Mountain Xpress 01.07.26

OUR 32ND YEAR OF WEEKLY INDEPENDENT NEWS, ARTS & EVENTS FOR WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA VOL. 32 NO. 23 JAN. 7-13, 2026

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JAN. 7-13, 2026

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C O N T E NT S 2026

Wellness

FEATURES

15 yard capacity

10 ‘MOVING FORWARD, STEP BY STEP’ Buncombe County’s new Helene recovery officer outlines plans, priorities

12 DRAWING A CONCLUSION Billy Borne’s 1926 cartoons

‘STAY WITH OUR STORY’ As Swannanoa steps into a new year of rebuilding and recovery, nonprofits such as Swannanoa Communities Together and local residents are considering long-term recovery strategies and ways to continue meeting the community’s immediate needs.

COVER PHOTO Caleb Johnson COVER DESIGN Scott Southwick

13 LATE-NIGHT HOOPS Two teams, one ball, eight hours and no timeouts

22 GOING ROGUE (SORT OF) Sparrow Smith releases debut solo album

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LETTERS

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CARTOON: MOLTON

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CARTOON: BRENT BROWN

6

COMMENTARY

8

NEWS

12 FEATURES 16 COMMUNITY CALENDAR 20 ARTS & CULTURE 26 SMART BETS

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23 TROUBLE IN THE MOUNTAINS Terry Roberts’ latest novel takes readers back to 1960s Madison County

27 CLUBLAND 30 FREEWILL ASTROLOGY 30 CLASSIFIEDS 31 NY TIMES CROSSWORD

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3

OPINION

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

Mission Hospital’s successes merit gratitude In early December, just four days after suffering a heart attack, I was discharged from Mission Hospital’s cardiac unit. In the last few months, the hospital has endured a barrage of unfavorable media coverage, much of which overlooks a crucial reality: Mission Hospital stands as one of the most vital, proficient and unsung heroic pillars in Western North Carolina.

Our community needs a fair and comprehensive view of the institution that cares for thousands across Buncombe, Henderson, Transylvania and neighboring counties.

Each day, well before any news article or online rant hits the feeds, Mission’s doctors, nurses, paramedics and support staff arrive ready to provide critical, life-preserving treatment. They handle everything from heart attacks and strokes to severe injuries, preterm babies, cancer treatments and mental health emergencies with expertise and genuine empathy. For the overwhelming majority of patients, the care isn’t just satisfactory: It’s outstanding.

Thanks to over 500 donors surpassed its goals AL SEMI-FIN

Donations $417,305 Matches $144,348

Total $561,653 GIVELOCALGUIDE.ORG •

Consider volunteering for Buncombe kids

C A R T O O N B Y R AN DY M O L T O N It’s all too simple to overlook that Mission serves as our region’s sole Level I Trauma Center, the premier hub for cardiac and stroke care, and the lifeline for remote areas where every second counts. This is no minor role, and yet, Mission rises to it without fail, day in and day out.

Sure, there are hurdles, much like those plaguing hospitals nationwide, from staff shortages and escalating expenses to surging patient volumes.

But focusing solely on the flaws paints a distorted and unjust portrait. It can also demoralize the dedicated health care workers who are the glue keeping our community healthy.

From my vantage point as a heart attack patient over those four days, and as echoed by countless others who’ve been here, Mission is brimming with committed individuals who truly prioritize their patients.

They push through exhaustion to stay longer, offer solace to worried

families, navigate intricate medical scenarios and often go unrecognized for their profound contributions.

Rather than dwelling only on the downsides, let’s spotlight the inspiring narratives: the heart attack survivor (that’s me) who leaves on his own two feet thanks to the cardiac team’s swift response; the tiny newborn thriving due to the neonatal intensive care unit’s expertise; the senior receiving dignified end-of-life care; the emergency room crew that keeps going strong amid chaos.

Mission Hospital isn’t flawless; no medical facility is. But it’s solid, indispensable and staffed by professionals who serve our area with both talent and passion. For that, Mission merits not only scrutiny when issues arise but gratitude for the innumerable successes that unfold every day.

Sincerely grateful, — Steve Simon Brevard

As we wrap up this season of giving, I’m giving of myself. I volunteer as a Guardian ad Litem (GAL), appointed by the District Court to advocate for children who have been neglected or abused as their families work their way through the court system.

Trained and supervised by GAL professionals in the North Carolina standards of practice, GALs focus on the needs of the child. We work with social workers, schools and other service providers to make sure the child remains safe and has access to the supports and services they need.

GALs are the child’s eyes, ears and voice in the courtroom. While some GALs have experience in the legal system, e.g., former attorneys, most of us are people from varied walks of life volunteering time to help a child who needs the support of a caring adult.

North Carolina law requires that every child identified by a county Department of Health and Human Services (aka DSS) as abused or neglected be appointed a GAL; in Buncombe County, there are about 160 GALs to serve about 300 children.

The numbers in our surrounding counties reflect similar needs. While Buncombe County enjoys a wider array of services and supports for its citizens than do some of our neighboring counties, the fact remains that abused and neglected children everywhere in North Carolina need someone to focus primarily on them as their families address whatever challenges have brought them to the court’s attention.

The new year is often a time of hope, of resolution, of commitment.

I intend to keep giving a piece of my time and energy to the abused and neglected children of Buncombe County. I encourage you to consider

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CARTOON BY BRENT BROWN doing the same by becoming a GAL. Contact the GAL office at 828-2593443 or GAL.Dist40@nccourts.org for more information on becoming a GAL in Buncombe County. To begin your application today, visit the website: [avl.mx/ekj].

— Gary Bagnato Guardian ad Litem volunteer Judicial District 40 Asheville

A 10-year-old’s view of the Blue Ridge Parkway In Asheville, the conservation is very good in the city, such as the Western North Carolina Nature Center teaching us about animals and how to live with them. But I think it would be better if we could leave some of the Blue Ridge Parkway untouched.

The government should have a part in this by closing roads to everyone but park rangers and people trying to help the animals. Then the bears wouldn’t have to be crowded around by tourists who want to take a selfie with them.

I think the government could preserve the Blue Ridge Parkway and stop allowing expensive mansions to be built and unnecessary forest roads that people are using one time a year.

But some people might argue that

tearing down all of that stuff is bad because tourism is big for Asheville’s economy. I think it could benefit both the animals and the people around here because untouched land could benefit the environment in many ways, like leaving the animals to be themselves and find more space within the parkway. And plus, the bears wouldn’t have to see a truckload of tourists.

If the city also closed it off and made it illegal to go there, then there’d be less pollution from cars and other machines. The rivers could be cleaned by trail crews. And by letting nature run wild, there could be tons of scientific studies that could lead to new discoveries. This is just my opinion on what is happening on our beloved parkway.

— Noah Pope Age 10 Asheville X

Word of the week hobbledehoy (n.) an awkward gawky youth This week’s word comes courtesy of reader Margaret Belk of North Asheville. Got a unique word you love?

Email tcalder@mountainx.com with the subject line: Word of the week. X MOUNTAINX.COM

JAN. 7-13, 2026

5

OPINION

ON THE LEFT

Should public dollars fund private schools?

Editor’s note: This column aims to highlight contrasting views on local issues from two writers who come from different perspectives — and to encourage thoughtful discussion from our readers across the political spectrum. This time, the topic focuses on education.

The N.C. General Assembly created the Opportunity Scholarship program in 2013, which provides state-funded private school vouchers for children in grades K-12. Last school year, lawmakers opened the program to all families, regardless of income. While state funding for public schools has dropped, more than two dozen private schools in Buncombe County now receive funding through the vouchers.

Should taxpayer funds be used to allow local students and those across the state to receive a private school education? Why or why not? Here are their responses:

Bill Branyon: Dear Buncombe County taxpayers, Over the past 10 years, about $27 million that would have gone to support our local public schools instead went to vouchers to help Buncombe County students attend private schools, according to Public Schools First NC. Up to nearly $20 million of that went to 11 Christian private schools. Schools such as Asheville Christian Academy, whose “Statement of Faith” contends: “There will be a bodily resurrection of both the saved and the lost; they that are saved unto the resurrection of life, and they that are lost unto the resurrection of damnation.” Among others, ACA received up to $4.2 million, Temple Baptist $4.7 million and Asheville Catholic $1.4 million.

How can this possibly be permitted under the separation-of-churchand-state mandate? In a 2002 case, the U.S. Supreme Court declared it constitutional anyway, stating that the vouchers in that case were for “providing educational assistance to poor children in a demonstrably failing public school system.”

Which sounds noble in theory.

However, in practice, according to the Columbia Undergraduate Law Review, nationally over 90% of vouchers go to religious schools. In 2023, North Carolina dropped even the poverty pretense and legislated that families of any income level could receive vouchers. Buncombe County voucher spending immediately shot up by 129%, to over $11 million in 2024 alone.

Some of your wealthy Buncombe neighbors are probably using your money to send their kids to rightwing, religious schools. And the General Assembly plans to increase voucher expenditures statewide to $520.5 million annually by fiscal year 2032-33.

You might think this would cause a deluge of separation-of-church-andstate — or separation-of-wealth-andstate — lawsuits. But so far, nobody has filed one. (Hint, hint.)

In addition, former Gov. Roy Cooper has pointed out that public schools lose an average of $7,500 for every student switching to private

Why I support Xpress 6

JAN. 7-13, 2026

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BILL BRANYON

Art by Brian Vasilik schools. This year, 4,595 Buncombe students went to private schools.

Multiplying those numbers equals $34 million lost. Every year!

The governor’s online fact sheet states: “Unlike public schools, private schools are not required to … serve all students regardless of race, gender, socioeconomic status or religious beliefs.” For instance, Mount Pisgah Academy’s online school handbook states: “We do not condone any sexual practice or behavior contrary to our Biblical belief system.”

Yet esteemed taxpayer, given the bullying, violence and inequality in schools and society today, we desperately need the Christian values of blessing peacemakers, following the golden rule and practicing the tolerance, sharing and helping of the good Samaritan. But we don’t need the most extreme bullying of all bullies, the right-wing Christian idea of a literal, eternal hell.

Thus, although I heartily support freedom of religion and school choice, it should not be at the expense of public schools and at the profit of religious schools. Because, as Thomas Jefferson wrote: “Educate and inform the whole mass of the people. … They are the only sure reliance for the preservation of our liberty.” X

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ON THE RIGHT Carl Mumpower: It was in the 1800s when public dollars began widely funding education as a counter to the helter-skelter nature of that day’s private outlets.

My parents, grandparents and their parents were a product of that shift.

I was, too.

As a matter of fact, I attended 12 different public schools before graduating in 1970. By the time I navigated that endurance contest, I thought joining the service and volunteering for Vietnam would represent a positive reset.

I was mostly right.

In spite of my negative experiences with public education — and there were many — I chose to put my own children in public school.

The mission was socialization, mainstream exposures and teaching them to adapt to the often unpleasant diversity of peer experience.

If I had to do it all over again, I wouldn’t.

In spite of the costs and sacrifices associated with unfunded schooling, a redo would find me seeking a private option with balance, values, safety and academic enthusiasm as priorities.

The why of my regret tracks to the decadeslong deterioration of our public educational system.

Here are a few of the discouragements: 1. The common values gluing our schools together have been progressively eroded.

2. Teachers have lost classroom control to bureaucrats and sketchy change agents.

3. Developing students are aggrandized at a level far beyond their pay grade.

4. Special interests are indulged, while parents are ignored in an academic version of Alice in Wonderland.

5. The amount of money allocated to schools has supplanted outcome as the measure of educational sincerity.

6. Attendees are at the mercy of bullies, damaged and acting-out children indifferent to their behavior and classroom harmony.

7. Social reengineering has replaced academic development as the instructional priority.

8. Public education advocates have assumed a monopoly mindset that eliminates competition through policy control versus academic quality.

9. A clouded scholastic vision has fed a precipitous fall in international standing.

10. Our systemic educational failures are brightly illuminated by the indifference, performance

Wishing you a season full of Peace, Joy, and Adventure!

CARL MUMPOWER

Art by Brian Vasilik failures and functional skill limits demonstrated by graduates.

I retain great respect for parents who make the financial and personal sacrifices necessary for private schools, home schooling or other alternatives to a taxpayer-funded education.

Public support for private forms of education makes sense for four key reasons: 1. Competition — not to be compared with cronyism — raises all boats.

2. Public education is an expansive vision operating as a bloated reality.

3. Diverse academic settings serve to illuminate “best practice” methodologies.

4. Education is about children. Our hard-won tax resources should give them greater priority than the needs of clamoring adults currently exploiting — as measured by outcome — the needs of those children.

For further affirmation of local system inadequacies and closeted failures, witness the expansion of sanctuary specialty schools operating as publicly funded private school imitators.

What do you think, Bill? Shift tax dollars to students attending private schools?

Absolutely — circle back to the first paragraph for a history lesson on why.

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“Too much of what is called ‘education’ is little more than an expensive isolation from reality.”

— Thomas Sowell X Have a comment, question or a local topic you’d like our columnists to debate? Email letters@mountainx.com with the subject line: Local debate. X MOUNTAINX.COM

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7

NEWS

‘Stay with our story’

Recovery in Swannanoa continues as new year begins

BY BRIONNA DALLARA bdallara@mountainx.com “Many hands make light work” is one way to describe the scene at Tina’s Quick Stop in Swannanoa on Dec. 6. Volunteers rotated in and out of the abandoned convenience store, lugging dilapidated shelving and clearing out dusty refrigerators, working to prepare the space for the grassroots nonprofit Swannanoa Communities Together (SCT).

For the past 14 months, SCT has operated from a small storefront — previously a hair salon — next to the Quick Stop on U.S. Highway 70 in Swannanoa, helping thousands of local residents impacted by Tropical Storm Helene. Now, as the nonprofit continues supporting hundreds of families with their recovery needs each month, it’s expanding to create a larger hub for its work.

Like many of the volunteers helping out, Black Mountain resident Thom Lounsbury says he has benefited from SCT’s services, visiting its food pantry once a week and building relationships with the staff.

“This organization here has people work and supply the community with a service that helps them take some of the money they would spend on groceries and spend it on the cost of living, for rent or health care or whatever,” Lounsbury says. His weekly visits to SCT’s food pantry, he notes, have allowed him and his wife to put funds they would normally use for groceries toward other crucial living expenses.

With rising costs and cuts to federal assistance programs like Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) compounding the aftereffects of Tropical Storm Helene, Swannanoa residents are disproportionately bearing the brunt of both, says Beth Trigg, director of resource mobilization and partnerships for SCT. “We really hope that people will stay with our story and keep paying attention,” Trigg says. “There is a lot of hope, there is a lot of potential and there’s a lot of really beautiful community care that’s happening here that we need — but we can’t do it alone.

We’re going to need continued investment from other people who care in other parts of Western North Carolina who are positioned to help.”

A year out from the storm, Swannanoa is seeing some support roll in, including a recent $979,000 grant to Buncombe County from the N.C. Department of Commerce to repair sidewalks and $2 million dona8

JAN. 7-13, 2026

QUICK STOP FOR THE COMMUNITY: Volunteers for the nonprofit Swannanoa Communities Together made fast progress clearing out Tina’s Quick Stop on U.S. 70 in December. The convenience store will be renovated for the nonprofit’s expanded services in the new year. Pictured, from left, are SCT members Kym Maisch, Paulina Hernandez, Carmen Ybarra and Beth Trigg. Photo by Caleb Johnson tion to nonprofit BeLoved Asheville from WellCare of North Carolina to fund affordable housing.

Yet recovery remains in the early stages. Dilapidated buildings and debris piles still dot Swannanoa’s landscape.

Temporary housing options and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) vouchers have reached their expiration dates. Community staples like the Ingles grocery store and post office on U.S. 70 remain offline.

As Swannanoa steps into a new year of rebuilding and recovery, SCT and local residents are considering longterm recovery strategies and ways to continue meeting the community’s immediate needs.

EXPANDING CAPACITY Every time someone walks through the door at SCT, Trigg and the organization’s seven other full-time staffers are reminded of their neighbors’ pressing day-to-day needs.

The nonprofit, which provides support with food access, housing navigation and disaster recovery, has distributed around $830,000 in

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assistance since it launched operations immediately after Helene. As recovery drags on, Trigg says, some residents are only now seeking help.

“I received a message from someone who lost their home 14 months ago, and it was the first time they were reaching out to us or any other community organization for help,” Trigg says. “There are many people who have not found us, or who have just not wanted to ask for help or who’ve been trying to patch it together on their own for 14 months.”

As of December, Trigg notes, SCT has helped prevent 45 evictions and has provided resources to nearly 6,800 people. Each month, the organization provides nearly $60,000 to assist people with rent and utilities alone, according to Trigg.

That work has been funded largely through private donations from churches and individuals as well as support from local foundations like WNC Bridge Foundation and The Community Foundation of Western North Carolina.

The expansion into the Quick Stop location is possible due to a $500,000 grant from the American Red Cross,

which will also support enhancement of SCT’s services and programming in the coming year.

The organization’s goal, Trigg says, is to transform the former gas station into a bustling community center with offices, classrooms, meeting rooms and space for child care. The larger footprint will allow the organization to host more community events and provide private meeting areas for disaster case management conversations.

“A lot of times what that looks like is someone telling their story, which is very personal and often painful and traumatic, and hundreds of those stories have been told in that tiny, little hair salon over the past year,” Trigg says. “This will give people more privacy for those kinds of conversations.”

In 2026, SCT will initiate or expand the following services: • Private-pay mental health counseling for disaster-impacted children and adults.

• Six community care workers trained in disaster case management available on-site five days a week.

• A new partnership with Pisgah Legal Services.

• A new partnership with NC MedAssist to provide free prescription medication.

• Ongoing operation of SCT’s free choice food pantry and refridgerators open five days a week.

• Eviction prevention and rental assistance.

• Expansion of onsite community garden to produce food and a learning lab for small-scale food production.

The nonprofit will also continue working with community partners to advocate for larger recovery goals, like building affordable housing, Trigg says.

“We can’t wave a magic wand and make that housing reappear overnight, but we can bring trusted developers into our community to work with us to help develop the kind of housing that we need in our community,” Trigg notes.

She adds that she is encouraged by the Beacon Ridge affordable apartment complex approved by the Buncombe County Board of Adjustment in early November, as well as by news of a new 60-unit affordable, single-family development from Mountain Housing Opportunities that’s now underway in Black Mountain.

IDENTIFYING LONG-TERM NEEDS Trigg relies on input from SCT’s clients and staff about community needs to inform her work on Buncombe County’s Swannanoa Small Area Recovery Plan steering committee.

In July, Buncombe County began community engagement for Swannanoa’s Small Area Plan that maps out long-term recovery needs for the Swannanoa corridor as part of the Buncombe County 2043 Comprehensive Plan.

The county did a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) analysis poll as the first step for creating a vision for the valley’s future. Of the 397 people who took the poll, 72% said they want the county to make major changes to build resilience over the next five to 20 years.

The top five goals identified were: • Create early warning systems, evacuation plans and disaster resources.

• Build more parks and recreation.

• Create safer roads, bridges, utilities, etc.

• Protect wetlands, rivers and streams • Strengthen stormwater rules to reduce flooding The county is now moving into the next phase of the plan, which includes hosting several Vision Design Workshops to gather community

input. The first event took place Dec. 3 in Owen Middle School’s cafeteria.

As attendees gathered at the event, they found a range of recovery topics highlighted at individual tables — housing, downtown, hazards, transportation, environment, economic development and recreation.

Residents were encouraged to use maps to indicate where they thought each recovery initiative should be directed.

Participants also had the opportunity to speak with plan collaborators, including representatives from the county’s transportation and parks and recreation departments, as well as consultants from the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission and Land of Sky Regional Council.

The county intends to continue gathering feedback from the community on the plan until the end of May through in-person and virtual sessions, says Shannon Capezzelli, senior planner and the project manager for the plan.

COMMUNITY FEEDBACK Parks were top of mind for 37-yearold Bee Tree community resident Ryan O’Keefe, who attended the design workshop with his 1-yearold daughter.

As a parent of two young children, O’Keefe says Charles D. Owen Park was once a frequent destination for the family to take walks, feed ducks and, of course, access the playground.

With the park closed since Helene, O’Keefe says his family now travels 20 minutes to a playground in Oakley or to one of the parks in Black Mountain.

“It’s not a big deal, it’s a small thing, but it ends up being like three times a week with me and my wife,” he says.

Owen Park is also a priority for 40-year old Pam Tidwell, who notesthe park was a community hub.

“I went there probably five times a week, many years, and there were walkers and birders and doggers and kids and fishermen,” she says. “It was just where you met people in the community. It was the natural place to connect.” Since Owen Park’s closure, Tidwell has been making a 20-minute trip to Lake Tomahawk.

Tidwell also attended the workshop to ask how the county plans to build back in areas prone to mudslides.

Brutal mudslides during Helene sent her home’s foundation and driveway all the way to Marshall, she says. A year and $70,000 later her home is repaired, but there’s still flood mitigation to be done in the yard.

“We got floodplain [regulations], but our problem was more so mudslides. What do we do? Where do we go for that?” she asks.

Realtor and lifelong Swannanoa resident Kevin Toups wants to see fewer restrictions on properties.

“Restrictions mean higher prices,” he said.

Toups references Buncombe County’s flood damage prevention ordinance and the restrictions it lists to comply with the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and state building code.

The ordinance states that if a structure is substantially damaged to where the cost of restoring it would equal 50% of the market value before the damage occurred, it must comply with the current building code.

The code requires the rebuild to be elevated 2 feet above the base flood elevation, incurring greater cost.

Toups believes this requirement should be lifted, since some homeowners can’t afford to rebuild based on their tax-assessed values.

“A simple fix for a lot of it is to get people in the housing, help our business owners rebuild their businesses,” Toups says. Instead of having residents rebuild in the flood zone and pay more to elevate their properties, he believes the county should consider developing sites on higher ground, such as the land where the Swannanoa Correctional Center for Women is located.

Josephine Girardin, 75, who moved to Swannanoa two years ago, prioritizes things that can be improved immediately in the valley.

“They’re asking me, what do I want to see in 20 years. I may not be here in 20 years,” Girardin says. “I’d like to see some beauty back in, going through town, maybe some cherry trees or some flowering trees as you drive through or walk through.”

Several participants at the design workshop said they just want pivotal structures, like the post office and Ingles grocery store, to be back online. Ingles’ chief financial officer, Pat Jackson, told Xpress in July that the company plans to raise the cur-

rent site’s elevation and rebuild in Swannanoa, but the timeline is yet to be decided.

Community members also expressed concerns for their unhoused neighbors.

“The homeless population — that’s a big, big thing in our area, especially downtown [Asheville], and it feels like it’s getting pushed this way,” Toups says. “I think we need to have better resources for mental health. There’s programs, but a lot of people are homeless because they’re mentally ill, and that turns into substance abuse.”

And while long-term strategies are important for residents, the impact of recovery is felt most in the small, everyday challenges of life in the valley.

“Everyone kind of feels the same way — I mean, we’re all recovering emotionally from it,” Girardin says.

“I think we’re a little discouraged by the slow pace, [but we are] very encouraged every time we see something happen in a way of recovery or rebuilding something better.”

To learn more about the Swannanoa Small Area workshop, visit avl.mx/f92.

To stay up to date with Swannanoa Communities Together workdays and progress, visit avl.mx/eh1. X

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9

NEWS

‘Moving forward, step by step’ Buncombe County’s new Helene recovery officer outlines plans, priorities

BY JUSTIN McGUIRE jmcguire@mountainx.com Kevin Madsen has spent decades managing disasters, from the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in Texas to Hurricane Matthew in North Carolina. Now, the Weaverville resident has taken on a new challenge close to home: leading Buncombe County’s long-term recovery from Tropical Storm Helene.

The county recently created the Helene Recovery Office to oversee 31 projects under its responsibility, part of a broader Helene Recovery Plan totaling 114 projects across seven jurisdictions. Madsen was hired as Helene recovery officer to guide those efforts, coordinating across municipal, nonprofit and state partners. He started on Nov. 3.

“I applied because I wanted to help the place where my family lives,” he says. “So many of our citizens may have experienced their worst day [during Helene]. Our communities are going to require time, financial resources and collaboration to continue moving forward.”

A Raleigh native, Madsen started in emergency administration in North Texas, managing sheltering and housing after hurricanes Katrina and Rita. He later returned to North Carolina for public health preparedness work, then moved into emergency roles at UNC Wilmington and Appalachian State University. His path continued through the private sector and Johnston County, where he ran the emergency operations center during Hurricane Matthew in 2016, before a move to Colorado

Springs, Colo., to lead that city’s emergency management office.

He landed back in Western North Carolina in 2021 and last fall reentered the disaster recovery field through the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) post-Helene pilot community liaison program, working in Madison and Yancey counties.

In Buncombe County, Madsen is focusing on rebuilding communities, mitigating landslide risks, addressing food security and supporting affordable housing initiatives. He plans to bring on a small team of project managers and support staff to manage the multiyear effort.

Xpress spoke with Madsen about his experiences in disaster recovery, the projects under his oversight, his strategies for communicating with residents still affected by Helene and more.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Xpress: What are the key projects and responsibilities of your new role?

Madsen: One of my big tasks is taking on those 31 projects in the Helene Recovery Plan that are focused solely on Buncombe County. [The plan] applies to a lot of our current community needs — everything from affordable housing development to food security, which we are currently discussing to ensure our communities receive the resources they need.

We’re also working on revitalization projects, risk reduction campaigns, disaster recovery and landslide mitigation. We know that we’ve got multiple landslides throughout

We have received approval to hire five staff for the team in addition to myself. We are assessing at what scale to bring those on, but at present, we are looking to bring in a few project managers and financial support for this program within the next month or two.

Based on your past disaster experiences, how long do you expect recovery in Buncombe County to take?

STORM TESTED: Kevin Madsen became Buncombe County’s first Helene recovery officer on Nov. 3.

“We’ve got strong communities that stood up during the storm and really supported each other,” says the Weaverville resident. Photo courtesy of Buncombe County Buncombe County, so we will look at how to address those and next steps.

Our office does not work independently; we’re working in partnership with our county, municipal, state and federal partners to bring in the appropriate expertise to ensure the highest-quality outcomes. We are hiring additional staff in the next month or two.

There is far more complexity than just 31 projects, with subcomponents for each of them.

Well, that’s a very subjective question because we have a lot of complex situations countywide. We talked about those 114 projects. The team, prior to my arrival, did a wonderful job quantifying them into moderate and high complexity, so timelines will vary based on project start dates and funding availability. We see recovery taking multiple years. Some projects may be shorter term, others longer.

Looking back at Katrina and my time responding to hurricanes Matthew and Florence, some projects that started in 2016 are still in progress. That doesn’t mean all of our projects will take that long. Each depends on resources, funding and staff time, so recovery will be an ebb and flow. My role is helping the team prioritize community needs, identify where to invest time and resources and leverage partners — community organizations, internal county departments and others — to increase efficiency and complete projects on schedule.

Which areas of Buncombe County are still experiencing the most effects of Helene?

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How large a staff do you anticipate ultimately working in the recovery office?

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I’m still assessing that. As a community member, I’ve seen feedback from Swannanoa and Black Mountain.

Even though I can’t definitively identify which communities are most affected without more time in this role, I do know many people are still in need of resources and support. The good thing is our Helene Resource Center is up and running at 94 Coxe Ave. It’s staffed daily, helping community members by phone, in person and coordinating with our partners and the Long Term Recovery Group.

I’ve seen an incredible effort from

our team supporting community members as they go through the recovery process.

How do you communicate with people still dealing with major property damage or other issues to let them know they haven’t been forgotten?

The county has a dashboard and website for Helene resources, and social media posts also go out. One key element my team is looking at is assessing our communication mechanisms. Is the Helene Resource Center and what we’re doing presently meeting the community’s needs, or do we need extra layers or components?

Education is critically important so people know how we’re progressing.

As I work with the county team, I hope to identify other communication opportunities while utilizing existing resources. They’ve done a wonderful job with the financial dashboard, showing where funding is going, so community members can see how money is being invested in Helene recovery. Resources and links to partner programs like Grow NC and Renew, linked to the central resource hub on the website, also add value.

In postdisaster environments, people often experience burnout and frustration. What advice or lessons have you learned for helping communities cope?

The most important thing to remember is that recovery takes time. From my experience helping community members with their homes, these processes are slow.

There isn’t always a quick response, so it’s important to be patient.

Even personally, we experienced the storm — my son still gets anxious when it’s windy. I remind him to take one step at a time, pause, breathe and enjoy the natural surroundings we’re fortunate to have here in Buncombe County. Our communities are strong; they came together during the storm and supported each other.

Another thing I hope to do is provide more resources on the Helene resource page, including updates on the projects we’re working on. Seeing progress, even if slow, helps people feel that we are moving forward, step by step. That visibility is valuable when recovery feels overwhelming.

How do you anticipate working with municipalities as recovery progresses?

I’m a huge advocate for a whole community approach. We need to bring all our partners to the table.

Some projects focus solely on a

municipality, like Montreat, Black Mountain, Woodfin or Weaverville.

Each municipality may take the lead, and we’ll support them throughout the process.

It’s also important to include neighboring jurisdictions. I’ve worked with Madison and Yancey counties, and there’s an opportunity to share best practices, partner effectively and avoid duplicating efforts.

How do you see federal financial support going forward?

I think there’s always an opportunity to explore additional funding.

The team here at Buncombe County has attended several meetings, which highlighted their impressive work capturing as much money as possible through the FEMA Public Assistance Program. Community members have also been working with individual assistance programs.

Beyond FEMA, other federal agencies like USDA (U.S. Department of Agriculture) and HUD (Department of Housing and Urban Development) provide support. Our team focuses on identifying new funding streams as they become available. For example, the governor recently announced $50 million for internet service providers to address connectivity concerns.

Capturing these resources helps offset gaps in federal reimbursements, and our team is actively collaborating with state and federal partners to maximize support.

Is there anything you think is important for the public to know about recovery efforts that we haven’t covered?

The most important thing to me is the commitment Buncombe County has shown. I’ve worked for several jurisdictions and been involved in nine presidentially declared disasters, and I can say it’s impressive that Buncombe County has dedicated time, effort and funding to a Helene Recovery Office. That’s something our community should be proud of. It shows the county leadership’s dedication to supporting residents thoughtfully, and it was one of the main reasons I applied for this position — to be part of this long-term recovery effort.

In my experience, most counties have their various departments handle recovery, so this is actually the first dedicated recovery office I’ve seen. I know other communities have done similar things — for example, Lanai in Hawaii during the fires and some in California — so it’s not unheard of.

But it’s not something that automatically happens every time. X

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FEATURES

by Thomas Calder | tcalder@mountainx.com

Drawing a conclusion Billy Borne’s 1926 cartoons

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We are looking back exactly 100 years to see the local and national issues cartoonist Billy Borne parodied and satirized in The Asheville Citizen.

Topics featured in Borne’s 1926 collection include concerns about inflated real-estate prices, tourism, the authorization of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, city expansion, traffic woes and financial distress.

Some things just don’t change, do they? X

“No Argument," published on Feb. 8, 1926

“To Keep it Safe and Sound," published on Feb. 20, 1926

“If We Should Have a Housing Shortage Next Summer," published March 3, 1926

“Time to Spray," published on April 7, 1926

“Yes Sir, That’s Our Baby," published May 16, 1926

“The Question of the Hour," published on June 9, 1926

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Late-night hoops

Two teams, one ball, eight hours and no timeouts

BY JARRETT VAN METER jarrettvanmeter@gmail.com On the evening of Dec. 31, 1942, two teams took to the basketball court of the Canton Champion YMCA for a brief warmup. As soon as the clock struck midnight on Jan. 1, 1943, the ball was tipped, and play began.

But this was no ordinary game.

“As the feature attraction to its annual New Year’s eve athletic party, the champion ‘Y’ reeled off an eighthour basketball game yesterday without benefit of any time out or rest period,” The Charlotte Observer reported on Jan. 3, 1943. The two teams — dubbed “White” and “Blue” — were made up of Canton-area athletes, who competed without substitutes.

Players were allowed to leave the floor only to get a sip of water, use the bathroom or grab an orange slice. But the action did not break, and they had to bring the fruit back onto the court with them and enjoy it while playing.

The teams changed goals every hour.

Nine of the 10 players made it to the final horn. The score was 1,326 to 786.

BLISTERED FEET According to the Jan. 17, 1943, Sunday edition of The Charlotte Observer, Walter Clark led all scorers with 500 points.

Clark, who passed away in 2014 at the age of 91, was a former threesport star at Canton High School before receiving a football scholarship to Wake Forest University. He went on to serve in the U.S. Navy in World War II before returning to Canton, where he worked as a lawyer. According to his daughter, Marti Clark-Clonts, he continued to shoot hoops into his 80s.

T.S. Grogan, on the opposing team, bowed out after four hours, leaving his squad down a player for the remainder of the game. (Granted, he did net 70 points before checking out.) Referees Alton Phillips and W.C. Scroggs also worked the game without a break, as did scorekeeper Glen Rhinehart.

The Charlotte Observer noted that many of the fans stayed for the duration of the event. As the players told Central Press Sports Editor Walter Johns, the first three hours were the hardest, and the last two were the easiest. “Although each player wore three pairs of socks, several were limping at the end with blistered feet,” Johns wrote.

HOOP DREAMS: At the end of the eight-hour, nonstop game, the nine players who completed the challenge posed for a picture. Bottom row, from left, are Bruce McClure, Walter Clark, Charlie Munday, Ralph Rogers and Wayne Parks. Top row, from left, are Frank Hardin, C.C. Poindexter, Martin Rogers and Charles Carroll. Photo courtesy of The Charlotte Observer ‘LEADING THE WORLD BACK’ The game was organized by local fitness enthusiast Charles C. Poindexter, who served as athletic director for both the YMCA and Canton High School.

According to his granddaughter, Margaret Poindexter, Charles Poindexter decided at a young age to become the first person in his family to go to college. The idea didn’t sit well with his father, who expected him to stay home and help out on the family’s Macon County farm. But Poindexter persisted, eventually enrolling at the University of North Carolina.

As family lore goes, he bought a train ticket and took the line as close as it went to Chapel Hill, hopping off in Durham. He walked the rest of the way with his footlocker on his back.

“That was the way my daddy impressed upon me how much we valued education in our family,” Margaret Poindexter wrote in an email to Xpress.

ON THE MAP In a Dec. 27, 1958, tribute to Poindexter, who died at age 60 on

Christmas Eve, writer Bob Terrell penned a column with the headline: “Tribute to a Great Man.” In it, Terrell described Poindexter’s contributions to the region, noting he was “the father of the Blue Ridge Conference, the only all double-A high school athletic league in WNC.” Prior to his career in school athletics, Poindexter played as a lineman for the Tar Heel football team. According to a Dec. 25, 1958, article in the WinstonSalem Journal, he went on to graduate form the UNC Law School, practicing for a year in Asheville as well as a year in Franklin, before pivoting to coaching and teaching.

From 1930-35, he served as the athletic director for what is now Western Carolina University and played a key role in selecting the Catamount as the school’s mascot.

“He selected the ‘Catamount’ because of its association with ‘fierce spirit, savage attacks, and lightning quick moves,’” his granddaughter explains.

“He served all of Western North Carolina as a director of the North Carolina High School Athletic

Association, and it was Coach Poindexter who was chiefly responsible for the recognition achieved

by WNC through the NCHSAA,” Terrell wrote in his 1958 tribute. “It is generally felt that the NCHSAA used to feel that the state of North Carolina stopped at the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains and it was Poindexter who put WNC on the NCHSAA map through his continuous fight toward that end.”

But before all of this came his magnum opus: the eight-hour basketball game. Poindexter concocted the idea as a means of testing the effectiveness of his fitness programs in Canton.

He also suited up for the game and, despite being older than the other players, competed all eight hours.

“In back of all Poindexter’s teaching is one goal to develop physical fitness in Americans of tomorrow, those upon whom the burden of leading the world back to recovery after the war will fall,” The Charlotte Observer reported in its Jan. 17, 1943, edition.

Editor’s note: Peculiarities of spelling and punctuation are preserved from the original documents. X

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FEA TU RE S

Field of play

year overseas in Vienna, Austria. I think I learned a lot of that drive, that motivation, that hungriness of just doing the best job possible. I feel like being a catcher my whole life, I’ve always been very analytical. When it comes to event directing, I think it’s a huge thing. You have to think of the worst-case scenario but also the best-case scenario and be ready for any type of obstacle that comes up. It’s the same way as if I was catching in Game 7 of the World Series.

Regional Sports Commission expands roster, ambitions, with local talent

BY JUSTIN McGUIRE jmcguire@mountainx.com Lucas Owens spent his college days behind the plate at UNC Asheville, calling pitches, guiding pitchers and staying several steps ahead of opposing batters. He figures that experience as a catcher for the Bulldogs will prove beneficial in his new role as director of events for the Asheville Buncombe Regional Sports Commission.

“I think that strategic thinking and planning ahead will be really valuable when managing events,” says Owens, a Forest City native who started the job in October.

The sports commission, founded in 2010, is a nonprofit that works to bring athletic events to Buncombe County and promote Western North Carolina as a destination for sports tourism. The organization has been involved in securing and hosting major regional events, including the Southern Conference (SoCon) Basketball Championships, wrestling and tennis tournaments as well as cross-country and volleyball competitions.

Until now, the day-to-day work of running tournaments and coordinating logistics largely fell to President Chris Smith and Vice President Madison Davis. Owens’ position is new, part of the commission’s recent effort to grow its staff and take on more events. That effort also includes partnering with Hepp Creative Solutions, led by Stacey Hepp, who brings more than 20 years of experience in sports and entertainment marketing to help the commission with strategy, events and branding.

Owens comes to the job with an extensive background in sports operations. He spent seven years with Prospect Select baseball, rising from site supervisor to senior director of events for the Carolinas region. That role had him overseeing everything from recruiting teams to booking venues for large high school tournaments — including one that drew 300 teams to Greenville, S.C. Xpress spoke to Owens about his goals in the new role, his vision for growing sports across WNC and how his background as a player and local native shapes his approach.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Xpress: How do you foresee your new role? What would you like to accomplish?

Owens: Madison and Chris have been a dynamic duo for a long time.

They felt bringing someone in to help lighten the load while they focus on future events was the right call. There are always college, high school, amateur and professional sports looking for new places to play. I look to be a right-hand man and help where I can — to free up Chris and Madison so they’re not as busy with the boots-on-the-ground side and can focus on that side.

I come from a baseball background and was with Prospect Select from 2017 until about 2024, wearing many hats in that role. In this position, it’s more on a local level. I want to bring the business perspective when hosting a tournament: How can the sports commission help make it a quality event for participants? Having done this for seven years on the other side, I understand what groups are looking for and what kinds of partnerships to pursue locally to engage participants and ensure they have a positive experience. That’s what I foresee myself doing — helping with the overall quality and experience of the groups and organizations that bring their events here.

Will your role focus on bringing in new events or working with existing ones?

For now, it looks like I’ll mostly focus on the events we already have. Over time, once I get my feet under me and understand how it all works, I’d like to reach out to new organizations to bring sports that attract visitors to Asheville

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What advantages does being a WNC native bring to the job?

GAME ON: Lucas Owens joined the Asheville Buncombe Regional Sports Commission recently as its first director of events. “Asheville has become a home to me over the last 13 years, so I look forward to being able to give back to this community,” he says. Photo courtesy of of the commission and engage our local communities.

Western North Carolina is well-known for kayaking and outdoor sports — mountain biking is huge. For example, my sister and her fiancé are avid bikers and raced at Brevard College. I have some ideas, but right now I’m taking it one day at a time, learning the existing events and using my experience to help improve them.

The sports commission has traditionally focused mostly on events at the Harrah’s Cherokee Center – Asheville, including the SoCon Basketball Championships. Do you see events outside at other venues being a focus going forward?

Well, I don’t necessarily know. I’m just the new guy with a lot of ideas (laughs). The Cherokee Center is a huge partner of ours — it was even back in 2016, when I was an intern with the sports commission. We will continue to use them for anything from basketball to volleyball to wrestling. But we’re open to any ideas. There are a lot of opportunities here in Asheville, especially as we see fields and facilities reopening after [Tropical Storm] Helene.

How does your background as an athlete play into this role?

I played baseball for UNC Asheville for four years, and then I went on and made my own path through independent professional ball. I even played a

I’ll give you an example. We had the SoCon Cross Country Championships [on Nov. 1 at Tryon International Equestrian Center] and needed a couple extra hands for athletic trainers.

The Equestrian Center is not too far away from Forest City, and I reached out to a family friend of ours who has contacts with many of the high school athletic trainers in the area. Sure enough, they were able to help us out with two or three hands. The Western North Carolina family and heart is very strong, and I think that plays a huge factor in this as well.

Do you think WNC is an untapped sports destination?

When you say, “We’re from Western North Carolina,” the first place people think is Asheville, but there are untapped markets outside the city, like Brevard, Old Fort, Hendersonville and Tryon. Asheville is our pride and joy, but Western North Carolina as a whole is untapped, especially the outskirts. Now I’m in a position to take ideas from friends in the area to Chris and Madison and explore them.

Last year, there was a very public split between the Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority and the sports commission, and some speculated the commission might not survive without TDA funding. Now it’s growing staff and partnerships. Is there room for both organizations to bring sports events to the area?

Yes, there’s room for both — they’re doing their own thing, and we’re focused on doing ours.

I wasn’t very aware of the breakup until I started talking to Chris over the past few months. We’re very excited about what’s to come. We’re bringing on new bodies, new partnerships and making lasting partnerships with local brands. Since I’ve been here, I’ve been welcomed with open arms.

People have gravitated to say hello and shoot me emails, and haven’t even met me yet, but they’re welcoming and excited for what’s to come for the sports commission, as are we. X

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COMMUNITY CALENDAR JAN. 7 - JAN. 15, 2025 For a full list of community calendar guidelines, please visit mountainx.com/calendar. For questions about free listings, call 828-251-1333, opt. 4. For questions about paid calendar listings, please call 828-251-1333, opt. 1.

 Online-only events  More info, page 26 WELLNESS 50+ Yoga For individuals aged 50 and above, focusing on gentle movements and flexibility, taught by Barbara.

WE (1/7, 1/14), FR (1/9), MO (1/12), noon, Weaverville Yoga, 3-B Florida Avenue Anahata Yoga A heart-centered yoga practice focusing on the Anahata chakra, led by Barbara.

WE (1/7, 1/14), FR (1/9), SA (1/10), MO (1/12), 10:30am, Weaverville Yoga, 3-B Florida Avenue Tai Chi Fan The Tai Chi Fan class includes a short Flying Rainbow Single Fan form, partner work, and Flying Rainbow Double Fan form.

WE (1/7, 1/14), 1pm, Dragon Phoenix, Woodfin, 51 N. Merrimon Ave Combat Tai Chi It contains martial application in its movements and can be used for self defense, but it also has great physical therapy benefits and helps with the flow of Chi. TH (1/8), 1pm, Dragon Phoenix, Woodfin, 51 N.Merrimon Ave Chinese Tea and Tai Chi Foundations This is a class for all ages and all levels. No experience is needed.

SA (1/10), 10:30am, Dragon Phoenix, Woodfin, 51 N. Merrimon Ave

SharQui Bellydance Fitness A bellydance fitness class suitable for all levels, led by instructor Kim Reigle.

WE (1/7, 1/14), noon, SA (1/10), 10am, World Dance Asheville, 1269 Tunnel Rd Candlelight Flow Yoga Unwind in our all-levels Candlelight Flow Yoga class.

SU (1/11), 5pm, Happy Body Pilates, 25 Reed St., Suite 210 Community Kirtan & Song Circle Experience the joy and connection of kirtan, a heart-centered gathering where we come together to sing devotional chants in a call-and-response format.

SU (1/11), 6:30pm, The Well, 3 Louisiana Avenue Restorative Yoga & Hot Stones During the Restorative Yoga and Hot Stones workshop, you'll experience the gentle and nurturing practice of restorative yoga that eases tension, soothes the nervous system, and quiets the mind.

SU (1/11), 7pm, West Asheville Yoga, 602 Haywood Rd Sunday Morning Meditation A combination of silent sitting and walking meditation, facilitated

by Worth Bodie, a longtime Buddhist student

XPRESS EVENT PICK Kinēsa Mat Class • Happy Body Pilates, 25 Reed St. • Tuesday Jan. 13 | 8:30am This class focuses on retraining the brain and calming the nervous system to release habitual patterns of posture, movement and body mechanics.

“This may be the perfect way to start my birthday with a class to help reframe my brain and nervous system.”

— Braulio Martinez X 16

JAN. 7-13, 2026

ASHEVILLE JUNIOR THEATER PREMIERE: Wortham Center for the Performing Arts kicks off The Lion King Jr. production presented by Asheville Junior Theater on Saturday, Jan. 10, with shows at 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. The musical follows Simba’s epic adventure as he discovers his courage, faces his destiny and rises to become king. Photo courtesy of Asheville Junior Theater and practitioner.

SU (1/11), 10am, The Lodge at Quietude, 1130 Montreat Rd Jivamukti Spiritual Warrior Yoga A dynamic and invigorating yoga class led by Pashupa.

MO (1/12), 7am, Weaverville Yoga, 3-B Florida Avenue Metal Yoga w/ Quantum Mystic There will be an emphasis on alignment and cultivating a sense of presence while listening to doom.

MO (1/12), 6:30pm, Eulogy, 10 Buxton Ave Yin Yang Qigong Together, we will balance the Yin and Yang within to effortlessly smooth out internal and external physical, emotional and mental disharmonies.

MO (1/12), 10am, Dragon Phoenix, Woodfin, 51 N Merrimon Ave Kinēsa Mat Class Kinēsa focuses on retraining the brain and calming the nervous system to release habitual patterns of posture, movement, and body mechanics.

TU (1/13), 8:30am, Happy Body Pilates, 25 Reed St., Suite 210 Qigong for Health and Resilience We practice a variety of simple yet powerful standing movements that can be as deep and challenging as you wish.

TU (1/13), 9am, Dragon Phoenix, Woodfin, 51 N Merrimon Ave

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Community Yoga w/ Carrie A free hour of yoga, meditation and mindfulness with local yoga instructor.

WE (1/14), 10:30am, AmeriHealth Caritas N Carolina Wellness and Opportunity Center, 216 Asheland Ave Quantum Energy Healing & Transformation: Group Session w/ Meg A group session focusing on connecting in the quantum field to release limitations, clear trauma imprints, and embody more light.

TH (1/15), 7pm, The Well, 3 Louisiana Avenue

SUPPORT GROUPS Carolina Resource Center for Eating Disorders Support Group This support group is peer-led and facilitated by licensed therapists & dietitians specializing in eating disorders.

Regiser at avl.mx/es6.

WE (1/7, 1/14), 6pm Nicotine Anonymous People share their experience, strength and hope to stop using nicotine. You don’t need to be stopped, just have a desire to attend.

TH (1/8, 1/15), 4:30pm, Asheville 12-Step Recovery Club, 1 Kenilworth Knolls Unit 4 Staying Grounded in Shaky Times A spiritual practice, support, and discussion group for seekers. It

will explore a variety of spiritual practices including meditation, breath-work, meditative movement and more.

WE (1/7, 1/14), 2pm, AmeriHealth Caritas NC Wellness and Opportunity Center, 216 Asheland Ave Stroke Support Group w/Stronger Together Wellness Stronger Together Wellness empowers stroke survivors and their caregivers through shared experiences, fostering a vibrant community that inspires healing, resilience, and hope on the journey to recovery.

TH (1/8), 3pm, AmeriHealth Caritas North Carolina Wellness and Opportunity Center, 216 Asheland Ave Magnetic Minds: Depression & Bipolar Support Group A free weekly peer-led meeting for those living with depression, bipolar, and related mental health challenges.

For more information contact (828) 367-7660.

SA (1/10), 2pm, First Congregational Church of Christ of Asheville, 20 Oak Street Solutions Group Daily living sober meeting. For more information, visit avl.mx/f91.

SU (1/11), 12:30pm, Online Sunrise AA Meeting Daily virtual Alcoholics Anonymous meeting.

For more information, visit avl.mx/f91.

SU (1/11), 7am, Online

Solor Agers Supporting One Another Solo Agers come together in community to support one another while navigating life’s challenges. Come together over coffee and tea and build connections.

MO (1/12), 10:30am, AmeriHealth Caritas NC Wellness and Opportunity Center, 216 Asheland Ave Families Anonymous Support group for those affected by someone else’s addiction.

TU (1/13), 6pm, Love & Respect, 350 Chadwick Ave Suite 300 Intuition And Mediumship Practice Circle The circle will include exercises to develop our skills, practice readings, and discussions about all things spiritand intuition-related.

Topics will shift circle to circle depending on group interests and experience level.

TU (1/13), 7pm, The Well, 3 Louisiana Avenue The Men’s Nest Make meaningful human connections to strengthen your social health, cultivate compassion, and learn to use your power to give and receive authentic support.

TU (1/13), 5:15pm, SeekHealing, 50 S. French Broad Ave Winter Women Meeting Monthly meeting for mature women to discuss and study Celtic

Spirituality.

TH (1/15), noon, First Congregational Church of Christ of Asheville, 20 Oak Street

DANCE Fundamentals of Bellydance Explore the fundamentals of bellydance, focusing on internal movement, isolations, smooth travel, hip articulation, and fluidity.

WE (1/7, 1/14), 5:30pm, The Well, 3 Louisiana Avenue Latin Night Wednesday w/DJ MTN VIBEZ A Latin dance social featuring salsa, bachata, merengue, cumbia, and reggaeton with dance lessons for all skill levels.

WE (1/7, 1/14), 8pm, One World Brewing West, 520 Haywood Rd Nia Dance Class Nia brings the body, mind, emotions, and spirit to optimal health through music, movement, and self expression.

TH (1/8, 1/15), TU (1/13), 10:30am, Dragon Phoenix, Woodfin, 51 N Merrimon Ave We Line Dance Instructor Brenda Mills leads an all-inclusive exercise class using line dancing to get your body moving.

TH (1/8, 1/15), 6:15pm, Stephens-Lee Rec Center, 30 George Washington Carver Ave

Country Line Dance w/ Kristey Featuring beginner and advanced classes that are open to everyone.

Dust off your favorie boots, and get ready to groove.

WE (1/7), 6pm, Eda’s Hide-a-Way, 1098 New Stock Rd, Weaverville Bellydance Drills A class focusing on bellydance drills suitable for all levels, led by Olivia Blahowsky.

SU (1/11), 4pm, World Dance Asheville, 1269 Tunnel Rd Steppin’ Out The second Sunday of every month features line dancing. No cover charge, and no boots, partner, or experience needed.

SU (1/11), 5pm, Hi-Wire Brewing Biltmore Village, 2A Huntsman Pl Monday Night Contra Dance Experience a fun and social dance that is open to everyone.

There will be a lesson at 7 p.m. and then participants can dance to a live band and caller at 7:30 p.m.

MO (1/12), 7:30pm, A-B Tech Community College, 340 Victoria Rd

ART Highwater: Ceramics from the Gail & Brian McCarthy Collection Highwater features ceramics from the collection of Gail & Brian McCarthy, celebrating the 45-year legacy of Highwater Clays as a

pillar of the ceramics community in WNC and beyond. Gallery open Wednesday through Sunday, 11am.

Exhibition through April 26, 2026.

Asheville Art Museum, 2 S Pack Square Look Homeward, Angel: Letterio Calapai’s Wood Engravings of the Asheville-Inspired Novel This exhibition presents a folio of prints by Letterio Calapai illustrating "Look Homeward, Angel" (1929)—Thomas Wolfe’s semi-autobiographical novel set in a fictionalized Asheville. Gallery open Wednesday through Sunday, 11am.

Exhibition through Feb. 22, 2026.

Asheville Art Museum, 2 S Pack Square Modern Bestiary: Creatures from the Collection This exhibition explores the artistic legacy of the medieval bestiary through a selection of animals and fantastic beasts from the Museum’s Collection. Gallery open Wednesday through Sunday, 11am.

Exhibition through March 15, 2026.

Asheville Art Museum, 2 S Pack Square Trolls: A Field Study An interactive exhibition featuring twelve troll sculptures exploring human life, crafted from materials like fallen branches and wooden pallets. Open daily, 8am.

NC Arboretum, 20 Frederick Law Olmsted Way Women of the Pacific Northwest This exhibition celebrates the voices, visions and material mastery of female artists working today, with roots from this rich and progressive region. Gallery open Wednesday through Sunday, 11am.

Exhibition through May 17, 2026.

Asheville Art Museum, 2 S Pack Square

Holiday Bizarre Group Art Show Artists were encouraged to explore winter, holiday, sci-fi, horror, rock & roll, and psychedelic themes.

Expect a wider variety of paintings, collages, ink drawings and more.

Gallery open Sunday through Thursday, noon. Exhibition through Jan. 11.

Push Skate Shop & Gallery, 25 Patton Ave Lasting Legacies: Architecture in Asheville by Richard Sharp Smith, Albert Heath Carrier & Douglas D. Ellington Lasting Legacies shines a spotlight on the contributions of two of the city’s most prominent architectural firms to Asheville’s built environment and artistic spirit in the early decades of the 20th century. Gallery open Wednesday through Sunday, 11am.

Exhibition through Jan. 18, 2026.

Asheville Art Museum, 2 S Pack Square Slow Art Friday Join our volunteer educator for this week’s Slow Art Friday and experience how close looking can foster relaxation and connection.

FR (1/9), noon, Asheville Art Museum, 2 S Pack Square Public Tour: Featured Exhibition A guided tour of the museum's current featured exhibition.

SA (1/10), 2pm, Asheville Art Museum, 2 S Pack Square Second Saturday Art Stroll A monthly Second Saturday Art Stroll featuring live music, clay demonstrations, and refreshments.

SA (1/10), 11am, Odyssey Gallery of Ceramic Arts, 238 Clingman Ave Look Homeward, Angel: Letterio Calapai’s Wood Engravings of the Asheville-Inspired Novel

This exhibition explores the artistic legacy of the medieval bestiary through a selection of animals and fantastic beasts from the Museum’s Collection. Gallery open Wednesday through Sunday, 11am.

Exhibition through March 15, 2026.

Asheville Art Museum, 2 S Pack Square Public Tour: Discovering Art in Asheville Volunteer educators or Museum staff will lead an interactive tour exploring the Museum’s history and Collection.

SU (1/11), 3pm, Asheville Art Museum, 2 S Pack Square Botanical Drawing for Beginners January In this beginner level class, learn several drawing techniques including line shading and pen and ink.

TU (1/13), 10:30am, NC Arboretum, 20 Frederick Law Olmsted Way

COMMUNITY MUSIC UNCA Jazz w/Bill Bares A night of incredible jazz with pianist, composer, scholar and educator William Bares, a professor or music and co-director of jazz studies at UNC Asheville.

WE (1/7), 7pm, White Horse Black Mountain, 105C Montreat Road Eddie Watkins His legendary career includes collaborations with Diana Ross, The Four Tops, Marvin Gaye & many other Motown great.

SU (1/11), 12:45pm, Community Commons at CSL Asheville, 3 Science of Mind Way WNC Pagan Choir: Winter Season In this folklore and pagan-focused experience, we sing together to celebrate the old gods, the animate forces, and the spirits of the wild. The group

meets up on Tuesday evenings during this 9-week season.

TU (1/13), 6:30pm, Land of Sky UCC, 15 Overbrook Pl

COMMUNITY WORKSHOPS Winterlight Candle Workshop Create your own frosted glass candle.

TH (1/8), 5pm, The Mule, 131 Sweeten Creek Road St. 10 Code w/Asheville Open Project Bring your own project for co-working or jump in on an existing project.

SA (1/10), 11am, Hi-Wire Brewing Biltmore Village, 2A Huntsman Pl Crystalize your Vision This 60-minute session guides you into stillness, reflection, and a grounding meditation to help clarify what you truly want and leave with a clear, embodied vision.

SA (1/10), 6pm, Asheville Salt Cave, 16 N Liberty St New Year Reset: Herbal Tea & Adaptogen Workshop Discover the power of herbal teas and adaptogens in this educational workshop.

SA (1/10), 4pm, Plant Bar, 919 Haywood Rd

AmeriHealth Caritas NC Wellness and Opportunity Center, 216 Asheland Ave Drink it Dry: Mocktail Class This is a class that will cover some bartending skills such as making a simple syrup from fresh herbs, mixing a drink to match your desired profile, and most importantly being playful yet intentional in choosing ingredients to craft something uniquely you.

TU (1/13), 6:30pm, Oak and Grist Distilling Co., 1556 Grovestone Rd Winter Bike Commuting 101 This is the perfect course for those who have never biked around town before and want to know how to get started, or for the already-confident bike commuter who wants to tackle winter riding for the first time.

TU (1/13), 5:30pm, West Asheville Public Library, 942 Haywood Rd New Year’s Resolutions Usually Don’t Work w/Motivational Speaker How many times has a new year approached and you promised yourself you were going

to change something in your life? This workshop is designed to help you keep those promises.

WE (1/14), 11:30am, AmeriHealth Caritas NC Wellness and Opportunity Center, 216 Asheland Ave

LITERARY Poetry Open Mic Asheville's longest-running open mic, welcoming all forms of creative expression.

Sign-up at 8 p.m. for a 5 or 10-minute spot.

WE (1/7, 1/14), 8:30pm, Sovereign Kava, 268 Biltmore Ave Asheville Storyslam: New Leaf Prepare a five-minute story about a new chapter. Bold beginnings, fresh starts and the mess we had to leave behind.

TH (1/8), 7:30pm, The Grey Eagle, 185 Clingman Ave Pack Book Club We read a variety of genres. Newcomers are always welcome!

TH (1/8), 10:30am, Pack Memorial Library, 67 Haywood St

Second Saturday Storytime & Craft Enjoy stories, songs, movement and more as we celebrate and promote early and emergent literacy.

SA (1/10), 11am, Transylvania County Library, Brevard, 212 S. Gaston Street Story Treasures: Gems of the Present & Past This evening of tales celebrates the wonder that comes from spinning our experiences into stories and from listening to the old stories that have guided us through time, attuning us to what it means to be human living in a wondrous world. See p26 SA (1/10), 7:30pm, Black Mountain Center for the Arts, 225 W State Street Flooded Poetry Mondays Poetry-specific open mic, starring you plus weekly featured readers, every Monday.

MO (1/12), 6:30pm, Flood Gallery, 802 Fairview Rd #1200 Library Tour Go behind the scenes at the library, highlighting things you may or may not know and sharing tips for making the most of

your library.

WE (1/14), 3:30pm, Transylvania County Library, Brevard, 212 S Gaston Street World Affairs Book Club Where passionate readers and engaged citizens delve into thought-provoking books.

TH (1/15), 10am, Transylvania County Library, Brevard, 212 S Gaston Street

THEATER & FILM Performance & Film Screening: Suite for Two A live performance of Merce Cunningham’s Suite for Two (1958) and a screening of the dance film Beach Birds.

WE (1/7), 7pm, Black Mountain College Museum + Arts Center, 120 College St Foreign Film Friday: Love on the Run by Truffaut In the final chapter of François Truffaut’s saga, we find Doinel (Jean-Pierre Léaud), now in his thirties, convivially concluding his marriage, enjoying moderate success as a novelist, and clinging to

Petals & Resolutions Flower Arranging Class Grab a friend and learn the basics of floral design with Local NC blooms. Guided instruction and supplies will be provided.

MO (1/12), 6:30pm, Dssolvr, 63 N Lexington Ave Community Narcan Training Learn how to use Naloxone, an introduction into harm reduction, what’s going on in our community and more.

TU (1/13), 10:30am,

Happy New Year! Join us for our first Lunch & Learn of 2026...

Thurs., Jan 15th • 11am - 1pm

Come enjoy a presentation about Givens Gerber Park: a more affordable rental retirement option (55+) and enjoy lunch on us.

Monthly fees are all-inclusive and based on income. RSVP required.

20% off* of our Jonagold Apartment! *If moved in by end of February

CONTACT US TODAY 828.771.2938 | aadkison@givensgerberpark.org MOUNTAINX.COM

JAN. 7-13, 2026

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C OMMU N IT Y CA L E N D AR his romantic fantasies.

FR (1/9), 7pm, Flood Gallery, 802 Fairview Rd #1200 Sirenum: A Lesbian Folk Opera In this new musical, siren melodies mingle with an electronic score, spanning folklore & science fiction.

Discover what the fates have in store for two unlikely lovers connected by sea, space and song.

FR (1/9), 8pm, 35below, 35 E Walnut St The Lion King JR. Follow Simba’s epic adventure as he discovers his courage, faces his destiny, and rises to become king—all set to the timeless songs you know and love, including “I Just Can’t Wait to Be King,” “He Lives in You,” and “Hakuna Matata.”

SA (1/10), SU (1/11), 2pm and 6pm, Wortham Center for the Performing Arts, 18 Biltmore Ave The Many Lives of Carl Sandburg Kanuga presents "The Many Lives of Carl Sandburg," a play and musical celebration of the late American poet.

A pre-show, chef-curated brunch is included,

along with coffee and cake after the play.

SU (1/11), 12:30pm, Kanuga, 47 Kanuga Chapel Dr

MEETINGS & PROGRAMS IBN Breakfast Club: Mills River All are invited to attend and promote their business, products, and services, and meet new referral contacts.

WE (1/7), 8:30am, Mills River Restaurant, 4467 Boylston Hwy Social Seniors A social gathering for seniors to engage in various activities and connect with peers.

WE (1/7), TH (1/8), FR (1/9), MO (1/12), TU (1/13), WE (1/14), TH (1/15), 9am, Grove Street Community Center, 36 Grove S IBN Biz Lunch: Brevard/Pisgah Forest A free business networking lunch event open to all, with no membership or attendance requirements. Attendees can promote their business, products, and services, and meet new referral contacts.

TH (1/8), noon, Hawg Wild Smokehouse & Taproom, 91 Pisgah Hwy Craft & Chill Gather your pals and paints and head on over to Plant Bar to sip, craft and chill together in our cozy space.

TH (1/8), 5pm, Plant Bar, 919 Haywood Rd Tarot w/Cats This 1-hour workshop will be held in the cat lounge, and will include a brief history of the tarot, and how to incorporate a one- and three-card pull for daily guidance.

FR (1/9), 5:30pm, House of Black Cat Magic, 841 Haywood Rd. Hemlock Hike Enjoy an educational hemlock hike through one of the beautiful, stream-side Hemlock Conservation Areas in the Linville River Tract of the Pisgah Game Lands. This will be a 4 mile out and back hike that will explore forested areas.

SA (1/10), 1pm, Pisgah Game Lands Atheists of WNC This little Atheist group invites anyone who doesn't believe in religions to come chat with like-minded

people. Find out more at avl.mx/f8c.

SU (1/11), 10am, EarthFare - Westgate, 66 Westgate Pkw Better Together: Courageous Conversations for Racial Healing Better Together’s mission is to empower a racial awakening by building authentic relationships and deepening our understanding of our true connection to one another.

SU (1/11), 12:30pm, Community Commons at CSL Asheville, 3 Science of Mind Way Sunday Celebration An uplifting Science of Mind Celebration.

SU (1/11), 11am, Center for Spiritual Living Asheville, 2 Science of Mind Way Farms & Food Talk w/ Eric Ager This event will feature a discussion featuring State Representative Eric Ager and other area farmers. There will be open time for shares from area farmers, other guests and Q&A. MO (1/12), 6pm, Pisgah Brewing Co., 2948 US-70 The World of Inspiration The Social Sangha with Anne-Marie Polanski

will lead an evening of meditation, dharma talk and discussion to explore enlightened action.

MO (1/12), 6:30pm, The Lodge at Quietude, 1130 Montreat Rd Seniors: Your Life, Your Terms Expert panelists will be talking about: Navigating in-home care and senior living options, leveraging the equity of your home, downsizing and preparing for a move, legal tools to protect your assets, care wishes and legacy.

TU (1/13), 11am, CenterWell Senior Primary Care, 1425 Patton Ave IBN Evening Social A networking event open to all industries and businesses. Free to attend with no membership requirements.

WE (1/14), 5:30pm, 12 Bones Smokehouse & Brewing, Arden, 2350 Hendersonville Road Caregiver Support Group w/Stronger Together Wellness Stronger Together Wellness empowers caregivers through shared experiences, fostering a vibrant community that inspires healing, resilience, and hope on the journey to recovery.

TH (1/15), 3pm, AmeriHealth Caritas North Carolina Wellness and Opportunity Center, 216 Asheland Ave

GAMES & CLUBS

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JAN. 7-13, 2026

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Asheville Board Game Club Meetup Play a wide variety of games—strategy, party, cooperative, and more—and we’re always happy to teach, so no experience needed.

WE (1/7, 1/14), 5:30pm, Well Played Board Game Café, 162 Coxe Ave, 101 Board Game Night Open, casual game night—come and go as you please. An assortment of board games available to play.

WE (1/7, 1/14), 5pm, Hi-Wire RAD Beer Garden, 284 Lyman St Homeschooler’s Hangout Games help develop cognitive skills, including decision-making, problem-solving, and logical analysis. In older adults, playing games has been shown to lower the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.

TH (1/8, 1/15), 11am, Well Played Board Game Café, 162 Coxe Ave, 101 Nerd Nite January A monthly event held in 100+ cities around the world featuring fun-yet-informative presentations across a

variety of subjects.

TH (1/8), 7pm, River Arts District Brewing Co., 13 Mystery St, Adult Community Basketball Come shoot some hoops or play a pick up game with friends.

SU (1/11), 1pm, Dr. Wesley Grant Sr. Southside Community Center, 285 Livingston St Hooping Around Community Basketball Come show your skills, play a pick-up game, and get a good sweat in during our Community Basketball.

SU (1/11), 1:15pm, Linwood Crump Shiloh Community Center, 121 Shiloh Rd Southside After Praise After church, enjoy an afternoon playing spades or dominoes.

SU (1/11), 1:30pm, Dr. Wesley Grant Sr. Southside Community Center, 285 Livingston St Weekly Sunday Scrabble If you like Wordle, Boggle, Words with Friends or Scrabble online, this club may be a good fit for you.

All of the games are provided.

SU (1/11), 1:30pm, Stephens-Lee Rec Center, 30 George Washington Carver Ave Monday Night Music Video Bingo Come out for Monday Night Music Video Bingo with Jason.

MO (1/12), 6pm, Mills River Brewing Co., 336 Banner Farm Rd, Mills River Pool Night Pool night, every Monday night with a $5 buy in. Must be signed up by 7 p.m.

MO (1/12), 6:30pm, Eda’s Hide-a-Way, 1098 New Stock Rd, Weaverville Magic: The Gathering Whether you’ve been playing for years or are just starting your journey, this is your chance to battle, brew, and build community.

TU (1/13), 6pm, Well Played Board Game Café, 162 Coxe Ave, 101

KID-FRIENDLY PROGRAMS Baby Story Time A lively language enrichment story time designed for children ages 4 to 18 months.

TH (1/8, 1/15), 10:30am, Oakley/South Asheville Library, 749 Fairview Rd

LOCAL MARKETS RAD Farmers Market A year-round weekly market featuring local fruits vegetables, meats, bread, honey,

eggs, pastries, flowers, crafts and more.

SNAP, Double SNAP, & Farmers Market Prescriptions accepted here.

WE (1/7, 1/14), 3pm, New Belgium Brewing Asheville, 21 Craven St Weaverville Tailgate Market This market features a selection of fresh, locally grown produce, grass fed beef, pork, chicken, eggs, cheese, baked goods, artisan bread, eclectic handmade goodies, garden and landscaping plants.

WE (1/7, 1/14), 3pm, Weaverville Tailgate Market, 60 Lake Shore Dr Junk-O-Rama Vintage Market Full bad, vintage clothes, jewelry, local art & more.

SU (1/11), noon, Fleetwood’s, 496 Haywood Rd WNC Farmers Market This year-round market features locally grown produce, fruits and vegetables, mountain crafts, plants, shops, arts and crafts, sourwood honey, and other farm fresh items. Open daily, 8am.

570 Brevard Rd

FESTIVALS & SPECIAL EVENTS Asheville Crankie Fest Asheville Crankie Fest is a celebration of artists, musicians, and makers who gather to awaken the ancient art of the crankie — a moving scroll where image and melody weave together to form a tapestry. See p26 SA (1/10), 1pm, The Grey Eagle, 185 Clingman Ave Classic City Wrestling w/Pleasure Chest If you’ve never been to a CCW show, think less corporate wrestling, more punk rock house party—with a little theater and a lot of heart.

It’s loud, it’s weird, it’s super fun, and the crowd is just as much a part of the show as the wrestler.

SA (1/10), 7:30pm, The Orange Peel, 101 Biltmore Ave

BENEFITS & VOLUNTEERING Affordable Vaccine Signing up for a timeslot is preferred and guarantees service, but not the order in which patients are seen.

Patients will be seen in the order in which they arrive. Register at avl.mx/f9r.

TH (1/8), 10am, Riverside Baptist Church, 871 Riverside Dr Caverns of Gold Showcase Benefit Caverns of Gold began as a Bandcamp-ex-

clusive compilation, bringing together nearly 280 bands from across the world who donated their music in support of WNC Hurricane Relief. This performance will feature music from Pink Eye, Lower Peaks, Why Why?, John Kirby Jr & the New Seniors.

FR (1/9), 8pm, PULP, 103 Hilliard Ave. Asheville Humane Society Sketching The group will be gathering in our community room, where we’ll bring in some of our adoptable animals for live sketching. The room has tables and chairs available, so artists can arrive ready to draw. Please check out the donation list, if you can help provide some items.

SA (1/10), 1pm, Asheville Humane Society, 14 Forever Friend Ln MAW: Brawl for the Thaw This event features exhibition-style matches with MAW pros, the return of fan-favorite competitors, and qualifying amateur matches.

All door proceeds will support heating assistance for clients of the Community Housing Coalition of Madison County.

SA (1/10), 5pm, Mal's Bar, 121 S. Main St Mercy Fund Animal Rescue Adoption Come and give these sweet furbabies some love, and maybe even adopt one of your very own. This adoption event will feature a variety of furry friends looking for their furever home.

SU (1/11), noon, The Hop Ice Cream, 640 Merrimon Ave Meet & Greet w/ Phoenix Landing Phoenix Landing are coming over to tell you all about their parrot adoption organization and conservation programs.

SU (1/11), 3:30pm, The Mule, 131 Sweeten Creek Road St. 10 Oakley Community Closet A cost-free opportunity to swap and shop clothes, shoes, and toys WE (1/14), 1pm, Murphy-Oakley Community Center, 749 Fariview Rd Wool for Warmth: A Knitting Night to Help our Community Wool for Warmth is back for a second night of knitting, drinks, food, and good will.

This event is open to all knitters and folks can bring their own yarn and patterns, or Black Mountain Yarn Shop will have some supplies for sale.

TH (1/15), 6:30pm, Oak and Grist Distilling Co., 1556 Grovestone Rd

MOUNTAINX.COM

JAN. 7-13, 2026

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Thanks to over 500 donors speakeasy jazz club and cocktail lounge

SEMI FINAL Donations $417,305 Matches $144,348

Enter thru the gate tucked between Virtue Boutique and Dane Wells Gallery at 56 N. Lexington Ave.

Around Town

Echo Mountain to reopen in February surpassed its goals

Tuesday: 6pm - Midnight Wednesday & Thursday: 5pm - 11pm Friday & Saturday: 5pm - Midnight

ARTS & CULTURE

Total $561,653 GIVELOCALGUIDE.ORG

After closing at the end of October, Echo Mountain Recording is making a surprise return in 2026. On Dec. 30, longtime studio manager Jessica Tomasin announced that she had purchased the studio and that it would reopen Sunday, Feb. 1.

According to a press release, Tomasin acquired the studio’s brand and equipment from founder Steve Wilmans. The acquisition became possible “with support from investors who recognized the deep cultural significance Echo Mountain holds within the music community and believed in her vision to steward and grow its legacy with the church building leased from current property owners GBX Group.”

“I have spent nearly 20 years building this studio alongside our staff and community,” Tomasin says. “Letting it disappear did not feel right. This place matters to people, and I was determined to find a way to keep it alive.”

In 2024, Echo Mountain announced plans to relocate to a sprawling property in Madison County, but that shift was nixed in 2025 following Wilmans’ decision to retire. However, the new ownership structure allows the studio to continue operating in its original downtown location with its existing layout, acoustics and gear. Multiple longtime engineers and staff are also returning, but the adjacent building will be repurposed by GBX as office spaces and will no longer be part of Echo Mountain.

“I am grateful to Steve, to GBX, to the investors and to the staff who make this place what it is,” Tomasin says. “If this next chapter is going to work, it will be because artists choose to make their records here.”

To learn more, visit avl.mx/di5.

Latest chapbook from area poet Big Ivy poet Nancy Dillingham‘s new chapbook, On Music: Collected Poems, is now available through Portland, Ore.-based Rockwood Press.

According to the publication’s description, the collection “plucks our heartstrings as [Dillingham] writes movingly about some of the musicians we easily recognize and some that may be more obscure. Her poems strike all the right chords and are as righteous and true as a sad country song.”

To learn more, visit avl.mx/f9l.

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JAN. 7-13, 2026

MOUNTAINX.COM

Folkmoot selects new executive director Lauren Lanoue has been appointed the new executive director of Folkmoot.

Lanoue is a longtime Haywood County educator, arts practitioner and nonprofit leader with extensive experience in education, fundraising, community engagement and storytelling, according to a press release.

“Lauren brings a rare combination of heart, creativity and strategic thinking,” says Pete Christian, board president of Folkmoot. “She understands how powerful it is when people come together across cultures, and she is committed to making Folkmoot a yearround home for that kind of connection here in Western North Carolina.”

In her new role, Lanoue will “oversee Folkmoot’s year-round calendar of performances, classes and community programs; steward and expand partnerships with local and international art and cultural groups; lead fundraising and development efforts; and guide the continued growth of the Folkmoot Friendship Center as a hub for arts, education and community events.”

“I am both honored and thrilled to be part of Folkmoot’s incredible story,” Lanoue says. “Just like our own Appalachian home, Folkmoot has a rich history we wish to honor. I look forward to doing just that by working with the board, staff, volunteers and partners to shape programs that invite, educate and inspire people of all backgrounds and generations.”

To learn more, visit avl.mx/cpm.

Mystery novel tackles culinary world Published in October, Hendersonville-based author Carolyn Eichhorn‘s new novel, Murder in the Mix, follows Gina Morrison, a writer who lands a dream ghostwriting gig with a celebrity chef. But after Marisol St. James is discovered dead in her own restaurant’s kitchen, Gina is forced to solve the mystery before she becomes its next victim.

“As a North Carolina-based writer and former Disney Imagineer, I love creating experiences that pull readers into the world of the story,” Eichhorn says. “This novel blends suspense, culinary culture and a sharp-witted

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ROUND TWO: Longtime studio manager Jessica Tomasin has purchased Echo Mountain Recording, which will reopen Feb. 1. Photo by Sandlin Gaither heroine who won’t back down — not even when the truth is dangerous.”

To learn more, visit avl.mx/f9o.

Sci-fi/fantasy novel reimagines Asheville

AyurPrana Listening Room’s monthlong series

Longtime Asheville-based author David Talon — who now calls Merida, Mexico, home — puts a creative spin on his former home in Look Homeward, Alien, the first book in his The Chronicle of Thomas Wolf series.

According to the novel’s official description, the story concerns the Ancient Children, who escaped the destruction of their planet 10,000 years ago and eventually discovered Earth. Upon arrival, their organic robot Servants conduct experiments on abducted humans, setting up a conflict with the Ancient Children regarding whether females, males or both should be allowed to live. Thomas Wolf, a pharmacist whose background interests the Servants, “must prove to the aliens he is the honorable man he claims to be, under increasing pressure by the Servants to prove that he is not.”

The novel is narrated by Wolf. Talon says, “All the settings in the story are places I remember well.”

To learn more, visit avl.mx/f9q.

Launched on Jan. 2 with John R. Miller, Southern Lights: Friday Night Winter Concert Series brings intimate singer-songwriter performances to West Asheville’s AyurPrana Listening Room throughout January.

According to a press release, the programming is “shaped for attentive listening, where music is presented with clarity, restraint and care. Hosted in the quietest weeks of the season, the series gathers artists whose work values precision, intimacy and emotional intelligence, allowing songs and compositions to unfold without excess.”

Additional selected musicians include renowned locals Twain (Jan. 9), Chris Rosser (Jan. 16) and Steve Okonski (Jan. 16). Tickets are $23.70 per show.

To learn more, visit avl.mx/f9n.

— Edwin Arnaudin X MOUNTAINX.COM

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ARTS & CU L T U R E

MUSIC

Going rogue (sort of) Sparrow Smith releases debut solo album

BY EDWIN ARNAUDIN earnaudin@mountainx.com Sparrow Smith says there’s “a very long, deep, complicated answer” to why, decades into her musical career, she decided to make an album under her own name for the first time.

However, the simple, no-fuss version is just as effective.

“Because I wanted to,” Smith says.

“That desire has been percolating a long time, and when I expressed it out loud, the world supported it, including — most importantly — my [husband and creative] partner Keith [Josiah Smith].”

The Marshall-based multi-instrumentalists and singer-songwriters have recorded a total of 14 LPs and EPs together over the last 12 years — primarily as The Resonant Rogues, crafting original Americana, country and string-band music. They also lead the hyperniche side projects Black Sea Beat Society (Balkan brass and Turkish psych-folk), Las Montanitas (cumbia), and Sparrow and Her Wingmen (vintage swing). But the prospect of crafting what Smith calls “a banjo record” took her in an exciting new direction.

“I wanted to make something that I had full, expansive freedom to create.

Keith produced the record with me, but it is all my songs and has a strong concept,” she says. “I also just write a whole lot of songs. The initial exploration of making this record came from me wanting to explore some tunes that never made it to stage with the Rogues. But then I just wrote a whole new body of work with a theme — ‘love letter to Appalachia.’”

The result is Carolina Mountains, which was released in early September.

Smith describes the 12-song album as “the most Appalachian collection we’ve ever released, though it still has some surprising elements and different influences.”

But not too different. None of the songs on her solo debut, she adds, would successfully cross over to any of the Smiths’ side projects. Since they’re constantly on the road with The Resonant Rogues, most of the new tunes have now been performed with that band. But before tracking the creations live at Out There Studios in Madison County, many of them had yet to debut onstage.

“This gave us an element of creative freedom — to not have live 22

JAN. 7-13, 2026

BUSY BIRD: Sparrow Smith co-leads The Resonant Rogues, Black Sea Beat Society, Las Montanitas and Sparrow and Her Wingmen. Photo by Luxe House Photographic performance be the driving factor for arrangement,” Smith says. “There was a lot of experimentation.”

That sense of liberation also extended to the Smiths’ approach while adding vocals, harmonies and other sonic layers at home and with fellow area musician Ben Hovey. In their first time doing tracking at their house, they felt so unrestrained that they cut the ballad “Young Sally” in a single take during a thunderstorm — even opening the window to intentionally catch a bit of the sound.

“We’ve been wanting to get our modest home recording setup going, and this project was good motivation,” Smith says.

HOMETOWN PRIDE Though lacking cameos from extreme weather, Carolina Mountains‘ standout track is “Jewel of the Blue Ridge,” an upbeat tune with lyrics that feature Madison County landmarks and natural wonders — details that Smith crowdsourced from fellow local residents. A fan of “anecdotes, details, mundane stories and lore,” she loved the writing process of this particular song, and it quickly became one of her favorites that she’s crafted.

“For me, moving to Madison County has felt like marrying into a family, in a way,” Smith says. “I want to spend to rest of my life there, and I deeply

MOUNTAINX.COM

respect and love the land and the culture. Writing this song was me asking and learning about my beloved.”

That connection was further strengthened in the wake of widespread destruction in the county from Tropical Storm Helene. Though the Smiths were fortunate to experience only minimal damage on their property, the broader cultural, emotional and economic fallout hit them hard.

“Seeing the devastation in Marshall was one of the most heartbreaking things I’ve experienced in this life,” Sparrow says. “Cultural institutions like the Marshall Depot were just wiped off the map, and my favorite places to hang out — Mal’s, Zuma [Coffee] and the Old [Marshall] Jail — had so many months of work before they could reopen.”

Due to the storm’s impact, Smith believes that, in many ways, the fabric of downtown Marshall will never be the same. The Madison County Courthouse and the town’s post office remain closed, and tentative plans are in place to relocate both — most likely not on their former home of Main Street. But while changes occur, Smith points to one critical factor that remains constant.

“The thing that keeps everything going is the people,” she says. “I couldn’t even dream of a community more hardworking, competent and kind, and I’m so grateful to every single person who showed up in any way — whether that

was shoveling mud or fundraising or just spreading the word.”

VISIBLE TRUTHS Though the bulk of Carolina Mountains was written before Helene, the title track was inspired by these community heroics. A month after the floods, Smith came up with the song on a drive to Rare Bird Farm in Hot Springs, where she visited with fellow singer-songwriter Cat Clyde.

The friends played each other new compositions , hiked to the ridgeline and paused to appreciate the crunchy fall leaves and stunning views.

“I figured out the banjo melody to the tune that had come into my head while heading out there and filmed a video of it about five minutes after working it out. Sometimes songs fall from the sky,” Smith says. “The line that really stuck with me was ‘Where the trees yearly remind us what it’s like to lose it all.’”

Likewise of note is the Clyde duet “Hard Working Women,” which marks the first time that Smith has expressed her bisexuality in song. She notes that being queer has been “very impactful in [her] life in about a million ways,” and that the “playful” song was written without having an overt intent to broadcast her bisexuality. But when it was complete, she started thinking more about how invisible that part of her feels.

“Once I started talking to a few friends about that feeling, I realized how incredibly prevalent that is and how important it can be to just acknowledge and see each other when we have similar experiences,” Smith says. “Everyone loves to find something they relate to, and it turns out that tons of people can really relate to bi invisibility. It’s definitely still radical and a little scary to be open about being queer, and it’s still important to normalize. Nothing like the internet to remind us how much bigotry is still prevalent, even in 2025.”

Smith’s public embraces of these scenic and personal wonders have only fortified her sense of self and belonging. She and Keith feel a renewed passion for their craft, she says, as well as a more confident ownership of their artistic creations, the benefits of which reverberate throughout their intertwined personal and professional lives.

“I think that, moving forward, any song I write will be a Sparrow Smith song,” she says. “Many might also be Resonant Rogues songs. We’re still navigating the distinction but, basically, we’re both ready to have our names recognized as songwriters, even in the context of the band we co-lead.”

To learn more, visit avl.mx/f7f. X

LITERATURE

Trouble in the mountains

Terry Roberts’ latest novel takes readers back to 1960s Madison County

BY ANABEL SHENK anabelcshenk@gmail.com Throughout his literary career, Woodfin-based author Terry Roberts has written across various time periods in and around the Appalachian Mountains, exploring how history has shaped the region. And in his latest novel, In the Fullness of Time, he returns readers to Madison County.

Set in the 1960s, the book follows Clinton Salter, a World War II veteran and widower who reluctantly takes on the position of Madison County sheriff at his brother’s urging. Clinton, who anticipates dealing with drunk and disorderly residents, instead encounters murder, robbery and arson. All the while, the reluctant sheriff is falling in love with Catherine Metcalf, whose dying husband is in a coma.

Along with the story’s elements of crime and romance, Roberts’ latest book also examines the notion of time as well as family loyalty and politics.

‘LIKE A VEIL MADE OF RIVER WATER’ Despite running as a Democrat, Clinton’s character strives to rise above partisanship — an aspiration complicated throughout the novel by the sheriff’s brother, who is steeped in local politics.

“Part of what I was hoping to do with Clint is say to the world that there is a deeper level of human community than the political,” Roberts says. “Right now, it sounds incredibly naive, but there is something deeper than the world in which we’re all trying to outdo each other, out earn each other, out

acter’s need to slow down as a means of restoration. WNC’s poststorm recovery, he notes, was a moment when the region’s people helped one another without hesitation or political calculation.

“We are capable of extraordinary generosity and kindness,” he says. “We are capable of common cause. We are capable of community. But we too often forget that.”

RESTORATION OVER RUPTURE

TIME AND AGAIN: In his latest novel, Woodfin-based author Terry Roberts transports readers to 1960s-era Madison County with a tale of crime, romance, politics and family loyalty. Images courtesy of the author own each other and out manipulate each other.”

Clinton’s relationship with Catherine, as well as his life outside his profession, allow for some of the book’s deeper reflections on time and connection.

These moments are also opportunities for Clinton to escape from the cruelty and corruption he encounters as sheriff.

“The past is real, as real as the present, or even the future,” Clinton tells Catherine in the novel. When she asks if he can see the past, he clarifies.

Roberts writes:

“‘I can sense it. All around me — or around us, I should say. As if it is just there.’ He reached out toward the town and the river. ‘Just behind a kind of curtain or a dark wavering glass. Wavering like water. ... Like a veil made of river water. Constantly flowing, weaving, making.”

For Clinton’s character, and by extension, Roberts, these quieter moments are essential to combat the ways in which life can wear a person down.

Roberts notes that Tropical Storm Helene offered insight into his char-

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The heart of the story is conveyed through its dialogue, especially the private conversations between Clinton and Catherine.

“One of the images I have in my mind of this book is them late at night in front of the fireplace at the farm talking, which is a form of human interconnectedness as profound as anything,” Roberts says.

Over the course of writing the book, Roberts realized the importance of the two parallel settings: the jail in the heart of Marshall, which is a place of confinement, trauma and violence; and the farm, an open, restorative landscape where Clinton and Catherine can work toward rebuilding themselves after experiencing profound loss.

Roberts believes in the incantatory property of drama, fiction and poetry and a writer’s ability to cast a spell that heals or unites people. And what he returns to throughout In the Fullness of Time is the idea that comedy in the classical sense offers a deeper shape of human life than tragedy. Whereas the latter ends in rupture, comedy ends with the possibility of wholeness.

“Almost anybody can kill everybody in the last chapter,” Roberts says. “But can you heal and reknit and re-create?”

In the Fullness of Time, in that sense, is less concerned with the moments in which worlds fall apart, but in the longer, quieter labor of cleaning up the mess. X

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VALLEY FORTIFICATION: The Rite Buy Grocery opened Dec. 20 in Swannanoa. Photo courtesy of Diana Rhodes The Rite Buy Grocery opened Dec. 20 in Swannanoa’s Beacon Village.

The store is owned by married couple Diana and Justin Rhodes, who felt inspired to start the business as a way to better serve the community in the wake of Tropical Storm Helene.

“Since [the local] Ingles [Market] closed, Swannanoa has faced a food desert, making it harder for many to access fresh, affordable groceries close to home,” the Rhodeses say on the store’s Instagram page. “Rite Buy is changing that by bringing

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@Camdenscoffeehouse • 40 N Main St, Mars Hill, NC 24

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essential food options back to the neighborhood. Having a grocery store right here means more than convenience — it means new jobs, local dollars staying local and easier access to healthy food for families all around Swannanoa.”

In July, Diana told Xpress that the shop will sell produce, meat, dairy, eggs, pantry staples and bulk food such as flour and sugar. The store is open Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-7 p.m.

To learn more, visit avl.mx/f9i.

Sierra Nevada beer dinner features Carolina grains Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. hosts its Grain to Glass Beer Dinner on Saturday, Feb. 28, 6-9 p.m., in its High Gravity room.

The event includes five chef-driven courses, each paired with a Sierra Nevada beer. According to the event description, grains sourced from Edisto Island, S.C.-based, family-owned farm Marsh Hen Mill will be incorporated into the menu.

The evening also features live music from local old-time musicians Laura

Boosinger and Josh Goforth. Tickets are $74.09 per person.

To learn more, visit avl.mx/f9j.

Black Bear BBQ sets up recovery fund After closing for the day on Dec. 18, Black Bear BBQ experienced a fire that, according to a post on the East Asheville business’s Facebook page, “caused significant damage to [its] kitchen as well as water damage throughout the restaurant.” The space will be closed for the foreseeable future, and ownership hopes to reopen in spring.

“Despite our ANSUL fire suppression system being inspected just one day earlier on Dec. 17, it failed when we needed it most,” the post adds. “The sprinklers kicked in, flooding all 3,000 square feet of our restaurant with over an inch of standing water, even seeping into our neighbor’s business next door.”

On Dec. 27, a fund was created to help Black Bear staff members during this closure and cover immediate repair costs. As of press time, 97% of the $8,000 initial goal has been met.

To learn more, visit avl.mx/f9k.

— Edwin Arnaudin X

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SMART BETS

by Edwin Arnaudin | earnaudin@mountainx.com

Stand-up Comedy Pageant Finale During Slice of Life Comedy events held in August and October at The Orange Peel’s downstairs venue, Pulp, local stand-up comedians gave their best four minutes of material, and the audience voted on their favorite performers. The top two vote-getters from each night (Ryan Gordon, Derek Boskovich, Min McWilliams and Zakiya Bell-Rogers) advanced to the final, which takes place at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 15, back at Pulp. And they’ll be joined by a “wild card” winner after the comics with the three next-highest votes (Josie Beers, Zach Stephens and Aaron Naylor) duke it out for the final spot that same night.

Hilliary Begley — a multiyear “Best Comedian” winner in Xpress‘ Best of WNC readers’ survey — hosts the event, which organizers are calling a “pageant” since the comics must also compete in games and answer questions from a panel of celebrity

Photo of Hilliary Begley courtesy of the artist judges. The audience will again vote for the winner, who will receive a $150 cash prize. Tickets are $18. The show is for ages 18 and older.

To learn more, visit avl.mx/f9f. X

Asheville Crankie Fest

Photo of work by Jessica C. White courtesy of the artist No, the inaugural Asheville Crankie Fest isn’t a celebration of the late, great Xpress film critic Ken “Cranky” Hanke — though now that such an event has been mentioned, let’s make it happen. Instead, it’s a chance to elevate an ancient art form (and cinematic precursor) of which Hanke would have no doubt approved.

A crankie involves a handmade scroll that a storyteller advances by turning it across two spools, revealing new illustrations in a viewing window. The narrated tale may be 26

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augmented by music, puppetry, dance or other creative expressions, resulting in an engaging analog presentation that’s stood the test of time.

On Saturday, Jan. 10, 1-3 p.m. at The Grey Eagle, over 15 performers from across Western North Carolina — including Edwin Salas, Jessica C. White, Jen Murphy, Primrose Coke and Molly Sawyer — will spotlight crankies’ widespread potential at the festival. Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 day of show.

To learn more, visit avl.mx/f9g. X

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Story Treasures: Gems of the Present and Past Connie Regan-Blake and Laura Hope-Gill rank among the most beloved storytellers in Western North Carolina. Among their numerous achievements, Regan-Blake has performed in 47 states, 18 countries and on six continents, while HopeGill holds the distinction of being the first poet laureate of the Blue Ridge Parkway.

On Saturday, Jan. 10, at 7:30 p.m., at the Black Mountain Center for the Arts, both tellers will take the stage for a program titled Story Treasures: Gems of the Present and Past. According to a press release, the evening “celebrates the wonder that comes from spinning our experiences into stories and from listening to the old stories that have guided us through time, attuning us to what it means to be human living in a wondrous world.”

Photo of Connie Regan-Blake, left, and Laura Hope-Gill courtesy of the Black Mountain Center for the Arts.

Tickets to this cure for a cold winter’s night are $18 in advance and $22 the day of the performance.

To learn more, visit avl.mx/f9e. X

Andrew Scotchie’s ‘Always Sunny’ B-Day Bash

Photo from Andrew Scottie’s 2025 birthday bash by Tom Farr Andrew Scotchie knows how to have fun on his birthday.

Whenever possible, the local singer-songwriter and guitarist extraordinaire rings in another year on this planet by playing a show with his band and a few special guests.

Though these events are already plenty entertaining for the tunes and good vibes, in recent years he’s turned them into themed events, including separate celebrations of the music of two Richard Linklater films: Dazed and Confused and School of Rock.

For his 33rd birthday, Scotchie is throwing an “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia”-themed party on Friday, Jan. 16, at Pisgah Brewing Co. in Black Mountain. Festivities include performances of fan favorite songs from the TV show, prizes for the best costumes, a rum ham birthday toast (if you know, you know) and additional snacks and decor inspired by the comedy series. Johnson City, Tenn.-based pop-funk band Florencia & the Feeling gets the music started at 8 p.m. Tickets are $12.81.

To learn more, visit avl.mx/f9h. X

CLUBLAND For questions about free listings, call 828-251-1333, opt. 4.

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 7 EULOGY Fleshwater w/Jarhead Fertilizer & Tarantula (rock), 8pm FRENCH BROAD RIVER BREWERY Saylor Brothers Jamgrass Wednesdays, 6:30pm GALACTIC PIZZA Trivia Night, 6:30pm HI-WIRE BREWING BILTMORE VILLAGE Weekly Trivia, 7pm JACK OF THE WOOD PUB Old-time Jam, 5pm MILLS RIVER BREWING CO. Bluegrass Jam, 6pm OKLAWAHA BREWING CO. Wednesday Bluegrass Jam w/Finklestein Three, 6:30pm PISGAH BREWING CO. Frances Eliza (folk), 6pm SHAKEY'S SSIN w/DJ Ragga Massive, 10pm SLY GROG LOUNGE Weird Wednesday Open Jam, 8pm THE GREY EAGLE Songwriters Roller Derby Showcase, 6pm THE JOINT NEXT DOOR My Magnificent Trio, 7pm THE ODD Terraoke Karaoke Takeover, 9pm TURGUA BREWING CO. Lightning Round Trivia w/ Marty, 6pm TWIN LEAF BREWERY Open Mic Night, 6:30pm

THURSDAY, JANUARY 8 185 KING STREET Honky Tonk Thursday Featuring Laurel Lee & the Escapees (Honky Tonk), 6pm EDA'S HIDE-A-WAY Bless Your Heart Trivia w/Harmon, 7pm FLEETWOOD’S Lily of the Sea & Paprika (grunge), 9pm FLOOD GALLERY True Home Open Mic, 6pm FRENCH BROAD RIVER BREWERY Jerry's Dead Thursdays, 6pm GINGER'S REVENGE Books & Brews Trivia, 6pm GREEN MAN BREWING Thursday Night Trivia, 7pm

HI-WIRE BREWING BILTMORE VILLAGE Family Feud Style Trivia, 7pm HI-WIRE SOUTH SLOPE South Slope’s Open Mic Night, 6pm JACK OF THE WOOD PUB Bluegrass Jam, 7pm LEVELLER BREWING CO. Traditional Irish Session, 6pm MILLS RIVER BREWING CO. Kid Billy Litz (Americana), 6pm OKLAWAHA BREWING CO. Thursday Karaoke, 9:30pm ONE WORLD BREWING WEST Fee Fi Phaux Fish (Phish tribute), 8pm ONE WORLD BREWING The Belle Curves (power-pop), 7pm PISGAH BREWING CO. Sunnyside Stringband (country, rock), 7pm SHAKEY'S Karaoke w/DJ Franco Nino, 9pm SOVEREIGN KAVA Django Jazz Jam, 7pm STATIC AGE LOFT Auto-tune Karaoke w/ Who Gave This B*tch a Mic, 10pm THE ORANGE PEEL Charlie Starr (rock), 8pm TWIN LEAF BREWERY Trivia Night, 6:30pm URBAN ORCHARD CIDER CO. Wayward Trivia, 6:30pm VOWL BAR AT DSSOLVR Hot Couch Karaoke w/ DJ BridalPartiBucardi, 8pm

FRIDAY, JANUARY 9 185 KING STREET Bedford (rock), 8pm ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL The Last Revel (Americana, indie-folk), 9pm CORK KEG BAR The Old Chevrolette Set (country), 8pm EDA'S HIDE-A-WAY U.S. Christmas, Secret Shame & Golden Gnosiis (electronic, rock), 8pm ELEVATED KAVA LOUNGE DOWNTOWN Open Mic Night, 8pm EULOGY Cliff B. Worsham w/ Jacob Danielson Moore, Chancelor Lawson & Laney Barnett, 7pm

WITTY DIVE BAR COUNTRY: Cactus Kate and The Pricks take the stage at Pisgah Brewing Co. on Friday, Jan. 9, starting at 7 p.m. This Asheville-based country and Americana band offers up original songs ranging from sentimental tunes to what the band calls “witty dive bar country.” Photo courtesy of Cactus Kate and The Pricks FITZ AND THE WOLFE Aden Webb Band (country), 7pm FLEETWOOD’S Garden Apartments, Sufferin’ Fools & PJ Bond (rock, indie, power-pop), 9pm FRENCH BROAD RIVER BREWERY For the love of Levon & Lowell: The Music of The Band & Little Feat (multi-genre), 6pm JACK OF THE WOOD PUB Rockabilly Roy & the Kopy Kats (rock), 8:30pm LOBSTER TRAP Dinah's Daydream (Gypsy, jazz), 6:30pm OKLAWAHA BREWING CO. The Abbey Elmore Band (indie-pop, rock), 8pm ONE WORLD BREWING WEST Clouds of Delusion (Grateful Dead tribute), 8pm ONE WORLD BREWING Lexi Weege w/ Matt McWaters (jazz, mowtown), 7pm PISGAH BREWING CO. Cactus Kate & The Pricks (Americana, country), 7pm PRITCHARD PARK DOWNTOWN The Friday Drum Circle, 6pm

TAPROOM AT HIGHLAND BREWING CO. Blue Ridge Betty (Americana), 6pm THE GREY EAGLE The Get Right Band & Supatight (psychedelic, indie-rock), 8pm THE ODD Bold Burlesque Presents: Nerd Alert, 8pm THE ONE STOP AT ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL • Gill Francis (folk, pop), 6pm • Alien Funk Academy (funk, rock), 10pm THIRD ROOM Reeko: A Tribute to NOFX w/Pool Shark & Dead Kenny (punk), 9pm VOWL BAR AT DSSOLVR CYBERIA w/Vitamin’D, Jerhico & DJ G3X (edm), 9pm

SATURDAY, JANUARY 10 185 KING STREET Derrick Gardner’s Birthday Bash (country, jazz, r&b), 8pm ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL Winter Jam w/Keith Allen & Friends, My Gal Monday, Mellow Swells & Julia (multi-genre), 6pm BURGER BAR The Best Worst Karaoke, 8pm

RIVER ARTS DISTRICT BREWING CO. The Right Fit (acoustic), 6pm

CORK KEG BAR Rodney Sutton w/the Barely Hardly Enough Boys (country, honkytonk), 8pm

SHAKEY'S 2000s Karaoke w/DJ Franco Nino, 10pm

EULOGY Teathyme Takeover (house), 10pm

FITZ AND THE WOLFE Byrdie Wilson (country), 7pm FLEETWOOD’S Die Spinns, Candy Coffins, Rabbit Fighter & Glue Sniffin Smush Heads (rock, punk), 9pm GREEN MAN BREWING The Z-Man Experience (rock, Ska), 3pm JACK OF THE WOOD PUB • Nobody’s Darling String Band (bluegrass, blues, swing), 4pm • Jason Curtis & The Black Sheep (country), 8:30pm NIGHTSHADE Hype Machine / RwickiiRain (funk, groove), 9:30pm OKLAWAHA BREWING CO. Raphael Graves Band (Americana), 8pm ONE WORLD BREWING WEST • Fallift x Elizabeth McCorvey (acoustic), 4pm • Commander Voodoo Presents: A Prelude to Mardi Gras (funk), 8pm ONE WORLD BREWING Fully Processed (blues, jazz), 7pm PISGAH BREWING CO. String Pong (bluegrass), 8pm REVIVAL Kawaii Rave, 8pm SHILOH & GAINES JLloyd Presents: J.A.M.B. Quartet, 6pm SLY GROG LOUNGE Arrithmya Trois & Rob's Birthday Bash, 9pm

TAPROOM AT HIGHLAND BREWING CO. The Big Hungry (funk, reggae, rock), 5pm THE CROW & QUILL Sirius.B (folk-punk), 8pm THE GREY EAGLE Maggie Antone & The Rhinestones (country), 8pm THE MULE Miss Vee’s Freakshow: Geek Chic, 8pm THE ODD Party Foul Drag at The Odd, 8pm THE ONE STOP AT ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL Sunnyside Stringband (folk), 6pm THE PALM ROOM AT FITZ AND THE WOLFE Meschiya Lake’s Speakeasy 3 (jazz), 9pm THIRD ROOM Full Circle w/Zuvluguu, iXNéE, Flowdafunk & Illusion of Duality (edm), 9pm VOWL BAR AT DSSOLVR Subterranea w/Pluto (house), 9pm

SUNDAY, JANUARY 11 185 KING STREET Open Electric Jam w/ The King Street House Band, 5pm 27 CLUB Rough Dreams, The Catastrophes, Soul Shapnel & Killer Skillet (emo, grunge, punkrock), 8pm ARCHETYPE BREWING The Highlands (jazz), 3:30pm

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C L UB L AN D ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL Winter Jam w/J Lloyd Mashup, Big Fur, Henry’s Pocket & Coyote Rodeo (multigenre), 6pm

ONE WORLD BREWING WEST • Suns of Stars Sunday Residency (bluegrass), 2pm • One Love Sundays (reggae), 7pm

BURIAL SOUTH SLOPE Mourning Mass, 2pm

PISGAH BREWING CO. Sunday Jam: Spiro & Friends, 6:30pm

CORK KEG BAR The Nightjars & The Wilder Flower (Americana, bluegrass, Celtic), 4pm EDA'S HIDE-A-WAY Open Mic Night, 6pm FRENCH BROAD RIVER BREWERY Reggae Sunday w/ Chalwa, 3pm GINGER'S REVENGE Jazz Jam Sundays, 2:30pm JACK OF THE WOOD PUB • Bluegrass Brunch w/ The Bluegrass Brunch Boys (bluegrass), noon • Traditional Irish Music Session, 3:30pm MILLS RIVER BREWING CO. Peggy Ratusz & Kelly Jones (blues), 2pm OKLAWAHA BREWING CO. The Dan Clare Collective (funk, roots), 4pm

RIVER ARTS DISTRICT BREWING CO. RAD Cellar Comedy, 7pm TAPROOM AT HIGHLAND BREWING CO. Shady Grove String Band (folk), 2pm THE GREY EAGLE Ondara Presents: The Jet Stone Conspiracy (Americana, folk, rock), 8pm THE ONE STOP AT ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL Shakedown Sundays, 8pm THE ORANGE PEEL Sam Jay (comedy), 8pm VOWL BAR AT DSSOLVR Freshen Up Open Mic Comedy, 7pm WELL PLAYED BOARD GAME CAFÉ Sunday Morning Trivia Brunch, 10:30am

MONDAY, JANUARY 12 DIATRIBE BREWING Big Brain Trivia, 7pm DIRTY JACK'S Traditional Old Time Jam, 5:30pm FRENCH BROAD RIVER BREWERY Alex Bazemore & Friends, 6pm HI-WIRE RAD BEER GARDEN RAD Music Bingo, 7pm ONE WORLD BREWING WEST Mashup Mondays w/ JLloyd (funk, jazz, soul), 8pm ONE WORLD BREWING Open Mic Downtown, 7:30pm RIVER ARTS DISTRICT BREWING CO. Trivia w/Billy, 7pm STATIC AGE LOFT The Hot Seat w/C.J. Green & Cam (Comedy), 7pm

HI-WIRE SOUTH SLOPE Trivia Tuesdays w/Not Rocket Science, 7pm MILLS RIVER BREWING CO. Tuesday Night Trivia, 6pm

TUESDAY, JANUARY 13 185 KING STREET Jon Weisberger & Friends w/ Aynsley Porchak, Justin Hiltner, Tim Stafford, & Lydia Hamby (bluegrass, country), 6:30pm ARCHETYPE BREWING Trivia Tuesdays, 6:30pm BURGER BAR C U Next Tuesday Trivia, 9pm DIATRIBE BREWING Irish Session, 4pm ELUVIUM BREWING Not Rocket Science Trivia, 6pm

HI-WIRE BREWING BILTMORE VILLAGE Weekly Trivia, 7pm JACK OF THE WOOD PUB Old-time Jam, 5pm OKLAWAHA BREWING CO. Wednesday Bluegrass Jam w/Finklestein Three, 6:30pm

FRENCH BROAD RIVER BREWERY Jerry's Dead Thursdays, 6pm GREEN MAN BREWING Thursday Night Trivia, 7pm HI-WIRE BREWING BILTMORE VILLAGE Family Feud Style Trivia, 7pm

OKLAWAHA BREWING CO. • Team Trivia, 7pm • Karaoke, 9:30pm

PISGAH BREWING CO. Angel Chantel & Underbrush (bluegrass), 6pm

ONE WORLD BREWING WEST Tuesday Residency w/ Songs From The Road Band (Americana, bluegrass, folk), 7pm

SHAKEY'S SSIN w/DJ Ragga Massive, 10pm

JACK OF THE WOOD PUB Bluegrass Jam, 7pm

SLY GROG LOUNGE Weird Wednesday Open Jam, 8pm

SHAKEY'S Booty Tuesday in The Office, 10pm

THE MULE JeoPARTY: Jeopardy Inspired Trivia Tournament, 7pm

MILLS RIVER BREWING CO. Seth & Sara (country), 6pm

SHILOH & GAINES Music Bingo, 7pm SOVEREIGN KAVA Open Jam, 8pm SWEETEN CREEK BREWING All Arts Open Mic, 6pm

TAPROOM AT HIGHLAND BREWING CO. Trivia Night W/Two Bald Guys & A Mic, 6pm

FRENCH BROAD RIVER BREWERY Robert’s Totally Rad Trivia, 7pm

HI-WIRE RAD BEER GARDEN RAD Weekly Trivia, 7pm

TAPROOM AT HIGHLAND BREWING CO. Music Bingo w/Spencer, 6pm

THE ODD Terraoke Karaoke Takeover, 9pm THE ONE STOP AT ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL The Woodshed Power Trio (rock'n'roll), 9pm TURGUA BREWING CO. Lightning Round Trivia w/Marty, 6pm

THE ONE STOP AT ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL • Early Tuesday Jam, 7pm • Uncle Lenny's Krazy Karaoke, 10pm

TWIN LEAF BREWERY Open Mic Night, 6:30pm

THIRD ROOM Open Decks, 8pm

WHITE HORSE BLACK MOUNTAIN • Irish Session, 5pm • Open Mic, 7pm

TURGUA BREWING CO. • Irish Jam, 5:30pm • Americana Jam, 5:30pm WAGBAR Trivia Tuesdays, 6pm

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 14 FRENCH BROAD RIVER BREWERY Saylor Brothers Jamgrass Wednesdays, 6:30pm GALACTIC PIZZA Trivia Night, 6:30pm

VOWL BAR AT DSSOLVR Group Therapy w/ Neptune Spins, 9pm

THURSDAY, JANUARY 15 185 KING STREET Vandalia (folk, old-time), 7pm CROW & QUILL Lock, Stock & Teardrops (dancehall), 8pm EDA'S HIDE-A-WAY Bless Your Heart Trivia w/Harmon, 7pm FLOOD GALLERY True Home Open Mic, 6pm

HI-WIRE SOUTH SLOPE South Slope’s Open Mic Night, 6pm

NIGHTSHADE Cayla Clark’s Smoke Show, 7pm OKLAWAHA BREWING CO. Thursday Karaoke, 9:30pm ONE WORLD BREWING WEST Fee Fi Phaux Fish (Phish tribute), 8pm PISGAH BREWING CO. The Feels (funk, indie, soul), 7pm SHAKEY'S Karaoke w/DJ Franco Nino, 9pm STATIC AGE LOFT Auto-tune Karaoke w/ Who Gave This B*tch a Mic, 10pm THE GREY EAGLE Ruston Kelly (Americana, country, pop rock), 8pm THE ORANGE PEEL Slice Standup Comedy Pageant Finale, 7:30pm THE ONE STOP AT ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL The Bassment, 9pm TWIN LEAF BREWERY Trivia Night, 6:30pm URBAN ORCHARD CIDER CO. Wayward Trivia, 6:30pm VOWL BAR AT DSSOLVR Hot Couch Karaoke w/ DJ BridalPartiBucardi, 8pm

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OPEN JAM: 7:30pm Signup / 8pm Show

Classic Country/Motown/Soul/Jazz

POETRY OPEN MIC take out NIGHT

1/10 SAT

Solo set supported by Matt McWaters

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F R E E W I L L A S T R O L O G Y BY ROB BREZSNY ARIES (March 21-April 19): The mystics drone on endlessly about letting go. But I’m here now to praise the art of holding on fiercely, tenderly, with full commitment. Some treasures deserve your passionate grip. Some people warrant your loyal devotion. Especially in the coming months, dear Aries, I invite you to devote yourself to your exciting dreams with ardent intensity. No surrender! Relentless perseverance!

Uncompromising faith in the beauty and truth you love! What looks like stubbornness to outsiders will actually be fidelity to a vision others can’t yet see.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): As far back as the 19th century, daredevil college students in the UK have reveled in the practice of “night climbing.”

They clamber up chapels, spires, towers, and bridges under cover of darkness. Why? Mainly for adventure, mischief, and altered perspectives.

In the coming months, Taurus, you may be ready for your own symbolic version of night climbing. If that sounds fun, seek out vantage points you’ve never accessed. Experiment with possibilities you’ve dismissed as off-limits or outside your range. Be safe, of course, but also be joyfully exploratory. I bet the view from the frontiers will change you in inspiring ways.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): In the coming months, I’m confident you will see and understand subtleties that most people miss. You’ll be a maestro at tuning in to nuanced subtexts in conversations and hidden openings in stale situations. Everyone else may assume that familiar situations will never change, but you will have the power to tease out creative possibilities. You might even decode seemingly contradictory truths with such aplomb that you surprise yourself.

Use this superpower with as much kindness as you can, Gemini. Some discoveries may tempt you toward clever mischief, but I hope that instead you will choose inspired guidance. Your expanded spectrum, if spiced with compassion, can consistently reveal your next leap.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): The honeyguide bird of Africa has a lucrative arrangement with humans. It calls out to honey-hunters, leading them through brush to wild beehives built into trees. The people harvest the honey, and the bird eats the leftover wax and larvae. This cooperation is passed down over generations and benefits both species. Let’s use this as a metaphor for your future in 2026. You will have extra power to notice where mutual benefit is possible, even with unexpected allies. They may be able to guide you toward resources you couldn’t find alone, and you will have value to give in return. Keep an ear out for signals that say, “Come with me, and we’ll both gain.”

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): The cathedral of Notre-Dame in Paris took years to build.

Work began in 1163 and continued till 1345.

Generations of architects, masons, and artisans contributed to the project, and those who began it didn’t live to see it completed. Yet they labored with devotion, trusting that the holy beauty they facilitated would endure beyond their lifetimes.

I hope you’re inspired by this story, Leo. It’s an apt metaphor for you. In the coming months, you could and should lay stones for creations you may not see fully accomplished for months or even years. I encourage you to redefine and refine what faith means to you, and summon it in abundance.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Ready to decommission your inner censor? Interested in dropping the mask, relaxing your guard, and rewilding your gorgeous but slightly inhibited self? That’s what I recommend. Here are ways to fully enjoy the liberating grace period of the coming months: 1. Don’t deny yourself pleasures that would be healthy to indulge. 2. Shed taboos that were smart safeguards once upon a time but are no longer.

3. Re-evaluate why you treat certain fun activities as questionable. 4. Be brightly compassionate toward aspects of yourself you regard as wounded or inferior. 5. Be receptive to rebellious urges.

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LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): In 1839, French artist Louis Daguerre perfected the daguerreotype, an early type of photography. The images were so detailed that you could count the threads in a subject’s clothing. The only downside: They required minutes of perfect stillness to capture.

A slight twitch or squirm could blur the picture.

People held their breath and resisted the urge to fidget, hoping to preserve the magic moment.

In this spirit, Libra, let’s make the long exposure your power metaphor during the coming months.

The most useful truths will reveal themselves best if you give them time to develop. In conversations, resist filling every silence. In projects, don’t rush the pace. Have patient fun lingering on the threshold as the mysteries coalesce and clarify.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): In 1907, Scorpio artist Pablo Picasso painted Les Demoiselles d’Avignon. It was a work so radically different from his earlier art and from the era’s norms that even his friends were stunned. Some called it ugly; others, incomprehensible. Yet the painting became a foundation of Cubism and reshaped modern art. Dear Scorpio, I suspect you may be on the verge of your own “Les Demoiselles” phase in 2026: unveiling novel approaches and innovative changes so original that they rattle comfortable assumptions.

Don’t be discouraged if the initial responses don’t bring you appreciation. The root-shaking breakthroughs you’re consorting with may take others a while to recognize and welcome.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): You Sagittarians are often drawn to teaching. You have a predilection and a passion for sharing what you have learned from your adventures and explorations. Many of you also possess a related gift: helping people make the journey to where enlightening lessons can best occur.

You have a knack for opening their minds and clearing the way so they can awaken to new ways of seeing and imagining the world. I hope you will provide both of these blessings in abundance during the coming months. Your ability to inspire and educate will be at a peak.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): The coming months are ripe for sacred audacity: boldness with a conscience and courage guided by kindness. Imagine you’re a Benevolent Initiator, whose superpower is to kindle beginnings without causing disruption and unease. Practice brilliant, incremental nudges and tweaks rather than grand interventions. If you’re hesitating to say what needs to be said, deliver a modest version now and a stronger one later. Make gradual momentum your ally. Homework: Identify a future scene you want to generate and take three elegantly simple steps toward it.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Safety isn’t the opposite of adventure. It’s the infrastructure that lets adventure be expansive. Keep that in mind in the coming months, Aquarius. You will be wise to cultivate cozy bravery. You should relax deeply and nurture your strength. Build the support system for your future boldness. Then, in the second half of 2026, you will be well-prepared to launch a phase of experimental fun and exploratory learning. For best results, surround yourself with love and care. Decide who best supports you and make it attractive for them to support you.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): High in the Andes Mountains, farmers have for centuries made chuño, a freeze-dried potato that can last for years. They leave the potatoes outside overnight to let the freezing temperatures draw out the water. In the daytime, the strong sunlight and dry mountain air evaporate residual moisture. By this process, a perishable food becomes a long-lasting staple. I propose we make the chuño your symbol of power, Pisces.

The coming months will be an ideal time to build reserves. I hope you will turn what you have grown and developed into resources that will nourish you well into the future.

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ACROSS 1 Young fellows 5 Tied up, as hay 10 Surrounded by 14 Plant-based spread 15 Echo speaker 16 Largest company headquartered in Oregon 17 1967 hit by the Who, per 68-Across 20 Words after “happily ever after” 21 Bit of ink 22 Lack of connectivity 23 Long-haired bovine 24 Anabolic steroids, e.g., informally 27 College football rival of Michigan, for short 29 1978 song by Gloria Gaynor, per 68-Across 34 Lead-in to pop or lit 36 Award with a “Best New American Theater Work” category 37 Midmonth time 38 Linseed oil source 39 Shampoo often in a green bottle 40 Remain unresolved 41 Cause for a miner celebration?

42 Animal in more than 70 Bugs Bunny titles 43 Hospital count 44 2008 hit by Katy Perry, per 68-Across 47 One of a trio encountered by Ricitos de Oro 48 Egyptian sun deity 49 Solid-rock connector 52 Forehead marker at the start of Lent 54 Long-running procedural franchise 57 Removes forcibly 59 1973 Bob Marley song covered by Eric Clapton, per 68-Across

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68 Wise counselor of sci-fi who might not be great at karaoke?

25 “Slavonic Dances” composer 26 Omsk’s region 28 Stole 29 Philly b-ball squad 30 Superlatively contemptible 31 Slithering swimmer 32 Google app with the slogan “Search what you see” 33 Drug featured in “How to Change Your Mind” 34 Online commentary site 35 Band that helped popularize “paywhat-you-want” pricing with their album “In Rainbows” 38 Home to the Tamiami Trail: Abbr.

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3 Jeter in Cooperstown 4 Not too many 5 Like Picard vis-à-vis Kirk 6 Drink that may come in a yard 7 Sartre’s “___ Chemins de la Liberté” 8 Kind of strategy 9 Obama-era immigration program, informally 10 Novelist Patchett 11 Following bad advice 12 Store with iconic blue totes 13 Like some pockets and thoughts 18 Advice 19 Yours, in French

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ANSWER TO PREVIOUS NY TIMES PUZZLE

H I N D S T A I D M O S S C A I R O I L L S O G O D A R M A G E D D O N B U T T B R I S P S S T N A Y O N E S E L F D I T T I E S M A E B A T T L E F I E L D A C T F E E N E S S J E D N O R T H E A R T H B O A S E T A L A S T O M P E A R L H A R B O R A U T E U R S S O P R A N O A V I D R U T H M T V P R E P R O G E R E B E R T R E P E L S A G E U B E R S T O N E I P A D M I S S

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