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Nearly 30 members of the Asheville Fire Department resigned last year. Retention issues remain a top concern for members of the Asheville Fire Fighters Association – IAFF Local 332, even as the department prepares to launch a new shift that will ultimately improve workers’ work-life balance. Featured on this week’s cover, from left, Greg Miller, Hayne Griffin and Welcker Taylor, members of Local 332.
Thomas
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and Scott Southwick
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Why is NIMBY considered a bad thing?
After John Boyle’s recent Asheville Watchdog article (“Opinion: Yep, NIMBYism Has Reared Its Ugly Head in Haw Creek Development Imbroglio”), I got to thinking about the whole concept of “not in my backyard” (NIMBY) and why it’s now considered a bad thing. When I think about NIMBY, it reminds me of the early days of the environmental movement — when communities were pushing back on construction of highways through established neighborhoods or when corporations and local chambers of commerce were advocating for rezonings to construct oil refineries, power plants or chemical manufacturing plants near established communities. At the time, those community residents who protested were generally applauded for their efforts to protect their community values, environmental health and personal property investments.
But all of a sudden, NIMBY is a negative term applied to residents of neighborhoods who oppose major developments that have these same impacts on their communities. It’s as if we should all be willing to accept the loss of our neighborhood and communities’ values and environment for the economic benefit to others who won’t have to endure the impacts. Well, that’s never really been acceptable and should not be now.
Our current housing situation in the Asheville area has intensified
the anti-NIMBY movement. Yes, there is a very real need for more housing — and most importantly, affordable housing — but the drive by developers to cram dense housing projects in communities where they don’t belong is worth protesting against. The City of Asheville and Buncombe County have developed well-thought-out comprehensive plans for future land uses that highlight the importance of locating new housing developments in areas that have infrastructure capacity (including roads, schools, water, sewer and stormwater management capacity)
Wellness
in place. If the developers and the Chamber of Commerce want to reduce the NIMBY effects (lengthy delays and legal costs) on their proposed projects, they should at least attempt to focus on these areas for new projects.
Most importantly, project proponents should consider working more closely with the neighborhoods surrounding their development to discuss how they can reduce traffic impacts, the loss of green space, the strain on utilities (especially stormwater) or school overcrowding. Focus on designing projects that contribute to the existing community, preserve the character of the neighborhood and support the local quality of life. And above all, stop hammering the concept that just building more homes will make housing more affordable. It’s just not going to happen in a timely enough manner to make a difference on home prices. In the short term, it’s a fallacy used to guilt local communities into backing down on their concerns. Just include more specifically designed affordable homes in every project!
Word of the week
So, is NIMBY a bad thing? Maybe not. As long as developers and their investors try to force projects into neighborhoods and communities where the impacts are significant, unmitigated or unjustified, then the NIMBY movement will continue to thrive and work to protect our quality of life.
— Doug Baughman Asheville
Costco proposal highlights tourism’s weaknesses
[ Regarding “ Proposed Costco Location in Enka Opposed by Economic Development Coalition,” Dec. 10, Asheville Watchdog:]
Displacing existing businesses doesn’t necessarily sound beneficial, but the idea that Asheville will become the kind of industrial center that it was during the times of fabric mills and furniture makers is misguided. Tourism is our industry, as we have been told many times over, and we are neck deep in it.
I wish we could take real steps toward treating the tourism industry like those factories of yore and make service and retail jobs into the kinds of careers that support families and dignified retirements. Costco is famously a company that offers higher wages and benefits to workers in the segment of industry that is still actually plentiful here.
It seems like our local leaders should be creating an environment where working at Costco versus the retailers we currently have doesn’t seem like such a huge step up and where our most significant industry actually provides for workers.
— Janine Paris
Asheville
Come together to focus on Jewish community
Over the past two years, I’ve been dismayed to witness the fracture in the local Jewish community between those who advocated for the City Council to pass a resolution to support a ceasefire in Gaza and those who spoke out against it. American Jewry is supposed to be a big tent where we can disagree while maintaining a shared sense of Jewish identity. However, since Oct. 7, 2023, existing fissures between Zionists and non-Zionists within the wider Jewish community and generational fissures within our Jewish families have been exacerbated.
CARTOON BY RANDY MOLTON
Some Jews may harbor generational trauma from the Holocaust and think that while what is happening to the Palestinians is terrible, we must support Israel unequivocally to keep Jews safe. They view Free Palestine protests and chants and encampments on college campuses as antisemitic or threatening to Jewish safety, even though a good percentage of participants were Jewish.
Others believe that Zionism is settler colonialism and what they classify as apartheid in the West Bank and genocide in Gaza, combined with the conflation of antisemitism with anti-Zionism, is not only horrific for the Palestinians but ultimately makes Jews less safe around the world.
There is even a divide within the Democratic Party. For the first time, the majority of Democratic U.S. senators supported a bill to block offensive arms sales to Israel. The N.C. Democratic Party passed a stronger resolution for a total arms embargo. And many Democratic politicians have been publicly rejecting donations from AIPAC (American Israel Public Affairs Committee).
To discuss what it means to be Jewish in America, Carolina Jews for Justice is hosting a conversation on Monday, Jan. 26, at 7 p.m. at the Wortham Center. Community
and Belonging in American Jewry will feature internationally renowned author Peter Beinart. Peter is an editor at Jewish Currents, a columnist at The New York Times, a commentator for MSNBC, CNN and a fellow at the Foundation for Middle East Peace. He has written five books, the most recent of which is Being Jewish After the Destruction of Gaza: A Reckoning. He will be in conversation with Rabbi Sandra Lawson, the executive director of Carolina Jews for Justice. Sandra is also an activist, writer and musician.
As a member of the Jewish community, I’d like to see all members of our community come together for this very important conversation, to put in practice the age-old Jewish values and traditions of questioning, dialogue and debate.
— Rebecca Croog Asheville
Thumbs-up for occupation satire
Eric Brown’s bit on the Occupation was brilliant! [“You Have the Privilege to Obey: Ways to Embrace the One Big Beautiful Occupation,” Dec. 31 Humor Issue, Xpress] Thank you.
— John Bromer Black Mountain
Taking fashion pointers from Cayla Clark
[Regarding “Radical Nonchalance: Is This Asheville’s Hottest New Trend?” and more in the Dec. 31 Humor Issue, Xpress:]
Wow, this writer, Cayla Clark, is a gem. Just got halfway through the comedy issue and was peeing myself. In my humble opinion, it is not easy to write good comedy, and she (freakin’ hope this is her pronoun, sheesh) does it well.
I have authenticated my ripped denim in accordance with her direction and am now parading around what is left of the River Arts District. Hopefully, the long white hair and sh*t-stained pants will conceal my boomer identity.
When will we lose her to a real job writing for some big-deal comedy show if such still exists? Although I prefer her to stay here in poverty and write for my entertainment.
— Randy Sullivan Fairview
Abortion donations yield returns
Grok says every dollar an average Ashevillean gives to Carolina Abortion Fund can save him $4.10 in school and child care tax by every level of
government, but Planned Parenthood South Atlantic can only recoup $3.50 due to greater dilution by larger nonresident populations served, not by the literal ocean; unless he moves out within 19 years. Wealthier taxpayers can profit even more from such donations, but what can the local Unitarian Universalist church save on Sunday school costs?
I knew that cities could profit, and churches and millionaires, but it took unconstrained AI calculations to convince me that normal, individual donors could profit, despite existing abortion charities mostly serving nonresidents.
— Alan Ditmore Leicester X
CARTOON BY BRENT BROWN
Where there’s smoke ...
BY BRIONNA DALLARA
bdallara@mountainx.com
Based on what he saw in 2025, Hayne Griffin has grave concerns for the Asheville Fire Department (AFD). Since 2009, Griffin has suited up with his fellow AFD members. In 2016, he was promoted to captain. More recently, in 2024, he became chair of the compensation committee for the Asheville Fire Fighters Association – IAFF Local 332. As with other Local 332 union leaders, Griffin’s focus is on improving the standard of living for his colleagues.
But by the end of last year, he says, it became evident that conditions tied to compensation, scheduling and work-life balance had eroded the morale within the department, resulting in an unprecedented 27 resignations, in addition to five retirements.
“What we’re seeing with the turnover is, I believe, detrimental to the quality of service that we’re bringing,” he says.
The resignations come at a pivotal moment for the department. This year, it is adding a fourth shift, which will ultimately cut down the average workweek for firefighters from 56 to 42 hours. Meanwhile, in the 2025-26 budget, Asheville City Council approved a 3% pay increase for AFD staff, whose members earn from $50,300 for the lowest grade firefighter to $111,3000 for the highest grade division chief.
Council also signed off on three new hires as part of the fourth shift, which is set to launch in August.
Still, doubts linger for some members of Local 332.
“We’re not making enough progress with our wages,” says AFD Capt. Welcker Taylor , who has served as union president since 2024. He points out that the 3% raise for staff was not extended to 13 new members who came on after the budget was approved last June. This pay discrepancy, along with concerns about ongoing staffing needs to make the fourth shift a success, leave many in his union skeptical.
“We are trying to get this fourth shift thing off the ground, but it feels like it’s not taking off as quickly as we want it to,” Taylor says.
AFD Chief Mike Cayse disagrees. “This is just the first step,” he says. “And [it] puts us ahead of nearly all
Union members sound alarm for 4th shift
SPEAKING OUT: Asheville Fire Fighters Association – IAFF Local 332 members, from left, Greg Miller, Hayne Griffin and Welcker Taylor stand outside Station 5 on Hendersonville Road. The three have been working to improve compensation, scheduling and work-life balance for their members but worry that recent resignations and a slow rollout of a new fourth shift could doom their efforts. Photo by Thomas Calder
public metro fire departments in the state.”
Griffin does not dispute the advantages a fourth shift brings for recruitment purposes. But similar to Taylor, he asserts that its success depends on the city’s willingness to bring on more staff in a timely fashion and at a competitive wage. Otherwise, he fears 2026 could be a repeat of 2025 with more resignations ahead.
TIMELINE UNDER FIRE
Despite the high turnover, Cayse notes the department is fully staffed with 258 firefighters. This breaks down to 86 members across each of the three current shifts — 13 more per unit than what is required by the city.
Once the fourth shift comes online in August, the total unit number
per shift will drop to 64. To make up for the shortfall, the department plans to implement what it calls “debit days,” which will require firefighters to work shifts outside of their normal schedule.
On the one hand, being spread across an additional shift will reduce overall hours for all AFD employees; on the other hand, the use of debit days will add back some of those hours to fill the nine missing positions required for each shift. Still, Cayse notes, in this initial phase, crew members will see a drop from 56 to 52.6 hours per week, which amounts to eight fewer 24-hours shifts per year.
In theory, as more employees are hired, fewer debit days will be needed and staff hours will gradually go down to the aspired 42-hour workweek. This outcome, however, depends on Council’s annual
approval of additional hires. ( Xpress spoke with all city employees and elected officials for this article prior to the Jan. 13 staff report noting the city’s $30 million gap between revenues and expenses for fiscal 2026-27, as reported by Blue Ridge Public Radio .)
If staffing levels aren’t increased, Taylor and Griffin assert, the department’s retention problems will continue.
“We have quite a few firefighters that have left in the last couple months knowing how many debit days they [were] going to work and their concern [was] we’re going to get stuck,” Griffin says.
LIST OF GRIEVANCES
Part of Local 332’s frustration is based on past issues its leadership has had with city management.
In 2021, Taylor notes, AFD received a salary adjustment and step-pay plan. While significant, he says, the raises did not match the rate of inflation coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, he claims, the step-pay plan and cost of living adjustments (COLA) were inconsistently applied.
Kim Miller , a spokesperson for the city, disputes Taylor’s criticism, noting that over the past five years, AFD employees have seen their pay increase by an average of 48%.
Taylor says those raises would not have been possible without the union, which is now facing a new obstacle — the aforementioned 13 hires who did not receive the 3% pay increase approved during the previous budget cycle.
Rookie hires are currently in the process of filing a grievance about the pay discrepancy. Council member Bo Hess tells Xpress he supports the grievance, adding that he was under the impression that Council’s approval in June applied to new hires. ( Xpress reached out to all other Council members but did not hear back prior to deadline.)
Miller says there is a misunderstanding between a pay increase versus a pay-grade adjustment. “There was no pay-grade adjustment budgeted or approved. There was a 3% pay increase for current employees,” she writes in an email to Xpress . “The 13 new employees were not hired when the pay increase was approved in the last budget cycle.”
The 3% salary increase for firefighters works out to about $24.91 per hour based on a standard 40-hour workweek. But because Asheville firefighters typically work 56 hours per week, the effective starting pay is closer to $18 per hour.
“ Oftentimes you hear city councilors say, ‘Oh, well, it’s OK that [firefighters] work 40% more [than other city employees] because they sleep.’ But it’s just not true,” Taylor says. “That was our big push for the fourth shift.”
The grievance process, Taylor continues, has also highlighted tensions between Local 332 and Cayse, the fire chief. Taylor says the chief’s lack of communication with the union over the matter left its members feeling unheard.
Cayse notes that while he can advocate for the department’s wages, it’s ultimately out of his hands and up to Council’s approval.
Adding further insult, Taylor says, he and fellow Local 332 mem-
bers have been kept out of the process since filing the grievance with AFD’s 13 new members.
City Attorney Brad Branham says this is standard. “Our grievance process is defined by ordinance and it lays out the process by which someone can file a grievance and then thereafter how the grievance process unfolds,” he explains. Under the current ordinance, Branham continues, union representation is not permitted during hearings with the city manager.
The union is currently advocating to have the ordinance changed.
EYEING THE NEXT BUDGET
If the implementation of the fourth shift proves successful, Local 332 members say it will be monumental for AFD.
Working fewer hours will improve the overall health of the department, Taylor says, citing reduced sleep deprivation and less exposure to toxins. He also believes morale will improve because members will have more time to spend with their loved ones. The overhaul to the schedule will also reduce travel time. Some Asheville firefighters, Griffin notes, commute from Spartanburg, S.C. and Johnson City, Tenn.
Cayse agrees. “There’s a lot of things that go into retention,” the fire chief says. “Everybody’s talked about salaries being part of that, but it’s also working conditions, working environment.”
Members of Local 332 are currently drafting a 2026-27 budget proposal for Council that they believe will provide the necessary support to have a sustainable transition to the fourth shift.
Cayse says he will “always support anything that benefits our firefighters” but stresses that the city “has to balance a lot of budget requests.”
For Local 332, it ultimately comes down to keeping experience in the department.
“Think about [Tropical Storm] Helene,” says Griffin. “Do you want a fire department responding to you that has deep experience? That has a history of working really well together? Or do you want a young fire department full of really good people but just lack of experience to be there in your greatest time of need?”
He continues, “To me, that’s the 30,000-foot view. [It’s] what we’re talking about, and why we need — which we appreciate — the fourth shift, and our city’s desire to implement it.” X
WALKOUT: About 250 UNC Asheville students and community members convened at the Highsmith Student Union on Jan. 16 to show support for preserving a 45-acre urban forest owned by the university.The “UNCA Walkout” was organized by local artist Spencer Beals and others associated with Save the Woods, a group organized about a year ago after residents of the Five Points neighborhood saw a miniexcavator in the plot of forested land near UNCA’s Botanical Garden. In June, the university announced plans to develop the area and build a multipurpose soccer stadium as part of its Millennial Campus project. Those plans were paused in August. UNCA is expected to soon announce members of a Millennial Campus Development Commission, which will be tasked with evaluating future uses of the land.
Photo by Thomas Calder
Council approves expansion of APD’s West Asheville office
Asheville City Council approved, 5-1, a 10-year lease with Tanger Outlets, 800 Brevard Road, during its Jan 13 meeting. The site will operate as Asheville Police Department’s (APD) new resource center for its West Asheville office.
Council member Kim Roney opposed the resolution. Council member Sage Turner was absent.
The West Asheville office is currently at 970 Haywood Road and has been
a police resource center since 1999. According to the Asheville City Staff Report, the site no longer meets mod ern public safety standards. In addition to limited parking, the “design includes large, single-pane windows extending from desk height to the ceiling, creat ing significant safety concerns for APD staff and community members inside the facility,” the report reads.
The Tanger Outlets location also offers more office space (4,046 square
NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH: Interim Chief Jackie Stepp addressed Asheville City Council about the Police Department’s plans for a new resource center at Tanger Outlets on Brevard Road. “From the onset, there’s [been a] misunderstanding," Stepp said during the Jan. 13 Council meeting. “We’re not moving. We’re expanding services in West Asheville.” Photo by Jessica Wakeman
feet) than the Haywood Road location
Some West Asheville residents and business owners have expressed public safety concerns about the decision. Jackie Stepp addressed Council on the topic. “From the onset, there’s [been a] misunderstanding,” Stepp said. “We’re not moving. We’re expanding services in
Stepp stated that the two officers assigned to Haywood Road will remain on location, and the patrol response levels in West Asheville will not change. Tanger Outlets is contributing approximately $1 million toward renovations. The lease is $6,000 per month with an increase of 3% each year. An additional two five-year renewal
Roney opposed the motion, telling Stepp she did not believe APD sufficiently communicated its goals to the community. APD is undermining “public trust by putting reactive public engagement at the end of decisions that have already been made,”
Stepp maintained APD notified neighborhood groups, adding that
Capt. Evan Coward went door-todoor to inform businesses.
Council hears reappraisal process
Buncombe County Tax Assessor Eric Cregger presented on the 2026 reappraisal process.
According to the presentation, the county attempts to reappraise all real property on a four-year schedule. The current values are based on the county’s 2021 assessment. Its 2025 reappraisal was delayed due to Tropical Storm Helene. State law requires reappraisal every eight years. Cregger noted that market value does not change at the same rate for all properties in the market area. Notices are expected to arrive in the mail to all real estate property owners by mid to late February. If an owner disagrees with the reappraisal, there are three ways to contact the tax office:
• Online at tax.buncombenc.gov.
• By mail to 182 College St., Asheville, N.C., 28801.
• In person or at the office drop box.
In other news:
• As reported by Blue Ridge Public Radio, Asheville faces an estimated $30 million gap between revenues and expenses for fiscal year 202627. City staff presented the information to Council in a work session before Council’s formal meeting. Council’s first public comment session on the budget will be held Tuesday, Feb. 10. A formal public hearing is set for Tuesday, May 26. The budget adoption vote will take place Tuesday, June 9.
• Council approved the rezoning of 13 Baldwin St. from a neighborhood business district to residential single-family high-density district.
• Council approved a request to remove conditional zoning from 137 Broadway.
• Council approved an amendment to modify zoning text amendment 7-7-7 of the Unified Development Ordinance to be in compliance with state law. Section 7-7-7 currently has a 12-month waiting period for refiling approved or denied zoning applications. The new law prohibits any waiting period for withdrawn or denied development applications.
• The consent agenda authorized the city manager to execute an agreement with the N.C. Department of Transportation (NCDOT) for the Deaverview Road Complete Streets Project. The project will construct a 10-foot multiuse path extending 1.2 miles between Patton Avenue and Pisgah View Road. The city is responsible for 20% of the project, totaling $2.98 million.
• The consent agenda authorized the city manager to execute an agreement with NCDOT for the Craven Street bike and pedestrian bridge project. The city will coordinate with NCDOT on designing a biking and pedestrian bridge that will run
parallel with the existing Craven Street Bridge across the French Broad River. The city is responsible for 20% of the project, totaling roughly $2 million.
• The consent agenda adopted a resolution ratifying a home subrecipient agreement with Commonwealth Development for the development of Fairhaven Meadows, an affordable housing project.
• The consent agenda approved a contract for $111,000 with Hamilton Stephens Steele & Martin for litigation services involving Harrah’s Cherokee Center HVAC systems. The city attorney contracted with the firm in May 2024 and was amended in September 2025 for $89,000. The total cost is $200,000 and is included in the city attorney’s budget.
• The consent agenda authorized the city manager to execute a contract with Kittelson & Associates to update the city’s traffic calming policy. The $99,697 contract is funded through the general fund’s traffic safety account.
This story was supported by the Fund for Investigative Reporting and Editing.
— Jessica Wakeman X
Design by Ameena Batada
Don’t forget
Disaster expert discusses the role physical markers can play in WNC’s recovery
BY MARK BARRETT
markbarrett@charter.net
The idea that Western North Carolina would ever forget about the damage caused by Tropical Storm Helene might sound crazy to those who lived through it.
Don’t be so sure, says Craig Colten, a geographer who wrote a book on efforts to control natural forces during the history of New Orleans. He moved to Asheville in spring 2024, six months before Helene.
Colten says that during the last five or six years before he retired as a professor at Louisiana State University in 2021, he often encountered students from New Orleans and nearby areas who knew little about what happened when Hurricane Katrina walloped the city in 2005.
Students would say, “We left town. I didn’t know what it was all about,” Colten says. Even people who were adults when natural disasters occur tend to forget or minimize their impacts after a few years, he adds.
Colten advocates steps to memorialize Helene as a tribute to those who died in the storm and a warning of where flooding could happen again. One move could be as simple as painting lines on light poles or telephone poles to show Helene’s high-water mark.
“It doesn’t have to be [a] flashing neon sign, but it can be just a reminder,” a place where a parent can show a child how high floodwaters got, Colton says.
The Helene recovery plan recently approved by city and county government includes an online project to gather oral histories and other accounts of Helene, but the project description does not mention physical markers or memorials.
Colten’s specialty is historical geography, the practice of researching how and why areas have changed in the past. His career includes stints studying where hazardous waste sites might lie, responses to flooding and hurricanes, and the loss of land in coastal Louisiana.
A native of northern Louisiana, Colten worked in Illinois state government, for a consulting firm and was a professor at LSU for 20 years before retiring. He is the author of several books and received the American Association of Geographers’ Gilbert F. White Distinguished Public Service Honors award in 2022.
Colten spoke with Xpress recently about the Asheville area’s response to Helene and what communities typically do after being hit by a natural disaster.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Xpress: You spent a lot of time in Louisiana, where they have a lot of hurricanes, and you moved up here. Then we had a major storm. Is this your fault? More seriously, are you a climate migrant?
Colten: I proudly proclaimed before I left Louisiana I was moving to North Carolina to get away from the hurricane coast. But I also now say there are no chambers of commerce recruiting me to move to their towns. Because everywhere I go, disaster seems to follow, from Katrina to Helene and many other intervening events.
I really like this part of the world, and I thought of moving here for many years. So there was the pull here, and there was a push. We were really tired of dealing with hurricanes.
In a recent talk at UNC Asheville, you mentioned a proposal to put markers on utility poles in New Orleans showing how high the waters from Katrina got. Tell me
WAS HERE: These two lines on the building housing the offices of RiverLink at 170 Lyman St. in the River Arts District show how high floodwaters from the flood of 1916 and Helene got.
about where that idea came from and why people didn’t like that.
The idea of putting markers out really stems from seeing markers on cathedrals in most European cities. Almost every European city is on a river, and they’ve flooded in the past. Oftentimes, there’ll be a bronze
marker set into the stone showing the height of major floods. After Katrina, there was what a songwriter there called the long black line all over the city, where sediment had collected on the side
HELENE
Photo by Mark Barrett
of houses during the most prolonged high-water stage.
There were weekends where they’d have these neighborhood get-togethers where they would spray wash the long black line off their houses. And I thought, “I understand they don’t want it on their house, but is there some way to remind people how high the water was?” I kept saying we need to put some markers out there. But people were just really uninterested in it and really resistant to the idea. I think it was just the trauma and the urge to expunge the city of all markers of Katrina.
Why do you think we need to do anything to remember a storm like Helene?
After a disaster, there is a fairly short-lived period of time where people retain a really strong memory. There’s an urgency to recover, to try to make the city safer, to build back better. And sometimes laws are passed that restrict development in flood-prone areas.
But we oftentimes see those concerns erode over time. After Hurricane Camille on the Gulf Coast, for example, which was a really devastating storm, the city of Biloxi said we’re not going to allow any development on the coast. But when the casinos started coming in in the late ’80s, early ’90s, boy, they welcomed them. They began waiving these laws put in place about 20 years before.
By forgetting or by neglecting the memory of these events, you can allow inappropriate redevelopment in flood-prone areas.
Would it be possible to show the Helene water level on utility poles here, or is it too late?
I think it is entirely feasible. It would not be an expensive thing. You could have a group of utility poles or some kind of preexisting poles that are already in place and just put a standard marker on them. You wouldn’t have to have signage; just something that would stand out and be durable, that could remind people this was the flood of 2024. Already, most of the visible traces have been removed.
What is the most common pattern of rebuilding after a natural disaster?
The most common approach is to try to rebuild in place in a way that replicates what was there before the disaster. That’s because that’s what’s known. People had investments. They want to get back to things
from Louisiana to Asheville in spring 2024 in part because they were tired of dealing with hurricanes. It didn’t work out exactly as they had planned. Photo by Mark
Barrett
as they existed before the event. There’s oftentimes some memorial, some granite marker, but not a set of discreet reminders set throughout the flooded area.
What kind of memorial or marker do you think would be appropriate here?
One of the hardest-hit districts was the River Arts District. I think it should be really something guided by the artistic community. I think it could be something that reflects the creativity, the economic importance of that district and their will to rebuild. And I would hope it would also reflect their interest in rebuilding in a safer way.
The Urban Land Institute sent a panel of experts here sometime over the past year. They recommended just moving the River Arts District. Any thoughts about that?
This is such a critical issue. This is really the core of what needs to be discussed at the community level. I don’t know how you would move all that activity to someplace new. But at the same time, I think there needs to be greater emphasis on how to make that safe for the businesses, for the artists in that district.
The maps that show the 100year and 500-year flood plains in Buncombe County mostly date from around 2010. It’s going to be a few years before we get new maps. To what extent can people rely on either the maps or the
high-water marks from Helene to figure out whether their property is in danger?
It’s tragic that we’re unable to update those maps any more frequently than we do because technology can make that whole process much, much faster now. But whenever they do maps, there’s always local pushback. Typically, these maps are challenged because of economic activities and economic interests that don’t want their building considered to be in the 100-year flood plain.
I think the whole flood plain arrangement should be fundamentally recast, and we should start talking about the 500-year flood plain as the area where people should have flood insurance instead of the 100-year flood plain, because that would then bring in a much bigger pool who are at lower risk.
I’ve heard people say Helene was a biblical flood and using it as the standard for what could happen in the future is not realistic.
It should be considered the baseline. Everything should be designed on the flooding caused by Helene with a safety buffer built in. We’ve seen now that a flood can occur in this climate. The climate continues to warm, rainfall is going to get more intense. We can’t ignore it. It’s not something that should be dismissed because it’s a so-called biblical flood. We need to be prepared for the next biblical flood, which might even be bigger.
We had a lot of landslides from Helene and in the 2004 storms. Combined with the threat of flooding, does that leave us enough land to build on?
You’re going to have to have some increasing density in those areas that are safest. For mainly financial reasons, people are doing this building up rather than out already. I think that’s going to be the future of real estate development in this region.
Is it typical that an area that’s hit by a storm like this loses population for a while?
New Orleans was losing population and lost huge numbers after Katrina. But I think population trends will continue to go up here because it is an appealing area and was on an upward trajectory before the storm. I think most people who moved here are going to see this as an aberration and stick around. X
CLIMATE MIGRANT: Craig Colten and his wife moved
JAN. 21 - JAN. 29, 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 17
More info, page 18
WELLNESS
50+ Yoga
For individuals aged 50 and above, focusing on gentle movements and flexibility, taught by Barbara.
WE (1/21, 28), FR (1/23), MO (1/26), 12pm, Weaverville Yoga, 3-B Florida Avenue
Anahata Yoga
A heart-centered yoga practice focusing on the Anahata chakra, led by Barbara.
WE (1/21, 28), FR (1/23), SA (1/24), MO (1/26), 10:30am, Weaverville Yoga, 3-B Florida Avenue
SharQui Bellydance Fitness
A bellydance fitness class suitable for all levels, led by instructor Kim Reigle.
WE (1/21, 28), SA (1/24), 12pm, World Dance Asheville, 1269 Tunnel Rd
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 (1/21, 28), 1pm, Dragon Phoenix, 51 N Merrimon Ave
Meditation for Community Healers
A supportive, healing space for those who contribute to the community’s health and wellbeing, such as psychotherapists, spiritual healers and teachers, social workers and bodyworkers.
WE (1/21), 8:30am, The Lodge at Quietude, 1130 Montreat Rd
Chinese Tea & Tai Chi Foundations
This is a class for all ages and all levels. No experience is needed.
SA (1/24), 10:30am, Dragon Phoenix, 51 N Merrimon Ave
Candlelight Flow Yoga
Unwind in our all-levels
Candlelight Flow Yoga class.
SU (1/25), 5pm, Happy Body Pilates, 25 Reed St., Suite 210
Hatha Yoga Suitable for all levels.
MO (1/26), 9am
Jivamukti Spiritual Warrior Yoga
A dynamic and invigorating yoga class led by Pashupa.
MO (1/26), 7am, Weaverville Yoga, 3-B Florida Avenue
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 (1/26), 10am, Dragon Phoenix, 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 (1/27), 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 (1/27), 9am, Dragon Phoenix, 51 N Merrimon Ave
Community Yoga w/ Carrie
A free hour of yoga, meditation and mindfulness with local yoga instructor.
WE (1/28), 10:30am, AmeriHealth Caritas NC Wellness and Opportunity Center, 216 Asheland Ave
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 (1/21, 28), 6pm, Online
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.
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 (1/21, 28), 2pm, AmeriHealth Caritas NC 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 (1/24), 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 (1/25), 12:30pm, Online
Sunrise AA Meeting
Daily virtual Alcoholics Anonymous meeting. For more information, visit avl.mx/f91.
SU (1/25), 7am, Online
Families Anonymous Support group for those affected by someone else’s addiction. We support each other with support of program.
TU (1/27), 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 (1/27), 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 (1/27), 5:15pm, SeekHealing, 50 S French Broad Ave
DANCE
Fundamentals of Bellydance
Explore the fundamentals of bellydance, focusing on internal movement, isolations, smooth travel, hip articulation, and fluidity.
WE (1/21, 28), 5:30pm, The Well, 3 Louisiana Avenue
ART SHOW OPENING: Push Skate Shop and Gallery launches a new art show, The Strangest Secret of All, on Friday, Jan. 23, starting at 7 p.m. Featuring the works of Yamabushi, Jon Chu and Granpappy, the event also includes music by DJ Moth Man and refreshments provided by New Belgium. Photo courtesy of Push Skate Shop (image by Yamabushi)
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. Open dance is from 9 p.m. to midnight.
WE (1/21, 28), 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 (1/22, 29), TU (1/27), 10:30am, Dragon Phoenix, 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 (1/22, 29), 6:15pm, Stephens-Lee Rec Center, 30 George Washington Carver Ave
Bellydance Drills
A class focusing on bellydance drills suitable for all levels, led by Olivia Blahowsky.
SU (1/25), 4pm, World Dance Asheville, 1269 Tunnel Rd
ART
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
The Strangest Secret of All
A new art show opening featuring the works of Yamabushi, Jon Chu and Grandpappy.
Highwater: Ceramics from the Gail & Brian McCarthy Collection Highwater features
There will also be music by DJ Moth Man and refreshments provided by New Belgium.
A guided tour of the museum’s current featured exhibition.
SA (1/24), 2pm, Asheville Art Museum, 2
S Pack Square
Public Tour: Discovering Art in Asheville
An interactive tour exploring the Museum’s history and Collection.
SU (1/25), 3pm, Asheville Art Museum, 2
S Pack Square
Paint & Sip
Skilled instructors will guide you through each step, helping you recreate this wintry landscape, which features a rustic red barn.
TU (1/27), 6pm, Hi-Wire Brewing - Biltmore Village, 2A Huntsman Pl
COMMUNITY
MUSIC
Jazz Showcase w/Dr. William Bares
The White Horse Jazz Showcase with Dr. Bill Bares will spotlight outstanding regional vocalists, UNCA faculty jazz artists, and additional special guests.
WE (1/21), 7pm, White Horse Black Mountain, 105C Montreat Road
Choir Night: For Good
A one-night-only choir experience where you will learn 1 song, rehearse and film a final performance at the end of the night.
TH (1/22), 7pm, The Funkatorium, 147 Coxe Ave
Chuck Brodsky
A storyteller, a songwriter, a troubadour, a modern day bard. His wit and irony, down-to-earth warmth, and quirky, rootsy, finely crafted songs, tell stories of oddball and underdog characters.
FR (1/23), 7:30pm, White Horse Black Mountain, 105C Montreat Road
Amici Jewish Jazz: The Sequel
Jewish Jazz, the Return of the Jewdi is a sequel to the fun and popular program they performed last year featuring the wonderful Seth Kibel on clarinet and Artistic Director Daniel Weiser on piano.
SA (1/24), 2pm, White Horse Black Mountain, 105C Montreat Road
BMCA Annual Instructor’s Concert
You’ll experience a variety of music from several different genres as instructors perform individual and collaborative pieces. See p18
SA (1/24), 7:30pm, Black Mountain Center for the Arts, 225 W State Street
Cowboy Judy, Kellin Watson & the FeelGood Cowboy Judy brings her dynamic, genre-blending sound to the stage with a style that effortlessly weaves blues, pop, folk, and soul.
SA (1/24), 7:30pm, White Horse Black Mountain, 105C Montreat Road
Heather Pierson Duo Heather Pierson is a singer/songwriter and performer with a passion forcultivating joy and harmony.
SU (1/25), 7pm, White Horse Black Mountain, 105C Montreat Road
COMMUNITY WORKSHOPS
Transitions... Taking the Next Truthful Step
This evening of insight, presence, and soulful connection will teach you to navigate life’s transitions with grace and authenticity.
WE (1/21), 6:30pm, Community Commons at CSL Asheville, 3 Science of Mind Way
Farm Taxes: Schedule F Gain confidence with this guided walk through of the Schedule F (Profit and Loss from Farming) that will teach you what you need to report and how, help reduce your taxable income, and enjoy some light humor along the way.
TH (1/22), 6pm, Buncombe County Cooperative Extension, 49 Mount Carmel Rd, Ste 102
The Art of Fermentation: Let’s Make Yogurt A hands-on workshop where you will learn to make yogurt with cow’s milk and nuts.
TH (1/22), 5:30pm, N.C. Cooperative Extension, 258 Carolina Lane
Tips to Kick Start Your Career: A Job Readiness Workshop w/NCWorks Connect with AmeriHealth Caritas and NCWorks to learn about key job search resources and tips in order to find the job you are seeking. This workshop will be presented via a live webinar at your local ACNC Wellness & Opportunity Center. TH (1/22), 11:30am, AmeriHealth Caritas NC Wellness and Opportunity Center, 216 Asheland Ave
Agribusiness Series: Liabilty in Agri-Tourism
Robert Andrew Branan will offer his perspective on legal risks in agritourism, with an overview of liability law in general, the role of insurance and business entity organization, and statutory law whose purpose is to exempt agritourism operations from liability lawsuits. Register at avl.mx/fa5. TH (1/29), 5:30pm, Online
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 (1/21, 28), 8:30pm, Sovereign Kava, 268 Biltmore Ave
Black Experience Book Club
This community-centered series is designed to explore literature that centers the voices, histories, and futures of the African Diaspora.
TH (1/22), 6:30pm, YMI Cultural Center, 39 S Market Street
The Prison Industry: How it Works & Who Profits
An evening with Bianca Tylek, the author of The Prison Industry: How It Works and Who Profits, a groundbreaking exposé that uncovers the vast network of corporations and government entities profiting from incarceration.
TH (1/22), 6pm, Firestorm Books, 1022 Haywood Rd
Margaret Bender & Tom Belt Present: The New Voice of God
Margaret Bender & Tom Belt will share their new book, The New Voice of God: Language, Worldview and the Cherokee Bible.
SA (1/24), 3pm, City Lights Bookstore, 3 E Jackson St
Wonders & Wanders w/Wilma Come explore acclaimed Asheville
writer Wilma Dykeman’s book, the French Broad, through casual discussion and local exploration. Attendees will be entered into raffle to win a copy of the French Broad.
SA (1/24), 3pm, Albemarle Inn, 86 Edgemont Rd
Flooded Poetry Mondays Poetry-specific open mic, starring you plus weekly featured readers, every Monday.
MO (1/26), 6:30pm, Flood Gallery, 802 Fairview Rd, Ste 1200
Goodman Endowed Visiting Writer Lecture w/Leigh Ann Henion
UNC Asheville’s English Department host a reading by nonfiction writer and alum Leigh Ann Henion, author of the New York Times bestselling books night magic and phenomenal.
TU (1/27), 6pm, Highsmith Student Union, 1 University Heights
THEATER & FILM
Foreign Film Friday: Heart of Glass by Herzog
In an 18th century Bavarian village, which relies on a blown glass factory, the master craftsman dies taking the secret of the famous red glass with him.
The Acting Company in A Midsummer Night’s Dream In this rapturous, fresh take on one of Shake-
The Prison Industry: How it Works & Who Profits
• Firestorm Books, West Asheville
• Thursday, Jan. 22 | 6-7:30 p.m.
An evening with Bianca Tylek, the author of The Prison Industry: How It Works and Who Profits, a groundbreaking exposé that uncovers the vast network of corporations and government entities profiting from incarceration.
“They say money makes the world go around — but whose money? What machines are being fed, and who is affected? I plan on digging into the profits of the prison industry with author Bianca Tylek, at a Firestorm Books event discussing her expose about the corporations and government entities profiting from incarceration.”
speare’s most popular plays, a mischievous fairy creates chaos for four young lovers and a troupe of amateur actors in an enchanted forest.
A new work that explores the unique and tragic conflicts faced by settlers of WNC during the Civil War. Set in rural Madison County, this opera is a powerful account of families torn apart by fear, mistrust, and violence.
SA (1/24), 7:30pm, WCU Bardo Arts Center, 199 Centennial Dr
The Acting Company in Great Expectations
A bingeable dramedy carved with the beautiful prose that made Dickens popular, this fast-paced adaptation is filled with unexpected hilarity, escaped prisoners, decaying mansions, and a stunning young heiress of ruthless intelligence.
SA (1/24), 8pm, Diana Wortham Theater, 18 Biltmore Ave
Sunday Funday Movie: Princess Bride
The Princess Bride is a fantasy adventure comedy film that tells the story of a swashbuckling farmhand named Westley who embarks on a quest to rescue his true love, Princess Buttercup, from the odious Prince Humperdinck.
SU (1/25), 2pm, White Horse Black Mountain, 105C Montreat Road
Jeeves In Bloom
The peaceful English countryside may never be the same after Bertie Wooster and his unflappable valet, Jeeves, pay a visit. What starts as a plan to pair tongue-tied, amphibian-loving Augustus Fink-Nottle and fanciful, poetry-loving Madeline Basset quickly goes awry.
WE (1/28), TH (1/29), 7:30pm, NC Stage Co., 15 Stage Lane
MEETINGS & PROGRAMS
Social Seniors
A social gathering for seniors to engage in various activities and connect with peers. Open Monday through
Friday , 9am. Grove Street Community Center, 36 Grove S
Tarot Community Circle
Each week we will cover different topics, so every class will provide new information. Please bring a deck based on the system of the Rider Waite Smith tarot or a copy of the Rider Waite Smith Taro and a notepad to take notes.
WE (1/21), 6pm, House of Black Cat Magic, 841 Haywood Rd.
Therapeutic Journaling w/Jean: A Morning Ritual
Evidence-based, peer-reviewed research indicates that expressive writing has been a successful therapeutic tool for improved health.
WE (1/21), 10am, AmeriHealth Caritas NC Wellness and Opportunity Center, 216 Asheland Ave
YMCA Microplastics
Talk
Have you been hearing about microplastics? Want to know more about them? Why you should be concerned and how to protect yourself? Attend this
conversation and participate in this important community issue.
TH (1/22), 5:30pm, YMCA of WNC, 30 Woodfin St Coffee & a Bagel w/ RSAA
A community-centered gathering focused on learning how to issue map so you can better understand what you need from elected officials.
FR (1/23), 10am, AmeriHealth Caritas NC Wellness and Opportunity Center, 216 Asheland Ave
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 (1/23), 5:30pm, House of Black Cat Magic, 841 Haywood Rd.
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 (1/25), 10am, EarthFare - Westgate, 66 Westgate Pkw
Sunday Celebration
An uplifting Science of Mind celebration.
SU (1/25), 11am, Center for Spiritual Living Asheville, 2 Science of Mind Way
Community & Belonging In Americana Jewry
Carolina Jews for Justice invites you to a much-needed conversation about what it means to be an inclusive Jewish community in today’s America.
MO (1/26), 7pm, Diana Wortham Theater, 18 Biltmore Ave
Mindful Aging & Dying w/John Orr
Reflecting on our aging bodies and the inevitability of death can bring an aliveness to our spiritual practice.
MO (1/26), 6:30pm, The Lodge at Quietude, 1130 Montreat Rd
SoulCollage, Stars & Sounds Social
Michelle Parkerson and David Heiss will lead an easy, playful SoulCollage activity followed by an astrology report, an engaging community conversation and a powerful Gong Sound
Journey.
TH (1/29), 1pm, The Lodge at Quietude, 1130 Montreat Rd
French Broad River & Hot Springs w/Anna Alsobrook
Learn more about the French Broad River as it flows through Hot Springs. Find out about history of the watershed, ways to recreate on your local stretch of river and how to get involved with clean up work.
TH (1/29), 7pm, Hot Springs Library, 64 S Spring St
Pedestrian Plan
Community Meeting
Buncombe County is creating its first Pedestrian Plan to guide future infrastructure improvements that will make walking and mobility aid use (for pedestrian travel) easier and safer in unincorporated areas.
TH (1/29), 4:30pm, Enka-Candler Public Library, 1404 Sand Hill Rd
GAMES & CLUBS
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 (1/21, 28), 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 (1/21, 28), 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 (1/22, 29), 11am, Well Played Board Game Café, 162 Coxe Ave, 101
Game Night
An evening of cards and games such as dominoes and Rummikub.
TH (1/22), 7pm, First Congregational Church of Christ of Asheville, 20 Oak Street
Adult Community Basketball
Come shoot some hoops or play a pick up
game with friends. SU (1/25), 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 (1/25), 1:15pm, Linwood Crump Shiloh Community Center, 121 Shiloh Rd
Southside After Praise After church, enjoy an afternoon playing spades or dominoes.
SU (1/25), 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 (1/25), 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 (1/26), 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 (1/26), 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 (1/27), 6pm, Well Played Board Game Café, 162 Coxe Ave, 101
Yahtzee Tournament
Let the fun and good times roll with this board game tournament series.
WE (1/28), 1pm, Harvest House Community Center, 205 Kenilworth Rd
KID-FRIENDLY PROGRAMS
Baby Story Time
A lively language enrichment story time designed for children ages 4 to 18 months.
The Great Rad Sale RADA invites the public to explore the River Arts District with a district-wide event offering steep discounts on discontinued items, overstock, and seconds from working local artists. See p18 SA (1/24), varied hours, Studios & Galleries in Asheville’s River Art District
Authentic Relating Date Night For Singles: Ditch The Small Talk
This event is designed to help you move past surface-level conversations and create authentic, meaningful connections, both in the moment and long after.
TH (1/29), 6:45pm, The Well, 3 Louisiana Avenue Tropilachia Club Returns to Little Jumbo Little Jumbo’s tropical alter ego returns with a tiki-style bar menu. It’s still the Little Jumbo you know and love, just wearing a lei. See p17
TH (1/29), 6:45pm, The Well, 3 Louisiana Avenue
BENEFITS & VOLUNTEERING
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 (1/21, 28), 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 (1/21, 28), 3pm, 60 Lake Shore Dr
Junk-O-Rama Vintage Market
Full bad, vintage clothes, jewelry, local art & more.
SU (1/25), 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
Silent Films: Loud Music Support local filmmakers, musicians, and raise money for queer youth. Silent Films/Loud Music is a screening of short films with live musical scores performed by local bands.
TH (1/22), 7pm, Sly Grog Lounge, 271 Haywood St Save the Woods Silent Auction Fundraiser Items for auction include original works of art by over 40 local artists and services or products from 30 local businesses. FR (1/23), 6pm, Urban Orchard Cider Co., 24 Buxton Ave
2026 Hot Chocolate Races
The race benefits the Isaac Dickson Parent Teacher Organization which in turn supports the teachers, students and families of our school.
SA (1/24), 8am, Asheville Hot Chocolate Races, 125 Hill St Mountain Pet Rescue Adoption Event Have a pint and see some adoptable puppies. SA (1/24), noon, Green Man Brewing, 27 Buxton Ave
Beer & Hymns: Benefiting Music Works Asheville Beer & Hymns brings people together to raise a glass and a voice while raising funds for organizations that change the world. All are welcome to come and sing with us.
MO (1/26), 7pm, White Horse Black Mountain, 105C Montreat Road
ARTS & CULTURE
Ready for seconds
BY EDWIN ARNAUDIN
earnaudin@mountainx.com
Chai Pani has temporarily revived the popular hot bar buffet it originally launched in 2024 after Tropical Storm Helene. After the regular menu was resumed last March, demand continued to be overwhelming, the restaurant said in a press release.
“Our hope is that reviving the buffet brings joy and togetherness and warmth and reminds our community of its resilience,” the release said.
This winter’s buffet kicked off Jan. 9 and will be available until Friday, March 6, for both lunch and dinner service. Dishes include butter chicken, saag paneer, mini uttapmas, desi salads, okra fries, kale pakoras and more, along with a chutney bar with multiple choices. The cost for the lunch buffet is $16.99 weekdays, $21.99 weekends. The dinner buffet is $21.99. Children can eat for $9.99.
To learn more, visit avl.mx/ekz.
Flour café moving into former Laughing Seed space
This spring, Flour biscuit café and bakery will move from its current location in the S&W Market food hall into the former Laughing Seed location at 40 Wall St.
Brothers Kyle and Carter James and chef Gordon Gibbs launched Flour in May 2024. It soon outgrew the location and, according to Kyle, has been struggling to keep up with demand.
“We physically can’t make enough biscuits in that space anymore,” he says. “We weren’t necessarily actively looking [for a new space]; we were just keeping an eye on opportunities to grow.”
Kyle says Flour will initially stick with its breakfast theme and coffee program, keeping its current hours of 8 a.m.-2 p.m. But the larger kitchen will allow for an expanded menu, featuring pancakes, potato dishes and other items.
To learn more, visit avl.mx/fa4
Posana Biltmore Park adds lunch, brunch
As of Jan. 12, Posana Biltmore Park is serving lunch on weekdays and brunch on weekends.
Chai Pani brings back hot bar buffet
The brunch menu, offered SaturdaySunday, 10 a.m.-3 p.m., revives favorite signature dishes that were served at Posana’s original downtown location for many years. Reservations are strongly encouraged for brunch. Lunch will feature a range of offerings, including gluten-free and vegan options, as well as a kids menu. The lunch menu is available Monday-Friday, 11 a.m.-3 p.m.
To learn more, visit avl.mx/f5l.
Tropilachia Club returns to Little Jumbo
On Thursday, Jan. 29, Little Jumbo turns back into its tropical alter ego, The Tropilachia Club. As of press time, the tiki-style pop-up bar’s menu was still being finalized. But, according to the event description, the interior will be transformed until the end of February “into a sun-soaked escape where palm fronds sway against the frost outside, and every sip carries a whisper of warmer days ahead.”
“It’s still the Little Jumbo you know and love — just wearing a lei and
dreaming of spring,” the description reads. “Join us as we trade snow for sand (metaphorically speaking) and raise a glass to brighter horizons all February long.”
To learn more, visit avl.mx/egq.
Mint Cookie ice cream back at The Hop
Girl Scouts are selling cookies, and with that annual tradition comes another: Mint Cookie ice cream at The Hop, which returns Friday, Jan. 23, at all of the business’s locations.
The 2026 edition includes both dairy and vegan versions, each made with real Girl Scout Thin Mints folded into a mint ice cream base. Both versions contain gluten. They will remain on the menu through the end of February.
“What makes this release extra special is the collaboration behind it,” says Hop ownership in a press release. “We’re proud to once again work alongside a local Girl Scout troop, who will be selling us cookies
and helping us make the ice cream. To mark the occasion, we’ll also be hosting Girl Scout cookie booth sales at our Merrimon Avenue location.”
To learn more, visit avl.mx/f3x.
Ivory Road hosts Humane Society benefit
On Thursday, Jan. 22, 4-8 p.m., Ivory Road wine bar in Arden hosts a benefit for the Asheville Humane Society (AHS). The nonprofit will receive 15% of sales from the day, and pet supplies will also be collected at the event; AHS has identified wet cat food as its current top need. Representatives will be on-site 5-7 p.m., to discuss the organization’s adoption and foster programs, and pets will be available to adopt. Ivory Road’s menu includes wine, beer, cider, nonalcoholic beverages, cheese boards, dip platters, olive plates and homemade French macarons. To learn more, visit avl.mx/6f0. X
ALL-YOU-CAN-STREET FOOD: Initially launched in the wake of Tropical Storm Helene, Chai Pani’s hot bar buffet is back through Friday, March 6. Photo by Tim Robison
by Edwin Arnaudin
BMCA Instructors Concert The Great RAD Sale
Teaching artists perform in the 2025 Black Mountain Center for the Arts Instructors’ Concert. Photo courtesy of BMCA
The teaching artists at the Black Mountain Center for the Arts (BMCA) guide students through the Junior Appalachian Musicians program and private lessons. While their impact is evident via the young people they educate, they also get a chance to share their skills with the public each year in the organization’s Instructors Concert.
The 2026 edition takes place Saturday, Jan. 24, at 7:30 p.m., featuring solo and collaborative pieces representing multiple musical genres. Performers include Clarke Williams, Maddy Mullany,
Travis Stuart, Nathan Vargos, and Cary Fridley from the Junior Appalachian Musicians program, plus private lesson instructors Alison Adams (voice), Joel Ragan (piano) and Evan Martin (guitar).
Tickets are $23.69.
“We’re fortunate to work with so many wonderful professional musicians at BMCA,” says John Hall, BMCA associate director, in a press release. “This annual concert gives our community the opportunity to experience the incredible talent that inspires our students year-round.”
To learn more, visit avl.mx/fa8. X
Dine with Divas
Dine with Divas photo courtesy of Bearded Lady Productions
Want to be entertained by Madonna, Lady Gaga, Elvis, Beyoncé and Judy Garland all in one evening? Well, considering a few aren’t around anymore and others command some of the most expensive concert ticket prices, getting them together is unfortunately impossible. But Asheville Drag Bruch has the next best thing with its Dine with Divas Drag Dinner Show.
On Friday, Jan. 30, at 7 p.m., in the Highland Brewing Co. Event
Center, Asheville’s only drag celebrity impersonator dinner show returns, featuring these and other stars. Hosted by DeVida, the evening combines wildly entertaining drag performances with a catered dinner by Celine and Company.
Tickets are $45 for general admission and $55 for preferred front-row seating near the stage. All proceeds will be donated to BeLoved Asheville. To learn more, visit avl.mx/faa. X
Creators in the River Arts District continue to recover in the wake of Tropical Storm Helene. In addition to more studios returning and new works emerging on a daily basis, the River Arts District Artists (RADA) advocacy group reminds the public of this resiliency through engaging events that help bring more potential customers to the area.
On Saturday, Jan. 24, during normal business hours, the group presents
The Great RAD Sale, a districtwide event featuring significant discounts on discontinued items, overstock and seconds from working local artists. Taking place in studios and galleries across the district, the event is intended as a celebration of Asheville’s creative community and an opportunity to support artists during the tourism off-season. Free to attend.
To learn more, visit avl.mx/fa9. X
Ben Rosenblum Trio
Haywood Arts Regional Theatre in Waynesville is best known for producing acclaimed community theater. But on Thursday, Jan. 29, its stage plays host to top-notch jazz courtesy of the Ben Rosenblum Trio, which is stopping by as part of its East Coast winter tour.
Based in New York City, the ensemble is centered on the eponymous pianist, accordionist and composer, whose resumé includes tours with Grammy-winning pop artist Rickie Lee Jones, Grammy-winning jazz vocalist Catherine Russell and Juno-winning
contemporary Indian singer Kiran Ahluwalia. Ben Rosenblum also performs as a solo artist and with his newest group, the six-piece Nebula Project. According to the bio on his website, Rosenblum “has always maintained the same priority — to tell a compelling story with his music, reaching the hearts of his audience and connecting on an emotional, intellectual and spiritual level.” He’ll be joined in the Trio by Peter Slavov on bass and Ben Zweig on drums. The show starts at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $30. To learn more, visit avl.mx/fa7. X
Photo of Trackside Studios courtesy of the studio
Photo of the Ben Rosenblum Trio by Doug Barnes
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 21
12 BONES BREWING
SMOKEHOUSE & BREWING Trivia Night w/King Trivia, 7pm
FLEETWOOD’S
PSK Karaoke, 9pm
FRENCH BROAD
RIVER BREWERY
Saylor Brothers Jamgrass Wednesdays, 6:30pm
GALACTIC PIZZA Trivia Night, 6:30pm
HI-WIRE BREWING -
BILTMORE VILLAGE Weekly Trivia, 7pm
HIGHLAND BREWING
CO.
Well-Crafted Music Series: Michael Libramento, Taylor Pierson & Evan Martin (multi-genre), 6pm
JACK OF THE WOOD PUB
Old-time Jam, 5pm
OKLAWAHA BREWING CO.
Wednesday Bluegrass Jam w/Finklestein
Three, 6:30pm
PISGAH BREWING
CO. Jesse James DeConto (Americana, folk, pop), 6pm
SHAKEY'S
SSIN w/DJ Ragga Massive, 10pm
SLY GROG LOUNGE
Weird Wednesday Open Jam, 8pm
THE GREY EAGLE
Golden Folk Sessions, 7pm
THE ODD
Terraoke Karaoke Takeover, 9pm
THE ONE STOP AT ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL
Gill Francis & Julianna Jade (folk), 9pm
THIRD ROOM
Disclaimer Stand Up
Comedy Open Mic & Late Nite Karaoke, 8pm
TURGUA BREWING
CO.
Lightning Round Trivia w/Marty, 6pm
TWIN LEAF BREWERY
Open Mic Night, 6:30pm
THURSDAY, JANUARY 22
185 KING STREET
Tools on Stools (blues, jazz, rock), 7pm
EDA'S HIDE-A-WAY
Bless Your Heart Trivia w/Harmon, 7pm
FLEETWOOD’S
Not Yer Dad's Trivia, 7pm
FLOOD GALLERY
True Home Open Mic, 6pm
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
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.
Dakota Lee (country), 6pm
OKLAWAHA BREWING CO.
• Next Stop Comedy, 8pm
• Thursday Karaoke, 9:30pm
ONE WORLD BREWING WEST
Fee Fi Phaux Fish (Phish tribute), 8pm
ONE WORLD BREWING Curious Strange (folk), 8pm
PISGAH BREWING CO.
Carolina Bluegrass Style (bluegrass), 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 Chatham County Line (bluegrass, country, folk), 7pm
THE ORANGE PEEL
Joe List, 7pm
THIRD ROOM
YAIMA & Early Aether Ceromony (folk-tronic), 3:30pm
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 23
185 KING STREET
The Shakedown’s Winter Soul Revival (Motown, rock), 8pm
ASHEVILLE MUSIC
HALL Bears Gone Phishin’ (multi-genre), 9pm
A FRESH BREATH OF MUSIC: On Saturday, Jan. 24, Exhale. performs at One World Brewing West, starting at 3 p.m. The Asheville-based band, led by Soleil LeBlanc, plays her original songs, featuring elements of soul, folk, indie, alt-rock and reggae. Photo courtesy of the Exhale.
Mary Kay & the Moonlighters (blues, jazz, swing), 8pm
BURIAL SOUTH SLOPE
Agriculture w/ Knoll (black-metal), 8pm EULOGY
Agriculture w/Knoll & Secret Shame (metal), 8pm
FRENCH BROAD RIVER BREWERY
Saylor Brothers Jamgrass Wednesdays, 6:30pm
GALACTIC PIZZA
Trivia Night, 6:30pm
HI-WIRE BREWINGBILTMORE VILLAGE Weekly Trivia, 7pm
HIGHLAND BREWING
CO.
Well-Crafted Music Series: Sally Jaye (multi-genre), 6pm
JACK OF THE WOOD PUB
Old-time Jam, 5pm
OKLAWAHA BREWING CO.
Wednesday Bluegrass Jam w/Finklestein Three, 6:30pm
PISGAH BREWING CO.
Phantom Clutch (indie), 6pm
SHAKEY'S SSIN w/DJ Ragga Massive, 10pm
SLY GROG LOUNGE Weird Wednesday Open Jam, 8pm
STATIC AGE LOFT
Meter & Melody: Poetry Night, 7pm
TAPROOM AT HIGHLAND BREWING CO.
Well-Crafted Music Series: Sally Jaye (folk), 6pm
THE GREY EAGLE The Cody Sisters (bluegrass, folk), 8pm
THE ODD Terraoke Karaoke Takeover, 9pm
THE ORANGE PEEL The Floozies & Too Many Zooz (funk, electronic), 8pm
TURGUA BREWING CO.
Lightning Round Trivia w/ Marty, 6pm
TWIN LEAF BREWERY Open Mic Night, 6:30pm
VOWL BAR AT DSSOLVR Group Therapy w/ Neptune Spins, 9pm
THURSDAY, JANUARY 29
185 KING STREET Free State of Mind, Pisgah Plow Boys, & Twilight Grove (Appalachian, western swing), 6pm
EDA'S HIDE-A-WAY Bless Your Heart Trivia w/Harmon, 7pm
FLEETWOOD’S Alla Prima, The Rossevelt Room & Saturdaze (folk, rock, Psych), 9pm FLOOD GALLERY
True Home Open Mic, 6pm
FRENCH BROAD RIVER BREWERY
Jerry's Dead Thursdays, 6pm
GREEN MAN
BREWING
Thursday Night Trivia, 7pm
HI-WIRE BREWINGBILTMORE 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
MILLS RIVER BREWING CO.
Will Hartz (Rock & Roll, soul), 6pm
OKLAWAHA BREWING CO.
• Jason Merrit (country, Irish folk), 6pm
• Thursday Karaoke, 9:30pm
ONE WORLD BREWING WEST Fee Fi Phaux Fish (phish tribute), 8pm
PISGAH BREWING CO.
Different Light (blues, jazz, rock), 7pm
SHAKEY'S Karaoke w/DJ Franco Nino, 9pm
STATIC AGE LOFT Auto-tune Karaoke w/Who Gave This B*tch a Mic, 10pm STATIC AGE RECORDS No Grave, Internal Fixation, Sanguine Bond, Owe You Nothing & Shot With a Gun (hardcore), 8pm THE GREY EAGLE Nefesh Mountain (prog-Americana), 8pm
ARIES (March 21-April 19): Master astrologer Steven Forrest understands you Aries people well. He says that the riskiest strategy you can pursue is to constantly seek safety. It’s crucial for you to always be on the lookout for adventure. One of your chief assignments is to cultivate courage—especially the kind of brave boldness that arises as you explore unknown territory. To rouse the magic that really matters, you must face your fears regularly. The coming months will be an ideal time for you to dive in and celebrate this approach to life.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20): You are an ambassador from the material world to the realm of spirit—and vice versa. One of your prime assignments is the opposite of what the transcendence-obsessed gurus preach. You're here to prove that the flesh is holy, pleasure is a form of prayer, and the senses are portals to the divine. When you revel in earthy delights, when you luxuriate in rich textures and tastes and scents, you're not being "attached" or “unspiritual.” You're enacting a radical sacred stance. Being exuberantly immersed in the material world isn’t a mistake to overcome but a blessing to savor. May you redouble your subversive work of treating your body as a cathedral and sensual enjoyments as sacraments.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Everything that’s meant for you is trying to find its way to you. Here's the problem: It can’t deliver the goods if you’re in constant motion. The boons trying to reach you are circling, waiting for a stable landing spot. If you keep up the restless roaming, life might have to slow you down, even stop you, so you’ll be still enough to embody receptivity. Don’t wait for that. Pause now. Set aside whatever’s feeding your restlessness and tune into the quiet signal of your own center. The moment you do, bounties will start arriving.
CANCER (June 21-July 22): Artist Louise Bourgeois said, "I am what I do with my hands." I will adapt this declaration for your use, Cancerian: You are what you do with your feelings. You are the structures, sanctuaries, and nourishment you create from the raw material of your sensitivity. It’s one of your superpowers! I understand that some people mistake emotional depth for passive vulnerability. They assume that feeling everything means doing nothing. But you prove that bias wrong. You are potentially a master builder. You can convert the flood waters of emotion into resources that hold, protect, and feed. I hope you will do this lavishly in the coming weeks.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Admiring writers often say that the Balinese people have no traditional word for “art.” Making things beautiful is woven into everyday life, as if everything should be done as beautifully as possible. I aspire to carry out this approach myself: infusing ordinary actions with the same care I'd bring to writing a story or song. Washing dishes, answering emails, and walking to the store: All are eligible for beauty treatment. I highly recommend this practice to you in the coming weeks, Leo. It’s true that you’re renowned for your dramatic gestures, but I believe you also have an underutilized talent for teasing out glory from mundane situations. Please do that a lot in the coming weeks. For starters, make your grocery list a poem.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Some American Indigenous cultures have "potlatch" ceremonies. These are elaborate gift-giving rituals where hosts gain prestige by generously and freely bestowing their riches on others. Circulating wealth, instead of hoarding it, is honored and celebrated. Is that economically irrational? Only if you believe that the point of resources is individual accumulation rather than community vitality. Potlatch operates on a different logic: The purpose of having stuff is to make having stuff possible for others. I invite you to make that your specialty in the coming months. Assume that your own thriving depends on the flourishing of those around you.
BY ROB BREZSNY
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Sufi poet Rumi wrote about a "treasure in ruins.” He meant that what we’re searching for may be hidden in places where we would rather not look. Your life isn’t in ruins, Libra, but I suspect you may have been exploring exciting locations while shunning mundane ones that actually hold your answers. What do you think? Is that possible? Just for fun, investigate the neglected, ignored, and boring places. Try out the hypothesis that a golden discovery awaits you in some unfinished business or a situation you feel an aversion to.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Your capacity for intensity is your superpower. I love it, I celebrate it, and I hope to keep nurturing it in you for as long as we’re both here. But not everything deserves the full force of your passionate engagement. Some things are meant to be touched lightly, held loosely, and released easily. The question isn’t whether to feel deeply—that’s who you authentically are—but whether to act on every deep feeling as if it were sacred revelation. Some emotions are weather patterns passing through, not permanent truths requiring upheaval. These are especially key understandings for you to act on during the coming days.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): As I have promised you a million times, I will NEVER exaggerate. And though you may wonder if the statements I’m about to make are excessive and overblown, I assure you they are not. The fact is, dear Sagittarius, that everything you have always wanted to enhance and upgrade about togetherness is now possible to accomplish, and will continue to be for months to come. If you dare to dismantle your outmoded beliefs about love and deep friendship—every comforting myth, every conditioned response, every inherited instinct—you will discover new dimensions of intimacy that could inspire you forever.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): In Renaissance painting, *chiaroscuro* refers to the use of strong contrasts between light and dark. It’s a technique that enhances the sense of depth. I believe your life may be in an intense chiaroscuro phase. As your joys grow bright, your doubts appear darker. As your understanding deepens, your perplexity mounts. Is this a problem? I prefer to understand it as an opportunity. For best results, study it closely. Maybe your anxiety is showing you what you care about. Perhaps your sadness is a sign of your growing emotional power. So find a way to benefit from the contrasts, dear Capricorn. Let shadows teach you how to fully appreciate the illumination.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): You are a spy from the future. Thank you for your service! I love to see your boldness as you smuggle innovative ideas into a present that may or may not be ready for them. Your feelings of alienation are sometimes uncomfortable, but they are crucial to the treasure you offer us. You see patterns others miss because you refuse to be hypnotized by consensus reality. Keep up the excellent work, please. May you honor your need to tinker with impossibilities and imagine alternatives to what everyone else imagines is inevitable. You are proof that we don’t have to accept inherited structures as inevitable.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Your unconscious mind is extra communicative, dear Pisces. Hooray! Take advantage! Pay attention to weird images in dreams and songs that linger in your head. Be alert for seemingly random thoughts as they surface. Bypassing logic, your deep psyche is trying to show you ripe secrets and provocative hints. Your duty is to be receptive. So keep a journal or recording device by your bed. Notice which memories rise up out of nowhere. Be grateful for striking coincidences. These are invitations to tune in to meaningful feelings and truths you’ve been missing.
MARKETPLACE
Want to advertise in Marketplace? 828-251-1333 advertise@mountainx.com • mountainx.com/classifieds
If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Remember the Russian proverb: “Doveryai, no proveryai,” trust but verify. When answering classified ads, always err on the side of caution. Especially beware of any party asking you to give them financial or identification information. The Mountain Xpress cannot be responsible for ensuring that each advertising client is legitimate. Please report scams to advertise@mountainx.com
Over $50,000,000 in timeshare debt and fees canceled in 2019. Get free informational package and learn how to get rid of your timeshare! Free consultations. Over 450 positive reviews. Call 844-213-6711 (NC Press)
EMPLOYMENT
SALES/ MARKETING
SALES ASSOCIATE Work for a local company that has covered the local scene for 30 years! Mountain Xpress newspaper is a supportive, team-oriented environment serving local readers and businesses. We are seeking an experienced and enthusiastic advertising sales representative. Ideal candidates are personable,
organized, motivated, and can present our company with confidence. Necessary skills include clear and professional communications (via phone, email, and in-person meetings), detailed record-keeping, and self motivation. Experience dealing with varied and challenging situations is helpful. The position’s responsibilities include account development and lead generation (including cold-calling), account management, assisting clients with marketing and branding strategies. If you are a high energy, positive, cooperative person looking to join an independent media organization, please send a resume and cover letter (no walk-ins, please) explaining why you are a good fit for Mountain Xpress to: xpressjob@mountainx.com. This is a noncommissioned position. There is potential for a performance-based annual bonus.
XCHANGE AUCTIONS
RESTAURANT EQUIPMENT AUCTION Wednesday, January 28th @10am 201
S. Central Ave. Locust, NC. Selling All Equipment & Seating from A CRAVE HOT DOGS & BBQ. Also, New and Scratch & Dent Equipment. www. ClassicAuctions.com 704791-8825 NCAF5479 (NC Press)
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ANNOUNCEMENTS
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ACROSS
1 Lock combinations?
6 ___ League
10 Single instruction
14 Enemy W.W. II vessel
15 Turner of old movies
16 Powerful impulse
17 Group of grumps sitting around kvetching?
19 Elmer’s nemesis
20 Meeting, casually
21 A smartphone has lots of these
22 Centerpiece of “The Hobbit”
23 Community property pronoun
25 Like barked orders
26 Ali vs. Frazier, e.g.?
34 Genre for GloRilla
35 Official mandate
36 Fellow fighter
37 Brand once known as “Standard Oil Company of Indiana”
39 Mardi Gras day, in brief
40 Works on a muffler, say
41 Welcome figure on Wall Street, unwelcome figure in a china shop
42 See 50-Down
44 To and ___
45 Welcome sight on a whale-watching cruise?
48 Poindexter
49 TV freebie of a sort
50 Easter Island’s country
52 Dark-skinned fruit
55 Pieces of advice
59 Primordial substance
60 Painstakingly explain something ... or a hint to 17-, 26- and 45-Across
62 Takes a tour of
63 Compassionate
64 Terra ___
65 Does the math, in a way
66 Pot grower?
67 H, on the N.Y.S.E.
DOWN
1 Tarot suit associated with the element of water
2 Yamaha product
3 What makes a stud become studious?
4 Fully get
5 Hog’s home
6 “That’s a real shame”
7 Steakhouse order
8 Marchers in sidewalk cracks
9 Howl at the moon 10 Chevy S.U.V. 11 Authentic 12 Ones from platypuses have leathery shells 13 Fly by night ... or by day 18 Compact holder 22 Neighbor of Ont. 24 Red carpet hairstyle,
