Mountain Xpress 02.20.19

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PAGE 8 MISSING LINK Where do locally owned franchises fit into Asheville’s economy and community? Local franchise owners and business experts offer their insights. On the cover: Brandy, left, and Robert Mills, owners of Smallcakes Cupcakery and Creamery, 33 Town Square Blvd. in Biltmore Park.

COVER PHOTO Joe Pellegrino COVER DESIGN Scott Southwick

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30 LINKING UP Asheville’s complicated relationship with food franchises

38 CLAIMING HIS INHERITANCE Former Goodies bassist Alias Patrick Kelly returns to Asheville

40 ‘DEFIANTLY HOPEFUL’ BeLoved Asheville’s new gallery offers visibility to underserved artists

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29 CLIMATE CHANGER Evergreen science teacher wins national recognition

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24 REACHING OUT Local leaders tackle health impacts of structural racism

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OPINION

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

STA F F PUBLISHER: Jeff Fobes ASSISTANT TO THE PUBLISHER: Susan Hutchinson MANAGING EDITOR: Virginia Daffron A&E EDITOR/WRITER: Alli Marshall FOOD EDITOR/WRITER: Gina Smith GREEN SCENE EDITOR/WRITER: Daniel Walton OPINION EDITOR: Tracy Rose STAFF REPORTERS/WRITERS: Able Allen, Edwin Arnaudin, Thomas Calder, Virginia Daffron, David Floyd, Brooke Randle, Daniel Walton COMMUNITY CALENDAR EDITOR: Deborah Robertson CLUBLAND EDITOR: Lauren Andrews

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Vance Elementary community needs a say about fencing project The city of Asheville Parks and Recreation Department and Asheville City Schools plan to improve the softball field located on the school playground at Vance Elementary. Neither the city nor ACS has made any effort to involve our school community in plans for this project, and many of us have serious concerns about it.

Superintendent Denise Patterson states that the project will promote gender equality through compliance with Title IX [avl.mx/5pc]. We recognize there is a Title IX issue at ACS, but we disagree that limiting access to a space for free, unencumbered play for elementary school children on their own campus is the answer.

The proposed project calls for a permanent 6- to 8-foot chain-link fence to be installed around the perimeter of the softball field, as well as for other field improvements. The field would be used for high school women’s softball practice and games, and would be open to any group wanting to use the field. The proposed fence will be a few feet from the existing playground and will bisect the open field students use daily for soccer and free play, as well as for special events, outdoor instruction and after-school programs.

ACS has stated that students will still have access to the open field through gates in the fence. Yet this “access” will decrease an already inadequate space. Furthermore, it will be a significant challenge for teachers to supervise children of varying ages on two sides of a fence.

Standardized testing and increasingly high-pressure academic milestones are already forcing our children to grow up more quickly than they should. Bisecting their space for free play — a space where they can really be kids for a short 30 minutes a day — only worsens this distressing scenario.

As parents, community members and taxpayers, we insist that our concerns about this project be heard and respected. Just as importantly, the needs of more than 400 students at Vance Elementary have not been taken into account in this process.

The city and ACS should delay project construction until a robust public involvement process can take place.

We believe the interests of the Vance community, ACS and the city can be aligned on this project, but only if the Vance community can participate in the design.

— Carrie Turner and Amy Hales Parents of Vance Elementary School students Asheville Editor’s note: Xpress contacted ACS and the city of Asheville for a response to the points raised in the letter. We

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OPINION

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

One of the Greatest Local Political Cons,” Feb. 6, Xpress]. The analogy is a year late. Our formerly dismal Browns are now among the hottest teams and destinations in professional football. I would posit that a majority of devoted sports fans wouldn’t think of trading our Browns for the Patriots.

— Bruce Kelly, M.D. Asheville

received the following response from Superintendent Denise Patterson: “There’s apprehension, confusion and frustration regarding changes to the longtime softball field at Vance.

We hear you. Yes, we should’ve required more details, shared them earlier and requested feedback.

Yes, ideally our high school would have an on-site softball field. Our goal: Continue offering safe supervised play and event areas for Vance students while delivering longoverdue Title IX equity for female high school students. We have an opportunity to achieve this through a partnership with Asheville Parks and Recreation, further leveraging our resources in service to 4,300 K-12 students at 10 schools. Next steps: You’re invited to speak during public comment at Monday’s Board of Education meeting [avl.mx/5pd]; we’ll share detailed ongoing updates via email and displays at Vance and request feedback.”

According to ACS’ website, the Board of Education’s work session — with opportunity for public comment — was scheduled for 5:30 p.m.

Monday, Feb. 18 (following a 5 p.m. closed session), in the boardroom at 85 Mountain St.

Health care system’s true elephant in the room As regarding the noted opportunities, concerns and comments regarding the Mission Health sale to HCA: We should be mindful of the true elephant in the room. We have no choice but to face these kind of debates in a health care delivery system based on profit.

We’ll continue to chase our tails and flail about looking to deliver

4

FEB. 20 - 26, 2019

Steps toward 100 percent renewable energy

C A R T O O N B Y I R E NE O L DS fairness and equity on par with efficiency and quality as long as profit is the driver. There are irreconcilable goals here.

Those in the heart of health care, honorable and otherwise, know we can never deliver on the promises made and envisioned to improve the country’s troubling health care markers with profit as a primary driver.

Without a single-payer based model, the shell games will continue, and we’ll have a tiered model of delivery that benefits we-haves over the have-nots. We’ll as well continue to pour more resources into

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treating rather than preventing disease.

For all the complexities of the former, it’s frankly proven easier than the latter in the era we’ve all lived.

We’re rightfully hearing more about making social determinants of health a priority. Will those who profit from our nation’s health infirmities find their priorities can align with this? I wish I could feel optimism here, but I don’t.

Finally, I take exception to Carl Mumpower’s recent diss of my Cleveland Browns in his letter to the editor regarding the Mission sale [“Mission’s Sale:

What’s clean and green, produces 11 megawatts of electricity, and saves the city of Oakland $3 million a year while decreasing the amount of solid waste? What decreases contamination of ground and surface water and minimizes odor while generating electricity and creating sellable fertilizer? What has none of the environmental hazards involved in fracking for gas?

The answer is: biogas digesters utilizing microorganisms. They can handle both human and animal waste, food waste and other agricultural waste. As of 2012, the Oakland plant became the first in the U.S. to sell extra electricity produced entirely from waste back to the grid.

Of the 11 MW it produces, it uses 6 MW, so 5 MW are left to sell. It treats 60 million gallons of wastewater daily and uses sewage, food scraps from restaurants, winery and poultry farm wastes [avl.mx/5ph].

In Ohio, a sewage treatment plant using biogas digesters generates enough electricity to power 1,600 homes and also generates revenue from its safe, high-quality fertilizer.

AgStar estimates that biogas recovery systems are technically

C A R T O O N B Y B R E NT B R O W N feasible at over 8,000 large dairy and hog operations, with the potential for generating 13 million megawatt-hours per year. Side benefits: substantial decrease in uncaptured methane emissions from the animal wastes, and the protection of the groundwater and surface water, with greatly decreased odors. Adding 25 percent food waste to sewage sludge in digesters increased biogas production by 60 percent, they found [avl.mx/5pi].

Has Asheville or Buncombe County considered using biogas digesters for municipal waste treatment? What could be better than using waste to generate the energy we need and saving money in the process?

— Cathy Holt Asheville Editor’s note: Xpress checked in with the local public agencies that handle municipal waste with the letter writer’s question. We received the following response from Buncombe County Solid Waste Director Dane Pedersen: “Buncombe County operates a bioreactor landfill. The bioreactor landfill works to rapidly transform and degrade organic waste. This increased waste degradation and stabilization are accomplished through the reintroduction of liquid and, in our case, is recirculated leachate that enhances microbial processes. This provides opportunity to recapture

air space due to the rapid stabilization of the waste mass, and we are able to harness the biogas that is generated through the organic waste decomposition process and power a 1.4-megawatt generator system that produces enough electricity to power 1,100 homes.

“We enjoy bragging about this waste-to-energy program and place a great deal of value in how we are able to create environmental utility from the services that we provide every day. Implementing practices to create beneficial uses of landfill biogas is and will continue to be a primary objective for our solid waste department. To learn more about the benefits of recirculating leachate visit [avl.mx/5pj].”

Xpress also received a response from Thomas E. Hartye, general manager of the Metropolitan Sewerage District of Buncombe County: “For many years, MSD has utilized digestion of its municipal sludge by anaerobic microorganisms. The byproducts of this digestion system are digested solids and methane gas. MSD would recover this gas and recover heat to generate heat/electricity. The sludge would then have to be lime-stabilized up to a pH of 14, and then could be

CONTINUES ON PAGE 6 MOUNTAINX.COM

FEB. 20 - 26, 2019

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OPI N I ON

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

used as an agricultural supplement or taken to the landfill.

“In the late 1990s, MSD did a costbenefit analysis of the entire system. Due to lack of efficiency, cost of maintenance and the overall carbon footprint of treating and eliminating sludge byproduct, along with running that process, MSD moved to a different process. The current process utilizes intermediate process solids pumped to gravity thickeners; the thickened solids are pumped to highperformance belt-filter presses, which provide a drier, more BTU-laden sludge so that it can be thermally converted. This reduces the overall cost and carbon footprint.”

The hand of God? The other day I went to an IQ enhancement session at McDonald’s in Asheville. In the group was a respected local preacher. When I got a chance, I asked him this question: Do you believe that Franklin Graham and Sarah Huckabee Sanders really know what God wanted to happen in the 2016 election of Donald Trump as president? They both claim to have some inside scoop on that topic.

The preacher thought for a moment before he replied, “My kingdom is no part of this world.” Puzzled, I asked him to explain. He said, “That short, clear statement from John 18:36 should be stuck in the minds of all Christians. I encourage my church members to focus their energy on the work suggested in Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount rather than getting entangled in worldly political activities.”

Then that preacher got up and left, smiling at me as he went out the door.

Those eight words stuck in my mind, “My kingdom is no part of this world.”

What do you think they mean?

— Dave Waldrop Webster

Paying parking fines locally On page 16 of the Dec. 5 Mountain Xpress in the News Briefs, we’ve been told: “Parking Fines to Go Up.” I have paid several parking fines over the years, but I noticed that I was to remit my payments to Bethesda, Md. Is there a reason I send my parking fine payment out of state?

I was wondering if the Mountain Xpress might look into and report on this policy a bit more and see if we could lower our parking fines if we took care of business here locally instead. Parking is becoming more and more a racket in Asheville.

— Michael Harney Asheville Editor’s note: Xpress checked in with city spokeswoman Polly McDaniel, who responded that fines are no longer required to be sent out of state. “Payments for parking citations that are mailed come directly to the city of Asheville,” McDaniel wrote. Parking fines were scheduled to go up starting Feb. 1, and there’s no word that the change in mailing destinations will affect that increase.

Correction In our Feb. 13 article “Fire Foresight: City to Conduct Controlled Burns in Asheville Watershed,” we incorrectly identified Buncombe County’s ranger for the N.C. Forest Service. His name is Dillon Michael. X

The

Sustainability

Series CELEBRATING EARTH DAY 2019

Each week in April 6

FEB. 20 - 26, 2019

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7

NEWS

WNC

fisrsuaenchise

MISSING LINK Where do locally owned franchises fit in Asheville’s economy?

BY BROOKE RANDLE brandle@mountainx.com Brandy Mills and her husband, Robert, say that one of their fondest memories of growing up in Asheville is of meeting friends and family at the Tastee-Freez on Patton Avenue to enjoy their favorite ice cream on hot summer days.

“Both of our families could only afford to take us there once or twice a summer, and we just got to thinking, ‘Wow, that was the best time,’” she explains. “There was nowhere to sit; you sat outside in the hot sun eating ice cream, but that was family time.”

That’s when Mills, a registered nurse who’s worked at Mission Hospital for 18 years, decided she wanted to open a dessert shop of her own. But as first-time business owners, Mills says she and her husband weren’t sure where to start.

“We kind of tossed around different ideas and never really would come up on the same page with things. But we had some friends in Georgia that actually opened up a Smallcakes location,” says Mills. “So we thought, if we did this, we could bring family and friends together over cupcakes and ice cream and kind of reminisce on how it used to be when you got away from everything else.”

In October 2016, Mills opened the Smallcakes Cupcakery and Creamery in South Asheville. Unlike traditional franchises, she notes, her business operates under a licensing agreement that gives her recipes, branding and limited marketing assistance but not full-blown, corporate-run marketing campaigns.

The business took off immediately, as many community members came in to try the extensive, rotating selection of fresh-baked cupcakes and ice-cream flavors.

Opening the dessert shop, says Mills, also enabled her to connect with her hometown by donating to churches, sponsoring school activities and hosting special events.

The Asheville native says she was thrilled when the Asheville Grown Business Alliance reached out to her 8

FEB. 20 - 26, 2019

SWEET TOOTH: Asheville natives Brandy and Robert Mills own and operate Smallcakes Cupcakery and Creamery, a cupcake and ice cream franchise, in South Asheville. Photo by Joe Pellegrino to be part of its Go Local campaign, until she pointed out that her business was under a licensing agreement.

“I just wanted to be honest about the fact that I didn’t come up with the concept, and their response was, ‘Oh, thanks for noticing that — and no, you can’t participate in this,’” Mills recalls.

And for the first time, she says, it struck her that even though she was born and raised in Asheville, some folks might not see her business as local.

“There’s just not a shared mental model for what is considered to be locally owned and operated,” Mills points out. “Is it that all of the products they’re using are from the community?

Did the business model start in this community, even if it has spread out somewhere else? That’s where it gets frustrating. I really don’t know what the turnoff point is.”

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LEAVING A THUMBPRINT According to Asheville Grown’s guidelines, a business is considered local if it’s privately held by owners who live in Buncombe County or the surrounding area and does not have a corporate headquarters outside North Carolina. In addition, qualifying businesses can’t be publicly traded or registered as franchises and must be “free to make their own business decisions without the need for approval by owners or affiliates outside of the area.”

Franzi Charen, the organization’s founder and director, acknowledges that while locally owned franchises do exist here, both Asheville Grown and the Go Local campaign specifically aim to boost independent businesses that may not have access to some of the advantages that franchises provide.

“We feel there are thousands of locally owned, independent businesses that get overlooked and do not have the branding and marketing capacity of franchises and chains,” Charen explains. “It is these very businesses that help drive the unique, vibrant character and culture of Asheville that we’re most at risk of losing as rents increase and more people buy from chain stores or flock to Amazon.”

Mills, however, says that despite her business’s licensing agreement, she considers Smallcakes to be locally owned and operated, though she’s aware that not everyone would agree.

“It’s not that it’s been a negative experience: It’s more that people don’t really understand,” she says. Beyond that, however, “I do want the community to know that we’re grateful for all the support we’ve received. It has really allowed us to leave a thumbprint in the community.”

PLUG AND PLAY People who want to make the leap from working for others to owning a small business have limited options, says Sam Holt of Franchise Expert Consulting in Asheville. “You can buy an existing business, you can start up a new business and do it completely on your own, or you can buy a franchise.”

Among the challenges that owners of independent startups face is learning marketing and operating techniques specific to both the business type and the local area. And some aspiring business owners, notes Holt, have less financial leeway “to make mistakes and go through the learning curve.”

Franchising allows new business owners to work with established systems that have been market-tested — which, in theory, boosts the chances for success.

“You don’t have to have any experience in the franchise business, because they are going to teach you how to operate that business; they’re going to support you,” says Holt. “That’s what those systems are there for: They just plug you in.”

Bob Long, who co-owns The Spice & Tea Exchange in downtown Asheville with his wife, Jill, says opening their

franchise in 2009 was a “far cry” from his previous career as a nuclear medicine engineer, but the support he received from the corporate office enabled the first-time business owner to succeed.

“By and large, a franchise is good for the novice, because they know what works, and they want you to succeed because they get a piece of that action,” says Long. “If I succeed, that’s more money in their pocket as well.”

Having lived in Asheville since the early ’80s, Long says he understands the push to buy local. But as a business owner, he believes the corporate support that franchises offer can also be invaluable logistically, when it comes to things like sourcing hard-to-find items.

“I know some people are like, ‘No chains,’ but it makes a lot of sense, because they’ve got the time to get a good paprika, and then they’re not buying just a pound: They’re buying 100 pounds,” Long points out. “I’m not saying that it’s not possible to do it without a franchise, but boy, I carry over 100 basic spices, 40 teas, sugars and salts, and to source all of those would be a monumental job.”

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Still, the biggest hurdle new business owners face may be startup costs. On average, notes Holt, people buying an existing business can expect to pay 3 to 4 times its annual revenues, which could amount to hundreds of thousands of dollars for a successful enterprise.

And while franchise owners have to pay a franchising or licensing fee, he says, the upfront investment is generally less than what’s required for either an independent startup or purchasing an established operation.

Kimberly Hunter, who manages the entrepreneurship program at Mountain BizWorks, says the lower costs and instantly recognizable branding that franchising provides can help marginalized groups such as immigrant populations enter the marketplace.

“For years, certain models of franchises have been an entry point for entrepreneurs to obtain steady footing and use their skill sets and knowledge in a way that allows them to be economically equivalent to other people,” she says.

A 2017 Entrepreneur magazine rticle points out that although immigrants constitute just over 13 percent of the U.S. population, they account for more than a quarter of all new business owners in the country, and many of them do so through franchising.

The bottom line, says Hunter, is that whether there’s a lack of experience, investment capital or mastery of the language, “It’s hard being a small business. There’s so many factors that are often threats and barriers for people.

When you can find an avenue that actually kind of makes any threat or barrier more manageable and easier to get over and get through, that’s your lane; that’s the thing you do.”

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Large-scale franchise owners, says Hunter, can also leverage their networks and power to benefit the community by providing generous contributions that small, independent businesses can’t match. “They have the resources to do that,” she says. “You can look at it as a marketing ploy or not, but the truth of the matter is that when they can do it, they can volunteer lunch for 75 people that an independent place can’t, and it actually helps everybody.”

Joe Brumit, chairman and CEO of the Brumit Restaurant Group, operates 53 Arby’s franchises across North and South Carolina. He and his wife, Janice, who have called Asheville home for more than three decades, support many local and regional charitable organiza-

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GIVE A LITTLE: Andrea Bryson and her husband, David Huebner, co-own Clothes Mentor, a clothing resale franchise in South Asheville. They say they’re always looking for opportunities to give back to the community. Photo courtesy of Bryson tions and schools, including Habitat for Humanity, Eliada and A-B Tech.

In December, Brumit’s company teamed up with the Eblen Charities to create JoyFULL Holidays at Home, which provides food for kids who might otherwise miss meals during school breaks and holidays. For Brumit, having a nationally recognized brand hasn’t stopped him from focusing on local needs.

“I think most people in this community know how involved we are,” he says. “One thing to always keep in mind is that locally owned is not always independent.”

Small-scale franchise owners, however, can also play a valuable part in their community.

Andrea Bryson and her husband, David Huebner, bought the Clothes Mentor resale store in South Asheville in April 2017. Bryson had taken a parttime job as a sales associate at the women’s boutique, which is part of a Minnesota-based franchise operation, and when the store came up for sale, they decided to go for it. “I never in a million years thought I’d be doing this, but you never know what life will bring you,” she observes.

Bryson, a member of the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce, says she’s donated both money and clothing to local schools and charities, including T.C. Roberson High School, the Miss Asheville/Miss Blue Ridge Valley Scholarship Pageant and Black Mountain Home, a social service organization that cares for orphaned children.

“They come in and they get their clothes for free,” she explains. “My heart breaks for them, but it feels good to give them coats and stylish clothing.”

A QUESTION OF BALANCE Bob Long, meanwhile, believes the key to a healthy local economy is knowing when to support both independent businesses and franchises. “I get ‘Buy local,’” he says. “You shouldn’t forget the local guy. If you have a chance to get a locally grown tomato versus going to Walmart, I’d say get that.” But The Spice & Tea Exchange owner also warns against indiscriminately lumping businesses together, urging concerned community members to “just be mindful of it, keep it in balance, and don’t swing that pendulum too far. There’s some good franchises out there.”

Hunter of Mountain BizWorks agrees.

“When you’re really involved as a community member, you can see very quickly that a business that might have a franchise name on it is actually owned by your neighbor or that your kids go to the same school,” she points out. “I love where we live, I love my neighbors, I’m invested in our community on such a local level, but I think there’s room to understand that smallbusiness development comes in several forms. If we’re thinking about each other’s families, then we’re going to be OK with our neighbors doing what’s good for their families and what’s good for the community.” X

by Able Allen

aallen@mountainx.com

NEW CLASS What does it take to run for office? “Heart, smarts, commitment, financial stability, values, skills and a big courage button — especially if you are going to run as a conservative in Asheville,” says Carl Mumpower, former Asheville City Council member and current chair of the Buncombe County Republican Party.

Mumpower’s Democratic Party counterpart, Jeff Rose, says it all comes down to why someone is interested in holding office. “You need to be able to answer the question of why you’re running, not just talk about what you will do if elected,” Rose says. Comfort speaking to groups and an ability to connect with voters’ concerns, along with sufficient time, energy and support for a campaign, round out Rose’s list of key requirements for potential candidates.

Politicos of all stripes have begun gearing up for a 2020 election that looks to be a broad moment of opportunity. In Asheville, ballots will include offices from president on down to City Council member.

Two Buncombe Democrats, Aaron Sarver and Leila Barazandeh, are organizing an informational forum for potential candidates and supporters of any political leaning. Held at 6 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 28, at THE BLOCK off biltmore, the event will feature a discussion about “wanting to run or being a campaign staffer of some kind and helping or supporting those kinds of candidates that traditionally just don’t run,” says Barazandeh.

On the event’s Facebook page, organizers express the hope the gathering “will encourage folks — especially those who are younger, LGBTQ+, women or [people of color] — who are considering running for elected office to take the next step.”

WHITE MAN’S GAME? In 2018, 127 women were elected to Congress, more than ever before.

But North Carolina saw a different picture. According to a report on the 2018 Status of Women in North Carolina Politics released by Meredith College, the percentage of women candidates in 2018 versus 2014 was lower. That’s despite the fact that women number 3.7 mil-

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NETWORKER: Jake Johnson, Polk County commissioner and one of the state’s youngest elected officials, speaks to the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners about expanding rural broadband. Johnson says he often travels the state supporting Republican candidates and causes. He “hasn’t ruled out” a run for secretary of state in 2020. Photo courtesy of Johnson lion of the state’s 6.83 million registered voters and have turned out to vote in higher numbers than men in every election since 1980 except 2010.

Additionally, “the rural parts of the state, which have been particularly less represented by women in elected office, have lost ground.” The number of elected Republican women in the state, however, has increased.

The demographics of Western North Carolina’s elected officials didn’t shift much in 2018. Here’s the score for women holding state and federal seats representing North Carolina’s westernmost 21 counties: one of three U.S representatives, two of six state senators and two of 13 state representatives. All are white, and only one is under 40. In Buncombe, Henderson, Transylvania, Haywood, Jackson and Madison counties together, six out of 33 county commissioners are women,

and only one is nonwhite, Buncombe County Commissioner Al Whitesides.

While candidates from historically underrepresented groups have tended to fare better in Asheville than in other parts of WNC, Sarver cautions against making generalizations. Speaking of the 2018 election of Quentin Miller as Buncombe County’s first AfricanAmerican sheriff, Sarver notes that “individual qualifications matter” and that Democratic operatives didn’t throw a dart at a list of black candidates to pick Miller.

Similarly, while much was made of Jasmine Beach-Ferrara’s election as Buncombe’s first openly gay commissioner, her run didn’t focus on her sexual identity, Sarver says. He points to Beach-Ferrara’s large network — developed through campaign work,

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N EWS spiritual leadership and her executive role with the Campaign for Southern Equality — as keys to her success as a candidate.

another first-time candidate winner, will also take part.

WHAT YOU KNOW

Discussing voters’ reactions to his campaigns and those of other young candidates whose efforts have met with success, Johnson remarked, “I think at first [our ages] might have made some people nervous. It would anybody, but after they sat down with us and heard our long-term plan … I think it actually made them feel good like, ‘These aren’t some people coming in. They’re actually for the long haul. They’re here as an investment in the community.’”

To run successfully, Johnson continues, “You have to fit the district.”

That means identifying the personality of the specific electorate and knowing what’s important to them.

In districts that aren’t solidly Democratic or Republican, political activists explain, it’s not as simple as running more or less progressive candidates. Rather, “It’s about finding candidates who can connect with issues that are impacting people’s lives,” says Rose. “We’ve seen Democratic candidates in other parts of the state and country win or come very close in traditionally Republican districts while running on progressive platforms, but the way they deliver the message is different, or who they are as a candidate makes the message resonate more deeply with voters. Our candidates in those districts need to be able to connect on an issue level with the realities of those districts, and that will take a lot of listening to and talking to voters.”

While progressives are the driving force behind the event at THE BLOCK, they aren’t the only political activists looking for new candidates and new kinds of candidates.

Columbus resident Jake Johnson took office as a member of the Polk County Board of Commissioners two years ago at the tender age of 22.

In January, Johnson visited Mills River to speak about getting younger people into conservative politics at a gathering convened by the Asheville Tea Party.

“The accessibility of current elected officials and party leaders is key,” Johnson says. “When I was first thinking about running, I spent a lot of time talking to people who had done it before. They are the ones who know the challenges you will face and can help you best prepare yourself.”

For Barazandeh, who is president of the Buncombe County Young Democrats (those under 36), seeing young adults run for office evokes mixed emotions. While she says there aren’t enough 20- and 30-somethings in politics, she wants those who throw their hats in the ring to know what they are getting into. “I feel like they need a lot more help, especially when it comes to finances and public relations,” she says. “It’s really great when they get that training, so that when they do run, they run to the best of their ability.”

That’s the idea behind the forum, says Sarver. “We hope something like this will help you understand and get the training, so that you don’t make a lot of the mistakes that every first-time candidate almost always makes.”

The public discussion can help hopefuls prioritize their first steps.

While many advisers urge candidates to focus on raising money right off the bat, for example, “Actually, I think the first thing you need to talk about is, if you have a family, if you have a partner or a spouse or kids or your family network, make sure they’re good with it, because it’s going to be a lot of stress and pressure on them,” Sarver says.

Johnson agrees. “Make sure that you have the support of those closest to you, like friends and family. It may be your name on the ballot, but it is something that will affect them 12

FEB. 20 - 26, 2019

HOME IS WHERE YOU RUN

DYNAMIC DUO: Buncombe County Commissioner Jasmine Beach-Ferrara and Sheriff Quentin Miller are two local politicians who have been successful in breaking the mold of elected officials. They will be part of a panel at the What You Need to Know to Run as a First-time Candidate forum Jan. 28 at THE BLOCK off Biltmore. File photos as well, and it is always [best] to make sure they are on board with what you are doing.”

WHO YOU KNOW “It helps to have ties to the community, whether through family, schools, professionally or volunteer work,” Rose counsels. When scouting for candidates, he often talks with elected officials and former candidates to identify people in their networks who might be considering a run. “Especially looking ahead to some of the down-ballot races, we try to contact people who work in related fields or who have experience in local nonprofits doing work related to the position,” he says.

Johnson takes a similar approach when looking for people who might make good candidates. “I always think of people who have a natural built-in network. Many times, in the beginning, campaigns are about building your base. If someone has a strong built-in network through their career, friends or family, that makes it much easier.”

Mumpower, meanwhile, notes, “It’s a more informal process than imagined. Good candidates come mostly through relationships where potentials are noted and passed on to party officers to explore.”

Putting in some elbow grease for current candidates can build credibility for future runs. “Candidate recruitment is something we always have on our minds. Even in the midst of an election, we find downtime to talk with volunteers, campaign staff, activists or others about any future thoughts about running for office,” says Rose.

“What we know, both anecdotally and from tons of research is, if you’re a 50-year-old-guy who’s high-income,

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high-education, well-known in the community, you probably don’t need this training,” says Sarver. “You’ve got networks and you’ve got connections.

You’re probably already being asked to run, in fact.”

Sarver, who was elected Buncombe County Soil and Water Conservation District supervisor in 2018, says he sometimes gets asked to shoot the moon by challenging Rep. Mark Meadows, R-Transylvania, in 2020. While he says he’s not interested, still, “I’m going to get recruited; that 50-year-old person who’s got all those traditional attributes, they’re proactively going to get recruited. That’s how politics works.”

The thinking behind the new-candidate focus of the forum, he says, is not to exclude statistically typical candidates, but to acknowledge that it’s less likely for someone like Beach-Ferrara and Miller — both of whom will participate in the forum — to be asked to run, regardless of qualifications. Asheville City Council member Sheneika Smith,

City Council shift Asheville City Council historically has not appeared on the same ballot as higher offices, but with the passage of S813 on June 29 by the N.C. General Assembly, it’s a brave new world.

The law divided Asheville into five single-member districts with two at-large seats, one for a regular member and one for mayor. Elections were moved to November in even-numbered years, and the Council primary was eliminated.

According to Buncombe County Election Services Director Trena Parker Velez, barring a change in state law, Asheville residents will see the Council race on the same ballot as the already crowded 2020 slate of offices. The new law will seat members representing Districts 1 and 2 and the at-large member in December 2020, with Districts 3, 4, 5 and mayor being elected in 2022.

So far, other Buncombe County municipalities are staying on the odd-year cycle, but Parker Velez says there is some talk of movement for them as well. X

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Pointing to the success of some nonwhite local candidates, Sarver acknowledges that Asheville has proven itself more open to a variety of identities than many other communities. Still, many barriers remain, he says. At the General Assembly level, for example, many of those who run are legacy candidates with an elected official parent, Sarver posits.

Financial realities also deter many who would otherwise be good candidates, especially considering Buncombe County’s high cost of living, says Rose.

The Meredith College report confirms his view, explaining, “Women still bear most of the child and senior care responsibilities in society, making it difficult to find the time to squeeze public service into their busy lives. Also, because women tend to find professional success somewhat later in their lives, and relatively few political positions in the state pay a full-time salary, the economic realities of running and serving are real.”

Another issue, according to the report, is women’s self-image. “Even highly qualified women often do not see themselves as [being as] suitable for office as even less-qualified men.

This self-perception, coupled with the research finding that women are encouraged to run for office about 40 percent less frequently than equally qualified men — by elected officeholders, party officials, friends, and family members — illustrates another reason why women across the nation and in North Carolina are outnumbered on the ballot by a 3-to-1 margin.”

From Mumpower’s perspective, the biggest obstacle for Buncombe County’s embattled Republicans is, well, Democrats. “We are competing against an opposition party whose platform is devoted to: 1. the promise of something for nothing; 2. anythinggoes morality; and 3. opportunity without skin in the game. The Republican position involves more accountability and thus is less attractive to most voters,” he says. “Though there are 46,000 [Republicans] in Buncombe County, very few are willing to take on the responsibilities of preparing for public service and then running in a hostile environment. We are constantly looking, encouraging and engaging with potential candidates. It is a needle-in-the-haystack endeavor and requires similar dedication.”

Rose also says facing strong opposition can pose an emotional strain.

“Unfortunately, running for office has become very personal, and choosing to put yourself and your family out there in front of negative attacks is difficult for some people,” he says.

Even for those with thick skin, the lifestyle of a politician is demanding.

“Campaigns are extremely time-consuming,” notes Johnson, “and a lot of people who would be great candidates have full-time careers and/or family at home. That makes it tough for them to run or serve in a public office.”

And then there’s the challenge of raising money. Johnson observes that Republicans tend to consolidate money at the top of the ticket and hope for a coattail effect to carry local elections, making it tougher for smalltown Republicans to raise money.

Democrats, he suggests, take the opposite approach. “They’ve started putting a lot of money into local races and picking off seats that have historically been Republican.”

While the Democratic-style strategy can help newer candidates get their foot in the door for higher office, it’s an expensive proposition. Johnson also sees biased media coverage as a challenge. “That requires a lot of hard work at the grassroots level to overcome in some of the larger campaigns,” he says. “I really think the future is: Let’s start from the bottom and build a good local base and work our way up.”

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TAKING THE PLUNGE Across the political spectrum, party organizers say they want to support first-time candidates. Both Rose and Mumpower encourage anyone considering running to reach out to them for help.

For young people and others who wonder whether they check the necessary boxes to run for office, Sarver recommends meeting with others who’ve been down the road a time or two. The forum, he says, will be a place to make those connections and ask questions like, “Am I too young?”

“Do I have enough qualifications?”

“Will I be taken seriously?” “Can I win?”

“If you’re passionate about running and you think, policy wise, you can make a difference, I don’t care if you can win or not,” says Sarver. “I don’t even think that’s the big question you should be asking yourself if you are running at the level of City Council or even county commission. Do it.” X

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I-26 Connector construction delayed in draft plan The N.C. Department of Transportation could delay construction on portions of the I-26 Connector project in response to an increase in road construction costs.

The I-26 Connector, an almost $1 billion overhaul of the highway system in and around Asheville, is one of 37 projects in NCDOT’s Division 13 that have been changed in a new draft State Transportation Improvement Program for 2020-29.

The draft STIP identifies state transportation projects that will receive funding over a 10-year time frame.

Division 13 encompasses Buncombe, Madison, Yancey, Mitchell, McDowell, Rutherford and Burke counties.

Because there’s a limited budget for construction each fiscal year, Division 13 Project Development Engineer Steve Cannon says, NCDOT has proposed schedule changes to projects across the state to spread the cost over time.

“The primary reason is just balancing the budget on these projects,” he says.

The I-26 Connector will overhaul large chunks of interstates 26 and 240 passing through and around Asheville. In the draft document, the start date for Section C, which includes changes to the highway interchange at Interstate 40 and I-26/I-240, has been moved from FY 2020 to 2025.

Section B, which encompasses changes to Patton Avenue and the construction of three new interstate bridges over the French Broad River, has been delayed from FY 2020 to 2021, which Cannon says could mean a difference of just a few months, though specific dates haven’t been set.

Construction and right of way acquisition for Section A, which will involve expansions to the stretch of I-26/I-240 between sections B and C, will begin in FY 2022.

The proposed revisions do not include substantive changes to the details of the project, Cannon says, and would not have an impact on the end date, which NCDOT anticipates will be sometime in 2027.

In the draft STIP, NCDOT has also included improvements to Riverside Drive (now dubbed Section D) within the I-26 Connector, which Cannon says will

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POSSIBLE DELAYS: Parts of the I-26 Connector project could be delayed to accommodate an increase in construction costs. The North Carolina Department of Transportation anticipates the project will still be complete in 2027. Image courtesy of NCDOT ease coordination. “We can work on having that work done at the same time, so we’re not duplicating efforts since [the projects] are directly in that same footprint,” he says.

Although Riverside Drive runs below the proposed I-26 flyover bridges, the projects originally were classified separately. Right of way acquisition and construction for the Riverside Drive project will begin in FY 2021.

The changes detailed in the draft STIP will not be finalized until summer and must be approved by the state Board of Transportation.

NCDOT will have a public comment period the week of Monday, Feb. 25, at the Division 13 office at 55 Orange St. in Asheville. The public can also submit comments on the NCDOT website.

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Cannon says there is a good chance that the schedule changes included in the draft will become official.

“Some of those we’re still kind of reviewing and discussing,” Cannon says. “Depending on the public comment we get, that could affect some of that as well. Generally, we stay pretty close to the draft unless there are major concerns or comments.”

CITY STILL HOPING FOR CHANGES The potential schedule delay, says Asheville City Council member Julie Mayfield, could provide “more breathing room” as the city continues to negotiate design changes with NCDOT. “It’s unlikely there are going to be major changes,” Mayfield says, because the overarching design of

the project is essentially set. “But within that context, there are still opportunities to tweak, improve and change the design that is there. And that is going to happen all the way up until, and maybe even after, construction begins.”

According to Mayfield, moving or eliminating a planned exit ramp that would link I-240 to Patton Avenue east of the Bowen Bridge is high on the city’s wish list.

The change would make room for development, she says.

The city will meet with NCDOT 9 a.m.-noon Thursday, Feb. 21, in the Asheville Municipal Building at 100 Court Plaza.

Asheville will also have some say in design details through its Aesthetics Committee. Mayfield says the group has discretion over $10 million of the $1 billion project budget for “aesthetic treatments.”

“It’s things that will make the project more place-based and more visually appealing, so you’re not just putting this stark highway through the middle of the city,” Mayfield explains.

The committee, which will meet monthly, will send its recommendations to Asheville City Council for approval.

Committee Chair Ted Figura says the committee hopes to address a “host of concerns,” including traffic noise, light pollution and connections between highway interchanges and local streets.

The committee will look at the changes to Patton Avenue near the Bowen Bridge, which will become a local street as a result of the project. The goal, Figura says, is to ensure a “positively impactful gateway experience” for people traveling to downtown Asheville.

The committee, however, will not control development on land freed up along Patton Avenue, which NCDOT still owns.

“The purview of our committee in this respect will be setting the table aesthetically for any future development that may occur,” Figura said. “What that future development might be … that’s for others to handle.”

— David Floyd X

Council confronts $270 million capital funding gap

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TOO LITTLE, TOO LATE? Asheville’s capital spending levels in the recent past have left the city with a significant backlog of unfunded projects and maintenance. Graphic courtesy of the city of Asheville

— Daniel Walton X

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proposed transportation budget for next year contains no money to conduct that initial facility study.

At the end of the meeting, Kapoor expressed his concerns about the city’s financial circumstances. “It shocks me, in terms of just looking at the lack of debt,” he said. “It’s penny-wise, poundfoolish. … I’m not trying to blame other councils before us, but that is the issue we are dealing with right now, is how to basically fund what wasn’t funded in years past.”

City Manager Debra Campbell called the briefing “food for thought” as she encouraged Council members to focus and prioritize their objectives. “This is why we’re presenting this information,” she said. “We’ve got some tough decisions that we need to make over the next several years.”

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nearly $5 million below needed levels.

Even without adding any new projects, she explained, Asheville should be spending $7.4 million per year on roofs, facilities, sidewalks, traffic signals and parks by fiscal 2024.

Council’s largest unsupported capital project is the Transit Master Plan, which calls for a new $50 million bus maintenance facility and $12 million to expand service. Answering a question

by Council member Brian Haynes, Whitehorn said staff “has no current plan in place” to fund the facility but is evaluating options.

Council member Julie Mayfield, who has championed the transit plan, noted that the exact details of the maintenance facility would be worked out through a future study and that federal grant money might defray a significant portion of the cost. However, Whitehorn confirmed that the city’s

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The situation presented to Asheville City Council at its Feb. 12 budget briefing by Barbara Whitehorn, the city’s chief financial officer, was “not really a new story,” according to Mayor Esther Manheimer. Asheville’s government, she said, has long recognized that its capital spending was not keeping pace with its needs. “We’re just putting it all on slides right now,” she explained.

But the $270 million difference between Asheville’s capital improvement plan through fiscal year 2023 — roughly $60 million — and the $330 million requested by city departments through fiscal 2024 came as a wake-up call to at least one Council member. “It’s a little bit of a new story for me, in terms of the overall numbers,” said Vijay Kapoor.

That story, Whitehorn explained, consists of multiple interwoven threads. First is Asheville’s unusually conservative approach to issuing bonds, the legacy of massive municipal debt accrued in the 1920s that wasn’t fully repaid until 1976. Many cities, she said, conduct general obligation bond referendums every two to four years, but Asheville had a 17-year gap between its most recent bond issue in 2016 and a previous, unsuccessful referendum in 1999.

The last successful bond referendum, Whitehorn added, took place in 1986 — earning a laugh from Council when she accompanied that date with the record cover to “How Will I Know” by Whitney Houston.

“The impact of that on our community is that meeting services and being able to keep the infrastructure in a good place is really challenging,” she said.

The second contributor to the funding gap, Whitehorn said, is the skyrocketing cost of construction in a competitive economy. Planned projects with a $7.5 million budget are now estimated to cost $15.7 million, or more than double the original projection.

“That’s a little scary,” Whitehorn acknowledged. “When you have your finance person, who’s going to be the most conservative person in the room, saying, ‘Let’s add a million dollars to that,’ and then you’re still $3 million short — it’s a bit of a crazy environment.”

Finally, Whitehorn noted that annual maintenance spending on the city’s existing infrastructure was

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Electric city buses make public debut

ELECTRIC AVENUE: One of Asheville’s new electric buses drops off passengers after completing its inaugural loop of downtown. Photo by Daniel Walton City officials rolled out the latest addition to Asheville’s transit system — five all-electric buses from Greenville, S.C.-based Proterra — with great fanfare in front of the Asheville Redefines Transit station on Feb. 15. The buses themselves, however, glided along with scarcely any noise at all on their inaugural loops around downtown.

“You can actually have a conversation on the way,” remarked Council member Julie Mayfield as she took her first trip on one of the new vehicles. But beyond improving rider experience, she noted, the new wheels play a key role in the city’s carbon reduction goals.

Even accounting for the fossil fuels needed to generate the electricity they will use, Mayfield said, each vehicle will produce 54 fewer tons of annual carbon emissions than one of Asheville’s current buses. Once all five buses hit the streets, the total emissions savings of 270 tons will make up a third of the city’s annual carbon reduction target.

The financial cost of achieving those carbon savings, Mayfield noted, was largely defrayed by 16

FEB. 20 - 26, 2019

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grants from the Federal Transit Administration and French Broad River Metropolitan Planning Organization. Asheville is responsible for funding roughly 20 percent of the fleet acquisition; a purchase order for one bus and its associated charging station came to approximately $617,000, making Asheville’s share of the bill about $123,000.

In a press release issued before the event, city spokesperson Polly McDaniel explained that three electric buses have been delivered, with two more scheduled to arrive in March. Bus drivers and maintenance staff will be trained on operating the new vehicles, and they will enter passenger service sometime in the spring. Three more buses are expected to arrive before the end of 2019.

Transit advocates at the debut, including the Rev. Amy Cantrell of Better Buses Together, applauded the new buses but emphasized that they are just one component of much-needed upgrades to Asheville’s transit system. Council members approved a far-reaching Transit Master Plan last year,

which calls for a 44 percent increase in service hours starting on July 1, but have yet to allocate money for its implementation.

“They’re saying we still can’t do it July 1, even though that was the timeline they set. We as riders are constantly being asked to wait.

We’ve seen this multiple, multiple times,” Cantrell said. “Transit can’t wait.”

Speaking with Xpress from her seat on the new bus, Mayfield affirmed that implementing the plan by its initially scheduled date was unlikely. Staffing challenges within both the city and transit management company RATP Dev, she said, meant she wouldn’t make “any bets for July 1.”

However, Mayfield said she would make a bet of “100 percent” that the first round of Transit Master Plan changes would come into effect by January 2020. The city’s additional property tax revenue from newly for-profit Mission Hospital — estimated as roughly $7 million annually — “means that the money is not an object any more,” she explained.

“I don’t know that the city has another, higher priority,” Mayfield continued. “Expanding this system is making Asheville more affordable for everyone who lives here, and affordability, in my mind, is the biggest challenge. We put a lot of money toward affordable housing; we have not done the equivalent for transit, and the Mission money offers us the opportunity to do that.”

— Daniel Walton X

GET ROLLING: Transit advocates call for Asheville City Council to fund and implement the Transit Master Plan on its originally scheduled July 1 start date. Photo by Daniel Walton

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SHORT HOP: Officials celebrated United Airlines’ new daily service from Asheville Regional Airport to Washington Dulles International Airport on Feb. 14 with a ribbon-cutting, cake and inaugural flight. Photo courtesy of the Asheville Regional Airport UNITED BEGINS DAILY SERVICE TO WASHINGTON FROM AVL Getting to Washington from the Asheville Regional Airport just got quicker with the introduction on Feb. 14 of twice-daily direct service to Dulles International Airport. Flights depart at 6 a.m. and 2:45 p.m. on United Airlines.

In a press release, Lew Bleiweis, executive director of the Greater Asheville Regional Airport Authority, said, “From Dulles International Airport, air travelers can connect to destinations around the globe. This route also makes Asheville more accessible to domestic and international travelers, opening the region to more opportunities for business, tourism and convention air travel.”

SLOW MONEY NC AT WEDGE AT FOUNDATION Slow Money NC will host a gathering to highlight opportunities for those interested in supporting sustainable farming and food through lowinterest loans and equity investments. Local farm-

ers, food entrepreneurs and prospective investors will mingle 5-7 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 23, at Wedge at Foundation, 5 Foundry St. To date, Slow Money NC has facilitated more than 320 low-interest loans and equity investments totaling over $4.5 million to finance 120 sustainable farms and food enterprises in the state. To present a project that needs capital, email slowmoneync@ gmail.com.

REAL ESTATE HAPPENINGS • Beverly-Hanks Realtors recognized its top performing agents of 2018 in a companywide awards ceremony on Feb. 12.

Clary McCall, Heidi DuBose Fore, Ann Skoglund and Billy Taylor were among the topperforming agents in the company. The company also recognized the agent team Brian Noland and Catherine Proben for closing sales over $20 million. In total, 274 agents were acknowledged for their professional achievements.

• D erek Hernandez joined the sales team at EXIT Realty Vistas in Weaverville.

ELEVATOR SPEECH On Thursday, March 14, the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce will offer Mega Networking, a twice-yearly event that provides participants with an opportunity to connect with other professionals in a fast-paced, casual environment. The event is held at Holiday Inn Biltmore West, 435 Smokey Park Highway, 8:30 a.m.-noon. Only one person per company is allowed. Registration is $45 for chamber members and $75 for nonmembers at avl.mx/5pm.

GOING UP The cost of renting a two-bedroom apartment in Asheville has risen 2.7 percent compared to February 2018, according to a report from the online apartment-finding platform Apartment List. The report reflects an overall increase in rent prices in large metropolitan cities across the state. Asheville’s median rent is $1,100 per month, just short of the national average. The full report is available online (avl.mx/5p1). X

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Transportation projects get support at Council meeting

by David Floyd | dfloyd@mountainx.com

WHOSE STORY? UNC Asheville professor Darin Waters speaks during the fourth annual African Americans in Western North Carolina and Southern Appalachia Conference.

Waters will deliver a talk titled Whose Story? Democratizing America’s Collective Memory on Feb. 28. Photo courtesy of UNC Asheville

STATE OF THE ART: This rendering reflects a view of downtown Asheville’s bus station after planned renovations wrap up in winter 2020. Graphic courtesy of the city of Asheville Although Asheville City Council wrapped up its Feb. 12 meeting in less than an hour, its members still managed to cover a lot of ground on transportation. Four items on Council’s consent agenda aimed to improve how Asheville residents move about the city — and, thanks to a resolution supporting a statewide initiative for passenger rail in Western North Carolina, potentially across the country.

Ray Rapp, a former state representative for Madison, Haywood and Yancey counties, spoke in support of the latter effort during public comment on the consent agenda. He said that efforts to restore service, which last was available in 1975, have been ongoing since the late 1990s but are now starting to show real promise. “We have a chance to do this, folks, because Amtrak finally has come to the table after years of telling us they were not interested,” he explained.

As a first step, he said, the N.C. General Assembly could provide $890,000 to fund a bus connection between Asheville and Amtrak’s terminal in Salisbury, roughly 130 miles away. Council member Keith Young called the proposal “really exciting” and recounted his own frequent use of train service during his college years.

Another resolution approved nearly $300,000 for Asheville-based NHM Contractors to begin renovations on the downtown Asheville Redefines Transit bus station. The scope of work, which will cost nearly $130,000 more than originally budgeted, includes only storm drainage, sidewalks and bus travel lanes.

In a press release issued after the meeting, city spokesperson Polly McDaniel wrote that improvements to the station itself will not begin until after the site work is completed. Workers will then fix the station’s digital display — 18

FEB. 20 - 26, 2019

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out of order since at least July — add solar panels and renovate bathrooms and seating areas. She noted that construction will begin in March and could last through winter 2020.

Arden-based Patton Construction Group was cleared to receive more than $286,000 to construct two sidewalks on Hill Street and Bingham Road. The first project, funded through the city’s 2016 bond issue, will connect Courtland Avenue with Riverside Drive. The second, funded through the Neighborhood Sidewalk Program, will fill gaps in the sidewalk near Pearson Bridge Road.

“Both projects will enhance connectivity and pedestrian safety,” wrote McDaniel in a press release.

“Connectivity is an important consideration taken to help people get to a transit stop, to community destinations like parks, schools, libraries and even grocery stores.”

Finally, Council approved a $14,500 budget amendment expanding its current Bike Share Feasibility Study to include e-scooters. Asheville outlawed the devices in November after Californiabased Bird deployed approximately 200 scooters throughout downtown without governmental permission. Council members noted at the time that the ban would not necessarily be permanent if they could determine how to fit scooters into the city’s infrastructure.

Council member Julie Mayfield addressed “everybody who loves scooters and has been emailing us asking for scooters” as she explained the need for the funding. Widening the scope of the study would help the city “figure out how to have [scooters] here — whether and how,” she immediately clarified.

— Daniel Walton X

WATERS TO TALK CONFEDERATE MONUMENT CONTROVERSY Darin Waters, UNC Asheville associate history professor, will present a talk titled Whose Story?

Democratizing America’s Collective Memory on Thursday, Feb. 28, at Lenoir-Rhyne University’s Asheville Center, 36 Montford Ave. Doors open at 6 p.m., and the talk begins at 6:30 p.m.

Waters’ presentation will examine circumstances surrounding the construction of Confederate monuments in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He will also discuss how the absence of African-American voices shaped the nation’s collective historical memory, leading to a lack of awareness of injustices perpetrated against black Americans.

Oralene Simmons, president of event sponsor The Martin Luther King Jr. Association of Asheville and Buncombe County, said in a press release, “We want to extend an invitation to everyone to join us as we remember and honor the lives of the black people who had a positive and significant impact on our society.”

The event is free and open to the public.

Attendees must RSVP and can register online (avl.mx/5pl).

INPUT SESSIONS SET FOR THOMAS WOLFE CABIN REHABILITATION A primitive cabin in East Asheville where author Thomas Wolfe spent the summer of 1937 could become the site of a public park or a writer’s retreat. The city of Asheville, which has owned the cabin property since 2001, will hold two listening sessions to gather ideas for the cabin’s rehabilitation and reuse.

The sessions will take place 5:30-7 p.m.

Wednesday, Feb. 27, at the Thomas Wolfe Memorial, 52 N. Market St., and 3-4:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 28, at the MurphyOakley Community Center, 749 Fairview Road.

GRANDFATHER MOUNTAIN WIND SPEED RECORD A three-second gust of wind clocked at 121.3 mph tore across Grandfather Mountain the morning of Feb. 13, surpassing the previous record.

The nonprofit nature park’s weather recording station picked up the sudden gale at 4 a.m. The previous record of 120.7 mph was recorded on Dec. 21, 2012.

“We were really surprised by the high winds overnight,” Jesse Pope, president and executive

director of the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation, said in a press release. “We exceeded our all-time record and fortunately sustained no damage to the park.”

HUMANE SOCIETY PHOTO CONTEST

The Blue Ridge Humane Society is holding a photo contest fundraiser through Thursday, Feb. 28, to benefit animals at the Blue Ridge Humane Adoption Center.

Owners of rescue pets can submit photos on the organization’s website (avl.mx/5pk) for a $15 donation per photo.

Funds raised through the contest will pay for veterinary services.

Winners will be notified by March 4, and a reception will celebrate the winning and runner-up photos at 5 p.m.

Thursday, March 7, at Dry Falls Brewing, 425 Kanuga Road, Hendersonville. The venue will donate $1 per pint or 10 percent of sales that evening to the Blue Ridge Humane Society.

Angela Prodrick, the executive director of the Humane Society, said in a press release the organization has raised more than $1,000 for shelter animal medical expenses through the contest in prior years. X

FEA T U RE S

ASHEVILLE ARCHIVES

by Thomas Calder | tcalder@mountainx.com

Baseball diamond Royal Giants take the field, 1916

FULL COUNT: In this undated photo, the Asheville Royal Giants pose at the former Oates Park on Southside Avenue. Photo courtesy of the North Carolina Collection, Pack Memorial Library, Asheville In his 2002 essay “Black Professional Baseball in North Carolina from World War I to the Depression,” writer Bijan C. Bayne offers a detailed look at blackowned ballclubs in the state, with a specific focus on the Asheville Royal Giants.

According to Bayne, the Royal Giants were established in 1916 by Edward W. Pearson, a local businessman and developer of West Asheville’s Burton Street community. The team name, the writer notes, “was not uncommon for ‘colored’ teams in the South at the time — two pre-1920 Memphis teams and a Louisville team also bore the name.”

In addition to playing ball, Pearson’s players held regular jobs. The essay states that many of the teammates worked in the hospitality industry with positions at the Grove Park Inn, as well as the Battery Park and Vanderbilt hotels. Others were employed by local railroad companies, while some worked directly for the Vanderbilt family.

Though there was little coverage of the team, Bayne writes, “they were without a doubt one of the best professional outfits in North Carolina.”

What available coverage does exist dates from 1919-27, with the majority of local articles written between 1919 and 1922. Much of the reporting is limited to brief game summaries. However, there are two articles that spotlight in detail the team’s talent.

The first, published by The Asheville Citizen on Aug. 27, 1919, not only highlights the club’s athleticism but also confronts many of the prevalent stereotypes of the day. And though at times the paper serves to perpetuate other misconceptions, particularly as it relates to claims of purely positive race relations in Asheville, the piece as a whole actively works to challenge and dispel the more racist depictions of African-Americans held by many citizens during the Jim Crow era.

The Aug. 27, article begins by noting: “Asheville fans of both races who have been enjoying the games played here between the local team of negroes and dark-skinned diamond stars of other cities are promising a considerably extended season, present prospects indicating that the colored players will still be unraveling their schedule when the world’s series is settled.”

Yet, as the paper makes clear, not all white residents were on board in supporting the Asheville Royal Giants. Many, the paper suggested, held exaggerated views of the team’s athletic abilities. The article directly attributed this to the influence of such popular performers as Al Field, known for his blackface minstrels. “The fan who goes to Oates park in the expectation of seeing a bare-handed colored giant catching and a first-baseman stopping ’em

with a short stop’s discarded glove has another thing coming,” The Asheville Citizen asserted.

A little over a year later, on Oct. 3, 1920, The Sunday Citizen highlighted the team’s continued success. According to the paper, the club had played a total of 94 games during its previous season, with a record of 71 wins, 18 losses and five ties.

The article goes on to report the Royal Giants upcoming series of expo games against the Greenville Stars, another all-black team noted for its stellar (albeit less demanding) record of 21 wins and four losses. The series was part of the annual Buncombe County Colored Agricultural Fair, which like the Royal Giants, was also founded by Pearson.

“It is stated that in the two teams will be some of the best colored baseball talent to be found in the south,” the article concluded, “and it is safe to say that either of the games will be far from amateurish.”

Bayne echoes this final sentiment near the end of his 2002 essay, writing: “Though they were unsung on the national scene and remain but a footnote in most black baseball literature, black North Carolina teams played the best segregated competition available[.]”

Editor’s note: Peculiarities of spelling and punctuation are preserved from the original documents; antiquated and offensive word choice included in these excerpts reflect the language of the time period. X

MORE THAN BASEBALL: Edward W. Pearson founded the Asheville Royal Giants in 1916. A veteran of the Spanish-American War, he also founded and served as the first president of the Asheville chapter of the NAACP and served as president of the Asheville chapters of the Universal Negro Improvement Association and the North Carolina Negro Improvement Association. Photo courtesy of the North Carolina Collection, Pack Memorial Library, Asheville

MOUNTAINX.COM

FEB. 20 - 26, 2019

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COMMUNITY CALENDAR FEB. 20-28, 2019

CALENDAR GUIDELINES For a full list of community calendar guidelines, please visit mountainx.com/calendar. For questions about free listings, call 828-251-1333, ext.

137. For questions about paid calendar listings, please call 828-251-1333, ext. 320.

ANIMALS BALSAM MOUNTAIN TRUST: JURASSIC JOURNEY 81 Preserve Road, Sylva • SU (2/24), 1-2:30pm - Balsam Mountain Trust: Jurassic Journey, explore the adaptations and behaviors of the dinosaurs by taking a close-up look at their modern cousins: reptiles and birds of prey.

Registration by (2/22): mskinner@bmtrust.org or 828-631-1062. Free.

at US Cellular Center, 87 Haywood St. NORTH BUNCOMBE CHILLY CHALLENGE nbms8k.wix.com/ chillychallenge8k • SA (2/23), 10am Proceeds from this 8K race, one-mile fun run and chili cook-off benefit North Buncombe Middle School PTO. $40/$25 students/$20 one-mile fun run/$5 chili lunch. Held at North Buncombe Middle School, 51 N. Buncombe School Road, Weaverville

ASHEVILLE BUTOH COLLECTIVE FUNDRAISER • SU (2/24), 5-7pm - Proceeds from the Asheville Butoh Collective Fundraiser benefit 13th Asheville Butoh Festival. $10.

Held at BeBe Theatre, 20 Commerce St.

SMART START PARTNERSHIP FOR CHILDREN BOOK SALE • SA (2/203), 8am4pm - Proceeds from the Smart Start Partnership for Children book sale benefit Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library in Henderson County.

Free to attend. Held at Grace Lutheran Church, 1245 6th Ave W., Hendersonville

BREW HORIZONS BEER FEST • SA (2/23), 2-6pm Proceeds from Brew Horizons Beer Fest benefit Blue Horizons Project. $40-$55. Held

SWCD SEEDLING AND PLANT SALE • TH (2/28) & FR (3/1), 8am-6m Proceeds from the SWCD Seedling and Plant Sale benefit

BENEFITS

Buncombe SWCD Environmental Education Programs.

Free to attend. Held at Buncombe County Soil and Water Conservation District, 49 Mount Carmel Road TRANSYLVANIA COUNTY POLAR PLUNGE • SA (2/23), noon Proceeds from the Transylvania County Polar Plunge benefit Special Olympics.

Registration: avl.mx/5on. Held at Connestee Falls at Lake Atagahi, 33 Connestee Trail, Brevard VAGINA MONOLOGUES • SA (2/23), 6:30pm - Proceeds from The Vagina Monologues benefits Helpmate and Vday.org. $35$15. Held at The Orange Peel, 101 Biltmore Ave.

BUSINESS & TECHNOLOGY A-B TECH ENKA CAMPUS 1459 Sand Hill Road, Candler, 828-398-7900 • SA (2/23), 9amnoon - Business Model Canvas: How to create a transformative business and Wow your customers. Free.

A-B TECH SMALL BUSINESS CENTER 1465 Sand Hill Road, Candler, 828-3987950, abtech.edu/sbc • TH (2/21), 3-6pm Using WordPress to Build a Website for Your Business class.

Registration required.

Free to attend.

• TU (2/26), 2-4pm - DOR: Sales and Use Tax Workshop.

Registration required.

Free to attend.

ASSOCIATION OF FUNDRAISING PROFESSIONALS OF WNC • WE (2/20), 11:45am1:30pm - "Navigating Today's Ethical Minefield," presentation by Dr. Hal M. Lewis about fundraising. Sponsored by the Association of Fundraising

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Professionals of WNC. Registration required: avl.mx/5gz. $30/$20 members. Held at Asheville Renaissance Hotel, 31 Woodfin Ave. FLETCHER AREA BUSINESS ASSOCIATION jim@extraordinarycopywriter.com • 4th THURSDAYS, 11:30-noon - General meeting. Free. Held at YMCA Mission Pardee Health Campus, 2775 Hendersonville Road, Arden HAYWOOD COMMUNITY COLLEGE Regional High Technology Center, 112 Industrial Park Drive, Waynesville, 828-258-8737 • TH (2/28), 1-4pm - Career Fair Open House at the College’s Library.

CLASSES, MEETINGS & EVENTS EMPYREAN ARTS CLASSES (PD.) FIT HAPPENS on Wednesdays 6pm.

AERIAL FLEXIBILITY on Mondays 6pm and Fridays 1pm INTRO TO PARTNER ACROBATICS on Sundays 6:30pm.

BEGINNING AERIAL ARTS on Sundays 2:15pm, Tuesdays 1:00pm, Wednesdays 7:30pm, Thursdays 5:15pm, Saturdays 2:30pm.

EMPYREANARTS. ORG. 828.782.3321.

32 Banks AvenueStudio 107&108.

AUTISTICS UNITED BOWLING • Last SATURDAYS, 1-4pm - Spectrumwide bowling social. $3 per game. Held at Sky Lanes, 1477 Patton Ave. BIG IVY COMMUNITY CENTER 540 Dillingham Road, Barnardsville, 828-626-3438 • 4th MONDAYS, 7pm - Community center board meeting. Free.

BREW VIEW: Brew Horizons Beer Fest, hosted by the Green Built Alliance, is as a fundraiser for the Blue Horizons Project, a resource hub working to ensure our region’s clean energy future. One of the initiatives is the Energy Upgrade Program, which provides upgrades that help low-income families save energy. The festival features unlimited samples of craft beverages from more than 20 breweries and cideries in Western North Carolina, as well as vendors of local artisanal foods, arts and crafts, and sustainability education areas. Live music is provided by Gypsy Grass and Queen Bee and the Honeylovers. The festival will be held at U.S. Cellular Center on Saturday, Feb. 23, 2-6 p.m.

Tickets start at $40; visit brewhorizonsbeerfest.com. Photo courtesy of Brew Horizons Beer Fest (p. 20) HIGHSMITH STUDENT UNION 1 University Heights • TU (2/26), 1-2pm - A panel discussion on Veterans with Disabilities Speak Out. Free. Held in Veteran's Center for Excellence, Highsmith 118.

HOMINY VALLEY RECREATION PARK 25 Twin Lakes Drive, Candler, 828-242-8998, hvrpsports.com • 3rd THURSDAYS, 7pm - Hominy Valley board meeting. Free.

LEICESTER COMMUNITY CENTER 2979 New Leicester Highway, Leicester, 828-774-3000, facebook.com/ Leicester.Community.

Center • 3rd THURSDAYS, 7pm - The Leicester History Gathering, general meeting. Free.

MARINE CORPS LEAGUE ASHEVILLE 828-273-4948, mcl.asheville@gmail.com • Last TUESDAYS - For veterans of

the Marines, FMF Corpsmen and their families. Free. Held at American Legion Post #2, 851 Haywood Road

• WE (2/27), 5:30-

ONTRACK WNC 50 S. French Broad Ave., 828-255-5166, ontrackwnc.org • WE (2/20), noon-1:30pm "Understanding Credit. Get it. Keep it.

Improve it." Seminar.

Registration required.

Free.

• THURSDAYS (2/21) until (2/28), 9am12:30pm - "Money Management and Credit," class series.

Registration required.

Free.

• TH (2/21), 5:307:30pm - Sponsorship

by The Biltmore Company means no charge for Home Energy Efficiency.

Registration required.

Free.

• TU (2/26), noon1:30pm - "Budgeting and Debt," class.

Registration required.

Free.

Free.

7pm - "Understanding Credit. Get it. Keep it.

Improve it." Seminar.

Registration required.

TRANZMISSION PRISON PROJECT tranzmissionprisonproject.yolasite.com • Fourth THURSDAYS, 6-9pm - Monthly meeting to prepare packages of books and zines for mailing to prisons across the US. Free to attend. Held at Firestorm Books & Coffee, 610 Haywood Road UNC ASHEVILLE RAMSEY LIBRARY 1 University Heights, 828-251-6336, library.unca.edu • MO (2/25), 3-5pm - Geek Trivia and Cosplay hosted by the Disability Cultural Center. Free.

ECO ASHEVILLE GREEN OPPORTUNITIES 828-398-4158, greenopportunities.org • 3rd WEDNESDAYS, 3:30-4:30pm - Green Opportunities holds a Training Program Information Session to learn about training and employment pathways.

Free. Held at Arthur R. Edington Education and Career Center, 133 Livingston St. ASHEVILLE GREENWORKS 828-254-1776, ashevillegreenworks.org • THURSDAYS through (3/28), 6-8pm Advanced Tree Keeper workshop series for active members of their neighborhood for advanced training.

Must attend all six workshops. Application: avl.mx/5oe. Free.

Held at The Wedge at Foundation, 5 Foundy St.

THE COLLIDER 1 Haywood St., Suite 401, 1828, thecollider.org/ • TH (2/21), 4:30pm Scientists and experts discuss becoming resilient in a changing climate. Registration required. $10.

FARM & GARDEN 26TH ANNUAL ORGANIC GROWERS SCHOOL SPRING CONFERENCE (PD.) March 8-10, 2019. at Mars Hill University, NC. 150+ practical, affordable, regionallyappropriate workshops on organic growing, homesteading, farming, permaculture. Trade show, seed exchange, special guests. organicgrowersschool. org. (828) 214-7833.

A-B TECH SMALL BUSINESS CENTER 828-398-7950, abtech.edu/sbc • TH (2/21), 6-7:30pm - The Business of

Agritourism: Business Planning Part 2, the fourth seminar in a seven-part series.

Registration required.

Free. Held at Madison County Cooperative Extension Office, 258 Carolina Lane Marshall • TH (2/28), 6-7:30pm - The Business of Agritourism: Funding, the fifth seminar in a seven-part series.

Registration required.

Free. Held at Madison County Cooperative Extension Office, 258 Carolina Lane Marshall ASHEVILLE GREENWORKS 828-254-1776, ashevillegreenworks.org • TUESDAYS through (3/26), 6-7:30pm Basic Tree Workshop series of six classes.

Registration required.

Free. Held at The Wedge at Foundation, 5 Foundy St.

BUNCOMBE COUNTY COOPERATIVE EXTENSION CENTER 49 Mt. Carmel Road, Suite 102, 828-2555522, buncombe.ces.ncsu.edu • TH (2/21), 10amnoon - Gardening in the Mountains presents: Living Soil. Registration required. Free.

BUNCOMBE COUNTY SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT 49 Mount Carmel Road, 828-250-4785, buncombecounty.org/ soil • TH (2/28) & FR (3/1), 8am-6pm - Proceeds from the SWCD Seedling and Plant Sale benefit Buncombe SWCD Environmental Education Programs.

Free to attend.

DR. WESLEY GRANT SR. SOUTHSIDE CENTER 285 Livingston St., 828-259-5483 • WE (2/20), 6-7pm Backyard Composting Workshop. Free.

POLK COUNTY FRIENDS OF AGRICULTURE BREAKFAST polkcountyfarms.org • 3rd WEDNESDAYS, 7-8am - Monthly breakfast with presentations on agriculture.

Admission by donation.

Held at Green Creek Community Center, 25 Shields Road, Columbus SLOW MONEY NC GATHERING • SA (2/23), 7pm - Slow Money NC connects local, sustainable farmers and food entrepreneurs with supporters and funding. Free.

Held at Wedge at Foundation, 5 Foundy St.

FOOD & BEER FAIRVIEW WELCOME TABLE fairviewwelcometable. com • THURSDAYS, 11:30am-1pm Community lunch.

Admission by dona-

tion. Held at Fairview Christian Fellowship, 596 Old US Highway 74, Fairview FIRESTORM BOOKS & COFFEE 610 Haywood Road, 828-255-8115, firestorm.coop • 4th SATURDAYS, 5:30-6:30pm - Asheville Vegan Runners, open group meeting. Free to attend.

FOOD NOT BOMBS HENDERSONVILLE foodnotbombshendersonville@gmail.com • SUNDAYS, 4pm - Community meal.

Free. Held at Black Bear Coffee Co., 318 N. Main St., Hendersonville LEICESTER COMMUNITY CENTER 2979 New Leicester Highway, Leicester, 828-774-3000, facebook.com/ Leicester.Community.

Center • WEDNESDAYS, 11:30am-1pm -

Welcome Table, community meal. Free.

• TU (2/26), 5pm - City Council Public Hearing.

SANCTUARY BREWING COMPANY 147 1st Ave., Hendersonville, 828-595-9956, sanctuarybrewco.com/ • MO (2/28), 10am-1pm - Sanctuary Brewing and Saluda Hair Garage partner in Help for Hendo, offering a warm meal and free haircuts for those in need. Free.

ASHEVILLE DOWNTOWN ASSOCIATION 828-251-9973, ashevilledowntown.org • TU (2/26), noon1:30pm - Annual State of Downtown Luncheon highlighting accomplishments and discussing priorities. Registration: avl.mx/5ly. $20. Held at US Cellular Center, 87 Haywood St.

SLOW MONEY NC GATHERING • SA (2/23), 7pm - Slow Money NC connects local, sustainable farmers and food entrepreneurs with supporters and funding. Free.

Held at Wedge at Foundation, 5 Foundy St.

BUNCOMBE COUNTY DEMOCRATIC HEADQUARTERS 951 Old Fairview Road, 828-274-4482 • TH (2/21), 5:15pm Democrat Women of Buncombe County host their February dinner meeting, 'Our Future: Teen Dems & Young Dems of Buncombe County.' Registration: avl.mx/5ou. $12/$15 non-member.

GOVERNMENT & POLITICS ASHEVILLE CITY HALL 70 Court Plaza, 828-251-1122

HENDERSONVILLE COMMUNITY CO-OP 60 S. Charleston Lane, Hendersonville, 828-

MOUNTAINX.COM

693-0505, hendersonville.coop/ Home • TH (2/21), 11:30am1:30pm - Henderson County League of Women Voters February lunch meeting. Free to attend.

OAKLEY COMMUNITY CENTER 749 Fairview Road • TH (2/28), 3-4:30pm - Community visioning process for historic Thomas Wolfe cabin master plan.

THOMAS WOLFE MEMORIAL 52 North Market St., 828-253-8304, wolfememorial.com • WE (2/27), 5:30-7pm - Community visioning process for historic Thomas Wolfe cabin master plan.

KIDS BUNCOMBE COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARIES buncombecounty.org/ governing/depts/library

FEB. 20 - 26, 2019

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CONSCIOUS PARTY

C OMMU N IT Y CA L EN D AR

• WE (23/20), 4pm - Pack Makers and Shakers: Create with the Asheville Art Museum. Ages 5 and up. Free. Held at Pack Memorial Library, 67 Haywood St. • FR (2/22), 4pm Reading with JR the Therapy Dog for kids up to 12. Free.

Held at Enka-Candler Library, 1404 Sandhill Road, Candler • MO (2/25), 10:30am - 20 minute sing-along musical, Dollywood’s Imagination Library Presents: Stand Tall, Molly Lou Melon by Patty Lovell. Free. Held at West Asheville Public Library, 942 Haywood Road • MO (2/25), 3:30pm - 20 minute sing-along musical, Dollywood’s Imagination Library Presents: Stand Tall, Molly Lou Melon

by Patty Lovell.

Free. Held at Black Mountain Library, 105 N Dougherty St, Black Mountain • TU (2/26), 10:30am - 20 minute sing-along musical, Dollywood’s Imagination Library Presents: Stand Tall, Molly Lou Melon by Patty Lovell. Free.

Held at Leicester Library, 1561 Alexander Road, Leicester • 4th TUESDAYS, 1pm Homeschoolers' book club. Held at North Asheville

Library, 1030 Merrimon Ave. • TU (2/26), 3:30pm 20 minute sing-along musical, Dollywood’s Imagination Library Presents: Stand Tall, Molly Lou Melon by Patty Lovell. Free.

Held at Weaverville Public Library, 41 N. Main St., Weaverville • WE (2/27), 10:30am - 20 minute sing-along musical, Dollywood’s Imagination Library Presents: Stand Tall, Molly Lou Melon by Patty Lovell. Free.

Held at Enka-Candler Library, 1404 Sandhill Road, Candler • WE (2/27), 11am - Tiny Tots Yoga for babies and toddlers that are crawling to 2 years with a caregiver (parent, friend, or guardian). Free.

Held at Swannanoa Library, 101 West Charleston St., Swannanoa • 2nd SATURDAYS, 1-4pm & LAST WEDNESDAYS, 4-6pm - Teen Dungeons and Dragons for ages 12 and up. Registration required: 828-2504720. Free. Held at Pack Memorial Library, 67 Haywood St. • WE (2/27), 3:30pm - 20 minute sing-along musical, Dollywood’s Imagination Library Presents: Stand Tall, Molly Lou Melon by Patty Lovell. Free.

Held at Fairview Library, 1 Taylor Road, Fairview

Liquidlogic Kayaks, 210 Old Airport Rd, Fletcher

PARENTING FRANKLIN SCHOOL OF INNOVATION 21 Innovation Drive, 828-318-8140, franklinschoolofinnovation.org • TU (2/26), 9-10am - Franklin School of Innovation information and tours for prospective families.

Free to attend.

PERCHANCE TO DANCE: Butoh, which first appeared in Japan after World War II, is a potent and revolutionary dance form. Asheville Butoh Collective and Asheville Contemporary Dance Theatre host the Asheville Butoh Festival each spring featuring two weekends of performances and workshops. The fundraiser for the 13th festival takes place at The BeBe Theatre on Sunday, Feb. 24, 5-7 p.m. Tickets are $10 at the door and include sushi, sake and live performances by Asheville Butoh Collective. Pictured, from left, are Jenni Cockrell, Constance Humphries and Julie Gillum. Photo courtesy of Asheville Butoh Collective (p. 20)

• TH (2/28), 10:30am - 20 minute sing-along musical, Dollywood’s Imagination Library Presents: Stand Tall, Molly Lou Melon by Patty Lovell. Free. Held at Swannanoa Library, 101 West Charleston St., Swannanoa GRACE LUTHERAN CHURCH 1245 6th Ave W., Hendersonville, 828-693-4890, gracelutherannc.com • SA (2/23), 8am-4pm - Proceeds from the Smart Start Partnership for Children book sale benefit Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library in

FEB. 20 - 26, 2019

Henderson County. Free to attend.

SESAME STREET LIVE • WE (2/20), 10:30am & 6pm - Sesame Street Live! Let’s Party!, live stage show for children.

Information: bit.ly/2RzjC0G. $20/$15 children. Held at US Cellular Center, 87 Haywood St. UNITED WAY OF ASHEVILLE & BUNCOMBE COUNTY 828-255-0696, unitedwayabc.org Homework Diner Program a strategy to support students and their families with tutor-

ing, building parentteacher relationships, a nutritious meal, community resources and workforce readiness. Free.

• MONDAYS, 5:30-7pm - Free. Held at Erwin Middle School, 20 Erwin Hills Road • TUESDAYS, 5-7pm Free. Held at Asheville Middle School, 211 S French Broad Ave. • TUESDAYS, 5:30-7pm - Free. Held at Enka Middle School, 390 Asbury Road, Candler • THURSDAYS, 5:307pm - Free. Held at Owen Middle School, 730 Old US Highway 70 Swannanoa

OUTDOORS CHIMNEY ROCK STATE PARK (PD.) Enjoy breathtaking views of Lake Lure, trails for all levels of hikers, an Animal Discovery Den and 404-foot waterfall.

Plan your adventure at chimneyrockpark.com MOUNTAINTRUE 828-258-8737, mountaintrue.org • TH (2/21), noon-2pm - Liquidlogic exclusive MountainTrue factory tour. Registration: avl.mx/wordcaoh. $40/$20 MountainTrue members. Held at

Now Open

Re-Imagine Senior Living

22

by Deborah Robertson

YMCA - BLUE RIDGE ASSEMBLY 84 Blue Ridge Assembly Road, Black Mountain, 828-669-8422, blueridgeassembly. org • SU (2/24), 1-5pm - Supported Immersion Global Academy (SIGA), a grade 9-12 boarding and day school, holds an Open House for prospective students and their families.

Information, contact Adam Beeson, 828606-7518 or adam@ siglobalacademy. com. Free.

PUBLIC LECTURES

Givens Gerber Park is pioneering the next generation of affordable housing for 55 year olds and better with a range of one- and two-bedroom rental apartments and beautiful on-campus amenities. Residents can enjoy lunch with friends in our café or walk to nearby shops and restaurants while enjoying breathtaking views of the North Carolina mountains. We welcome you to make the most out of your next chapter at Givens Gerber Park.

A-B TECH ENKA CAMPUS 1459 Sand Hill Road, Candler, 828-3987900 • TH (2/21), 6pm 'Ethics, Confronting Oppression' is the topic of the next Jerry Jackson Lecture by Lee McBride. Free.

Contact Nicole Allen at (828)771-2207 or nallen@givensgerberpark.org to schedule an appointment.

For more information, to download applications, or to view floor plans, go to www.givensgerberpark.org

AK HINDS UNIVERSITY CENTER Memorial Drive, Cullowhee, 828-2277206, wcu.edu

More Affordable Rental Retirement Community

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RAMSEY ACTIVITY CENTER 92 Catamount Road, Cullowhee • SA (2/23), 8:15am - Western Carolina University hosts prospective students and their families and friends for an Open House. Free.

• WE (2/7), 6pm - Creston Lynch, of George Mason University, speaks on “Black Migration: What Will Be Your Journey?” Free. Held in the Multipurpose Room.

AB TECH, FERGUSON AUDITORIUM 340 Victoria Road, 828-274-7883 • TH (2/28), 1pm - Dr. Roslyn Artis, President of Benedict College, speaks on “Why Does Black History Month Matter.”

Free.

BEVERLY HILLS BAPTIST CHURCH 777 Tunnel Road • TH (2/251), 7pm Buncombe County Commissioner Al Whitesides presents 'Growing Up Black in Asheville' during the civil rights movement. Free.

BUNCOMBE COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARIES buncombecounty. org/governing/ depts/library • SA (2/23), 2pm - Kenneth Janken presents his book, The Wilmington Ten: Violence, Injustice, and the Rise of Black Politics in the 1970s.

Free. Held at Pack Memorial Library, 67 Haywood St. • TU (2/19) & TU (2/26), 6pm "America: Built for War or Built for Peace," two-part class facilitated by author Terry O'Keefe. Free. Held at Weaverville Public Library, 41 N. Main St., Weaverville LENOIR RHYNE UNIVERSITY 2nd Flr Boardroom, 36 Montford Ave. • TH (2/28), 6pm - Darin Waters, PhD, examines the historical origins of memorializing bygone eras and the Confederatemonument controversy. Registration: avl.mx/5o6. Free.

THE BLOCK OFF BILTMORE 39 South Market St., 828-254-9277, theblockoffbiltmore. com • TH (2/21), 5:308:30pm - Robert “Zack” Zachary lectures on The Proper and more Effectual Method on the Teaching of AfroAmerican History. $15.

• TH (2/28), 6-7:30pm Panel discussion about what it's like to run for office as a first-time candidate, with Sheriff Quentin Miller, County Commissioner Jasmine Beach-Ferrara, moderated by Water and Soil Supervisor Aaron Sarver. $5.

UNC-ASHEVILLE REUTER CENTER 1 Campus View Road • TU (2/26), 7:30pm World Affairs Council’s Great Decisions Series: The Middle East: Regional Disorder? with Thomas Sanders. $10/Free to WAC members and UNCA students.

SENIORS BLACK MOUNTAIN LIBRARY 105 N Dougherty St, Black Mountain • WE (2/20), 4pm Medicare Choices Made Easy. Free.

BUNCOMBE COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARIES buncombecounty. org/governing/depts/ library • TH (2/21), 3pm Introductory course to understand the most commonly diagnosed mental health conditions in seniors, by Joanne DeSarle, RN. Free. Held at EnkaCandler Library, 1404 Sandhill Road, Candler • TUESDAYS and FRIDAYS until FR (3/29), 11am - Geri-Fit: Free exercise class for Seniors. Bring a workout stretch band.

Registration required.

Free. Held at Pack Memorial Library, 67 Haywood St.

SPIRITUALITY ASTRO-COUNSELING (PD.) Licensed counselor and accredited professional astrologer uses your chart when counseling for additional insight into yourself, your relationships and life directions. Stellar Counseling Services.

Christy Gunther, MA, LPC. (828) 258-3229.

DE-STRESS, GET HAPPY & CONNECT! (PD.) Mindfulness Meditation at the Asheville Insight Meditation Center.

Group Meditation: Weekly on Thursdays at 7pm & Sundays at 10am. ashevillemeditation.com, info@ ashevillemeditation.com.

LEARN TO MEDITATE (PD.) Introduction to Mindfulness Meditation class at Asheville Insight Meditation Center, 1st Mondays of each month at 7pm 8:30pm. ashevillemeditation.com, info@ ashevillemeditation.com.

FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH OF HENDERSONVILLE 204 6th Ave. W., Hendersonville, 828-693-4275, fumchvlnc.org • FR (2/22), 6:308:30pm & SA (2/23), 8:30am-3pm - The Humility of Christ: Revisiting God’s Nature with Rev. Marjorie Thompson.

Registration required: fumchvlnc.org. $10.

GRACE LUTHERAN CHURCH 1245 6th Ave W., Hendersonville, 828-693-4890, gracelutherannc.com • SA (2/23), 8:30amnoon - Changing the Way the Church Views Racism lecture by Dr. Drew Hurt. Free to attend.

• THURSDAYS, 6:307:15 pm - All faith Taize service of meditation and music. Free.

GROCE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH 954 Tunnel Road, 828-298-6195, groceumc.org • 2nd & 4th MONDAYS, 6:308:30pm - A Course in Miracles, study group.

Information: 828-7125472. Free.

THE CENTER FOR ART AND SPIRIT AT ST. GEORGE'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH 1 School Road, 828-258-0211 • 4th FRIDAYS, 10amnoon - Contemplative Companions, meditation. Free.

• Last Tuesdays, 7-9pm - Aramaic, Hebrew and Egyptian vocal toning, breath work and meditation. Admission by donation.

VOLUNTEERING TUTOR ADULTS IN NEED WITH THE LITERACY COUNCIL (PD.) 43% of adults with low literacy live in poverty. Volunteer and help our neighbors rise above the confines of poverty.

Orientation 3/4(10am) or 3/7(5:30pm) RSVP: volunteers@litcouncil. com. Learn more: www.litcouncil.com.

FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH 40 Church St., 828-253-1431, fpcasheville.org • SATURDAYS Volunteers needed to cook, serve, play and clean up for Saturday Sanctuary, hospitality to the homeless.

Registration required: avl.mx/5ig, sanctuarysaturday@gmail. com or 828-253-1431.

GRACE LUTHERAN CHURCH 1245 6th Ave W., Hendersonville, 828-693-4890, gracelutherannc.com • Fourth TUESDAYS, 10am - Volunteer to knit or crochet prayer shawls for community members in need.

Free.

HOMEWARD BOUND OF WNC 218 Patton Ave., 828-258-1695, homewardboundwnc.org • THURSDAYS, 11am, 2nd TUESDAYS, 5:30pm & 3rd WEDNESDAYS, 8:30am - "Welcome Home Tour," tours to find out how Homeward Bound is working to end homelessness and how the public can help.

Registration required: tours@ homewardboundwnc. org or 828-785-9840.

Free.

MOUNTAINTRUE 828-258-8737, mountaintrue.org • MO (2/25), 10am4pm - Paddle-n-Plant, volunteer to help reduce erosion along the French Broad River. Registration: avl. mx/5iv RIVERLINK • TH (2/21), 1-4pm River cane educational activity and service day.

Registration: avl.mx/5o7.

Held at Buncombe County Sports Park, 58 Apac Circle TRAUMA INTERVENTION PROGRAM OF WNC 828-513-0498, tipofwnc.org • Through WE (2/27) Applications accepted for crisis team volunteers. Training held Thursday, Feb. 28 through Saturday, Mar. 9. Registration and information: tipofwnc. org or 828-595-4391.

Held at Skyland Fire Department, 9 Miller Road, Skyland WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA AIDS PROJECT 828-252-7489, wncap.org • 2nd & 4th SATURDAYS, 10amnoon - Volunteer to deliver food boxes to homebound people living with HIV/AIDS. Registration: 828252-7489 ext.315 or wncapvolunteer@ wncap.org.

For more volunteering opportunities visit mountainx.com/ volunteering

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FEB. 20 - 26, 2019

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WELLNESS

REACHING OUT Local leaders tackle health impacts of structural racism

ROOT OF THE PROBLEM: A $350,000 fellowship will support three organizations in examining health care issues facing rural African-Americans in Western North Carolina. Team members, from left, Ameena Batada of UNC Asheville, Jill Fromewick of the Mountain Area Health Education Center and Je’Wana Grier-McEachin of the Asheville Buncombe Institute of Parity Achievement will lead the three-year effort. Photo courtesy of the Interdisciplinary Research Leaders

BY KIESA KAY kiesakay@gmail.com “Racism has an impact on health, and we want to look at the bigger picture,” says Ameena Batada, associate professor of health and wellness at UNC Asheville. To accomplish this, Batada has joined forces with Je’Wana GrierMcEachin, executive director of the Asheville Buncombe Institute of Parity Achievement, and Jill Fromewick, a research scientist at the Mountain Area Health Education Center. Armed with a three-year, $350,000 Interdisciplinary Research Leaders fellowship from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the team aims to connect directly with rural African-Americans in Western North Carolina, and with the organizations and institutions that are significant in their

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lives, in order to deconstruct and combat the ways that racism has contributed to the myriad health challenges they face.

Structural racism, notes Fromewick, can discourage people from seeking medical care — and hamper the effective delivery of that care. It’s essential, she maintains, for providers to understand the health beliefs, cultural practices and needs in the communities they serve. Accordingly, the research team will work to earn the trust of rural community leaders.

“A lot of times, people don’t tell their stories for fear of pain,” Grier-McEachin points out. “They don’t want their children to experience the hurt they remember. We want to explore history, so it can be used not to inhibit but to inform us and to ignite change.”

The first step, they say, is reaching out to these residents through surveys,

conversations and community meetings to learn about the day-to-day difficulties they face in the health care arena and their perceptions of how racism has contributed to those experiences. Based on what they learn from these primary sources, the researchers will create educational materials designed to raise awareness and reduce racism in the health care delivery system in rural WNC. “We’ll further elucidate stressors, support greater awareness and create real change,” Batada explains.

“It’s important to work together in this region to hear people’s voices, so that the historically unheard can be heard as we correct the health disparities in North Carolina,” Grier-McEachin maintains. “It’s a long-term process, and the dedicated work will continue beyond the scope of any one project.”

COMMUNITY VOICES Numerous studies have documented serious health discrepancies between rural and urban residents, and between African-Americans and whites. A 2017 report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found higher incidences of suicide, obesity, tobacco addiction, Type 2 diabetes and dental troubles among rural Americans compared with their urban counterparts.

African-Americans, meanwhile, experience more heart disease, cancer, diabetes, AIDS and hypertension than whites and have the highest prevalence of cardiovascular disease of any demographic group in the U.S. Nationwide, more than 8 percent of rural and small-town residents are African-American, census data show. Closer to home, a 2015 study in the WNC Healthy Impact database found that 4 percent of the region’s population is African-American.

What’s been lacking up till now, however, are statistics specific to rural African-Americans in WNC. “By using a community-based, participatory approach, we will discover the needs in our region,” says Fromewick, adding, “We’ll share our findings with

communities, health care institutions and educators.”

To that end, the multidisciplinary team intends to treat these residents as partners and primary sources in defining what needs to change. The researchers also plan to approach community groups and churches.

“We want to illuminate what churches are doing and have continued to do to make the African-American community cohesive and able to withstand the structural racism in this area,” Batada explains.

REMEMBERING HISTORY The team will also consider the continuing impacts of historical oppression on human health. The damage done by racism stretches beyond individual experience via intergenerational trauma, says Fromewick, underscoring a deeper need for acknowledgment, exploration and remediation. Batada agrees, noting that the pressures racism has imposed on the lives of AfricanAmericans and other racial minorities

CONTINUES ON PAGE 26

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may have resulted in elevated levels of illness and death.

“This project highlights that we can’t forget history,” she declares. “History can teach us how we can work toward facing the major challenges of today.

We can use the lens we have now to look back, as we truly and deeply listen, learning from the lives people have lived and determining how to proceed.”

Socio-economic factors, Batada points out, often lead people to delay getting health care. Those factors, she says, include geographic or sociological reasons beyond an individual’s control.

Fromewick, meanwhile, cites a 2017 University of Minnesota study which found that more than half of rural counties in the U.S. have no hospital where a woman could give birth.

Families in these areas, which tend to be geographically isolated and have higher percentages of residents living in poverty, may face extreme challenges in getting timely access to the health care they need, particularly if they lack reliable transportation. Often born too small or too soon, AfricanAmerican babies die before their first birthday at twice the rate of white infants, according to National Center for Health Statistics data.

“The percent of the county-level population that is African-American is quite low in WNC, ranging between about 0.5 percent and 10 percent depending on the county,” notes Batada. “One of the challenges that we have observed is that because the number of African-Americans is so small in some counties, surveys may not obtain a large enough sample to be

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The three team members inspire one another, says Grier-McEachin, and combining their respective skill sets enables them to find a greater bandwidth of possibilities. Batada and McEachin previously worked together on the PRAISE Project, which works with African-American churches to promote sustainable health measures.

In the current effort, these two women chose Fromewick for her medical research expertise.

“We’re working with an attitude of mutual respect, as community-driven researchers and members of the public health community,” says Batada. “I feel aligned with my colleagues as we investigate health disparities and work to achieve health equity.”

That respectful attitude, they maintain, will help them serve as catalysts for positive, ongoing change.

“The more we talk to people, the more leads we get and the more relationships we will build,” says GrierMcEachin. “These stories need to be told, so we can fill in the gaps. We would love to end racism and its impact; by entering into this conversation, we hope to keep racism from being perpetuated continuously within these structures as we shift the tide.”

Interested in participating in the research? Email the team at abatada@ unca.edu or call 828-232-5164. X

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FAMILY HARMONY Local practitioners launch new book on parenting

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WELLNESS CHECK OUT WAVE DANCE • FITNESS • YOGA (PD.) Group classes for all levels. $10/person. Private instruction available. Full info at www.waveasheville.com

SOUND HEALING • SATURDAY • SUNDAY (PD.)

BUNCOMBE COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARIES buncombecounty.org/ governing/depts/library • TH (2/21), 3pm - Introductory course to understand the most commonly diagnosed mental health conditions in seniors,

by Joanne DeSarle, RN. Free. Held at Enka-Candler Library, 1404 Sandhill Road, Candler • SA (2/23), 11am - Mixed level Pilates with Cisco Pilates. Registration required. Free. Held at Pack Memorial Library, 67 Haywood St. • MO (2/25), 6pm - Guided meditation with Ronya Banks. Registration required. Free. Held at Pack Memorial Library, 67 Haywood St.

Every Saturday, 11am and Sundays, 12 noon.

Experience deep relaxation with crystal bowls, gongs, didgeridoo and other peaceful instruments. • Donation suggested. At Skinny Beats Sound Shop, 4 Eagle Street. skinnybeatsdrums.com

BUNCOMBE COUNTY SPECIAL OLYMPICS 828-250-4260 • WEDNESDAYS, 3-4pm - Adaptive crossfit classes for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Free. Held at South Slope CrossFit, 217 Coxe Ave., Suite B

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CAROLINA RESOURCE CENTER FOR EATING DISORDERS 828-337-4685, crcfored.com/events/ • MO (2/25), 11am12:15pm - Eating Disorder Awareness Table, part of National Eating Disorders Awareness Week. Free.

Held at UNC Asheville

INTRODUCTION TO WILDERNESSFUSION (PD.) FREE. Thursday, February 28th, 6-9PM. We are an Earth based healing school rooted in the philosophy of choice. Alexander, NC. Online registration required: wildernessfusion. com/mt-xpress.

SHOJI SPA & LODGE • 7 DAYS A WEEK (PD.)

PARTNERS IN PARENTING: Jim, left, and Dayna Guido have written a guidebook based on the relationship-building skills and strategies they’ve developed over long careers in human services in Western North Carolina. Photo and book cover provided by the authors When Dayna and Jim Guido set out to assemble the tools and skills they’ve developed over 40 years of family counseling practice into an actionable guidebook for parents, they didn’t know the effort would turn into a family project. But once they’d reached the decision to self-publish — as well as create a website, podcast, e-book and audiobook version — their 33-year-old son, Lucio, a graphic designer based in Portland, Ore., also got involved.

Now Lucio will join his parents at their book celebration and signing event at Malaprop’s Bookstore and Cafe on Thursday, Feb. 21. He’ll talk about growing up in Western North Carolina as the child of two therapists and provide a window on how the strategies shared in The Parental Toolbox played out in practice.

Structured around the three R’s — reframe, replace and rewire — any chapter of the book can serve as a starting point or provide inspiration, Dayna says.

Reframing a negative thought, action or word and replacing it with something neutral or positive lays the groundwork for rewiring our brains through practice, she explains.

Although Dayna and Jim’s careers have included work with families whose children were receiving therapeutic services in schools or settings such as treatment programs, the skills and strategies in the book are helpful for any parent/child dynamic. In fact, Dayna says, practicing the three R’s can improve all of our relationships.

Asked about some of the most common parenting challenges she’s

encountered, Dayna names power struggles and shifting expectations for parenting in the 21st century.

“We’re being bombarded in so many ways with technology, and our kids are going out there and getting out into the world much sooner than we want them to be. It’s kind of scary,” she says. Suggestions for dealing with the issues posed by technology are threaded throughout the book.

The busyness of modern life also presents challenges, Dayna adds, making it difficult to focus on building the kinds of harmonious relationships parents dream of having with their kids.

In her own life, Dayna says, “It’s been rewarding to be a parent. It’s been very hard, and I didn’t always feel successful at it and made lots of mistakes. But yet the challenge and the opportunity to parent somebody and to help them in their life is really amazing.” X

ADVENTHEALTH HENDERSONVILLE 100 Hospital Drive, Hendersonville • WE (2/20), noon-1pm - Lunch and Learn: Living Heart Healthy. Free and a complimentary lunch coupon.

Private Japanese-style outdoor hot tubs, cold plunge, sauna and lodging. 8 minutes from town.

Bring a friend to escape and renew! Best massages in Asheville! 828-299-0999. shojiretreats.com

828-380-6242, rchaplin@aarp.org • 4th WEDNESDAYS, 11:30am-noon - Coffee and conversation on wellness topics. Free. Held at Ferguson Family YMCA, 31 Westridge Market Place, Candler

- Ramsey Library, 1 University Heights • TU (2/26), 11:30am-1pm - Tea Talk: Body Image, part of NEDAwareness Week. Free. Held at UNC Asheville - Ramsey Library, 1 University Heights • TU (2/26), 5:30-6:30pm & 6:45-7:45pm - Buti Yoga @ Primal Studios, part of NEDAwareness Week.

Registration required: crcfored.com. Free. Held at Primal Studios, 457 N. Louisiana Ave. • WE (2/27), noon-1pm - Be Kind to your Body, part of NEDAwareness Week. Free. Held at UNC Asheville Campus Recreation, 1 University Heights • TH (2/28), noon-1pm - Understanding the Intersection of Autism, Eating & Sensory Processing Disorders, part of NEDAwareness Week.

Registration required: crcfored.com. Free. Held in Brown Room 217 at UNC-Asheville, 1 University Heights HENDERSONVILLE ADVENTIST CHURCH 2301 Asheville Highway, Hendersonville • TH (2/21), 7:30-10:30am - Daniel Fast Screening.

Registration: 828-692-2255.

JUBILEE COMMUNITY CHURCH 46 Wall St., 828-252-5335, jubileecommunity.org • TUESDAYS (2/5) until (2/26), 5:45-7:45pm - "Let's Make Herbal Medicines for the Winter," workshop. $20 per class.

PEACE EDUCATION PROGRAM jtfbuilder@gmail.com • WEDNESDAYS (1/23) through (3/27), 6:30-

7:30pm - "Discover Your Inner Resources," inner peace educational program. Information: jtfbuilder@gmail.com.

Free. Held at Montford Community Center, 34 Pearson Drive RICEVILLE FIRE DEPARTMENT 2251 Riceville Road • THURSDAYS, 6pm Community workout for all ages and fitness levels.

Bring yoga mat and water.

Free.

SENIOR OPPORTUNITY CENTER 36 Grove St. • THURSDAYS, 2:303:30pm - "Slow Flow Yoga," yoga class adapted for all ages and abilities.

Free.

THE BLOOD CONNECTION BLOOD DRIVES 800-392-6551, thebloodconnection.org • TH (2/28), 9am-4pm Appointments and info: The Blood Connection at 828-233-5301.

Held at AdventHealth Hendersonville, 100 Hospital Drive, Hendersonville THE CENTER FOR ART AND SPIRIT AT ST. GEORGE'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH 1 School Road, 828-258-0211 • WEDNESDAYS, 3:305pm & 6:30-8pm - Open mindfulness meditation.

Admission by donation.

SUPPORT GROUPS ADULT CHILDREN OF ALCOHOLICS & DYSFUNCTIONAL FAMILIES adultchildren.org

WHAT Book event and signing with Dayna, Jim and Lucio Guido for The Parental Toolbox WHEN 6 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 21 WHERE Malaprop’s Bookstore/Cafe 55 Haywood St. MORE theparentaltoolbox.com

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WELL NESS CA L E N DA R • Visit mountainx.com/ support/ for full listings.

ADVENTHEALTH HENDERSONVILLE 100 Hospital Drive, Hendersonville • WEDNESDAYS, 10-11am - New beginnings postpartum support group. Free.

ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS • For a full list of meetings in WNC, call 828-254-8539 or aancmco.org

ANXIETY SUPPORT GROUP 828-231-2198, bjsmucker@gmail.com • 1st & 3rd THURSDAYS, 7-8:30pm - Learning and sharing in a caring setting about dealing with one’s own anxiety. Held at NAMI Offices, 356 Biltmore Ave.

• THURSDAYS, 6:30-8pm – Held at YWCA of Asheville, 185 S. French Broad Ave.

ASHEVILLE WOMEN FOR SOBRIETY

BRAINSTORMER’S COLLECTIVE 828-254-0507, puffer61@gmail.com

215-536-8026, womenforsobriety.org

ASPERGER’S TEENS UNITED facebook.com/groups/ AspergersTeensUnited • For teens (13-19) and their parents. Meets every 3 weeks. Contact for details.

• 3rd THURSDAYS, 6-7:30pm - For brain injury survivors and supporters.

Held at Kairos West Community Center, 610002 Haywood Road BREAST CANCER SUPPORT GROUP 828-213-2508 • 3rd THURSDAYS, 5:30pm - For breast cancer survivors, husbands, children and friends. Held at SECU

Cancer Center, 21 Hospital Drive CAROLINA RESOURCE CENTER FOR EATING DISORDERS 50 S. French Broad Ave., #250, 828-337-4685, thecenternc.org • WEDNESDAYS, 6-7pm – Adult support group, ages 18+.

CAROLINA RESOURCE CENTER FOR EATING DISORDERS 828-337-4685, crcfored.com/events/ • WE (2/27), 6-7pm - CRC fpr ED Weekly Adult Support Group, part of NEDAwareness Week.

Free. Held at United Way of Asheville & Buncombe, 50 S. French Broad Ave. CODEPENDENTS ANONYMOUS 828-242-7127 • SATURDAYS, 11:15am – Held at First Congregational UCC of Asheville, 20 Oak St. • TUESDAYS 7:30pm Held at Asheville 12-Step Recovery Club, 22B New Leicester Highway DEBTORS ANONYMOUS debtorsanonymous.org • MONDAYS, 7pm - Held at First Congregational UCC of Asheville, 20 Oak St. DEPRESSION AND BIPOLAR SUPPORT ALLIANCE 828-367-7660, depressionbipolarasheville. com • SATURDAYS, 2-3pm – Held at Depression & Bipolar Support Alliance Meeting Place, 1316-C Parkwood Road DIABETES SUPPORT 828-213-4700, laura.tolle@msj.org • 3rd WEDNESDAYS, 3:30pm - In room 3-B. Held at Mission Health, 509 Biltmore Ave. FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH OF ASHEVILLE 5 Oak St., 828-252-4781, fbca.net • 3rd THURSDAYS, 6:308pm - Support group for families of children and adults with autism to meet, share and learn about autism. Childcare provided with registration: mzenz@ autismsociety-nc.org. Meet in classrooms 221 and 222.

FOOD ADDICTS ANONYMOUS 828-242-2173

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• SATURDAYS, 11amHeld at Asheville 12-Step Recovery Club, 22B New Leicester Highway FOUR SEASONS COMPASSION FOR LIFE 828-233-0948, fourseasonscfl.org • THURSDAYS, 12:30pm Grief support group. Held at SECU Hospice House, 272 Maple St., Franklin • TUESDAYS, 3:30-4:30pm - Grief support group.

Held at Four Seasons Checkpoint, 373 Biltmore Ave. GAMBLERS ANONYMOUS 828-483-6175 • THURSDAYS, noon-1pm - Held at Biltmore United Methodist Church, 378 Hendersonville Road GRIEF PROCESSING SUPPORT GROUP 828-452-5039, haymed.org/locations/ the-homestead • 3rd THURSDAYS, 4-5:30pm - Bereavement education and support group. Held at Homestead Hospice and Palliative Care, 127 Sunset Ridge Road, Clyde LIFE LIMITING ILLNESS SUPPORT GROUP 386-801-2606 • TUESDAYS, 6:30-8pm For adults managing the challenges of life limiting illnesses. Held at Secrets of a Duchess, 1439 Merrimon Ave. MEMORY LOSS CAREGIVERS network@memorycare.org • 4th TUESDAYS, 1-3pm – Held at Woodfin YMCA, 40 North Merrimon Ave., Suite 101 MINDFULNESS AND 12 STEP RECOVERY avl12step@gmail.com • WEDNESDAYS, 7:308:45pm - Mindfulness meditation practice and 12 step program. Held at Asheville 12-Step Recovery Club, 22B New Leicester Highway MY DADDY TAUGHT ME THAT mydaddytaughtmethat.org • MONDAYS & WEDNESDAYS, 6-8pm Men’s discussion group.

Free. Held at My Daddy Taught Me That Meeting Place, 16-A Pisgah View Apartments

NARANON nar-anon.org • WEDNESDAYS, 12:30pm - For relatives and friends concerned about the addiction or drug problem of a loved one. Held at First United Methodist Church of Hendersonville, 204 6th Ave. W., Hendersonville NEW HOPE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH 3070 Sweeten Creek Road, 828-274-0191, newhopepcusa.org • TU (2/26), 1-3pm MemoryCaregivers Network Support Group, open to anyone caring for a person with memory loss.

ORIGINAL RECOVERY 828-214-0961, originalrecovery.org, riley@seekhealing.org • WEDNESDAYS, 6:308pm - Alternative support group organization meeting to discuss service projects, workshops and social events to support the recovery community.

Held at Firestorm Books & Coffee, 610 Haywood Road • 2nd & 4th SATURDAYS, 7:30pm - Meditation meeting. Held at Original Recovery, 70 Woodfin Place, Suite 212 • MONDAYS, 6:30pm - Walk in the Park, meetings at area parks. Held at Original Recovery, 70 Woodfin Place, Suite 212 OUR VOICE 35 Woodfin St., 828-2520562, ourvoicenc.org • Ongoing drop-in group for female identified survivors of sexual violence.

OVERCOMERS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE 828-665-9499 • WEDNESDAYS, noon-1pm - Held at First Christian Church of Candler, 470 Enka Lake Road, Candler OVERCOMERS RECOVERY SUPPORT GROUP rchovey@sos-mission.org • MONDAYS, 6pm - Christian 12-step program. Held at SOS Anglican Mission, 1944 Hendersonville Road OVEREATERS ANONYMOUS • Regional number: 2771975. Visit mountainx.com/ support for full listings.

RECOVERING COUPLES ANONYMOUS recovering-couples.org • MONDAYS 6:30-7:30pm - For couples where at least one member is recovering from addiction. Held at Foster Seventh Day Adventists Church, 375 Hendersonville Road REFUGE RECOVERY 828-225-6422, refugerecovery.org • For a full list of meetings in WNC, call 828-225-6422 or visit refugerecovery.org SEX ADDICTS ANONYMOUS saa-recovery.org/ Meetings/UnitedStates • MONDAYS, WEDNESDAYS & FRIDAYS, 6pm - Held at First Congregational UCC of Asheville, 20 Oak St. • SUNDAYS, 7pm - Held at First Baptist Church of Asheville, 5 Oak St. SMART RECOVERY 828-407-0460 • FRIDAYS, 2pm - Held at Sunrise Community for Recovery and Wellness, 370 N Louisiana Ave. • TUESDAYS, 6-7pm - Held at Unitarian Universalists of Transylvania County, 24 Varsity St., Brevard • THURSDAYS, 6pm - Held at Grace Episcopal Church, 871 Merrimon Ave. SUNRISE PEER SUPPORT VOLUNTEER SERVICES facebook.com/ Sunriseinasheville • TUESDAYS through THURSDAYS, 1-3pm - Peer support services for mental health, substance abuse and wellness. Held at Kairos West Community Center, 610-002 Haywood Road SURVIVORS OF SUICIDE LOSS SUPPORT GROUP 828-254-5878, earthboundclayworks@ gmail.com • Last MONDAYS, 6-7:30pm - Peer-support group. Held at Care Partners Solace Center, 21 Belvedere Road YMCA MISSION PARDEE HEALTH CAMPUS 2775 Hendersonville Road, Arden • 3rd WEDNESDAYS, 6-7pm - Bariatric support group meeting.

Information: pardeehospital.org/classes-events.

GREEN SCENE

CLIMATE CHANGER

Evergreen science teacher wins national recognition

BY DANIEL WALTON dwalton@mountainx.com The students in Jason Carter’s science classroom at Evergreen Community Charter School regularly deal with some pretty scary topics.

Air pollution, water quality and natural resource depletion all make their way onto his curriculum. And if that weren’t enough, his eighth-graders have to handle zombies.

Carter brings in the literature of the living dead as a way to teach infectious disease, one of North Carolina’s essential science standards. “Usually the science in that science fiction, regardless of how fictional the disease, is really sound,” he explains. His students take on the role of public health experts as they draw up fact sheets about zombification and give presentations about how society should prepare for and prevent the coming crisis.

That creative instructional attitude recently earned Carter the honor of being named a Teacher Ambassador by the California-based National Center for Science Education. Along with nine colleagues from across the country, he will help develop, test and deploy a curriculum covering a subject that’s arguably even more frightening than zombies: climate change denial.

“We live in a generation where, if you don’t like what the science is saying, it is perfectly acceptable to just publicly denounce it, regardless of whether it’s true or not,” Carter says.

“Getting students to be critical of that and really understand science itself as a way to evaluate truth is a big deal.”

It’s a problem that goes beyond presenting raw data, but it’s one Carter’s background has equipped him to tackle. In college, the science teacher majored in English and minored in both women’s studies and math. He then spent some time in the business world before entering education, where he has remained for the past 18 years.

“Nothing exists in isolation in the real world; we don’t use skills independently of each other or independently of context,” Carter says about the philosophy he’s developed over his career.

“In science, I can bring in math and history and literature — I can bring in the process of thinking, not just what to think about, all in one subject.”

Brad Hoge, the NCSE’s director of teacher support, notes that Carter is

THE SCIENCE GUY: Jason Carter, a science teacher at Evergreen Community Charter School, was named to an elite National Center for Science Education cohort working on a climate change curriculum. Photo courtesy of Carter the first teacher ambassador his organization has chosen from a charter school.

He says Evergreen’s focus on holistic and environmental education, as well as Carter’s enthusiastic embrace of that focus, made the teacher stand out from the more than 60 candidates who applied to the program.

Hoge also expects that Carter’s longstanding relationships with the region — he’s taught at Evergreen for over 13 years and earned a master’s degree from UNC Asheville in 2017 — will help spread the NCSE climate curriculum to teachers in rural Western North Carolina and Tennessee.

“Rather than trying to say, this is NCSE doing this or a science educator from a university, it’s specifically a teacher in their area that knows the area,” Hoge explains. “We’re hoping that makes a big difference.”

Carter recognizes that the politicization of climate change has made the topic a contentious issue in many communities. Key to defusing that tension, he says, is building communication and empathy into lesson plans. Scientists too often place themselves “on a pedestal,” he argues, and fail to consider the way in which they deliver their findings.

“When you can bring in personal stories of people who are affected by the issue or by the science, then you get others to see it on somebody’s personal level,” Carter says. “Then, they’re much more inclined to not only understand, but also be a part of what makes it better.”

Empathy comes through in a different way with one of Carter’s keystone lesson plans. As in a Model U.N., he explains, students represent the countries of the world, each making concessions and deals in an effort to address climate change. By plugging the results of these deals into a climate model, the students soon come to realize that big players such as the United States and China have a disproportionate impact, while the developing countries that are most impacted by climate change have comparatively little control of the global situation.

“When, say, all of Central America agrees to a change, it’s just a drop in the bucket,” Carter says. “They really start to see that it’s not an equal playing field in lots of ways and that political negotiation and commitment is really hard to navigate.”

But empathy, Carter stresses, can also generate hope. He points to a book he teaches his seventh-graders, The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, about a Malawian schoolboy who built an electric wind turbine for his village using only salvaged materials and a physics textbook. The story inspires his students to think about tackling difficult problems at the local level.

“Empowering them at a young age, when they still really want to make things better, hopefully pays off for decades to come,” Carter says.

“Anybody who’s worried about the world just needs to spend some time around some middle schoolers.” X

LEARNING ENVIRONMENT Other environmentally minded teachers from across the region have a chance to develop their craft at a joint meeting of the Environmental Educators of North Carolina and N.C. Association of Environmental Education Centers, taking place at the N.C. Arboretum Thursday, Feb. 28, to Saturday, March 2. The event provides both classroom teachers and informal educators with the natural skills and knowledge to involve students in citizen science.

“The most empowering thing we can do is to teach children a sense of wonder, to be inspired by the natural realm, to become observers and feel connected with their environment,” says EENC Executive Director Lauren Pyle. “Getting people to have those personal connections with their local environment gets them to understand the science.”

Thursday’s sessions, Pyle says, will focus on techniques such as winter bird and tree identification, salamander monitoring and outdoor photography. Friday will center on different projects that get students doing real science, including the arboretum’s ecoEXPLORE wildlife monitoring program.

More information and registration is available through the EENC website (avl.mx/5pf). EENC members can also apply for mini-grants of up to $250 to support “excellence in environmental education” through March 11 (avl.mx/5pg). X

MOUNTAINX.COM

FEB. 20 - 26, 2019

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WNC

fisrsuaenchise

LINKING UP

Asheville’s complicated relationship with food franchises

BY KIM WINTER MAKO

cians play in local bars, which serve local beer, and it really makes a difference. Franchises and chains don’t enhance community culture. Often, they take away from it, extracting profits and sourcing externally.”

kwint69@hotmail.com Whether you eat it or not, there’s no denying fast food is part of our culture — 40 percent of Americans eat it on an average day, according to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics. This statistic may feel surprising in Asheville, a city that prides itself on its artisan food scene. But it turns out Western North Carolina’s relationship to food franchises is complicated.

TALKING SHOP

LOCALS WEIGH IN Jenny Bunn, who works as marketing director for Asheville Community Theatre, admits, “I have a secret tradition. After opening night post-show parties for ACT, I drive through Taco Bell for two double-decker tacos and a Diet Pepsi.”

Sweeten Creek Location

CLOSING

Come see us before March 30th

BIG CLOSE OUT SALES ALL MONTH LONG! Come see us at our other locations on S. French Broad & in Black Mountain 30

FEB. 20 - 26, 2019

SWEET DREAMS: Ben & Jerry’s co-founders Ben Cohen, left, and Jerry Greenfield, second from right, attended the grand opening of the company’s downtown Asheville franchise early this month. The event raised money for the nonprofit Girls on the Run. “The secret sauce,” says store co-owner Julie Williams, pictured second from left, “is the social mission — giving back to the community.” Also pictured is store co-owner Lineta Pritchard, far right. Photo by The 4th Dimension Photography The habit started when she lived behind a Patton Avenue location of the multinational chain. She has since moved and no longer lives anywhere near a Taco Bell, but still, six times a year after each new show debuts at ACT, she finds one and hits the drive-thru. “I feel guilty because you’re not supposed to eat late, and why didn’t I eat the good food at the party I just left?” she muses. “Sometimes I skip the Diet Pepsi and have a local beer at home. That’s like halfway good, right?”

But Lockie Hunter, co-producer of the “WordPlay” radio show on Asheville FM, says that for ethical reasons, she avoids the temptation. “As a rule, my family doesn’t frequent fast-food places,” she says. “Many have business practices we don’t agree with, including one chain which infamously gives money to anti-LGBTQ organizations. In addition, many chains boast unhealthy packaging practices and food, advertising to low-income communities.”

Local retiree Robert May eats fast food for convenience on his way to meetings. “I don’t feel guilty at all,” he says, noting that he frequents Arby’s, Hardee’s and Dairy Queen.

Local stylist Blue Hughes is vegan and enjoys Taco Bell. “I’m a working mom

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with two small children in car seats. A drive-thru rocks my world,” she says. “I prefer local food. I feel guilty that my boys eat McDonald’s, but it’s convenient.”

She notes that if there was a vegan fast-food eatery that offered toys to young customers as McDonald’s does, she would eat there. “I understand why people want to keep it local, but when you’re tired and hungry, sometimes fast food is just what you need.”

Franzi Charen speaks from the perspective of the Asheville Grown Business Alliance, of which she is founder and director. “We advocate for locally owned independent businesses. We don’t include incorporated franchises. When we talk about ownership, we look at where power lies: the franchisee, which is the businessperson, and franchisor, which is the corporation. We feel most franchises aren’t looking out for the benefit of the local entrepreneur and community over corporate interests.

“I think people fall in love with Asheville because it’s unique and special,” Charen says. “So many places across the nation are becoming Anywhere USA. Local independent businesses preserve our culture. Local restaurants use local farms, local musi-

Yet behind many corporate franchises, there is a human — and very local — face.

After surviving breast cancer, Marcy Gallagher told her husband, “We need to get out of Florida and do something fun.” The couple had spent 20 years working at a large law firm in Fort Lauderdale, she as a paralegal, he as a lawyer, when they decided to move to Asheville, where they opened the downtown Kilwins ice cream and chocolate shop.

They had no business experience, so the franchise model was a perfect fit. Gallagher’s sister owned a Kilwins franchise in Florida. “I learned a little there,” Gallagher says. “I helped on big weekends. I always had fun in my sister’s store.”

Eleven years later, Gallagher still enjoys getting to know customers.

“You meet people from all over the world, locals, too,” she says. “Some work downtown and need a sweet treat or want to take something home to the family. Montford locals often walk to the shop. We’ve owned the business so long, we’ve seen families grow. You can’t put a price on that.”

Gallagher’s business model includes giving back. “We’ve partnered with the Asheville Lyric Opera, Pisgah Legal Services, The Collider, and we give donations,” she says, noting that she also works with local schools, participating in career days and presenting chocolate workshops. “Being part of the community is a major part of what we do,” she says.

Gallagher employs seven to 15 people, depending on the season. For some of the younger staff, this is their first job. “I want to nurture these young people, give them a positive working environment and offer them skills that will be with them the rest of their lives.”

Customers are sometimes surprised to learn Gallagher is the owner. “I’m scooping ice cream, making waffle cones and handing out fudge samples,” she explains. “They ask why I’m working on a Saturday, and I tell them, ’This is my business. I love it.’”

WORK AND PLAY: Asheville Kilwins franchise owner Marcy Gallagher, left, and local clown Ash Devine, right, give a lesson on chocolate at Leicester Elementary School in 2016. Gallagher says giving back to the community is intrinsic to her business model. Photo by Cindy Kunst FROM THE GROUND UP Nick Leatherwood is a hometown success story. Born and raised in Asheville, Leatherwood began his career at Chick-fil-A at Biltmore Square Mall at the age of 16. “I started to get close to a girlfriend. That went south,” he laughs. “I fell in love with Chickfil-A instead.” Twenty-three years later, Leatherwood owns and operates the store on Merrimon Avenue, which grosses $5 million per year.

“Owner-operators may have different leadership styles,” he explains.

“But it’s not like other chains where one owner has 25 stores. Most of us have one store. The most we can have is three.”

His store partners with nonprofits, including the Red Cross and Western North Carolina Rescue Mission, and hosts fundraisers for local schools. And out of about 1,600 Chick-fil-A franchises, Leatherwood’s store is one of 16 that are Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design-certified.

He employs roughly 80 people, and full-time staff members — meaning employees who work 35 hours per week or more — earn a living wage of $13 per hour. But this practice isn’t chainwide, he notes. He and other owner-operators in the Asheville market made this choice together.

“Average wages got us average people,” he says. “We wanted high-caliber people and low turnover, and we got it.”

As the living wage standard increases, he says, he’ll match it.

Regarding the 2012 controversy surrounding statements about gay marriage made by Dan Cathy, son of Chick-fil-A founder S. Truett Cathy,

Leatherwood says, “We’re here to serve all customers with different backgrounds, beliefs, anyone who comes in.

We’re here to serve chicken.

“I believe hard work will get you somewhere,” he says. “I’ve set that precedent in my restaurant. If you come by, you’ll see me working. Truett said, ‘If you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life.’ Honestly, that’s what it is.”

mentality and loyalty, Greenfield says, “I think it’s wonderful that communities are loyal to their local shops.” Cohen adds, “We knew if we were going to expand and end up in other communities, the only way it would make sense would be because of our social mission.”

This year the company is focusing on front-end criminal justice reform and inequalities faced by low-income people and non-Caucasians. “For me, as a customer,” says Cohen, “I like to buy local or from a national company whose values I agree with and that’s using its power to be an advocate for social issues and inequities.” He cites Patagonia clothing company and its advocacy for environmental issues as an example.

At the grand opening, Williams partnered with Girls on the Run, giving out free ice cream to the crowd and donating all tips for half a day. Since the store’s soft opening in August, Williams has partnered with Youth OutRight and Helpmate, and during the recent government shutdown, she gave free ice cream to government employees. A future partnership is planned with Big Brothers Big Sisters. “The secret sauce,“ Williams says, “is the social mission — giving back to the community.” X

LADIES NIGHT

THUR. 2/28 4:30-7:30 pm Enjoy Live Music & Enter to Win a Gift Basket

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THE SCOOP Julie Williams, co-owner of downtown Asheville’s recently opened Ben & Jerry’s Scoop Shop, lives in Waynesville and owns two other Ben & Jerry’s franchises in Tennessee. She loves the beautiful drive between her locations and is an active participant in day-to-day operations.

Before she became an owner in 2001, she worked in health care marketing.

“I used to cry going to work every day.

Now I get to sell ice cream,” she says.

“It’s the happiest job you’ll ever have.”

Like Gallagher, Williams had no prior business experience, so she found the franchise model ideal. She says the franchise owners and the corporate office get along like family.

In early February, Ben & Jerry’s founders Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield were in town for the grand opening of Williams’ store. The famous duo have been friends since seventh grade. “The key to our partnership,” says Greenfield, “is we’ve always been more friends than business partners.

There’s a strong foundation of trust.”

When asked about opening a franchise in a city with such a local-focused

Four locations in the Asheville area to serve you: 1334 Patton Ave. Asheville, NC 28806 Phone: 828-254-4133 168 Tunnel Rd. Asheville, NC 28805 Phone: 828-299-7552 58 Weaver Village Way Weaverville, NC 28787 Phone: 828-519-9050 229 Airport Rd. Arden, NC 28704 Phone: 828-654-9095

Now Hiring Crew Members at all locations!

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FEB. 20 - 26, 2019

31

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SMALL BITES

by Thomas Calder | tcalder@mountainx.com

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Since 2017, Food Waste Reduction and Recovery WNC has held quarterly meetings throughout the the state’s westernmost counties as part of its ongoing mission to unite, educate and support communities in ending food waste and food insecurity. On Saturday, Feb. 23, the group will continue its efforts with a gathering at the N.C. Cooperative Extension Services building in Marshall.

Meg Chamberlain, co-owner of Fermenti and the event’s co-organizer, says the February meeting will pick up where previous conversations left off.

“A lot of what we’ve discussed in the last year has been about composting,” she says. “I’m also a very strong advocate for buying your produce and your food with the intention of fermenting and preserving it.”

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, each year roughly 30-40 percent of the country’s food supply gets tossed into landfills. Meanwhile, an estimated 41 million Americans (including 13 million children) face hunger annually.

These two statistics, notes Chamberlain, fuel much of the organization’s drive.

Jessie Koonz of Beacon of Hope, a nonprofit that offers food and emergency financial assistance to low-income families and individuals in Madison County, will be the event’s guest speaker. The evening will also include a no-waste potluck dinner. Along with shared dishes, guests are encouraged to bring their own plates, containers, eating utensils and napkins.

Chamberlain says she hopes those who attend the event leave “feeling empowered that they can be the change that they want to be.” Ending food waste, she adds, “is not as daunting or as overwhelming as it sometimes may feel. Small efforts, when combined, can add up to big effects.”

The meeting runs 4-6:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 23, at N.C. Cooperative Extension Services, 258 Carolina Lane, Marshall.

The event is free to attend. To learn more, visit avl.mx/5ov.

Food scraps essay contest Speaking of food waste, the Transylvania County Solid Waste Department, in partnership with the Use Food Scraps Symposium, has a question for residents of WNC: How can our communities use food scraps differently to extend the life of our landfills? If you’ve got ideas for solutions, consider entering the group’s essay contest. The competi32

FEB. 20 - 26, 2019

MOUNTAINX.COM

is Thursday, Feb. 28. Contestants need not live in Transylvania County.

Entries must include name, phone number and age category. Submit work via email to kenn.webb@ transylvaniacounty.org or mail/drop off to Transylvania County Landfill, Attn: Kenn Webb, Solid Waste Director, 500 Howell Road, Brevard, NC 28712. For more, visit avl.mx/5oo.

Soul food dinner To honor Black History Month, Hopkins Chapel AME Zion Church will host a soul food dinner on Saturday, Feb. 23. The evening’s theme, Black Migrations in the Asheville Community, will feature a talk by minister and certified life coach Rodney L. Johnson, as well as gospel singing led by Regina Blount and performed by the Mars Hill University Gospel Choir. Menu details were not available at press time.

The program begins at 4 p.m.

Saturday, Feb. 23, at the Delta House of Asheville, 218 S. French Broad Ave. Tickets are $25 for adults and $10 for students ages 10 and younger. To purchase, email hopkinschapel@att.net or call 828-230-9192.

Asheville Pizza Fight

NO SENSE WASTING: Meg Chamberlain, co-owner of Fermenti, says whether you’re a consumer, grocery retail owner or farmer, there are plenty of options to avoid food waste. “Taking vegetables that are near the end of their sellable life span and fermenting them,” she notes, is one such alternative to the landfill. Photo by Daniela Guerrero tion includes categories for ages 9 and younger, 10-15, 16-22, 23-35, and 36 and older. Cash prizes will be awarded to the top three entries per category, with $50 going to the first-place winner. Essays must be 700 words or less. The deadline

Asheville Food Fan Stu Helm will host the Asheville Pizza Fight on Wednesday, Feb. 27, at the Asheville Masonic Temple. The free event will feature 12 local competitors vying for the title of Best Pizza in Asheville. A panel of five judges will determine an overall winner as well as winners in the categories of best cheese and best freestyle. Attendees can purchase slices of the competing pies during the event. All proceeds will benefit the preservation and restoration of the Asheville Masonic Temple’s historic theater backdrops.

The competition runs 1-3 p.m.

Wednesday, Feb. 27, at Asheville Masonic Temple, 80 Broadway. For more, visit avl.mx/5ow.

Community Spotlight Night Southside Rising, a local organization that works to reclaim com-

munity culture in Asheville’s historically African-American Southside neighborhood, will host its inaugural Community Spotlight Night on Wednesday, Feb. 27. The evening will feature soul food prepared by chef Iindia Pearson, along with youth and community open mic performances. Plates are $5.

Community Spotlight Night runs 6-8 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 27, at the Edington Center, 133 Livingston St. For more, visit avl.mx/5ot.

Slow Food Asheville Happy Hour Slow Food Asheville, a local chapter of the international Slow Food movement, will host its first 2019 Happy Hour event at pl ē b urban winery. The event will include free appetizers, a wine tasting and a discussion, as well as a behind-thescenes tour of the facility.

Happy Hour runs 5:30-7 p.m.

Thursday, Feb. 28, at pl ē b urban winery, 289 Lyman St. The event is free to attend. For more information, visit avl.mx/5op.

12 Bones opens new south location For the past two years, 12 Bones has been on the move. Its flagship eatery relocated to The Foundation in the River Arts District in February

2017. And earlier this month, its former Sweeten Creek location moved to Hendersonville Road and is now serving lunch. According to marketing manager Grace McIntire, the South Asheville site is now finalizing its alcohol permit and private event space. The outdoor patio will be available later this spring, and the restaurant’s brewing operation will likely open next month.

The recent government shutdown, McIntire notes, delayed the permitting process.

12 Bones South is at 2350 Hendersonville Road. Hours are 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday; takeout is available 4-6 p.m. TuesdaySaturday. For more information, visit avl.mx/5or.

Breakfast at Benne on Eagle Benne on Eagle, the latest concept from Rhubarb and The Rhu owner and chef John Fleer, is now serving breakfast. Menu highlights include lacy cornmeal pancakes with maple-sorghum syrup and Benne Benedict with Benne Biscuit, Benton’s ham and kitchen pepper hollandaise.

Breakfast runs 7-10:30 a.m. daily at Benne on Eagle, 35 Eagle St. For more information, visit avl.mx/5os. X

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franchise issue

BEER SCOUT

by Edwin Arnaudin | earnaudin@mountainx.com

Choose your own venture With so many businesses in the Asheville-area brewing industry being homegrown institutions, outsiders setting up shop in town are often met with a degree of skepticism from protective, hyperlocal customers.

Such was the case for the father-son team of Brad and Cameron Rogers in early 2018 as they established an Asheville location of The Casual Pint, which at the time had just over 20 other franchises scattered across the country. But as craft beverage fans have gotten to know the loyal locals running the taproom and bottle shop, they’ve embraced the business as the community institution it strives to be.

A former banker, Brad was the chief credit officer for a group that did smallbusiness lending nationwide, and in February 2016, he received a request to finance a Casual Pint store. Already looking for a professional opportunity that he and Cameron, a recent graduate of Appalachian State University, could undertake together, Brad read up on the company. Three months later, he and his wife, Sissy Rogers, signed a franchise agreement, and in February 2018, they opened the store at 1863 Hendersonville Road with Cameron as its manager.

“With the banking background, the operational model was appealing,” Brad says. “Every store learns from the previous one. [Cameron and I] visited about a dozen of them before signing to see how consistent they were. [Cameron] knew beer, I knew business, but neither of us knew about opening and running a business. It’s not easy, but the operational part has made it better.”

Launched in Knoxville, Tenn., in 2011 by another father-son duo, Jon and Nathan Robinette, The Casual Pint opened its first franchise in 2014.

The current network of 28 stores in eight states shares information and advice through an intranet and a monthly owners call.

There are also front-of-house and back-of-house managers for the entire company, so when issues arise, owners can reach out for solutions. The Rogerses pay for access to that communal assistance with a monthly fee.

All Casual Pint franchises feature the same design scheme and use uniform point-of-sale software. They also offer the same menu of six standard bar food items (e.g., chicken wings and pretzels).

34

FEB. 20 - 26, 2019

The Casual Pint and Tasty Beverage Co. take different routes to success

THE GANG’S ALL HERE: Appalachian State University fans enjoy a watch party at The Casual Pint, top, while, bottom, from left, Ashley Blalock, Bryan Smith and Johnny Belflower enjoy a quiet moment at Tasty Beverage Co. Photos courtesy of The Casual Pint and Mike Bromer Otherwise, each location is truly independently owned and operated.

“The events we do, the people we hire, the beer we buy — it’s all our decision,” Cameron says. “But having the support and the system is a big help.”

He and his father considered World of Beer and The Brass Tap beer bars, but both franchises involve a full restaurant, and the Rogerses wanted to foremost run a beer store. The freedom to customize the space and tailor the 35 taps and wall of packaged beer to their customers’ preferences was likewise appealing.

In the same way they gradually overcame patrons’ false assumptions that they are from Knoxville, the Rogerses maneuvered stigmas in working with local breweries. One such success story is their account with Burial Beer Co., which took six to eight months to establish.

“It took some of their people coming out here and seeing what we do,” Cameron says. “Some people will look at a franchise and just say, ‘I’m not going there because it’s not local.’ But people who come in here typically don’t leave with something negative to say.”

DOOR NO. 2 While the operational box of The Casual Pint gives the Rogerses the confi-

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dence to run their store, Brad applauds entrepreneurs like Johnny Belflower, owner of Tasty Beverage Co., who are willing to strike out on their own.

Belflower opened his first bottle shop in Raleigh in 2011, and as the business grew to where expansion made sense, he opted to build a second store in Asheville rather than go the franchise route.

“Most weeks, I spend at least eight hours in the car and am working a couple of days at both shops,” Belflower says. “I often answer ‘Where do you live?’ jokingly with, ‘In my car on I-40 around Statesville.’”

Drawn to a brewing community that he calls “second to none,” Belflower opened Tasty’s Coxe Avenue store just in time for AVL Beer Week 2015.

Overall, he feels his business has been embraced in much the same way as the additional locations of Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., New Belgium Brewing Co. and White Labs. Many of his weekly customers were born and raised in the area, and a good number of regulars work at local breweries.

“I didn’t personally experience any backlash from residents or breweries over Tasty Asheville being our second location, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t people out there with those sentiments,” Belflower says. “I

think most people understand how exceedingly different the implications are between Tasty Beverage Co. coming to town, compared to a corporation like Anthropologie or Ben & Jerry’s.”

Regarding franchises within his industry, Belflower is familiar with The Casual Pint and has visited a few Craft Beer Cellar locations.

“I thought they all were well-run shops and elevated the craft beer industry,” he says. “I’m glad we didn’t choose that route for growth, but I’m not going to knock them for it either.”

Belflower adds that he supports Unchain Asheville’s mission, and with the exception of “an unhealthy addiction to Bojangles,” he almost exclusively shops and dines at independent businesses.

“The Asheville store’s revenue is reinvested as locally as every other local business, and our profits will never leave the city,” he says. X

BREW HORIZONS BEER FESTIVAL The inaugural Brew Horizons Beer Festival is set for Saturday, Feb. 23, at the U.S. Cellular Center.

It’s presented by the nonprofit Green Built Alliance, which also produces Asheville’s Ciderfest NC event. Proceeds will help fund the group’s Blue Horizons Project clean energy resource hub.

The festival will feature about 20 Western North Carolina breweries and cideries along with live music and food vendors. Asheville-based breweries compose roughly half of the current lineup, though regional operations rarely seen on the local front — including 7 Clans Brewing of Cherokee, Currahee Brewing Co. of Franklin and Mica Town Brewing Co. of Marion — will also be in attendance. Mead maker Wehrloom Honey of Robbinsville is also on board, as is Asheville ginger beer brewery Ginger’s Revenge. Tickets and further information are available at brewhorizonsbeerfest.com.

— Tony Kiss X

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

WORLD-CLASS SHOWS, HOMETOWN FEEL The Center for Art & Inspiration opens in Hendersonville

BY ALLI MARSHALL amarshall@mountainx.com The new Center for Art & Inspiration — slated to open in downtown Hendersonville on Saturday, Feb. 23 — might seem like an ambitious vision. And it is: Along with theatrical productions, the event space offers murder mystery dinners, programming for children, a Malaprop’s bookstore pop-up, the Artful Cup Coffee Bar and more. “It’s something I’ve always wanted to do: Create a place for people to get together and experience entertainment,” says founder Jeanie Linders. “I wanted a place that would create a sense of community.”

Linders previously lived and worked in Tucson, Ariz., and Orlando, Fla. She toured extensively with her show, Menopause: The Musical, and started visiting friends in Asheville 10 years ago. “I was always looking to live in a small arts community,” she says. But, having chosen to live in Hendersonville, she adds, “I wanted to be able to experience first-class entertainment without having to go into Asheville.”

Linders was already at work developing her vision in a different Hendersonville location but learned she wouldn’t be able to get the necessary permits. Around the same time, Flatrock Playhouse’s former Playhouse Downtown space on South Main Street became available, and Linder’s staff encouraged her to look at it.

“It’s one of those things where the universe watches out for you,” she says. “I called the owner [of the South Main Street property] and said we’d start in January.”

She adds, “The thing about this space is there’s no limit to what we can do.”

The center’s grand opening features Subway Therapy movement creator and author Matthew “Levee” Chavez.

“Subway Therapy is an immersive and interactive work aiming to help people smile, laugh and feel less stress,” Chavez explains in a press

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ACTION-PACKED: Beyond a busy schedule of theatrical shows and musical revues, The Center for Art & Inspiration will also offer art classes, storytelling events, a bookstore and coffee shop and more. “The thing about this space is there’s no limit to what we can do,” says founder Jeanie Linders, seated center, with center staff members, from left, Melanie McNair, Paul Vis, Jimmy Ferraro, Kathy Wuttke and Andy Fiacco.

Photo courtesy of the center release. “It’s about peaceful expression and being part of a vibrant and diverse community.”

Following the 2016 presidential election, Chavez invited commuters

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in New York City’s Union Square subway station to jot their thoughts on sticky notes, creating an organic installation on the subway walls.

Visitors to The Center for Art &

Inspiration’s opening can add their ideas to a similar project.

More community-based art is in the works. “When Flatrock was here, the space wasn’t open all the

time,” Linders says. The Center for Art & Inspiration will hold regular daytime hours because “what we’re creating is a destination on the south end. So even if we don’t have a show going on at the time, there will be a lot more going on.”

Three art classes are already on the schedule, as is 2nd Sundays — a Chautauqua-type event — and the Hendo Story Club, similar to popular storytelling competition The Moth. And there will be books.

Melanie McNair, the center’s executive director, is serving as the liaison between Malaprop’s Bookstore/Cafe in Asheville and the bookstore pop-up at The Center for Art & Inspiration. She brings her expertise from her former role as director of marketing and events and assistant manager of Malaprop’s. She relocated to Hendersonville last summer to focus on the new center.

Hendersonville is “a market that is really happy a bookstore is coming back,” she says. Since Fountainhead Books, formerly on Main Street, closed a few years ago, independent bookstore options have been limited.

The pop-up at the center will take up a corner of the lobby with seven bays of books and additional displays. Customers will be able to order whatever titles they want — “We’ll be doing an inventory exchange with the main store as well,” McNair notes. As far as what will be on the shelves, “Because we’re in The Center for Art & Inspiration, we’ll curate the collection so it focuses on creativity and art. We’ll also have a good selection of fiction, natural history and a regional section.”

While some genres, such as graphic novels, might be limited, “We’ll have at least something for every reader,” says McNair, though,

“we are going to leave off the political science books.”

While Linders makes clear that The Center for Art & Inspiration is not affiliated with Flatrock Playhouse, nor is it similar in scope, it does continue an initiative of theater in downtown Hendersonville.

“It’s great to be able to bring in people who’ve toured around the world,” Linders says. Her work with Menopause: The Musical, as well as a background in entertainment marketing and management and the production of multistage festivals, has resulted in a list of contacts from which to draw.

Upcoming offerings include some larger productions such as ABBA tribute show ABBA Mania and the 1940s musical revue In the Mood, both of which will be staged at Blue Ridge Community College’s Bo Thomas Auditorium.

Those are big moves for the new initiative, but Linders seems equally excited by the small touches that The Center for Art & Inspiration will offer, such as a specialty coffee through a partnership with Independent Beans Roasters, in the Artful Cup Coffee Bar. “I’ve done a lot of things in my life,” she says. “I’ve worked with Michael Jackson! But I never had my own coffee blend.” X

WHAT Grand opening of The Center for Art & Inspiration WHERE 125 S. Main St. Hendersonville thecenterai.com WHEN Saturday, Feb. 23, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

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FEB. 20 - 26, 2019

37

A& E

by Bill Kopp

bill@musoscribe.com

CLAIMING HIS INHERITANCE Former Goodies bassist Alias Patrick Kelly returns to Asheville

2019

issues

publish

March 13th & 20th Contact us today! advertise@mountainx.com 38

FEB. 20 - 26, 2019

Patrick Kelly was a longtime fixture of the Asheville music scene back in the days when one could argue there really wasn’t much of a scene. As bassist for The Goodies, Kelly helped deliver a cabaret-flavored rock vibe to the Western North Carolina mountains. Today he’s back where he started, in Atlanta, and his original material — created using the name Alias Patrick Kelly — leans in a more Americana direction. But the lessons he learned decades ago inform his current project. In support of his new EP, An Unclaimed Inheritance, Alias Patrick Kelly plays Isis Music Hall on Wednesday, Feb. 27.

Kelly’s previous release, Corruptibility Index, had a strong rock feel and showcased a carefully layered production aesthetic. But the new EP is less adorned and draws from the heartlandtwang end of the musical pool, with a sound that, in places, recalls Jason and the Scorchers. “I was trying to be myself as much as I could be, really,” Kelly says. “I had a pile of songs to choose from, and I wanted to do something that I could turn around really quick.”

He admits that he’s been on a bit of Bruce Springsteen kick lately — “Nebraska is a top-five, all-time favorite record for me,” he says — and that no-nonsense approach to recordmaking influenced the creation of An Unclaimed Inheritance.

“I had this little group of songs that were all kind of acoustic-based, but I didn’t want to just put out a plain acoustic record,” Kelly explains.

“I’m more ambitious with my instrumentation and arrangements.” As he began to put together the songs for the EP, he realized that a theme had developed. “They all seemed to live in the same spot, and almost every song had some kind of family-esque or companionship and friendship thing. They all just made sense together,” he says.

While there’s nothing at all pretentious about Kelly or his new EP, the artist does acknowledge an affinity for albums built around a common thematic foundation. “I like to group songs together,” Kelly says. “I like full albums. The last thing I want to be is a guy just doing one single at a time on Spotify with no direction other than a single song.

“I like movies, not 30-minute sitcoms,” he quips.

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OLD BOY: A fixture of the late 1990s Asheville music scene, former Goodies bassist Patrick Kelly has carved out his own musical persona. Touring in support of his new EP, An Unclaimed Inheritance, he’ll play a show at Isis Music Hall on Feb. 27. Photo by Jim Johnson But Kelly didn’t sit down to write a half-dozen songs that hung together thematically. That happened organically, as the result of where he found himself in life. “I’d gotten married about three years ago, and I became a stepfather all of a sudden,” he says.

“All that was new to me. I was definite-

ly feeling the gravity of that because it’s something you have to take seriously.”

One of the EP’s tracks deals with the challenges of writing in a creatively unencouraging environment. “That one’s about wanting to move out of the townhouse we live in outside of Atlanta,” Kelly says with a wry laugh.

“As a songwriter, it’s not the most conducive place to work on material. So it’s about ‘Get me the hell out of here,’ which we still haven’t done yet.”

Though he’s settled in Atlanta, Kelly looks back fondly upon his time in the Asheville music community. He started playing with The Goodies when he was 19 and says that the experience taught him a lot about music and songwriting. He says that Goodies frontman Holiday Childress — who is still based in Asheville — was a major influence on his own songwriting.

“We were roommates for, like, five years,” he says. “I was sitting there in the room when he was writing [those songs]. I would ask him questions like, ‘Why’d you scratch that out and put that there instead?’ More than anything, the thing I learned from him was what not to use and why.”

Kelly has plenty of amusing stories from his Asheville days. “I fell down the stairs going to the bathroom at Be Here Now, covered in melted snow,” he recalls with a laugh. “I just slipped!

There was a line of girls at the bottom of the stairs, and right when I hit the bottom step, they were all gasping. I looked up and said, ‘I’ve fallen for all of you.’ Half of them thought it was

funny and charming, and a couple of them gave me a scowl because they thought I was some drunk a**hole. I wasn’t even drunk yet!”

He’s looking forward to returning to his old stomping grounds for the Isis show. “It’s my first trip up there playing by myself,” Kelly says.“It’s tricky. No one knows who I am. I think the thing that got my foot in the door was when I said, ‘Yeah, I was in The Goodies for 20-plus years.’ That certainly helped.”

But he’s realistic about how far that association gets him. “If I suck, they’ll never book me again,” he says with a laugh. X

WHO Alias Patrick Kelly WHERE Isis Music Hall 745 Haywood Road isisasheville.com WHEN Wednesday, Feb. 27, at 7 p.m., $10

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39

A& E

by Jeannie Regan

jeannieregan.mail@gmail.com

‘DEFIANTLY HOPEFUL’ BeLoved Asheville’s new gallery offers visibility to underserved artists

ART FOR EVERYONE: Printmaker and photographer Ponkho Bermejo, center left, is pictured working with cultural art and youth initiative Proud to Be Brown, a program of Beloved Asheville. Bermejo is also the curator of the new outdoor gallery space BeLoved Gallery, which is currently showing its inaugural exhibition Unveiling. Photo courtesy of Amy Cantrell and BeLoved Asheville Printmaker and photographer Ponkho Bermejo is the curator of the new outdoor gallery space — the BeLoved Gallery — in BeLoved Asheville’s Liberation Station community center at 10 N. Market St. “We want to create art to make people feel something,” Bermejo says.

“We are trying to bring conscience to the city through our art and, through our actions, to create a change.”

The gallery will host a Black History Month and Afro/Latinx Art celebration on Thursday, Feb. 21.

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The event includes music by DJ Malinalli and light hors d’oeuvres at 5:30 p.m. followed by the unveiling of the work “Rising of the Ancestors”

by Harry Rivera, an artist talk by Bermejo, a documentary film screening and a panel discussion featuring Rivera, Bermejo and Carmen RamosKennedy, President of the AshevilleBuncombe County NAACP. Bermejo’s screen-printed works are on par with the smooth, popculture cachet of Shepard Fairey, and brings a much-needed Latinx

perspective to Asheville. “Latinx people have been in Asheville for a long time — we are the people making your food, washing your dishes, building the new hotels,” Bermejo says. “But we are not visible, we are not heard.” His work speaks not just of the present moment but also of pre-colonial history and indigenous culture. Draped across a window view of downtown Asheville, Bermejo’s repeated “Coatlicue” print on repurposed bedsheets honors the strength and beauty of aban-

Wintertime Special !! doned and suppressed objects and traditions. The work forms a visual mass reminiscent of papel picado — traditional paper-cut garlands of Mexican folk art.

Currently on display in the BeLoved Gallery, Unveiling is Rise Up Studio Collective’s first exhibition at the newly renovated gallery space, on view through Friday, March 15. Featured artists, along with Bermejo and Rivera, include Adrienne Sigmon, James Gambrell, Edwin Salas Acosta, Sunni Morgan, Courtney M., Jimi Mead, Jesse Smith and Tim Clark.

The collected works in Unveiling investigate the intersections of identity and mythology, and of place and politics. It’s raw, contemporary and hyperlocal work that speaks to what it is to exist in a heavily divided and exclusionary city, famed for art but increasingly hostile to artists.

“Asheville is hard for artists to make a life,” Bermejo says. “People without money and without opportunities or the right network can’t have exhibitions and show their work. BeLoved gives local people that opportunity.”

The new BeLoved Gallery adjoins the Rise Up Studio Collective’s art studio and the BeLoved community space. Artists work in close proximity, sharing techniques and materials and often repurposing and reclaiming materials in ingenious ways.

“We’re proving that nothing is trash, that everything can be turned into a piece of art if you have the creativity to do it,” Bermejo says. Rise Up Studio Collective repurposes and salvages materials and equipment and uses donated art supplies.

The Rise Up Studio Collective was formed in the summer of 2013 in response to the city of Asheville’s policy of confiscating and destroying artwork offered for sale in public spaces by street artists, says selfdescribed “undercover pastor” and

BeLoved community collaborator the Rev. Amy Cantrell. Cantrell saw that these artists were being denied what was often their only means of financial support and their method of self-expression. “In all my years in Asheville, public space has been contested,” she says. “If you don’t fall into a moneyed column, public space is not for you. Street and starving artists are pushed out.” Rise Up Studio Collective gives artists a space to make and store work and access to art materials, as well as the time and safety necessary to experiment and evolve artistically.

“Rise Up Studio artists bring the power of their insights, creativity and knowledge into their work,” says Cantrell. “Their art is gutsy and beautiful, just like their lives. By doing art in community with a purpose, they are fashioning art and life in this city in brave new ways that dare to be defiantly hopeful.” Rise Up is open to anyone in the community who does not have access to space and supplies to create their art.

In addition to an art studio and gallery, BeLoved offers workshops, wellness classes, documentary screenings, community meals, a trained street medic team, a Kid’s Justice League and a host of other activities and resources. X

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WHAT Black History Month and Afro/Latinx Art celebration WHERE BeLoved Gallery 10 N. Market St. Third floor belovedasheville.com WHEN Thursday, Feb. 21, 5:30 p.m.

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Funk Bandits, (Aaron Mills & Kevin Collins), 8pm

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CommUNITY Salsa/Latin Night w/ DJ Edi Fuentes, 9:30pm Salsa Lessons at 9pm, included in cover

39 S. Market St., Asheville, NC 28801 254-9277 • theblockoffbiltmore.com MOUNTAINX.COM

FEB. 20 - 26, 2019

41

SMART BETS

A&E

by Edwin Arnaudin | Send your arts news to ae@mountainx.com

Emily Easterly, Minorcan and Nikki and the Phantom Callers As the year’s second month enters its final days, a trio of Southeastern rock groups takes to The Odditorium stage on Saturday, Feb. 23. On the bill is Asheville-based Emily Easterly, whose dark yet energetic studio songs — including the sonically rich summer 2018 singles “Yellow Leaves” and “Put on a Show” — will be translated to the live setting with help from a full backing band. Rounding out the night are fellow locals Minorcan, who’ve been tapped to open for Ex Hex at The Grey Eagle in early May, and Atlantabased Nikki and the Phantom Callers, who specialize in modern country-tinged rock with nods to ’60s influences. The music begins at 9 p.m. $5. ashevilleodditorium.com.

Photo of Easterly courtesy of the musician

Mike Doughty Not to get all existential or anything, but 25 years have passed since the alternative rockers of Soul Coughing released their debut LP, Ruby Vroom.

To celebrate the milestone, frontman Mike Doughty is hitting the road with a cellist, bassist and guitarist, and performing the album in its original sequence. Counteracting the potential monotony of such an undertaking, Doughty plans to implement cues and hand gestures to vary what he views as “a single, hourlong piece of music” in real time. “I’m very proud of the record we made — it’s the sonic embodiment of lower Manhattan in the early 1990s,” he says. “Yet there’s a whole other version of this record that lives in my head. I’m extremely excited to see how it evolves night after night.” The Grey Eagle iteration on Saturday, Feb. 23, will be preceded by a 9 p.m. set from “Teenage Dirtbag” rockers Wheatus. $20. thegreyeagle.com. Photo by Ben Staley

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We Insist!

Considered a groundbreaking work of the civil rights era, legendary jazz drummer Max Roach’s Freedom Now Suite was recorded in the summer of 1960, just over a month after the sit-in movement desegregated the Woolworth’s lunch counter in Greensboro. Unapologetically political, the composition begins with the slave chants of “Driva’ Man” and closes in Africa with “Tears for Johannesburg,” weaving in the powerful vocals of Roach’s partner Abbey Lincoln along the way. Under the title We Insist!, Black Mountain College Museum + Arts Center hosts a restaging of the work by the New York City/Philadelphia-based Fresh Cut Orchestra with Melanie Charles handling the singing. Performances take place Friday, Feb. 22, and Saturday, Feb. 23, at 7 p.m. $10-20 suggested donation. blackmountaincollege.org. Photo of Melanie Charles by Sean Pressley

Keep Asheville Beard With the creative arts event Xpand Fest now entering its third year in downtown Asheville, the minds behind Xpand look to grow their offerings with Keep Asheville Beard. The inaugural competition and fundraiser takes place Sunday, Feb. 24, 1-6 p.m. at the Hi-Wire Brewing Big Top. Categories include Natural Beard, Groomed Beard and Mustache, plus a Freestyle competition in which women and transgender folks are encouraged to partake.

A panel of local hair experts and business owners will select winners in each category, and a Beard Czar will also be crowned and receive special privileges for all Xpand events in 2019. Proceeds support Xpand’s efforts “to uplift the creative economy through education/consultations, access to market, networking and community events.” $5. xpandbrand. org. Photo courtesy of event organizers

THEATER REVIEW

by Kai Elijah Hamilton | kaielijahhamilton@gmail.com

‘The Gin Game’ at HART Theatre

HOUSE OF CARDS: Judy Dybwad and David Spivey star in Donald L. Coburn’s masterpiece The Gin Game. Photo courtesy of HART Theatre When life deals you a bad hand, you’ve still got to learn to play the game. The deck is all shuffled and the stage is set for Donald L. Coburn’s masterpiece The Gin Game at HART Theatre’s Feichter Studio, showing through Sunday, Feb. 24.

Two elderly residents, Weller Martin (played by David Spivey) and Fonsia Dorsey (Judy Dybwad), meet on the sun porch of their run-down nursing home.

When Weller invites Fonsia to his lonely card table to teach her how to play gin rummy, they ruminate over their families, their pasts and their current living conditions. However, their card game quickly develops into a match of wits, and Fonsia becomes fearful of the insecure Weller when her continuous triumphs send him into hysterics.

The Gin Game was chosen as the Pulitzer Prize for Drama winner of 1978. It is perhaps best remembered as being portrayed on Broadway by Hume Cronyn and Jessica Tandy. Tandy would go on to win the Tony Award for playing Fonsia.

Coburn’s script is still as edgy and fascinatingly minimalistic as it ever was.

This is not an easy accomplishment considering the play’s card game is a metaphor on the challenges of aging.

The continuous games between the two

characters are basically all the action we get, and it becomes entrancing. It is easily one of the best-written plays in the last 50 years.

Needless to say, Spivey and Dybwad have a lot to live up to. There is an inherent connection between them from the very beginning. Both characters meet in disheveled loungewear, allowing for a glimpse of each other at their lowest point. As a bond begins to form between the characters, the costumes make it feel as if they are playing dress-up for each other, despite their dismal surroundings. However, this does cause the scene changes to run too long.

Dybwad has the more ambiguous character. She is a woman holding onto something secret, possibly a manipulative past. Dybwad’s astute portrayal serves the production well. The delivery of her random curse words is effective when provoked by Weller’s blatant potty mouth.

Spivey is wonderful as the hardedged man who seems to be losing touch with himself. When his face becomes flushed, we feel his inner emotion. The play’s message is nicely highlighted in his simple line, “I guess we just lived too long, Fonsia.”

Amazingly, the acting duo directed this production together with some

help by Shelia Sumpter. While this certainly helped structure an emotional connection, it might not have brought the most interesting vision to the piece.

Certain moments of sustained fear and anger, especially at the end of Act 1, need more fluidity. However, these two great veteran actors are capable of adding the necessary intensity. They are entertaining to watch.

The Gin Game resounds with witty humor by poking fun at the matters of aging. It then cleverly challenges our comfort zone with deep drama, scolding us for making light of such a serious subject. X

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A & E CALENDAR ART 310 ART 191 Lyman St., #310, 828-776-2716, 310art.com • MONDAYS, 9:30am12:30pm or 1-4pm - Marvelous Mondays, beginner and up, includes watercolor, oils, acrylics, drawing and mixed media.

Registration required. $27 and up.

BUNCOMBE COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARIES buncombecounty.org/ governing/depts/library • SA (2/23), 2-3:30pm - Learn to paint watercolor skies. Registration required. Ages 15 to adult. Free. Held at Skyland/South Buncombe Library, 260 Overlook Road • 4th TUESDAYS, 6-8pm - “Sit-n-Stitch,” informal, self-guided gathering for knitters and crocheters.

Held at North Asheville Library, 1030 Merrimon Ave.

FIRST CITIZENS BANK 539 N. Main St., Hendersonville • FR (2/15) through FR (2/22) - The Art of Our Children elementary student exhibition.

Reception: Friday, Feb. 15, 5-6:30pm.

Ballroom. (2) Country Dance, Friday February 22, 7-10:30pm, Asheville Ballroom. (3) East Coast Swing 2-hour class, Saturday, February 23, 12-2pm at Grey Eagle.

Information and registration: 828-333-0715 • www.Danceforlife.net

FIRST CONGREGATIONAL UCC OF HENDERSONVILLE 1735 5th Ave. W., Hendersonville, 828-692-8630, fcchendersonville.org • TH (2/21), 10am Ikenobo Ikebana Society, Blue Ridge Chapter, monthly meeting. Free.

• SU (2/24), 3pm Weekly Adult Forum: When your Art is your Prayer: Seeing your Art as your Soul's Deepest Prayer by Larry Anderson. Free.

MIDWINTER PICK-ME-UP: Pan Harmonia presents a midwinter chamber music program featuring French composers Maurice Ravel, André Caplet, Benjamin Godard and Philippe Gaubert.

The concert was designed as a midwinter lift and appropriately named, Joie de vivre, a French phrase often used to express a cheerful enjoyment of life. Chamber music was all the rage in the 19th and early 20th centuries, incorporating texts from notable playwrights with melodies borrowed from the Far East to blues and jazz, filling the intimate parlors of modest and wealthy homes. Two performances with Brittnee Siemon, mezzo-soprano, Kate Steinbeck on flute and Grace Lee on piano take place this week and include a midday concert with a light reception on Friday, Feb. 22, at 12:30 p.m. at St. Philip’s Episcopal Church in Brevard and Sunday, Feb. 24, at 3 p.m. at Oakley United Methodist Church in Asheville. Tickets are $20 in advance, $25 at the door and $5 for students 26 and younger and active military. Photo of mezzo-soprano Brittnee Siemon courtesy of Lynn Wayne (p. 44)

FOLK ART CENTER MP 382, Blue Ridge Parkway, 828-298-7928, craftguild.org • 4th TUESDAYS, 10am - Meeting of Asheville Chapter #74

of Ikebana International.

February meeting, Ikenobo Freestyle with Kitchen Utensils. Free to attend.

HAYWOOD COUNTY LIBRARY-CANTON 11 Pennsylvania Ave., Canton, 828-648-2924, haywoodlibrary.org • Through (3/31) - Russell Wyatt photography. Free.

• Through (3/31) - Ashley Calhoun paintings. Free.

HORSE + HERO 14 Patton Ave., 828-505-2133 • FR (2/22) - Maxx Feist, self-taught artist from Asheville, shows painted works on paper. Free to attend.

Thanks, Asheville!

VOTED BEST INDIAN EVERY YEAR SINCE 2006

melaasheville.com 70 N. LEXINGTON AVENUE 828.225.8880 44

FEB. 20 - 26, 2019

REVOLVE 521 Riverside Drive, #179, revolveavl.org/ • SU (2/24), 7pm - Deep Thaw, performance and installation by Blazaae Collective. Free to attend.

TRYON FINE ARTS CENTER 34 Melrose Ave., Tryon, 828-859-8322, tryonarts.org

MOUNTAINX.COM

• 2nd and 4th TUESDAYS, 10:30am - 2nd Tuesday features a lecture on music

by Dr. Elizabeth Child.

4th Tuesday discuss great works of art. Registration required. Free.

music and refreshments.

Free to attend. Held in Downtown Brevard

WAYNESVILLE BRANCH OF HAYWOOD COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 678 S. Haywood St., Waynesville, 828-452-5169 • Through (3/31) - Linda Blount paintings. Free.

• Through (3/31) - Patty Johnson Coulter drawings.

Free.

• Through (3/31) - Jason Woodard paintings. Free.

• Through (3/31) - Molly Harrington-Weaver paintings. Free.

BREVARD LITTLE THEATRE 55 E. Jordan St., Brevard, 828-884-2587, TheBrevardLittleTheatre. org • SA (2/23), 2-4pm Auditions for Play On! Show runs weekends April 12-28.

ART/CRAFT STROLLS & FAIRS TRANSYLVANIA COMMUNITY ARTS COUNCIL 349 S. Caldwell St., Brevard, 828-884-2787, tcarts.org • 4th FRIDAYS, 5-8pm Brevard 4th Friday gallery walk with open galleries, art stores, restaurants, live

AUDITIONS & CALL TO ARTISTS

TRYON LITTLE THEATER 516 S. Trade St., Tryon, 828-859-2466, tltinfo.org • MO (2/25), 7pm Auditions for Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, directed by Chris Tinkler. Show runs April 25-28 and May 2-4.

DANCE 3 NEW DANCE EVENTS THIS WEEK (PD.) (1) 6-Week dance class, Nightclub-Two starting Feb 20, 7-8pm, Asheville

DIANA WORTHAM THEATRE 18 Biltmore Ave., 828257-4530, dwtheatre.com • WE (2/20) & TH (2/21) - Momix’ Opus Cactus dance performance.

Wed.: 8pm. Thur.: 10am & 8pm. $20-$60.

FOLKMOOT FRIENDSHIP CENTER 112 Virginia Ave., Waynesville, 828-4522997, folkmoot.org • MONDAYS through (2/25), 6-7:30pm Ballroom dance lessons.

Registration required. $10.

MONTFORD COMMUNITY CENTER 34 Pearson Drive • SA (2/23), 2:30-5:30pm - Line Dancing Party open to all dancers and non-dancers. $10.

OLD FARMER'S BALL oldfarmersball.com • THURSDAYS, 8-11pm - Old Farmers Ball, contra dance. $7/$6 members/$1 Warren Wilson Community. Held in Bryson Gym at Warren Wilson College, 701 Warren Wilson Road, Swannanoa STEPHENS LEE RECREATION CENTER 30 George Washington Carver Ave. • THURSDAYS, noon1pm - Improver contemporary line dancing. $5.

• THURSDAYS, 1:302:30pm - Beginner contemporary line dancing. $5.

MUSIC AFRICAN DRUM LESSONS AT SKINNY BEATS DRUM SHOP (PD.) Wednesdays 6pm. Billy Zanski teaches a fun approach to connecting with your inner rhythm.

Drop-ins welcome. • Drums provided. $15/ class. (828) 768-2826. skinnybeatsdrums.com

ASHEVILLE DRUM CIRCLE • FRIDAYS, 6-9:50pm Asheville outdoor drum circle. Free. Held at Pritchard Park, 4 College St. ASHEVILLE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA 828-254-7046, ashevillesymphony.org • SA (2/23), 8pm "Masterworks 5," orchestral concert with violinist Alexi Kenney and featuring works

by Kodaly, Dvorak and Beethoven. $24 and up.

Held at Thomas Wolfe Auditorium, 87 Haywood St. BIG WILLOW COMMUNITY BUILDING Willow Road, Hendersonville • FR (2/22), 7-9pm - Ole Tyme Pickers for Friday Bluegrass. Free.

BLACK MOUNTAIN COLLEGE MUSEUM & ARTS CENTER 120 College St., 828-350-8484, blackmountaincollege. org • FR (2/22) & SA (2/23), 7pm - Restaging of We Insist! Max Roach’s Freedom Now Suite, a recording from the civil rights era. $20.

BUNCOMBE COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARIES buncombecounty.org/ governing/depts/library • WE (2/20) & (2/27), 3pm - Ukulele jam, all levels. Free. Held at Weaverville Public Library, 41 N. Main St., Weaverville DIANA WORTHAM THEATRE 18 Biltmore Ave., 828257-4530, dwtheatre. com • SA (2/23), 8pm - Asleep At The Wheel's 'String Band Tour.' $30-$40.

• TH (2/28), 8pm -Eileen Ivers and the Universal Roots, Celtic tradition and North American roots music. $20-$60.

OLLI AT UNCA 828-251-6140, olliasheville.com • WE (2/20), noon Midday music concert with Pan Harmonia. Free.

Held at UNC-Asheville Reuter Center, 1 Campus View Road

PAN HARMONIA 828-254-7123, panharmonia.org • FR (2/22), 12:30pm - Joie de Vivre, music of France with Brittnee Siemon, mezzo-soprano, Kate Steinbeck, flute and Grace Lee, piano. $20/$5 student, active military.

Held at St. Philip’s Episcopal Church, 256 E. Main St., Brevard • SU (2/24), 3pm - Joie de Vivre, music of France with Brittnee Siemon, mezzo-soprano, Kate Steinbeck, flute and Grace Lee, piano. $20/$5 student, active military.

Held at Oakley United Methodist Church, 607 Fairview Road REVOLVE 521 Riverside Drive, #179, revolveavl.org/ • FR (2/22), 7:30-9:30pm - An evening of Scottish songs and folk tunes by Alan Reid and Rob Van Sante. $20.

• SU (2/24), 7pm - Deep Thaw, performance and installation by Blazaae Collective. Free to attend.

SLY GROG LOUNGE 271 Haywood St., 828552-3155, slygrog.wordpress.com/ • SUNDAYS, 7pm - Open-mic for storytellers, poets, musicians and all kinds of performance artists. Sign ups at 6:30pm. Free to attend.

THE WCU BARDO ARTS CENTER 199 Centennial Drive, Cullowhee, 828-2272479, wcu.edu/ bardo-arts-center/ • TH (2/21), 7:30pm - The US Navy’s wind ensemble includes 56 performers on flute, oboe, clarinet, saxophone, bassoon, trumpet, horn, euphonium, trombone, tuba, string bass, harp and percussion. Reservations required. Free.

• SA (2/23), 3pm Friends of the Arts Annual Friend-Raising concert with Jim Witter and his band. Free.

TRYON THEATRE 45 S Trade St, Tryon, 828-859-6811, tryontheatre.com/ • SU (2/24), 7pm - Rich Nelson Band rock concert. $5.

GALLERY DIRECTORY SPOKEN & WRITTEN WORD 35BELOW 35 E. Walnut St., 828-2541320, ashevilletheatre.org • TH (2/28), 7:30pm 'Listen to This: Stories on Stage,' stories and songs. $15.

BUNCOMBE COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARIES buncombecounty.org/ governing/depts/library • Through (2/28) - Write a love note about your library to send to the County Commissioners.

All materials provided.

Free. Held at Black Mountain Library, 105 N Dougherty St, Black Mountain • WE (2/20), 3pm History Book Club: Genghis: Birth of an Empire by Conn Iggulden. Free. Held at Enka-Candler Library, 1404 Sandhill Road, Candler • WE (2/20), 3pm - New Book Club at the Black Mountain Library. Free.

Held at Black Mountain Library, 105 N Dougherty St, Black Mountain • TH (2/21), 2:30pm Skyland Book Club: The Last Ballad by Wiley Cash.

Free. Held at Skyland/ South Buncombe Library, 260 Overlook Road • SA (2/23), 2pm Kenneth Janken, professor of African American and Diaspora studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, discusses his many books including The Wilmington Ten: Violence, Injustice, and the Rise of Black Politics in the 1970s. Free.

Held at Pack Memorial Library, 67 Haywood St. • MO (2/25), 2pm - Local history presentation

by Sandra Samz of the Old Buncombe County Genealogical Society.

Free. Held at Skyland/ South Buncombe Library, 260 Overlook Road • TH (2/28), 11am-4pm - Wikipedia Edit-a-Thon: Contribute to and correct the record for people of color who have impacted our local history.

Provided: tools, guidance and research material to create and edit entries for African-American figures from our area. Free. Held

at Pack Memorial Library, 67 Haywood St. DOWNTOWN BOOKS & NEWS 67 N. Lexington Ave., 828-348-7615, downtownbooksandnews.com • FR (2/22), 7pm - Juniper Bend's relaunch and winter reading features Brandon Amico, Alli Marshall and Brit Washburn. Free to attend.

HABITAT TAVERN & COMMONS 174 Broadway, habitatbrewing.com • LAST MONDAYS, 7:30pm - Spoken word open mic, hosted by David Joe Miller. Sign-ups at 7pm. Free to attend.

HAYWOOD COUNTY ARTS COUNCIL 86 N Main St., Waynesville, 828-4520593, haywoodarts.org/ • SA (2/23), 2pm - Gallery Talk featuring Thomas Thibeault author of The Man Who Stole Himself, a Black History Month event. Free.

MALAPROP'S BOOKSTORE AND CAFE 55 Haywood St., 828-2546734, malaprops.com • WE (2/20), 6pm - Marla Hardee Milling presents her book, Wicked Asheville. Free to attend.

• TH (2/21), 6pm - Dayna and Jim Guido present their book, The Parental Tool Box: For Parents and Clinicians. Free to attend.

• TH (2/21), 7pm - This month's reading, The Templars: The Rise and Spectacular Fall of God's Holy Warriors by Dan Jones. Free to attend.

• SU (2/24), 3pm - Mark Warren presents his book, Secrets of the Forest, a 4-volume series on nature and survival skills of the Cherokee.

Free to attend.

• MO (2/25), 6pm - Jerry Stubblefield presents his book, The Paraclete. Free to attend.

• TU (2/26), 6pm - Susi Gott Séguret presents her book, Child of the Woods: An Appalachian Odyssey. Free to attend.

• WE (2/27), 10am Storytime with J. Rutland, author of Chilly Da Vinci.

Free to attend.

• WE (2/27), 6pm Michael Roberto presents The Coming of the American Behemoth: The Origins of Fascism in the United States, 1920 -1940, in conversation with Alvis Dunn. Free to attend.

• TH (2/28), 7pm - This month's pick is Pearls on a Branch: Oral Tales by Najla Jraissaty Khoury, translated by Inea Bushnaq. Free to attend.

MOUNTAIN VIEW COMMUNITY CENTER 44184 Mountain View Church Road, Zirconia • SA (2/23), 5-8pm Angela Evans presents her book, Invisible, Fiction but Painfully True. Free.

THE CENTER FOR ART & INSPIRATION 927 Greenville Highway, Hendersonville • SA (2/123), noon-4pm - Part of the grand opening for The Center for Art & Inspiration includes Subway Therapy's Matthew "Levee" Chavez to Launch Local "Subway Wall." Free to attend.

THE MOTHLIGHT 701 Haywood Road, themothlight.com • TU (2/26), 6:30pm Launch party for Adé Project including art, dance, spoken word, storytelling in honor of Black History Month and the black experience. $5.

THE RAMSEY CENTER IN RENFRO LIBRARY 100 Athletic St., Mars Hill • TH (2/21), 6pm - Trey Adcock, member of the Cherokee Nation and Whiting Foundation Public Engagement Fellow, collects oral histories, mainly in the Cherokee language, to tell the story of the Snowbird Day School.

Free.

LAZOOM ROOM 76 Biltmore Ave, 828-7854238, lazoomtours.com • TH (2/21), 8pm - Biscuit Head Poetry Slam, Vol. IV. $5 to watch, $10 to compete.

THEATER ASHEVILLE COMMUNITY THEATRE 35 E. Walnut St., 828-2541320, ashevilletheatre.org

• FRIDAYS through SUNDAYS (2/8) through (3/3) - Footloose, musical drama. Fri.-Sat.: 7:30pm & Sun.: 2:30pm, with additional shows Feb. 21 & 28. $15-$26.

BREVARD LITTLE THEATRE 55 E. Jordan St., Brevard, 828-884-2587, TheBrevardLittleTheatre. org • FRIDAYS through SUNDAYS (2/22) until (3/3) - Just Another Big Dog, drama. Fri. & Sat.: 7:30pm. Sun.: 3pm. $18/$12 student.

DIANA WORTHAM THEATRE 18 Biltmore Ave., 828-257-4530, dwtheatre.com • MO (2/25) & TU (2/26), 10am and noon - Freedom Train, Harriet Tubman's story in theatre, music and dance. $10.

THE ASHEVILLE SCHOOL 360 Asheville School Road, 828-254-6345, ashevilleschool.org • TH (2/21) through SA (2/23) - Colette Collage, musical. Thurs. & Fri.: 7:15pm, Sat.: 2pm. Free.

Held at Walker Art Center's Graham Theater.

THE MAGNETIC THEATRE 375 Depot St., 828-239-9250 • FRIDAYS through SUNDAY (2/15) until (2/24) - Sweeney Todd School Edition, presented by the high school academy students. Fri. & Sat.: 7pm. Sun.: 3pm. $15.

THE ORANGE PEEL 101 Biltmore Ave. • SA (2/23), 6:30pm - Proceeds from The Vagina Monologues benefits Helpmate and Vday.org. $35-$15.

THEATER AT MARS HILL mhu.edu • THURSDAY through SUNDAY (2/21) until (2/24) - Mars Hill University's Theatre Arts Department presents Disney’s, Freaky Friday A New Musical. Thurs.-Sat.: 7:30pm. Sun.: 2:30pm.

School matinee performance Thursday, Feb. 21 at noon. $15/$7 students.

Held at Owens Theatre, 44 College St., Mars Hill

310 ART 191 Lyman St., #310, 828-776-2716, 310art.com • Through TU (4/2) Atypical Dimensions: Voluminous Watercolors by Nadine Charlsen.

AMERICAN FOLK ART AND FRAMING 64 Biltmore Ave., 828-281-2134, amerifolk.com • Through TH (2/21) - The 15th Annual Miniature Show features 12 artists working in a variety of media.

ART AT MARS HILL UNIVERSITY mhu.edu • Through (3/15) Margaret Curtis: New Paintings, painting exhibition. Reception: Wednesday, Feb. 27, 6-8pm. Held at Weizenblatt Art Gallery at MHU, 79 Cascade St, Mars Hill ASHEVILLE AREA ARTS COUNCIL 1 Page Ave., 828-258-0710, ashevillearts.com • Through FR (2/22) - Carve: Process of Reduction, curated

by Nina Kawar, is seven artists working in clay, wood, glass, printmaking and paper.

ASHEVILLE GALLERY OF ART 82 Patton Ave., 828-251-5796, ashevillegallery-of-art. com • Through TH (2/28) - Fresh Paint features paintings by two new members, Joseph Pearson and Susan Webb Tregay.

BLACK MOUNTAIN COLLEGE MUSEUM & ARTS CENTER 120 College St., 828-350-8484, blackmountaincollege. org • Through SA (5/18) - Aaron Siskind: A Painter’s Photographer and Works on Paper.

• Through SA (5/18) - Politics at Black Mountain College, a variety of media: artwork, images, texts and audio.

ELIZABETH HOLDEN GALLERY

NORTH CAROLINA GLASS CENTER

TRACEY MORGAN GALLERY

701 Warren Wilson Road, Swannanoa • Through FR (2/22) - 10th Annual Drawing Discourse Juried International Exhibition features 59 works of contemporary drawing.

140 Roberts St., Suite C, 828-505-3552, ncglasscenter.org • Through TH (2/28) - Exhibition featuring glass by Ben GreeneColonesse.

188 Coxe Ave., TraceyMorganGallery. com • FR (2/22) through SA (4/6) - Therefore, new works by Ralston Fox Smith, an abstract surrealist working in paintings, sculpture and light pieces.

Reception: Friday, Feb. 22, 6-8pm.

FIRST CITIZENS BANK 539 N. Main St., Hendersonville • Through FR (2/22) Mentors & Students: The Art of Our Children, exhibition featuring work by Hendersonville elementary students.

HAYWOOD COUNTY ARTS COUNCIL 86 N Main St., Waynesville, 828-4520593, haywoodarts. org/ • Through SA (2/23) - Juried exhibit of 28 local artists working in a variety of mediums: oil, acrylic, clay, watercolor, forged steel, coldwax, collage, wood, glass, fiber, jewelry, egg tempera, photography and mixed media.

MAJIK STUDIOS 207 207 Coxe Ave., Studio 13 • Through FR (3/29) The first group show of Majik Studios artists, Teaching and Reaching, five artists working in paint, illustration and paper marbeling.

MOMENTUM GALLERY 24 North Lexington Ave. • TH (2/28) through SA (4/27) - Two exhibitions debut, In the Landscape and Of the Landscape: glass, mixed media, painting and drawing by Jennifer Bueno, Bryce Lafferty and William Henry Price; and Vernacular: watercolors, etchings and ceramic sculpture by Phil Blank, David C. Robinson and Sasha Schilbrack-Cole.

Reception: Thursday, Feb. 28, 5-8pm.

PUSH SKATE SHOP & GALLERY 25 Patton Ave., 828-225-5509, pushtoyproject.com • FR (2/25) through SU (3/17) - Concrete Community, a group show fundraiser for skatepark, The Foundation.

REVOLVE 521 Riverside Drive, #179, revolveavl.org/ • Through SA (3/30) - New York By Night 1990 - 1996, exhibition of photographs

by Joanne Chan.

• Through SA (3/30) - V, exhibition of gouache paintings and embroidery.

SPIERS GALLERY 1 College Dr, Brevard, brevard.edu • Through FR (2/28) Lori Park showcases An Invitation to a Show, an exhibition of sculpture installation.

TAYLOR GALLERY 122 Riverside Drive, Suite A • Through SU (3/3) - What is Love?, a group show themed on body image, showcases the painting, photography, sculpture, mixed media, jewelry and glass/ ceramics of 12 artists.

THE REFINERY 207 Coxe Ave., ashevillearts.com • Through (3/29) Work of North Windy Ridge Intermediate students including: mandalas, self portraits, ceramic art and animal collages. Free to attend.

THE TRYON DEPOT ROOM 22 Depot St., Tryon, 828-859-7001, tryondepotroom.com • Through (3/31) Richard Oversmith's recent paintings.

Reception: Friday, Feb, 22, 5-8pm.

MOUNTAINX.COM

TRANSYLVANIA COMMUNITY ARTS COUNCIL 349 S. Caldwell St., Brevard, 828-884-2787, tcarts.org • Through (2/28) The Splendors of the Universe with No Limits Artists show of works by artists from Transylvania Vocational Services.

Closing reception: Thursday, Feb. 28, 4:30-6 pm.

TRYON FINE ARTS CENTER 34 Melrose Ave., Tryon, 828-859-8322, tryonarts.org • Through FR (3/15) - Red-Carpet Artist of the Year Show for Tryon Arts & Craft School.

WESTERN CAROLINA UNIVERSITY, FINE ART MUSEUM 199 Centennial Drive Cullowhee, wcu.edu/ bardo-arts-center/ fine-art-museum/ • Through (5/3) Outspoken, America Meredith paintings that incorporate Cherokee syllabary.

Reception: Thursday, Feb. 21, 5-7pm.

• Through FR (3/22) - 51st Annual Juried Undergraduate Exhibition.

WOOLWORTH WALK 25 Haywood St., 828-254-9234 • Through WE (2/27) Sixth Annual Second’s Sale at FW Gallery.

Contact the galleries for hours and admission fees

FEB. 20 - 26, 2019

45

CLUBLAND

URBAN XCAPE

Monthly Challenge

Register Your Team on Facebook!

Tues. Feb. 26th- 6:30pm

In -Depth Sensory Analysis led by head cidermaker March 12th: 7-9pm Tickets available on South Slope FB page

24 BUXTON AVE. SOUTH SLOPE 210 HAYWOOD RD. WAVL URBANORCHARDCIDER.COM

TAVERN Downtown on the Park Eclectic Menu • Over 30 Taps • Patio 15 TV’s • Sports Room • 110” Projector Event Space • Shuffleboard Open 7 Days 11am - Late Night

LIVE M R A COV USIC , E V E N ER CHARGE!

FRI. 2/22 DJ MoTo

PRIME CUTS: Grammy-nominated, Nashville-based Americana outfit Della Mae is traveling the East Coast ahead of its spring album release for The Butcher Shoppe EP. As its name suggests, the project was recorded in a butcher shop-turned-recording studio, started by musician John Prine and engineer David Ferguson. The EP includes contributions from guitarist Molly Tuttle and banjo player Allison Brown. Della Mae performs at 185 King Street in Brevard on Thursday, Feb. 28, at 8 p.m. $12.18 members/$17.51 non-members. 185kingstreet.com. Photo by Ryan Nolan

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 20 ASHEVILLE GUITAR BAR Chili Slaw Sessions w/ Tom Kirschbaum & Friends, 6:00PM BLUE MOUNTAIN PIZZA & BREW PUB Open Mic hosted by Mark Bumgardner, 7:00PM BYWATER Open Can of Jam, 3:00PM CORK & KEG 3 Cool Cats, 7:30PM DOUBLE CROWN Western Wednesday w/ Dog Whistle & DJ, 9:00PM HIGHLAND BREWING COMPANY Woody Wood Wednesday, 6:00PM ISIS MUSIC HALL & KITCHEN 743 Robinson Treacher Live Acoustic, 7:00PM

(dance hits, pop)

JACK OF THE WOOD PUB Old Time Jam, 5:00PM

SAT. 2/23

LAZY DIAMOND Killer Karaoke w/ KJ TimO, 10:00PM

The Groove Shakers (rock, dance, party tunes)

LOBSTER TRAP Cigar Brothers, 6:30PM NANTAHALA BREWING - ASHEVILLE OUTPOST Robert's Totally Rad Trivia, 7:00PM NOBLE KAVA Poetry Open Mic w/ Caleb Beissert (7:30pm sign up), 8:00PM

20 S. Spruce St. • 225.6944 packStavern.com 46

FEB. 20 - 26, 2019

MOUNTAINX.COM

ODDITORIUM Super Happy Fun Time: Live Burlesque, 9:00PM

ONE STOP AT ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL Disclaimer Lounge Comedy Open Mic, 9:00PM ONE WORLD BREWING WEST OWB West: Latin Dance Night w/ DJ Oscar, 9:00PM ORANGE PEEL The Wailers w/ Of Good Nature, 8:00PM SANCTUARY BREWING COMPANY French Broad Valley Music Association Mountain Music Jam, 6:00PM SLY GROG LOUNGE Weird Wednesday Jam, 5:00PM SOUTHERN APPALACHIAN BREWERY Jazz Night hosted by Jason DeCristofaro, 6:30PM STATIC AGE RECORDS Axxa/Abraxas w/ Sidewalk Surfers (psych rock), 9:00PM STRAIGHTAWAY CAFE Andrew Thelston, 6:00PM THE BLOCK OFF BILTMORE Asheville's Most Wanted Funk Bandits, Kazz & Unk, 8:00PM THE GREY EAGLE Deerhoof w/ The Veldt & Cloudgayzer, 8:00PM THE IMPERIAL LIFE The Berlyn Jazz Trio (jazz, funk, soul), 9:00PM THE ROOT BAR Lucky James (blues, Americana), 8:00PM

TOWN PUMP Open Mic w/ David Bryan, 8:00PM

CROW & QUILL Carolina catkins (gritty ragtime jazz), 10:00PM

TRESSA'S DOWNTOWN JAZZ AND BLUES Blues & Soul Jam, 9:00PM

DOUBLE CROWN OLD GOLD w/ DJ Jasper (killer rock n' soul vinyl), 10:00PM

TWIN LEAF BREWERY Open Mic Night, 7:00PM UPCOUNTRY BREWING COMPANY Music Bingo, 8:00PM

FLOOD GALLERY FINE ART CENTER True Home Open Mic, 6:30PM FRENCH BROAD RIVER BREWERY Ben Phan, 6:00PM

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21

FUNKATORIUM The Hot Club of Asheville, 6:00PM

AUX BAR DJ Lil Meow Meow (R&B, jams), 10:00PM

HIGHLAND BREWING COMPANY Thursday Night Blues w/ The Patrick Dodd Trio, 6:00PM

AMBROSE WEST Worthwhile Sounds Presents: Dead Horses & The Brother Brothers, 8:00PM

ISIS MUSIC HALL & KITCHEN 743 John Westmoreland, 7:00PM

ARCHETYPE BREWING Canned Heat Vinyl Night, 5:00PM

JACK OF THE WOOD PUB Bluegrass Jam, 7:00PM

ASHEVILLE GUITAR BAR Will Ray & the Space Cooties, 7:30PM

LAZOOM ROOM Asheville-Biscuithead Poetry Slam Vol. IV, 8:00PM

BARLEY'S TAPROOM & PIZZERIA Alien Music Club, 8:00PM

LAZY DIAMOND 80's INVASION (80's dance party), 10:00PM

BEN'S TUNE UP Offended Open Comedy Mic, 9:00PM BLUE MOUNTAIN PIZZA & BREW PUB Erin Kinard, 7:00PM

LOBSTER TRAP Hank Bones, 6:30PM NOBLE KAVA Cuttlefish Collective: Beat Workshop & Show, 7:30PM

BYWATER Open Mic Night, 7:00PM

OWL BAKERY Thursday Night Jazz, 7:30PM

CORK & KEG Joseph Decosimo & Luke Richardson, 7:30PM

ODDITORIUM Party Foul Weekly Drag, 9:00PM

WED

20 ONE STOP AT ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL Mitch's Totally Rad Trivia, 7:00PM Rockstead w/ Station Underground, 10:00PM

TWIN LEAF BREWERY Craft Karaoke, 9:30PM

ONE WORLD BREWING OWB Downtown: Brother Oliver, 9:00PM

WHITE HORSE BLACK MOUNTAIN Abby the Spoon Lady & Chris Rodrigues [SOLD OUT], 7:30PM

ONE WORLD BREWING WEST OWB West: West Side Funk Jam, 9:00PM PULP Obsideoneye w/ Indigo, 8:00PM PILLAR ROOFTOP BAR Eric Congdon Duo, 7:00PM PISGAH BREWING COMPANY Chalwa Thursday Night Residency, 7:00PM PURPLE ONION CAFE The Get Right Band, 7:30PM SANCTUARY BREWING COMPANY Billy Litz, 7:00PM SLY GROG LOUNGE Ghostess vs. Dr Aqueous: Spirit Against Science Free Show, 9:00PM STATIC AGE RECORDS Musket Hawk (metal), 9:00PM STRAIGHTAWAY CAFE Open Mic Night, 7:00PM THE BLOCK OFF BILTMORE 42nd Street Band feat.

Gloria Johnson (jazz), 8:00PM

UPCOUNTRY BREWING COMPANY Dirty Dawg, 8:00PM

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22 AUX BAR DJ Databoy & DJ Woodside, 10:00PM

TOWN PUMP Station Break Winter Residencies, 9:00PM TRESSA'S DOWNTOWN JAZZ AND BLUES Jesse Barry & The Jam (blues, rock'n Roll), 9:00PM

22

MOE'S ORIGINAL BBQ WOODFIN Gene Holdway, 7:00PM NEW BELGIUM BREWERY Elonzo Wesley, 5:30PM NOBLE KAVA Noble Pursuits: An Evening w/ Jason Moore, 9:00PM

FRI

PROM NIGHT FEATURING

MON

25

HIGH PLAINS DRIFTERS BEASTIE BOYS TRIBUTE

SAT

23

LEARN EAST COAST SWING “CLUB STYLE” 12:00PM

SAT

MIKE DOUGHTY

PLAYS SOUL COUGHING’S

23

24

W/ THE BROOK AND THE BLUFF

THU

28 FRI

1

“RUBY VROOM”

W/ WHEATUS, 8:00PM

RUSSIAN CIRCLES

W/ GOUGE AWAY, 8:00PM

OPEN MIC NIGHT RANDY’S

CHEESEBURGER PICNIC

(FROM TRAILER PARK BOYS)

ELIZABETH COOK + CHRIS SHIFLETT (OF FOO FIGHTERS) W/ KENDELL MARVEL

Asheville’s longest running live music venue • 185 Clingman Ave TICKETS AVAILABLE AT HARVEST RECORDS & THEGREYEAGLE.COM

BATTERY PARK BOOK EXCHANGE Daydreams Of Django, 7:00PM BEN'S TUNE UP Throwback dance Party w/ DJ Kilby, 10:00PM BLACK MOUNTAIN COLLEGE MUSEUM & ARTS CENTER We Insist! Max Roach's Freedom Now Suite performed by Fresh Cut Orchestra & Melanie Charles, 7:00PM BLUE GHOST BREWING COMPANY Mr Jimmy, 7:00PM

CORK & KEG One Leg Up, 8:30PM

THE SOCIAL LOUNGE The Social Lounge & AMS Music Series feat.

Sam Irvin (weekly AMS teacher/student showcase), 6:00PM

LOBSTER TRAP Hillbilly Diamonds, 6:30PM

SUN

ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL Brandon “Taz” Niederauer, (rock, jam, funk), 8:30PM

THE GREY EAGLE Ripe w/ The Brook and The Bluff, 8:00PM

THE ROOT BAR Dennis Carbone (folk), 7:00PM

JACK OF THE WOOD PUB West King String Band, 9:00PM

21

RIPE

THE MUSIC OF THE BEATLES FOR KIDS 12:00PM

ASHEVILLE GUITAR BAR Bity City Blues Jam with host Chicago Don, 7:30PM

BOLD ROCK HARD CIDER Pour 40, 6:00PM

THE MOTHLIGHT The Moth: True Stories Told Live (Theme: Love Hurts), 7:30PM

ISIS MUSIC HALL & KITCHEN 743 4th Annual Funky Formal & Silent Auction, a benefit for Francine Delany New School for Children, 7:00PM

THU

LAZY DIAMOND Hot n' Nasty (rock n' soul vinyl) w/ DJ Hissy Cruise, 10:00PM

SUN

24

W/ THE VELDT, CLOUDGAYZER

AMBROSE WEST Public Works (funk, soul), 9:00PM

THE BARRELHOUSE Trivia w/ Geeks Who Drink, 7:00PM

THE IMPERIAL LIFE The Burger Kings (rock n' roll), 9:00PM

HIGHLAND BREWING COMPANY Devils in Dust, 7:00PM

DEERHOOF

CROW & QUILL Hearts Gone South (honky tonk), 9:00PM DOUBLE CROWN Rock n' Soul Obscurities w/ Wild Vinyl DJ, 10:00PM FLEETWOOD'S Anywhere from Here, Convalescent & Emotion in General in General, 9:00AM FOGGY MOUNTAIN BREWPUB Taub Mears Duo (jam, improv), 10:00PM FRENCH BROAD RIVER BREWERY Laura Blackley and the Wildflowers, 6:00PM FUNKATORIUM Shelby Rae Moore Band, 8:00PM GINGER'S REVENGE Mark and Mary Jazz Duo, 6:30PM

MOUNTAINX.COM

FEB. 20 - 26, 2019

47

C LUBLAND ODDITORIUM Asheville After Dark Presents: Perversions, 9:00PM ONE STOP AT ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL Free Dead Fridays feat. members of Phuncle Sam acoustic, 5:30PM The Aquaducks, 10:00PM

COMING SOON WED 2/20

5:00PM–SUSHI NIGHT 7:00PM–ROBINSON TREACHER LIVE ACOUSTIC

THU 2/21

7:00PM–JOHN WESTMORELAND

FRI 2/22 7:30PM–4TH ANNUAL FUNKY FORMAL & SILENT AUCTION BENEFIT FOR FRANCINE DELANEY NEW SCHOOL FOR CHILDREN

SAT 2/23 8:00PM–BIKE LOVE ‘19: ASHEVILLE ON BIKES GALA

SUN 2/24 6:00PM- TALL TALES 8:00PM–LOWLAND HUM AND ANNA TIVEL

TUE 2/26

7:30PM–TUESDAY BLUEGRASS W/ HOLLY HILL RAMBLERS

WED 2/27

5:00PM–SUSHI NIGHT 7:00PM–ALIAS PATRICK KELLY

THU 2/28 7:00PM–CHRIS JAMISON’S GHOST

ONE WORLD BREWING OWB Downtown: Jamison Adams Project, 9:00PM ONE WORLD BREWING WEST OWB West: Light It Up: DJ Bowie & Trillium Dance Co., 9:00PM ORANGE PEEL Coheed and Cambria w/ Maps & Atlases [SOLD OUT], 8:00PM OSKAR BLUES BREWERY Ross Osteen & The Crossroads (blues, soul), 6:00PM PACK'S TAVERN DJ Moto (dance hits, pop), 9:30PM PILLAR ROOFTOP BAR Kind, Clean Gentlemen, 7:00PM PISGAH BREWING COMPANY C2 And The Brothers Reed, 8:00PM SALVAGE STATION Elliot Lipp w/ Joe Nice, 9:00PM SANCTUARY BREWING COMPANY Hustle Souls, 8:00PM SLY GROG LOUNGE SMmokersection Art Show & Hip Hop Showcase, 8:00PM

8:30PM–RICHARD SHINDELL FRI 3/1 7:00PM–MATT WATROBA 9:00PM–EMPIRE STRIKES BRASS: MARDI GRAS 2019

SUN 3/3 6:00PM–DONNA HOPKINS BAND 7:30PM–JOHN GORKA WITH KIRSTEN MAXWELL

WED 3/6 5:00PM–SUSHI NIGHT 7:00PM–REBECCA LOEBE 8:30PM–DAVID JACOBS-STRAIN AND BOB BEACH W/ KAIA KATER

THU 3/7 7:00PM–FRICTION FARM 8:30PM–ITALIAN NIGHT WITH MIKE GUGGINO AND BARRETT SMITH

FRI 3/8 8:30PM–LOVERS LEAP W/ HANK, PATTIE, AND THE CURRENT

ISISASHEVILLE.COM DINNER MENU TIL 9:30PM LATE NIGHT MENU TIL 12AM

TUES-SUN 5PM-until 743 HAYWOOD RD 828-575-2737

48

FEB. 20 - 26, 2019

MOUNTAINX.COM

STATIC AGE RECORDS Paint Thinner, Lamb Death, Luxury Item (goth, industrial), 9:00PM STRAIGHTAWAY CAFE Vinylly Friday!, 6:00PM THE BLOCK OFF BILTMORE Flashback Friday Vintage Dance Party at the Block: Queen Bee & The Honeylovers, 7:30PM

TRESSA'S DOWNTOWN JAZZ AND BLUES The Falcon Four, 10:00PM TWIN LEAF BREWERY Local Singer-Songwriter Showcase Series, 7:00PM WHITE HORSE BLACK MOUNTAIN Anana Kay (indie, blues, ambient), 8:00PM ZAMBRA Hot Club Of Asheville (Gypsy jazz), 8:00PM

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 23 AUX BAR DJ New Millen (dance party), 10:00PM AMBROSE WEST Randall Bramblett Band, 8:00PM ASHEVILLE GUITAR BAR Nick and Luke (blues, jazz, singer-songwriter), 8:00PM ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL The Digs & Friends Epic Dance Party, 10:00PM BANKS AVE SES: Satisfaction Every Saturday, 9:00PM BATTERY PARK BOOK EXCHANGE Sunday Jazz Brunch, 2:00PM BLACK MOUNTAIN COLLEGE MUSEUM & ARTS CENTER We Insist! Max Roach's Freedom Now Suite performed by Fresh Cut Orchestra & Melanie Charles, 7:00PM BLUE MOUNTAIN PIZZA & BREW PUB Gene Holdway, 7:00PM BOLD ROCK HARD CIDER Up Dog, 6:00PM CATAWBA BREWING SOUTH SLOPE Red Light Rodeo, 7:00PM CHESTNUT Jazz Brunch w/ The Low keys (original jazz music), 12:00PM

THE GREY EAGLE Grey Eagle Prom Night feat. High Plains Drifters (Beastie Boys tribute) & DJ Mad Sci, 9:00PM

CORK & KEG Zydeco Ya Ya, 8:30PM

THE IMPERIAL LIFE Select DJ Sets, 9:00PM

DIANA WORTHAM THEATRE Asleep At The Wheel, 8:00PM

THE ROOT BAR Bull Moose Party (bluegrass), 9:00PM TOWN PUMP Great Soda, 9:00PM

CROW & QUILL Posey Quartet (swing jazz), 9:00PM

DOUBLE CROWN Soul Motion Dance Party w/ DJ Dr. Filth, 10:00PM

FLEETWOOD'S John & Kiran Fernandes, Planting Moon, MANAS, Ben Asbury & Old Red, 9:00PM FOGGY MOUNTAIN BREWPUB Fustics (rockjam), 10:00PM FRENCH BROAD RIVER BREWERY Scott Moss Duo, 6:00PM FUNKATORIUM The Bad Verbs, 8:00PM GINGER'S REVENGE Dave Desmelik (Americana), 2:30PM HIGHLAND BREWING COMPANY Whiskeyhickon Boys, 7:00PM ISIS MUSIC HALL & KITCHEN 743 Bike Love ’19 Benefit w/ Red Honey & The Royal Jelly & Jut Rut, 8:00PM JACK OF THE WOOD PUB Redleg Husky, 9:00PM LAZOOM ROOM LaZoom Comedy Night: Craig Holcombe & Friends, 8:30PM LAZY DIAMOND Saturday Swing-a-ling w/ DJs Arieh & Chrissy, 10:00PM LOBSTER TRAP Sean Mason, 6:30PM LOCAL 604 BOTTLE SHOP Live Synth Saturdays, 7:00PM MG ROAD Late Night Dance Parties w/ DJ Lil Meow Meow, 10:00PM MARSHALL DEPOT Milan Miller, Thomm Jutz & Buddy Melton (Nashville singer-songwriters), 7:30PM NOBLE KAVA Music Trivia, 6:00PM Shane Parish, 9:00PM

THIS WEEK AT AVL MUSIC HALL & THE ONE STOP!!!

ODDITORIUM Nikki and the Phantom Callers, Emily Easterly, Minorcan (Rock), 9:00PM

THE ROOT BAR Linda Mitchell (blues, jazz), 9:00PM

ONE STOP AT ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL Dizgo, 10:00PM ONE WORLD BREWING WEST OWB West: GrudaTree, 9:00PM ORANGE PEEL Kid Hop Hooray!

Wintertime Indoor Dance Party, 10:00AM The Vagina Monologues, 6:30PM

TOWN PUMP Volx, 9:00PM TRESSA'S DOWNTOWN JAZZ AND BLUES Bill Mattocks & The Strut, 10:00PM

OSKAR BLUES BREWERY Live Band Karaoke, 6:00PM

US CELLULAR CENTER Brew Horizon's Beer Festival w/ Gypsy Grass & Queen Bee and the Honeylovers, 2:00PM

PACK'S TAVERN The Groove Shakers (rock, dance, party tunes), 9:30PM

UPCOUNTRY BREWING COMPANY One More Saturday Night feat. Bobby Miller and The Virginia Dare Devils & Dirty Dead, 8:00PM

PILLAR ROOFTOP BAR Roots and Dore, 7:00PM PISGAH BREWING COMPANY Phuncle Sam, 9:00PM

WHITE HORSE BLACK MOUNTAIN Cody Blackbird Band (rock fusion), 8:00PM

PURPLE ONION CAFE ScOOt Pittman, 8:00PM SANCTUARY BREWING COMPANY Ross Osteen Band, 8:00PM

ZAMBRA Kessler Watson Trio, 8:00PM

SLY GROG LOUNGE BGR Presents: Vices and Virtues (burlesque), 10:00PM

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 24

STATIC AGE RECORDS Western Weirdos (eclectic country), 9:00PM STRAIGHTAWAY CAFE Dave Miles, 6:00PM THE BLOCK OFF BILTMORE CommUNITY Salsa & Latin Saturday Dance Night w/DJ Edi Fuentes (lesson at 9:00pm), 9:30PM THE GREY EAGLE Learn East Coast Swing w/ Richard & Sue Cicchetti, 12:00PM Mike Doughty plays Soul Coughings "Ruby Vroom" w/ Wheatus, 9:00PM THE MOTHLIGHT Buck Meek w/ Twain, 9:00PM

Rockstead and Doctor Ocular THU, 2/21 - SHOW: 10 pm CA$H DONATION$

THOMAS WOLFE AUDITORIUM Asheville Symphony: Beethoven's Pastoral, 8:00PM

AMBROSE WEST Songful Sundays w/ The Campfire Reverends, 2:00PM ARCHETYPE BREWING Post-Brunch Blues, 4:00PM ASHEVILLE GUITAR BAR Pot Luck & Musician's Jam, 3:30PM BLUE MOUNTAIN PIZZA & BREW PUB Chris Jamison, 7:00PM BYWATER Sunday Bluegrass Jam, 7:00PM CITY RANGE STEAKHOUSE City Range Jazz Brunch, 11:30AM

DIANA WORTHAM THEATRE Dancing with the Local Stars of Asheville, 7:00PM

THE GREY EAGLE

FLEETWOOD'S The Cowboys, McLeod & Icelandic Mamaws, 8:30PM

Russian Circles w/ Gouge Away, 9:00PM

FUNKATORIUM Bluegrass Brunch w/ Gary Macfiddle, 11:00AM

Select DJ Sets, 9:00PM

HIGHLAND BREWING COMPANY Reggae Sunday w/ Chalwa, 1:00PM

Mukase (African drumming, storytelling), 6:00PM

The Music of The Beatles for Kids w/ The Rock & Roll Playhouse, 12:30pm

THE IMPERIAL LIFE

WEST END BAKERY

CASCADE LOUNGE Game Night, 6:00PM

WHITE HORSE BLACK MOUNTAIN Ryan Tennis & The Clubhouse Band (folk, funk, reggae), 7:30PM

ODDITORIUM Risque Monday Burlesque Hosted By Deb Au Nare, 9:00PM

DOUBLE CROWN Country Karaoke w/ KJ Tim-O, 10:00PM JACK OF THE WOOD PUB Quizzo Trivia, 7:30PM Open Mic, 9:30PM

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 25 ARCHETYPE BREWING Old Time Jam, 5:00PM CAROLINA MUSIC MUSEUM Jazz for the Soul: Deanna Witkowski, 7:30PM

LOBSTER TRAP Bobby Miller & Friends, 6:30PM NOBLE KAVA Ladies Night Showcase, 8:00PM

ONE WORLD BREWING OWB Downtown: Open Mic Night, 7:30PM ONE WORLD BREWING WEST OWB West: Jazz Mondays hosted by Ray Ring & Jason DeCristofaro, 8:30PM

ISIS MUSIC HALL & KITCHEN 743 Tall Tales, 6:00PM Lowland Hum and Anna Tivel, 8:00PM JACK OF THE WOOD PUB Traditional Irish/Celtic Jam, 3:00PM JARGON Sunday Blunch Live Music: Mark Guest and Mary Pearson (jazz), 11:00AM LAZY DIAMOND Punk Night w/ DJ Chubberbird, 10:00PM LOBSTER TRAP Drew Matulich & Friends, 6:30PM ODDITORIUM Birthday Party, 9:00PM OSKAR BLUES BREWERY Trivia Night, 7:00PM PISGAH BREWING COMPANY Pisgah Sunday Jam, 6:30PM SLY GROG LOUNGE Sly Grog Open Mic, 6:30PM STATIC AGE RECORDS Red Sea, Nostalganoid & Spaceheater (noise, experimental), 9:00PM STRAIGHTAWAY CAFE Peter Fraser, 2:00PM THE BLOCK OFF BILTMORE Sunday UNCA Jazz Jam, 4:00PM

BRANDON "TAZ" NIEDERAUER w/ JBOT FRI, 2/22 - SHOW: 8:45 pm (DOORS: 8 pm) - adv. $12.00

The Aquaducks

THROWBACK DANCE PARTY

T he Digs & Friends

dizgo

FRI, 2/22 - SHOW: 10 pm CA$H DONATION$

SAT, 2/23 - SHOW: 10 pm (DOORS: 9 pm) $5 SUGGESTED DONATION

SAT, 2/23 - SHOW: 10 pm CA$H DONATION$

Mitch’s Totally Rad Trivia - 6:30pm

FRI

disclaimer comedy - 9:30pm

THU

Tuesday Night Funk Jam - 11pm Turntable Tuesday - 10pm

WED

TUE

WEEKLY EVENTS

UPCOMING SHOWS: 2/28 Dirt Monkey w/ illanthropy., Dredlok & Maatticus • 3/1 PhuturePrimitive w/ Edamame • 3/2 Mark Farina • 3/8 Exmag, Cofresi, Plantrae, Space Kadet • 3/9 Jahman Brahman (Original Lineup) + Buddhagraph Spaceship • 3/15 Random Rab & Bluetech

F ree Dead F riday - 5pm

TICKETS & FULL CALENDAR AVAILABLE AT ASHEVILLEMUSICHALL.COM

@AVLMusicHall MOUNTAINX.COM

@OneStopAVL FEB. 20 - 26, 2019

49

WEST

CLU B LA N D

Local

ASHEVILLE

520 HAYWOOD RD 9pm- West Side Funk Jam

Thu. 2/21

$3 Selected Pints

Fri. 2/22

9pm- DJ BOWIE, Trillium, Soul Candy: LIGHT it UP $10

Sat. 2/23

9pm- Gruda Tree

Mon. 2/25

8:30 Jazz Jam

Wed. 2/27

9pm- Latin Night w/DJ Oscar

Fri. 3/1

9pm- Eleanor Underhill &

Friends $5

Live music several nights a week at both locations! at oneworldbrewing.com Mon-Wed 3pm-12am Thu-Sat 12pm-1am Sun 12pm-10pm

ASHEVILLE-AREA

EATS & DRINKS GUIDE

EBB AND FLOW: Expect some seriously danceable tunes when Asheville Music Hall hosts two local rock bands back to back. Buddhagraph Spaceship (pictured) begins the evening with its progressive electric jazz. And jam outfit Jahman Brahman — back to its original lineup with Rowdy Keelor, Justin Brown, Casey Chanatry, Nate “Brother” Brown and Josh Loffer — headlines. The show takes place Saturday, March 9, at 10 p.m. $10 ashevillemusichall.com. Photo courtesy of Buddhagraph Spaceship

OSKAR BLUES BREWERY Mountain Music Mondays Jam (all skill levels welcome!), 8:00PM SANCTUARY BREWING COMPANY Open Mic Night w/ It Takes All Kinds, 7:00PM SLY GROG LOUNGE Sleepy Poetry, Hello Shark & Tall Stars, 9:00PM STATIC AGE RECORDS Your Pest Band, Harriers of Dischord & Shaken Nature (Rock n' Roll, Punk), 9:00PM THE GREY EAGLE Open Mic Night, 6:00PM THE IMPERIAL LIFE Leo Johnson (Gypsy jazz), 9:00PM

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 26 ASHEVILLE GUITAR BAR Gypsy Jazz Jam w/ Steve Karla & Phil Alley, 7:30PM ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL Tuesday Night Funk Jam, 11:00PM BEN'S TUNE UP Leading Ladies of Asheville, 7:00PM

2019

EDITION

50

BLUE MOUNTAIN PIZZA & BREW PUB Luke Wood, 7:00PM BOLD ROCK HARD CIDER Trivia, 6:30PM

Coming This Spring

DOUBLE CROWN Sonic Satan Stew w/ DJ Alien Brain, 10:00PM

Contact ads@mountainx.com for advertising

ISIS MUSIC HALL & KITCHEN 743 Tuesday Bluegrass Sessions hosted by Holly Hill Ramblers, 7:30PM

FEB. 20 - 26, 2019

MOUNTAINX.COM

JACK OF THE WOOD PUB Cajun/Creole Jam, 7:00PM LAZY DIAMOND Noiz Oasis w/ DJ Salty Stax (post-punk vinyl), 10:00PM LOBSTER TRAP Jay Brown, 6:30PM LOCAL 604 BOTTLE SHOP Synth Jam, 7:00PM NOBLE KAVA Open Jam, 8:00PM ODDITORIUM Free Open Mic Comedy, 9:00PM Open Mic, 9:00PM ONE STOP AT ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL Turntable Tuesday, 10:00PM ONE WORLD BREWING OWB Downtown: Pizza Karaoke Night, 9:00PM SANCTUARY BREWING COMPANY Team Trivia w/ Josh Dunkin, 7:00PM SLY GROG LOUNGE Alex Travers' Single Release, 7:00PM

TWIN LEAF BREWERY Robert's Twin Leaf Trivia, 8:00PM WHITE HORSE BLACK MOUNTAIN Irish Jam, 6:30PM Open Mic, 8:30PM

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 27 ASHEVILLE GUITAR BAR Chili Slaw Sessions w/ Tom Kirschbaum & Friends, 6:00PM BLUE MOUNTAIN PIZZA & BREW PUB Open Mic hosted by Billy Owens, 7:00PM BYWATER Open Can of Jam, 3:00PM CORK & KEG 3 Cool Cats, 7:30PM DOUBLE CROWN Western Wednesday w/ Gracie Lane & DJ, 9:00PM HIGHLAND BREWING COMPANY Woody Wood Wednesday, 6:00PM

ONE STOP AT ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL Disclaimer Lounge Comedy Open Mic, 9:00PM ONE WORLD BREWING WEST OWB West: Latin Dance Night w/ DJ Oscar, 9:00PM ORANGE PEEL Blood Orange w/ Mike, 9:00PM SANCTUARY BREWING COMPANY French Broad Valley Music Association Mountain Music Jam, 6:00PM SLY GROG LOUNGE Weird Wednesday Jam, 5:00PM SOUTHERN APPALACHIAN BREWERY Jazz Night hosted by Jason DeCristofaro, 6:30PM STRAIGHTAWAY CAFE Steve Weams & The Mardi Gras Kings, 6:00PM

THE BLOCK OFF BILTMORE Swing Asheville Tuesday Dance feat. Gravyhouse Storytellers (lessons 7 & 8PM), 9:00PM Late Night Blues Dance, 11:00PM

ISIS MUSIC HALL & KITCHEN 743 Alias Patrick Kelly, 7:00PM

THE BLOCK OFF BILTMORE Asheville's Most Wanted Funk Bandits, Kazz & Unk, 8:00PM

JACK OF THE WOOD PUB Old Time Jam, 5:00PM

THE IMPERIAL LIFE The Berlyn Jazz Trio (jazz, funk, soul), 9:00PM

THE IMPERIAL LIFE Leo Johnson (Gypsy jazz), 9:00PM

LAZY DIAMOND Killer Karaoke w/ KJ TimO, 10:00PM

THE ROOT BAR Papa Vay Landers (classic country), 7:00PM

LOBSTER TRAP Cigar Brothers, 6:30PM

THE ROOT BAR Lucky James (blues, Americana), 8:00PM

THE SOCIAL Open Mic w/ Riyen Roots, 8:00PM TRESSA'S DOWNTOWN JAZZ AND BLUES Early Funk Jam (funk, jazz), 9:00PM

NANTAHALA BREWING - ASHEVILLE OUTPOST Robert's Totally Rad Trivia, 7:00PM NOBLE KAVA Poetry Open Mic w/ Caleb Beissert (7:30pm sign up), 8:00PM

TOWN PUMP Open Mic w/ David Bryan, 8:00PM TRESSA'S DOWNTOWN JAZZ AND BLUES Blues & Soul Jam (blues, soul), 9:00PM TWIN LEAF BREWERY Open Mic Night, 7:00PM

MOVIES

REVIEWS

BY EDWIN ARNAUDIN, BRUCE STEELE earnaudin@mountainx.com bcsteele@gmail.com

Hosted by the Asheville Movie Guys Greetings. For 25 years, Mountain Xpress has pursued its mission of promoting dia-

logue and strengthening community at the local level. Talking about movies has been a vibrant part of that community conversation from the paper’s early days, a lasting legacy of late film critic Ken Hanke.

This week marks the next stage in our movie section’s evolution. To highlight a range of local voices, some familiar and others new to the scene, we are shifting to an approach that features short takes in print on all new releases with links to more information online.

Your hosts in the updated section are the Asheville Movie Guys — Edwin Arnaudin and Bruce Steele — whose reviews will mingle with pieces from other established local critics, as well as exclusive content from fresh, diverse critical voices. Look for additional writers to join the fold in the coming weeks. Until then, see you at the movies.

– Xpress editors X

H PICK OF THE WEEK H

The Ballad of Buster Scruggs HHHHH Director: Joel and Ethan Coen Players: Tim Blake Nelson, Liam Neeson, Zoe Kazan, Tom Waits, James Franco Western/Anthology Film RATED R Edwin Arnaudin: Joel and Ethan Coen’s Western anthology has been available to stream on Netflix since midNovember and, just in time for the Oscars, the triple-nominee is getting a one-week run at the Fine Arts Theatre. We had the good fortune to catch this gem on the big screen for a press event last fall and, being

the responsible critics that we are, we advocate for seeing every film in that setting — but why specifically should moviegoers prioritize watching this title outside of their living rooms?

Bruce Steele: Among many reasons, two stand out for me: First, it’s a beautifully shot film, in the tradition of classic Westerns, and the sweeping vistas and Old West streets and the occasional battle just lose so much on any screen smaller than a movie house. Second, because it tells six stories related only by setting and

HHHHH

= MAX RATING

STARTING FRIDAY theme, at home there might be a tendency to treat it like TV episodes, taking breaks of minutes or days in between. The film definitely should be seen in one uninterrupted sitting. It builds and evolves as it goes on. All the pieces come together, so to speak.

Edwin: Considering the varied notes the Coens hit from one vignette to the next, it really is a remarkably cohesive work. The gorgeous visuals by the filmmakers’ Inside Llewyn Davis cinematographer Bruno Delbonnel are a welcome constant, and the brothers’ latest batch of creative dialogue also helps unite the narratives. But yes, the flow you mention is crucial to Buster Scruggs working as a single-sitting view, and opening with Tim Blake Nelson as the titular balladeer/gunslinger wonderfully sets the film’s darkly comedic tone. Were you likewise hooked from the get-go?

Bruce: I honestly didn’t know going in it was an anthology movie, so I was a bit concerned about how goofy it seemed at the start, but that segment quickly takes some clever turns to undercut the silliness, so I was on board soon enough. It seems to me as if the movie is set up to hit a variety of notes in the first four segments, leading into the most sustained and richly developed tale, “The Gal Who Got Rattled,” with your friend Zoe Kazan. Read the full review at ashevillemovies.com Now playing at the Fine Arts Theatre

How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World HHHHS Never Look Away (R) HHH Capernaum (R) HHHH JUST ANNOUNCED Arctic (PG-13) An airplane crash survivor ponders a trek through unknown territory.

At the Fine Arts Theatre.

CURRENTLY IN THEATERS Alita: Battle Angel (PG-13) HHHH Aquaman (PG-13) H The Ballad of Buster Scruggs (R) HHHHH (Pick of the Week) BlacKkKlansman (R) HHHHS Black Panther (PG-13) HHHH Bohemian Rhapsody (PG-13) HH Cold War (R) HHHHS Cold Pursuit (R) HHHH The Favourite (R) HHHHS Glass (PG-13) HS Green Book (PG-13) HHHS Hale County This Morning, This Evening (NR) HHHS Happy Death Day 2U (PG-13) HHH Isn’t It Romantic (PG-13) HHH The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part (PG) HHHH Miss Bala (PG-13) S Oscar Nominated Animated Shorts (NR) HHHH Oscar Nominated Documentary Shorts (NR) HHHH Oscar Nominated Live-Action Shorts (NR) HHHS

Alita: Battle Angel HHHH

Director: Robert Rodriguez Players: Rosa Salazar, Christoph Waltz, Jennifer Connelly, Mahershala Ali, Ed Skrein Sci-Fi/Action-Adventure RATED PG-13 How satisfying is it finally to have again a sci-fi movie heroine who can really kick some ass? The title character of the post-apocalyptic sci-fi action film is a cyborg — basically, a robot with a human brain and face — who has uncanny fighting abilities that allow her to take down fierce-looking fellow cyborgs 10 times her size.

Directed by Robert Rodriguez, the movie is mostly a great excuse for a series of thoroughly entertaining, CG-heavy action sequences, and Alita

The Prodigy (R) HH Ralph Breaks the Internet (PG) HHH Spider-Man: Into the SpiderVerse (PG) HHHH Stan & Ollie (PG) HHHH A Star Is Born (R) HS They Shall Not Grow Old (R) HHHS The Upside (PG-13) HHS Vice (R) HHHH What Men Want (R) HH The Wife (R) HHH

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MOVIES

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herself, with her giant eyes, is a fun cross between perky kitten and killer tiger. (Don’t mess with her dog!)

The complexity of the back story in this cyberpunk future, although more coherent than most FX extravaganzas, may be an impediment to mainstream success, but if you can’t wait to see whether Brie Larson’s Captain Marvel will brighten your mood, give Alita a shot. Read the full review at ashevillemovies.com REVIEWED BY BRUCE STEELE

Capernaum HHHH Director: Nadine Labaki Players: Zain Al Rafeea, Yordanos Shiferaw, Boluwatife Treasure Bankole Foreign Film/Drama RATED R A worthy Academy Award nominee for Best Foreign Language Film, the latest from writer-director Nadine Labaki (Where Do We Go Now?) remarkably sustains hope and investment within bleak circumstances for 2 1/2 hours.

Propelled by a narrative true to its titular synonym for “chaos,” the Lebanese export also features one of cinema’s all-time great child performances — truly! — by wholly naturalistic, real-life Syrian refugee Zain 52

FEB. 20 - 26, 2019

MOUNTAINX.COM

Al Rafeea and keeps viewers guessing in regards to its characters’ fates, wringing out a wealth of humanity in the process. Read the full review at ashevillemovies.com Starts Feb. 22 at Grail Moviehouse

Two may not quite deliver the fun of its predecessor, but with a delightfully game Rothe at the forefront, the inevitable Happy D3ath Day is a mostly welcome next step. Read the full review at ashevillemovies.com

REVIEWED BY EDWIN ARNAUDIN

REVIEWED BY EDWIN ARNAUDIN

Hale County This Morning, This Evening

How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World

HHHS

Director: RaMell Ross Players: Latrenda “Boosie” Ash, Quincy Bryant, Daniel Collins Documentary RATED NR RaMell Ross’ Oscar-nominated documentary both warrants enthusiasm for its directorial creativity, yet frequently allows this same unconventionality to bog down the proceedings.

The film laudably eschews talkinghead interviews, re-enactments and the form’s other clichés, instead adopting the viewpoint of a casual observer, taking in the lives of impoverished AfricanAmericans in the titular Alabama region.

A patience-testing, multiminute scene of a child running from one side of a room to another, however, dilutes the work’s cumulative impact, and similar meandering stretches make viewers yearn for slightly more structure amid the filmmaker’s free-flowing style. Read the full review at ashevillemovies.com Now playing at Grail Moviehouse.

REVIEWED BY EDWIN ARNAUDIN

Happy Death Day 2U HHH

Director: Christopher Landon Players: Jessica Rothe, Israel Broussard, Phi Vu, Ruby Modine, Steve Zissis Time Travel/Romantic Comedy RATED PG-13 The zany second round with the Happy Death Day crew derives much of its fun from the exasperation that reformed sorority girl Tree (Jessica Rothe) experiences in reliving the same scenarios she conquered in the first film.

Following some early quality scares as the series’ baby-masked killer strikes again, the movie shifts to a more humorous, slapstick-heavy focus as our heroine is blasted back into the past and decides to which timeline she’s best suited.

Best when rolling with its insane premise instead of stopping to explain its muddled multiverse logic, Part

HHHHS

Director: Dean Deblois Players: Jay Baruchel, America Ferrera, F. Murray Abraham, Cate Blanchett, Gerard Butler Animated/Action-Adventure RATED PG The plot turns on a confrontation between scrawny Viking chief Hiccup (Jay Baruchel), with his catlike dragon Toothless, and a powerful dragon killer named Grimmel (F. Murray Abraham). But the movie’s real mission is to resolve the unsustainable alliance of Vikings and dragons. Don’t these intelligent, naturally peaceful creatures deserve their own homeland?

This conclusion to Dreamworks’ best animated feature series weaves together human and dragon romance, spectacular visuals (3-D recommended), lively action and enough emotional threads to make the final minutes a sniff-fest while keeping its signature humor and humanity intact. It’s a bit overcrowded, and the running gags can be tiresome, but in the rarefied world of third installments of animation franchises, it may be outshone only by Toy Story 3. Read the full review at ashevillemovies.com Starts Feb. 22 REVIEWED BY BRUCE STEELE

Isn’t It Romantic HHH Director: Todd Strauss-Schulson Players: Rebel Wilson, Liam Hemsworth, Adam Devine, Priyanka Chopra, Betty Gilpin Romantic Comedy/Fantasy RATED PG-13 Rebel Wilson proves generally ready for leading-lady status as Natalie, an underrespected New York City architect who wakes up in a world ruled by romantic-comedy clichés after she bumps her head and wakes up in an alternate timeline.

Navigating this absurd world, governed by Hunger Games-like censoring forces to keep it cheekily PG-13,

Wilson earns frequent laughs, especially when paired with her Pitch Perfect co-star Adam Devine as Josh, the textbook guy friend whom she would realize is her perfect match if she ever paid full attention.

The bulk of the film is predictable to a fault, but the barrage of genre skewering along the way makes it a fun, worthwhile view. Read the full review at ashevillemovies.com REVIEWED BY EDWIN ARNAUDIN

Never Look Away HHH

Director: Florian Henckel Von Donnersmarck Players: Tom Schilling, Paula Beer Foreign Film/Biopic RATED R Inspired by the life of the painter Gerhard Richter, this three-hour-plus German film was a surprise nominee for this year’s Oscars for Foreign Language Film and Cinematography.

Americans unfamiliar with Richter — fictionalized here as Kurt Barnert (Tom Schilling) — will be at something of a loss in following this detailed account of an artist’s path from the atrocities of World War II, through reconstruction in the confines of East Germany, to the discovery of his signature style. Writer-director Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck directed Germany’s last Oscar winner, The Lives of Others (2006).

Starts Feb. 22 at the Fine Arts Theatre REVIEWED BY BRUCE STEELE

The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part HHHH

Director: Mike Mitchell Players: Maya Rudolph, Chris Pratt, Elizabeth Banks, Tiffany Haddish Animation/Comedy RATED PG Writers Phil Lord and Christopher Miller double down on the blatant exposition of the original Lego Movie’s live-action scenes but keep the laugh count high enough to again warrant forgiveness.

Set in a Mad Max: Fury Road-inspired wasteland of tween angst experienced by the toys’ human owner, the film doles out rapid-fire comedy and visual gags galore from beloved characters and new faces — including a hilarious cameo

by Bruce Willis. Read the full review at ashevillemovies.com REVIEWED BY EDWIN ARNAUDIN

SCREEN SCENE

by Edwin Arnaudin | earnaudin@mountainx.com 55-outfit collection. The experience also includes a short film produced for the exhibit, featuring a behind-the-scenes look at the project, and a new audio tour that combines 360-degree sound design with voice actors portraying residents and employees of Biltmore from the early 1900s. A Vanderbilt House Party runs through May 27 and is included in Biltmore daytime admission. The audio tour is free with online ticket purchases or can be purchased at Biltmore for an additional fee. biltmore.com

ILLUMINATED: John Bright, Academy Award-winning costume designer, worked with Biltmore’s Museum Services team to re-create dozens of clothing items for A Vanderbilt House Party — The Gilded Age. Photo courtesy of The Biltmore Company • On Thursday, Feb. 21, the Asheville Film Society will screen Dario Argento’s 1975 horror film Deep Red. It will be followed on Sunday, Feb. 24,

by David Lynch’s Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me (1992), and on Tuesday, Feb. 26, by William Wellman’s original A Star is Born (1937), featuring Janet Gaynor and Fredric March. All three screenings take place at 7 p.m. at Eurisko Beer Co., 255 Short Coxe Ave., and will be introduced by AFS coordinator Scott Douglas. Free to attend. euriskobeer.com • On Friday, Feb. 22, at 8 p.m., the Classic World Cinema by Courtyard Gallery presents a screening of Sawdust and Tinsel at the Flood Gallery, 850 Blue Ridge Road, Unit A-13, Black Mountain.

Ingmar Bergman’s 1953 drama centers on a circus traveling through Sweden. Admission by donation. floodgallery.org • On Sunday, Feb. 24, at 2 p.m., the Hendersonville Film Society screens the 2016 Thomas Wolfe biopic Genius, starring Jude Law and Colin Firth, at the Smoky Mountain Theater at Lake Pointe Landing Retirement Community, 333 Thompson St., Hendersonville. Free. avl.mx/5po

• The newest Biltmore House exhibit and tour, A Vanderbilt House Party – The Gilded Age, features period-authentic clothing designed and reproduced by costumier John Bright. The Academy Award-winner for A Room with a View and his London-based company Cosprop worked closely with the Biltmore curators for two years on the

• The West Asheville Library, 942 Haywood Road, continues its Book-toMovie series with a screening of The Notebook on Friday, Feb. 22, at 3 p.m.

Free. avl.mx/4xl • On Friday, Feb. 22, at 6 p.m., the YMI Cultural Center, 39 South Market St., will screen the documentary The Power to Heal, narrated by Danny Glover.

Free. ymicc.org • On Monday, Feb. 25, at 6 p.m., Western Carolina University’s Bardo Arts Center, 199 Centennial Drive, Cullowhee, will screen the documentary Race: The Power of an Illusion. Free. wcu.edu • White Horse Black Mountain, 105-C Montreat Road, Black Mountain, hosts a screening of Daughters of the Dust on Monday, Feb. 25, at 7:15 p.m. Julie Dash’s 1991 drama was the first fulllength theatrical feature by an AfricanAmerican woman to be released in the U.S. and is part of the Movies and Meaning series, which seeks to foster a dialogue around cinema that touches on themes of storytelling, healing, arts and justice. A community potluck meal precedes the film at 6:30 p.m. $7 suggested donation and a dish to share, but no one will be turned away for lack of funds or food. whitehorseblackmountain.com • The Orange Peel, 101 Biltmore Ave., hosts a screening of Bridesmaids on Monday, Feb. 25, at 8 p.m. Free to attend. theorangepeel.net • The Fairview Library, 1 Taylor Road, Fairview, launches its documentary film series on Tuesday, Feb. 26, at 6 p.m. with Won’t You Be My Neighbor? The screening of the Fred Rogers profile will be introduced by N.C. Film Critics Association member James Rosario, who will also lead a post-film discussion. Complimentary popcorn will be provided by Grail Moviehouse. Free. avl.mx/4xk X

2019 Poetry Contest Xpress announces a 2019 poetry contest in celebration of National Poetry Month and our four-issue Sustainability series in April.

Poets are asked to submit work around the theme of what Western North Carolina’s environment means to you.

Poems should be no longer than one typed page in a 12-point font and must be previously unpublished.

Submissions will be accepted throughout the month of February.

The contest will close at midnight on Thursday, Feb. 28.

Email the poem in the body of the message or as a Doc attachment to amarshall@mountainx.com.

The subject line should read “Xpress poetry contest.”

Include the author’s full name and contact information in the email. Only one submission is allowed per person. There is no cost to enter.

A winning poem will be determined by a local poet of note, to be named soon.

The winner will be published online and in print in one of our April issues.

The contest is not open to Xpress employees or freelance contributors.

Contact Alli Marshall at amarshall@mountainx.com with any questions MOUNTAINX.COM

FEB. 20 - 26, 2019

53

FREEWILL ASTROLOGY ARIES (March 21-April 19): In December 1915, the California city of San Diego was suffering from a drought. City officials hired a professional “moisture accelerator” named Charles Hatfield, who promised to make it rain. Soon Hatfield was shooting explosions of a secret blend of chemicals into the sky from the top of a tower. The results were quick. A deluge began in early January of 1916 and persisted for weeks.

Thirty inches of rain fell, causing floods that damaged the local infrastructure. The moral of the story, as far as you’re concerned, Aries: When you ask for what you want and need, specify exactly how much you want and need. Don’t make an open-ended request that could bring you too much of a good thing.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Actors Beau Bridges and Jeff Bridges are brothers born to parents who were also actors. When they were growing up, they already had aspirations to follow in their mom’s and dad’s footsteps. From an early age, they summoned a resourceful approach to attracting an audience. Now and then they would start a pretend fight in a store’s parking lot. When a big enough crowd had gathered to observe their shenanigans, they would suddenly break off from their faux struggle, grab their guitars from their truck, and begin playing music. In the coming weeks, I hope you’ll be equally ingenious as you brainstorm about ways to expand your outreach.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): According to Edward Barnard’s book New York City Trees, a quarter of the city is shaded by its 5.2 million trees. In other words, one of the most densely populated, frantically active places on the planet has a rich collection of oxygen-generating greenery. There’s even a virgin forest at the upper tip of Manhattan, as well as five botanical gardens and the 843-acre Central Park. Let’s use all this bounty-amidstthe-bustle as a symbol of what you should strive to foster in the coming weeks: refreshing lushness and grace interspersed throughout your busy, hustling rhythm.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): As a poet myself, I regard good poetry as highly useful. It can nudge us free of our habitual thoughts and provoke us to see the world in ways we’ve never imagined. On the other hand, it’s not useful in the same way that food and water and sleep are. Most people don’t get sick if they are deprived of poetry. But I want to bring your attention to a poem that is serving a very practical purpose in addition to its inspirational function. Simon Armitage’s poem “In Praise of Air” is on display in an outdoor plaza at Sheffield University. The material it’s printed on is designed to literally remove a potent pollutant from the atmosphere. And what does this have to do with you? I suspect that in the coming weeks you will have an extra capacity to generate blessings that are like Armitage’s poem: useful in both practical and inspirational ways.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): In 1979, psychologist Dorothy Tennov published her book Love and Limerence: The Experience of Being in Love. She defined her newly coined word “limerence” as a state of adoration that may generate intense, euphoric and obsessive feelings for another person. Of all the signs in the zodiac, you Leos are most likely to be visited by this disposition throughout 2019. And you’ll be especially prone to it in the coming weeks. Will that be a good thing or a disruptive thing? It all depends on how determined you are to regard it as a blessing, have fun with it and enjoy it regardless of whether or not your feelings are reciprocated. I advise you to enjoy the hell out of it!

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Based in Switzerland, Nestle is the largest food company in the world. Yet it pays just $200 per year to the state of Michigan for the right to suck up 400 million gallons of groundwater, which it bottles and sells at a profit. I nominate this vignette to be your cautionary tale in the coming weeks. How? 1. Make damn sure you are being fairly compensated for your offerings. 2. Don’t allow huge, impersonal forces to exploit your resources. 3. Be tough and discerning, not lax and naïve, as you negotiate deals.

54

FEB. 20 - 26, 2019

MARKETPLACE

BY ROB BREZSNY

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Sixteenth-century Italian artist Daniele da Volterra wasn’t very famous for his own painting and sculpture. The work for which we remember him today is the alterations he made to Michelangelo’s giant fresco The Last Judgment, which spreads across an entire wall in the Sistine Chapel.

After Michelangelo died, the Catholic Church hired da Volterra to “fix” the scandalous aspects of the people depicted in the master’s work. He painted clothes and leaves over the originals’ genitalia and derrieres. In accordance with astrological omens, I propose that we make da Volterra your anti-role model for the coming weeks. Don’t be like him. Don’t engage in cover-ups, censorship or camouflage. Instead, specialize in the opposite: revelations, unmaskings and expositions.

REA L ESTATE | REN TA L S | R O O M M ATES | SER VI C ES JOB S | A N N OU N CEM ENTS | M I ND, BO DY, SPI R I T CL A SSES & WORKSH OPS | M USI C I ANS’ SER VI C ES PETS | A U TOMOTI VE | X C HANG E | ADULT Want to advertise in Marketplace? 828-251-1333 x111 tnavaille@mountainx.com • mountainx.com/classifieds If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Remember the Russian proverb: “Doveryai, no proveryai,” trust but verify. When answering classified ads, always err on the side of caution. Especially beware of any party asking you to give them financial or identification information. The Mountain Xpress cannot be responsible for ensuring that each advertising client is legitimate. Please report scams to ads@mountainx.com RENTALS

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): What is the quality of your access to life’s basic necessities? How well do you fulfill your need for good food and drink, effective exercise, deep sleep, thorough relaxation, mental stimulation, soulful intimacy, a sense of meaningfulness, nourishing beauty and rich feelings? I bring these questions to your attention, Scorpio, because the rest of 2019 will be an excellent time for you to fine-tune and expand your relationships with these fundamental blessings.

And now is an excellent time to intensify your efforts.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Michael Jackson’s 1982 song “Beat It” climbed to number three on the record-sales charts in Australia. On the other hand, “Weird Al” Yankovic’s 1984 parody of Jackson’s tune, “Eat It,” reached number one on the same charts.

Let’s use this twist as a metaphor that’s a good fit for your life in the coming weeks. According to my analysis of the astrological omens, you may find that a stand-in or substitute or imitation will be more successful than the original. And that will be auspicious!

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): The Space Needle in Seattle, Washington is 605 feet high and 138 feet wide: a tall and narrow tower. Near the top is a round restaurant that makes one complete rotation every 47 minutes. Although this part of the structure weighs 125 tons, for many years its motion was propelled by a mere 1.5 horsepower motor. I think you will have a comparable power at your disposal in the coming weeks: an ability to cause major movement with a compact output of energy.

CONDOS/ TOWNHOMES FOR RENT NORTH ASHEVILLE TOWNHOUSES 1 mile from Downtown Asheville. Hardwood floors, nice North Asheville neighborhood on busline. • No pets. 1BR/1BA: $745 • 2BR/1BA: $845 • 3BR/1BA: $945. Call 828-252-4334.

HOMES FOR RENT HOUSE FOR RENT: BEAVERDAM IN NORTH ASHEVILLE Charming 3 bedroom/2 bath house, private setting, lg yard, basement, garage, workshop; w/d hookups; kitchen appliances; 1st mth rent & security deposit; 1yr lease. $1600/mth.

Avail 3/15; contact: (828)253-1979; abgilreath@aol.com

COMMERCIAL/ BUSINESS RENTALS OFFICE SPACE Downtown Asheville office space is available for lease overlooking historic Pack Square.

The office suite is 977 sq. ft. and is comprised of three separate offices. Located on the fourth floor of The Biltmore Building: 1 North Pack Square, Asheville NC 28801.

Call 828-225-6740 for more information.

ROOMS FOR RENT ROOM RENTAL- SOUTH ASHEVILLE On bus line, vegetarian food included, no pets, super quiet.

Urban wildlife refuge. 828348-9183. $500/mo. (all expenses incl., $300 down payment).

ROOMMATES ROOMMATES NEED A ROOMMATE? Roommates.com will help you find your Perfect Match™ today! (AAN CAN)

EMPLOYMENT GENERAL NAVITAT CANOPY ADVENTURES - HIRING ADVENTURE GUIDES FOR 2019 Thrill, Educate and Inspire! Seeking adventurous and enthusiastic people to join our team. An experience of a life time! Learn more at www.navitat.com PART-TIME GLEANING AREA COORDINATOR Society of St. Andrew seeks part-time WNC Gleaning Coordinator. To apply, submit a cover letter and resume

to Michael Binger, Regional Director, at ncglean@ endhunger.org. Job description at endhunger.org/ employment/.

TROLLEY TOUR GUIDES If you are a "people person," love Asheville, have a valid Commercial Driver's License (CDL) and clean driving record you could be a great Tour Guide.

Full-time and seasonal parttime positions available.

Training provided. Contact us today! 828 251-8687.

Info@GrayLineAsheville.com www.GrayLineAsheville.com

RESTAURANT/ FOOD LINE COOK Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.’s Taproom & Restaurant has an opening for an experienced fulltime Line Cook who is passionate about good food, is career minded and is looking to establish a long

ASHEVILLE-AREA

EATS & DRINKS GUIDE

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): In 1941, the Ford automobile company created a “biological car.”

Among its components were “bioplastics” composed of soybeans, hemp, flax, wood pulp and cotton. It weighed a thousand pounds less than a comparable car made of metal. This breakthrough possibility never fully matured, however. It was overshadowed by newly abundant plastics made from petrochemicals.

I suspect that you Aquarians are at a phase with a resemblance to the biological car. Your good idea is promising but unripe. I hope you’ll spend the coming weeks devoting practical energy to developing it. (P.S. There’s a difference between you and your personal equivalent of the biological car: little competition.)

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Cartographers of Old Europe sometimes drew pictures of strange beasts in the uncharted regions of their maps. These were warnings to travelers that such areas might harbor unknown risks, like dangerous animals. One famous map of the Indian Ocean shows an image of a sea monster lurking, as if waiting to prey on sailors traveling through its territory. If I were going to create a map of the frontier you’re now headed for, Pisces, I would fill it with mythic beasts of a more benevolent variety, like magic unicorns, good fairies and wise centaurs.

MOUNTAINX.COM

2019 EDITION Coming This Spring

Reserve your space now!

Contact ads@mountainx.com for advertising

term working relationship.

Requirements • Strong knowledge of food product and cooking methods • Proficient in basic knife and butchering skills • Experience working all stations including prep, sauté, grill, fish, and pizza oven • Passionate about good food • To be successful in this position, you must possess an excellent work ethic, a reliable attendance record, strong attention to detail, and be capable of consistently performing quality work while working quickly in an environment that is often full of distractions TO APPLY: Please visit our website sierranevada.com/ careers

learn and grow in order to achieve their career goals!

As an employment specialist you will be working with individuals with disabilities and assisting them with career placement and training so that they can thrive in the workplace. Willingness to work a flexible schedule- including nights and weekends- is required.

Experience working with individuals with disabilities is preferred. For more information and application process, please visit the careers page at www.tvsinc.org.

TAPROOM SUPPORT We are looking for friendly, service oriented people who want to be a part of the brewery experience by joining our Front of House Taproom & Restaurant service team in a part-time Taproom Support role. Ensures guests are seated at a clean, properly set table within the shortest amount of time possible. •Offers assistance to guest by clearing away dishes and glassware.

•Cleans and reset tables and the bar top once guests have left. •Delivers food to tables and beer to guests.

TO APPLY: Please visit our website sierranevada.com/ careers

ANTIQUES & COLLECTIBLES

HUMAN SERVICES COMMUNITY SCHOOL COORDINATOR Experienced in building and sustaining strong schoolcommunity partnerships?

Passionate about supporting student achievement and promoting family and community engagement?

Have a strong commitment to equity? Join us. unitedwayabc.org/ employment-opportunities

TEACHING/ EDUCATION

XCHANGE

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SERVICES

COLLEAGUE SUPPORT TECHNICIAN A-B Tech is currently taking applications for a Full-Time position Colleague Support Technician.

For more details and to apply: abtcc.peopleadmin. com/postings/5030 PRE-K TEACHER We need a dynamic pre-k teacher to join our staff at Children's Center at Gracelyn. Must have at least an Associates degree in Early Childhood Education and experience in childcare. Hours are 8:305:30. Great team and benefits! email or call and ask for Jeannie Aiken. 828-2530542 childrenscentero@ bellsouth.net

CAREER TRAINING AIRLINE CAREERS BEGIN HERE! Get started by training as FAA certified Aviation Technician. Financial aid for qualified students.

Job placement assistance.

Call Aviation Institute of Maintenance: 800-725-1563 (AAN CAN)

EMPLOYMENT SERVICES EMPLOYMENT SPECIALIST NEEDED A non-profit agency in Brevard NC is looking for individuals who find joy in helping others

EDUCATION/ TUTORING NEED HELP WRITING THAT PAPER? Expert English and writing tutor for all ages. 30 years experience • published author • MA in English rmorrison_writes@ charter.net

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T H E N E W Y OR K TI M ES CR OSSWOR D PU ZZLE

ACROSS

1 Lid attachment 5 Mixes in 9 Make art on glass or metal 13 Billy the Kid vis-à-vis Henry McCarty 15 Lecherous person 16 Boutiquefilled N.Y.C. neighborhood 17 “___, do these jeans make me look fat?”

19 Perfectly 20 “You’re oversharing!”

21 Levine of Maroon 5 22 Big swigs 23 Part of a movie that can be spoiled 25 “___! The flight attendant just swatted a bug!”

28 Smooth sailing site 30 Place with treatments 31 Club with travel advice, for short 32 Pay attention to 33 Mark that’s just above average HANDY MAN HIRE A HUSBAND • HANDYMAN SERVICES Since 1993. Multiple skill sets. Reliable, trustworthy, quality results. Insured. References and estimates available. Stephen Houpis, (828) 280-2254.

ANNOUNCEMENTS LEGAL NOTICES NOTICE OF SOLICITATION FOR PROPOSALS TO OPERATE WORKFORCE INNOVATION & OPPORTUNITY ACT PROGRAMS. The Mountain Area Workforce Development Board (MAWDB), an agency of Land-of-Sky Regional Council (LOSRC), will be accepting Requests for Proposals (RFP’s) for the operation of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (P. L. 113-128) programs and to serve as the One-Stop Operator in the Mountain Local Area (Buncombe, Henderson, Madison, and Transylvania Counties). Proposals will be sought for the NCWorks Career Centers (one in each county), One-Stop Operator and for the operation of the Youth Programs to serve eligible Youth (ages 16 through 24 at the time of program enrollment) in the Mountain Area region.

To learn more about the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) visit https://www.doleta. gov/wioa/ and https://wdr. doleta.gov/directives/.

35 Place where you can get stuck 36 “___, would you like to purchase some religious music?”

40 Not just any 43 Peer through a window, maybe 44 Myriad 48 Mr. Rogers 49 The Na’vi in “Avatar,” e.g.

50 Meet (with) at midday, say 53 “___ and those crazy sheep costumes!”

56 Bakery-cafe chain 57 Bikini part 58 Actor Neeson 60 “On the other hand …”

61 Where Paris took Helen 62 “___! Petr, I’m begging you again to let me get this!”

65 Break in the action 66 Really cool, in slang 67 “Me, too!”

68 Slippery 69 Teensy 70 Harness racing gait North Carolina policy information is available at the Division of Workforce Solutions website nccommerce.com/about-us/ divisions-programs/ workforce-solutions-division.

The MAWDB will develop cost reimbursement contracts with successful bidders for the WIOA programs to be operated July 1, 2019 through June 30, 2020.

Annual contract extensions, for up to two additional years, are possible if the selected service providers’ demonstrate and document successful performance, and if the adequate WIOA funding is available to the Local Area. The Request for Proposals for WIOA NCWorks Career Centers, One-Stop Operator and the Request for Proposals for Youth Programs will be available at the MAWDB Offices, 339 New Leicester Hwy., Suite 140, Asheville, NC 28806-2088 between the hours of 8:30am and 3:00pm M-F or by e-mail request to zia@landofsky. org. Both Requests for Proposals will be released for competitive procurement on Monday, February 18, 2019 and proposals will be due by 4:00pm on Friday, April 12, 2019. For additional information contact Nathan Ramsey, Director Mountain Area Workforce Development Board at nathan@landofsky.org.

Organizations intending to bid must submit a Letter of Intent electronically to Nathan Ramsey (nathan@ landofsky.org) by 5:00pm

edited by Will Shortz

No. 0116

DOWN

1 Research assistant, informally 2 Female graduates 3 Not get used 4 Makeshift receptacle for ballots 5 “O mio babbino caro,” e.g.

6 Foundational teachings 7 “Obviously, Sherlock!”

8 Wimbledon unit 9 First name in perfumes 10 Windows strip 11 The Louvre, originally 12 Spot where one might get grilled 14 Some origami birds 18 Advantage 22 Quarry noise 24 Website for film buffs 26 Upscale kitchen feature 27 Told, as tales 29 Hacker’s goal 34 Fraternity letter 37 Exhaust

on Thursday, March 29, 2019. The Bidders’ Conference to discuss the procedures related to applying for funds and operating a WIOA Youth Program is scheduled for Thursday, March 11, 2019 at 3:00pm and the Bidders’ Conference for the operation of a WIOA NCWorks Career Center is scheduled for Thursday, March 11, 2019 at 1:30pm. Both conferences will be held at the LOSRC Offices 339 New Leicester Highway, Asheville, NC. For agencies intending to submit proposals RSVPs will be required to zia@landofsky. org from agencies planning to attend the Bidders’ Conference(s). The Mountain Area Workforce Development Board is an Equal Opportunity and Americans with Disabilities Act Compliant Employer and Program Administrator.

CLASSES & WORKSHOPS CLASSES & WORKSHOPS SERIOUSLY FUN ACTING CLASS Stuck at a desk? This acting class provides a nonjudgmental, supportive environment to take you places physically, vocally, and mentally. We will explore the art of interaction and intention.

In short, we will have fun! 8 weeks. Wednesdays 6:308:30 March 6-April 24. $250 calliewarner@gmail.com

PUZZLE BY BRUCE HAIGHT

38 Dubious Tibetan sighting 39 Ostracize 40 Part of a bridge 41 “Amen!”

42 “Puh-leeze!,” in facial form

MIND, BODY, SPIRIT

45 Lease term, often 46 Loud subgenre of punk 47 “Bingo!”

51 Colorful fish 52 Genie holders 54 In a jovial way

55 Choose 59 Ugh-worthy 62 TV drama of 2000-15 63 Benzoyl peroxide target, informally 64 Fate

ANSWER TO PREVIOUS NY TIMES PUZZLE

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SPIRITUAL SHARING OUR STORIES The Story Circle meets every Wednesday at 9am 297 Haywood St, Asheville, NC. Sharing stories is a great way to gain insight into life histories and meet new people!

FOR MUSICIANS MUSICAL SERVICES NOW ACCEPTING STUDENTS IN JAZZ PIANO, COMPOSITION, AND IMPROVISATION (ALL INSTRUMENTS).

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Composer 2016” and “Steinway Artist”, now accepting students in jazz piano, composition, and improvisation (all instruments). 35 years experience. M.A. from Queens College (NYC). Over 90 cds released. 9179161363. michaeljefrystevens.com

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