLAT ROCK Geriatric Jukebox (oldies), 2:30pm THE GETAWAY RIVER BAR • Good Cop/Rad Cop Holiday Concert on the River, 4pm • Drag Show: Sissy Sunday, 9pm THE GREY EAGLE William Elliott Whitmore (alternative, indie)k 8pm
THE DUGOUT Pleasantly Wild (alt rock), 8pm
THE ODDITORIUM Rezn, Lair & Harsh Realm (doom metal), 7pm
THE GREY EAGLE Holiday Liquor & Dance Party w/DJ Marley Carrollk 9pm
TRISKELION BREWING CO. Johnnie Blackwell (rock, blues), 3pm
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CLU B LA N D OKLAWAHA BREWING CO. Team Trivia, 7pm
MONDAY, DECEMBER 13 DOUBLE CROWN Country Karaoke, 10pm DRY FALLS BREWING CO. Fine Line (rock), 7pm HIGHLAND DOWNTOWN TAPROOM Cheers to Chess, 5pm JACK OF THE WOOD PUB Quizzo! Pub Trivia w/ Jason Mencer, 7:30pm LITTLE JUMBO The Page Brothers Quartet (jazz)k 7pm OKLAWAHA BREWING CO. It Takes All Kinds Open Mic Night, 7pm STATIC AGE RECORDS Lo-Fi night w/Houseplantz, 8pm THE GETAWAY RIVER BAR Trivia by the River, 12am THE JOINT NEXT DOOR Mr Jimmy & Friends, 7pm
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 14 185 KING STREET Newberry & Verch (Americana, bluegrass), 6pm 305 LOUNGE & EATERY Bob Sherill (singer-songwriter), 1pm FRENCH BROAD RIVER BREWERY Robert's Totally Rad Trivia, 7pm
THE GETAWAY RIVER BAR Turntable Tuesday, 10pm THE GREY EAGLE Lawrence w/Proxima Parada (R&B, funk, pop)k 8pm THE ORANGE PEEL Anderson East (blues, soul)k 8pm WAGBAR Tuesday Trivia Night, 6pm
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 15 185 KING STREET Trivia Night, 7pm ALLEY CAT SOCIAL CLUB Asheville's Best Karaoke, 8pm ASHEVILLE BEAUTY ACADEMY • Beauty Parlor Comedy: Kourtlyn Wigginsk 7pm • 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 Old Time Jam, 5pm
DOUBLE CROWN Emily Nenni, Dyland Earl & Willi Carlisle (country)k 8pm
HI-WIRE BREWING BIG TOP Free Weekly Trivia Night, 7pm
GREEN MAN BREWERY Green Man Trivia, 12am
MAD CO. BREW HOUSE Team Trivia, 6pm
HIGHLAND BREWING COMPANY Well Crafted Wednesdays w/Matt Smith (singer-songwriter), 6pm
MILLS RIVER BREWING Trivia Night, 6pm
Come Celebrate your Holidays with Smoky Park
ONE WORLD BREWING WEST Grateful Family Band Tuesdays (Dead tribute), 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, 10pm
FLEETWOOD'S Terraoke (karaoke), 6pm GINGER'S REVENGE CRAFT BREWERY & TASTING ROOM Gluten-Free Comedy (open mic), 6pm HIGHLAND BREWING DOWNTOWN TAPROOM Drag Music Bingo w/ Divine the Bearded Lady, 6pm ISIS MUSIC HALL & KITCHEN 743 Christie Lenée (instrumental, indie, songwriter)k 7:30pm
SWEETEN CREEK BREWING Witty Wednesday Trivia, 6:30pm THE GREY EAGLE Charlie Parr w/Dead Horses (folk)k 8pm THE ODDITORIUM Bumpin Uglies Presents Best of the 90s Dance Party, 8pm
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
THE OMNI GROVE PARK INN The B's (jazz, standards), 7pm TRISKELION BREWING CO. TriskaTrivia, 7pm TURGUA BREWING CO Trivia Night w/Pub Trivia Nerds, 6pm
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 16 131 MAIN Aaron LaFalce (soul, rock, pop), 6pm 305 LOUNGE & EATERY Bob Sherill (singer-songwriter), 1pm ASHEVILLE BEAUTY ACADEMY Move On Up: Soul/R&B Nightk 9pm, avl.mx/a4j ASHEVILLE CLUB Mr Jimmy (blues), 5pm BEN'S TUNE UP Offended! Open Mic (comedy), 9:30pm CASCADE LOUNGE Team Trivia, 7:30pm
ONE WORLD BREWING WEST Medicated Sunfish (rock), 6pm RYE KNOT KITCHEN BREWERY DISTILLERY Chris Flanders (acoustic), 6pm STATIC AGE RECORDS Curt Cloninger, Vaina (Thing), & Peter Kusek (experimental, noise), 8pm THE 2ND ACT Russ Wilson & The 2nd Act Orchestra (swing), 7pm THE GREY EAGLE Illiterate Light w/ Future Crib (indie rock, folk, pop)k 8pm TRISKELION BREWING CO. Jason's Krazy Karaoke, 6:30pm
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FREEWILL ASTROLOGY ARIES (March 21-April 19): Aries filmmaker Andrei Tarkovsky (1932–1986) was experimental, innovative and influential. His imagery was often dreamlike, and his themes were metaphysical. He felt that the most crucial aspect of his creative process was his faith. If he could genuinely believe in the work he was doing, he was sure he’d succeed at even the most improbable projects. But that was a challenge for him. “There is nothing more difficult to achieve than a passionate, sincere, quiet faith,” he said. In accordance with your astrological omens during the next 12 months, Aries, I suggest you draw inspiration from his approach. Cultivating a passionate, sincere, quiet faith will be more attainable than it has ever been. TAURUS (April 20-May 20): “All journeys have secret destinations of which the traveler is unaware,” said philosopher Martin Buber. How true! I would add that the traveler is wise to prepare for the challenges and opportunities of those secret destinations . . . and be alert for them if they appear . . . and treat them with welcome and respect, not resistance and avoidance. When travelers follow those protocols, they are far more likely to be delightfully surprised than disappointingly surprised. Everything I just said will apply to you in the coming weeks, Taurus. GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Gemini sleightof-hand artist Apollo Robinson may be the best and most famous pickpocket in the world. Fortunately, he uses his skill for entertainment purposes only. He doesn’t steal strangers’ money and valuables from their pockets and purses and jackets. On one occasion, while in the company of former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, he pilfered multiple items from a Secret Service agent assigned to protect Carter. He gave the items back, of course. It was an amusing and humbling lesson that inspired many law enforcement officials to seek him out as a consultant. I suspect that in the coming weeks, you may have comparable abilities to trick, fool, beguile and enchant. I hope you will use your superpowers exclusively to carry out good deeds and attract inviting possibilities. CANCER (June 21-July 22): Many sportswriters regard Michael Jordan as the greatest basketball player ever. He was the Most Valuable Player five times and had a higher scoring average than anyone else who has ever played. And yet he confesses, “I have missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I have lost almost 300 games. And I have failed over and over and over again in my life.” He says the keys to his success are his familiarity with bungles and his determination to keep going despite his bungles. I invite you to meditate on Jordan’s example in the coming days.
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LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): In the first season of the animated TV series South Park, its two creators produced an episode called “Make Love, Not Warcraft.” The story lovingly mocked nerds and the culture of online gaming. Soon after sending his handiwork to executive producers, Libran co-creator Trey Parker decided it was a terrible show that would wreck his career. He begged for it to be withheld from broadcast. But the producers ignored his pleas. That turned out to be a lucky break. The episode ultimately won an Emmy Award and became popular with fans. I foresee the possibility of comparable events in your life, Libra. Don’t be too sure you know which of your efforts will work best. SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Nobel Prize-winning Scorpio author André Gide (1869–1951) had an unusual relationship with his wife Madeleine Rondeaux. Although married for 43 years, they never had sex. As long as she was alive, he never mentioned her in his extensive writings. But after she died, he wrote a book about their complex relationship. Here’s the best thing he ever said about her: “I believe it was through her that I drew the need for truthfulness and sincerity.” I’d love for you to be lit up by an influence like Madeleine Rondeaux, Scorpio. I’d be excited for you to cultivate a bond with a person who will inspire your longing to be disarmingly candid and refreshingly genuine. If there are no such characters in your life, go looking for them. If there are, deepen your connection. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): A fashion company called Tibi sells a silver mini dress that features thousands of sequins. It’s also available in gold. I wonder if the designers were inspired by poet Mark Doty’s line: “No such thing, the queen said, as too many sequins.” In my astrological estimation, the coming weeks will be a fun time to make this one of your mottoes. You will have a poetic license to be flashy, shiny, bold, swanky, glittery, splashy, sparkling and extravagant. If expressing such themes in the way you dress isn’t appealing, embody more metaphorical versions. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): “I have pasts inside me I did not bury properly,” writes Nigerian poet Ijeoma Umebinyuo. Isn’t that true for each of us? Don’t we all carry around painful memories as if they were still fresh and current? With a little work, we could depotentize at least some of them and consign them to a final resting place where they wouldn’t nag and sting us anymore. The good news, Capricorn, is that the coming weeks will be an excellent time to do just that: bury any pasts that you have not properly buried before now.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): In his poem “Song of Poplars,” Leo author Aldous Huxley speaks to a stand of poplar trees. He asks them if they are an “agony of undefined desires.” Now I will pose the same question to you, Leo. Are you an agony of undefined desires? Or are you a treasury of well-defined desires? I hope it’s the latter. But if it’s not, the coming weeks will be an excellent time to fix the problem. Learning to be precise about the nature of your longings is your growing edge, your frontier. Find out more about what you want, please.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): In February 1967, the Beatles recorded their album Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band in London. A man claiming to be Jesus Christ convinced Paul McCartney to let him weasel his way into the studio. McCartney later said that he was pretty sure it wasn’t the real Jesus. But if by some remote chance it was, he said, he didn’t want to make a big mistake. I bring this to your attention, Aquarius, because I suspect that comparable events may be brewing in your vicinity. My advice: Don’t assume you already know who your teachers and helpers are. Here’s the relevant verse from the Bible: “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it.”
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Black is your lucky color for the foreseeable future. I invite you to delve further than ever before into its mysteries and meanings and powers. I encourage you to celebrate blackness, honor blackness and nurture blackness in every way you can imagine. For inspiration, meditate on how, in art, black is the presence of all colors. In printing, black is a color needed to produce other colors. In mythology, blackness is the primal source of all life and possibility. In psychology, blackness symbolizes the rich unconscious core from which all vitality emerges.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): According to Professor of Classics Anne Carson, ancient Greek author Homer “suggested we stand in time with our backs to the future, face to the past.” And why would we do that? To “search for the meaning of the present — scanning history and myth for a precedent.” I bring this to your attention, Pisces, because I think you should avoid such an approach in the coming months. In my view, the next chapter of your life story will be so new, so unpredicted, that it will have no antecedents, no precursory roots that might illuminate its plot and meaning. Your future is unprecedented.
DEC. 8-14, 2021
MOUNTAINX.COM
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 DRIVERS/ DELIVERY
MOUNTAIN XPRESS DELIVERY Mountain Xpress is seeking an energetic, reliable, independent contractor for part-time weekly newspaper delivery. The contractor must have a safe driving record, a reliable vehicle with proper insurance and registration, and be able to lift 50 lbs. without strain. Distribution of papers is on Tuesday afternoons and typically lasts about 7-8 hours per week. Occasional Wednesday morning delivery is is sometimes needed or an option. E-mail distro@ mountainx.com. No phone calls or walk-ins please. Central Downtown Asheville route.
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 recordkeeping, 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 entails account development and lead generation (including coldcalling), 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, communityminded 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
GENERAL FULL TIME WAREHOUSE ASSOCIATE AFG Distribution is looking for several full-time employees to join our growing shipping and receiving departments. Job Type: Full-time Pay: $15.00 - $16.00 per hour For more information contact us at afgdistribution. com/careers or call us at 828-252-5228.
SKILLED LABOR/ TRADES HIRING MANUFACTURING POSITIONS (ALL EXPERIENCE LEVELS!) MAU is hiring for multiple manufacturing positions. Our recruiters are standing by to help you land your next career! We have positions available for all shifts and all experience
levels. 828-558-2800 • jobs.hendersonville@mau. com • https://www.mau. com/hendersonville-nc.
HUMAN SERVICES LIVE IN PERSONAL ASSISTANT Strong, intelligent woman needed to support independent disabled person. Cooking, errands, driving a van, tech savvy. Hours are flexible, but needs to be on call in case of mobility challenges. References required. Apartment on premises included, plus salary. deyerleanderson@charter.net.
TEACHING/ EDUCATION A-B TECH IS HIRING A-B Tech is currently taking applications for a FullTime position Computer and Online Training. For more details and to apply: https://www. abtcc.peopleadmin.com/ postings/5889 A-B TECH IS HIRING A-B Tech is currently taking applications for a Full-Time position Campus Volunteers and Executive Assistant, Business and Finance Coordinator. For more details and to apply: https:// www.abtcc.peopleadmin. com/postings/5888
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CAREGIVERS COMPANION • CAREGIVER • LIVE-IN VACCINATED • Alzheimer's Experienced • Heart failure and bed sore care • Hospice reference letter • Nonsmoker, with cat, seeks live-in position • References • Arnold, (828) 273-2922.
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HOME IMPROVEMENT ELECTRICIAN ELECTRICAL SERVICE Power to the People! Serving Asheville and abroad. Troubleshooting, fixture hanging, can lights, generators, car
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ANNOUNCEMENTS ANNOUNCEMENTS BATH & SHOWER UPDATES In as little as ONE DAY! Affordable prices - No payments for 18 months! Lifetime warranty & professional installs. Senior & Military Discounts available. Call: 1-877-6495043 (AAN CAN) BECOME A PUBLISHED AUTHOR! We edit, print and distribute your work internationally. We do the work… You reap the Rewards! Call for a FREE Author’s Submission Kit: 844-511-1836. (AAN CAN) COMPUTER & IT TRAINING PROGRAM Train ONLINE to get the skills to become a Computer & Help Desk Professional now! Grants and Scholarships available for certain programs for qualified applicants. Call CTI for details! 1-855-554-4616. The Mission, Program Information and Tuition is located at CareerTechnical.edu/consumer-information. (AAN CAN) DONATE YOUR CAR TO KIDS Your donation helps fund the search for missing children. Accepting Trucks, Motorcycles & RV’s , too! Fast Free Pickup – Running
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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 STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF BUNCOMBE NOTICE TO CREDITORS The undersigned, as EXECUTOR of the ESTATE OF CAREY ELIZABETH WATSON, deceased, late of Buncombe County, North Carolina, notifies all persons having claims against said estate to present them to the undersigned c/o Lorin Page at Page Legal, PLLC, on or before March 1, 2022, or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This the 1st day of December, 2021. GREGG WATSON, EXECUTOR ESTATE OF CAREY ELIZABETH WATSON Dates of Publication: December 1, 2021
December 8, 2021 December 15, 2021 December 22, 2021 828-412-0513 www. pagelegalpllc.com
CLASSES & WORKSHOPS
edited by Will Shortz | No. 1103
ACROSS 1 Popular gem-matching app game
CLASSES & WORKSHOPS
10 Names as a source
DRAWING & PAINTING INSTRUCTION Hourly drawing and painting lessons by master craftsman James Daniel. 828-335-2598 • studiojamesdaniel.com • jd@studiojamesdaniel.com.
15 Disney theme park designer
MIND, BODY, SPIRIT COUNSELING SERVICES ASTRO-COUNSELING Licensed counselor and accredited professional astrologer uses your chart when counseling for additional insight into yourself, your relationships and life directions. Stellar Counseling Services. Christy Gunther, MA, LCMHC. (828) 258-3229.
AUTOMOTIVE
16 ___-garde 17 It might be made short 18 “The Jeffersons” actress Gibbs 19 Hebrew letter that also names a part of the body 20 Icy Hot competitor 21 Ball caller 24 Shortcuts 27 Joie de vivre
AUTOMOTIVE SERVICES
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33 Multicolored 34 Battle of Normandy city 35 Paper to fill out when asserting a claim 38 Fraternal letters 39 Devices that criminals attack through “jackpotting” 40 Advance slowly 42 Schwarzenegger’s birthplace: Abbr. 43 Western ski resort that doesn’t allow snowboarding
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