Mountain Xpress 04.08.26

The insider’s guide

CHAMPIONS FOR EDUCATION

Last year, the state of North Carolina received an F for both its funding efforts and its funding levels for teachers and students, according to a report by the Education Law Center. Next month, local public school advocates will join in a statewide rally in Raleigh, where community members will lobby state officials for more funding.

PUBLISHER & EDITOR: Jeff Fobes

ASSISTANT PUBLISHER: Susan Hutchinson

MANAGING EDITOR: Thomas Calder

EDITOR: Gina Smith

OPINION EDITOR: Tracy Rose

STAFF REPORTERS: Thomas Calder, Brionna Dallara, Justin McGuire, Gina Smith

COMMUNITY CALENDAR & CLUBLAND: Braulio Pescador-Martinez

CONTRIBUTING EDITORS: Jon Elliston, Mindi Meltz Friedwald, Peter Gregutt, Rob Mikulak

REGULAR CONTRIBUTORS: Emily Klinger Antolic, Christopher Arbor, Edwin Arnaudin, Danielle Arostegui, Mark Barrett, Eric Brown, Cayla Clark, Molly Devane, Ashley English, Tessa Fontaine, Merin McDivitt, Mindi Meltz Friedwald, Troy Jackson, Bill Kopp, Chloe Leiberman, Anabel Shenk, Jessica Wakeman, Arnold Wengrow, Jamie Zane

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ADVERTISING, ART & DESIGN MANAGER: Susan Hutchinson

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES: Jeff Fobes, Mark Murphy, Scott Southwick WEB: Brandon Tilley

BOOKKEEPER: Amie Fowler

OFFICE MANAGER: Mark Murphy

FRONT

Saving UNCA’s woods isn’t ‘standing still’

What is so irritating about UNC Asheville Chancellor Kimberly van Noort’s recent commentary in this publication is her constant repetition of phrases like “standing still is not a path forward” [“UNCA’s Future Will Not Be Secured by Standing Still,” March 11, Xpress].

No one in the community — the “opposition,” as she regards us — is proposing to do nothing. Quite the contrary. Suggestions for a path forward for UNCA are too numerous to mention.

Many people have dedicated their time and expertise to exploring alternative uses for the woods and the Millennial Campus that would benefit both UNCA and the community. Numerous ideas have been proposed, including proposals from the UNCA Master of Science in Environmental Resilience cohort.

So why does she keep insisting that the “opposition” is proposing to do nothing? Perhaps she hopes people will actually believe this claptrap. Not a chance. Save the woods!

— Nancy Kirkland Asheville

Shifting tax burden is just wrong

I am outraged that Buncombe County is making the move to shift the burden of property taxes so heavily onto homeowners, while relieving the businesses who get their revenue from we the people already!

Example: Mission Hospital experienced huge profits in 2025 — in spite of providing less-than-optimal care, as evidenced by repeated immediate jeopardy findings from the federal government. But its property reappraisal increased by less than 1%. And they are not alone.

Meanwhile, the county’s mass reappraisal just slapped this homeowner with a $500,000 increase in the value of our two-bedroom home. That’s an increase of 60%! (Yes, we are appealing.)

Homeowners need to look at the report from Asheville Watchdog

Word of the week

sloomy

(adj.) sleepy, sluggish

There’s no rhyme of reason for this week’s selection. If anything, we got a tad sloomy trying to find a word that was more apropos.

[ “Buncombe Reappraisal to Shift Share of Tax Burden From Businesses to Homeowners, Sampling of Data Shows”]. Then show up at the next Board of Commissioners meeting and insist the county rework the proposed shift in the tax burden. Ordinary people already support the for-profit businesses we patronize — we don’t need to do more for them by reducing their tax burden!

Buncombe County will approve its new budget in June. Were they hoping homeowners wouldn’t notice the proposed shift? It’s very important that people appeal if their Buncombe appraisal is out of alignment with their property’s value.

— Susan Andrew Asheville

Staffing isn’t root cause of city’s budget problems

[ Regarding “Staffing Under Consideration as Asheville Faces $26 Million Budget Gap. The Longterm Challenge: Building the Tax Base,” March 5, Asheville Watchdog via Xpress:]

With respect to David Moritz’s position that bloated staffing is the root cause of our budget gap, I disagree wholeheartedly. I have been engaged with the City of Asheville in many capacities, on two boards and commissions, which, much to my dismay, have been put on the back burner, but that is for another letter. I am on the board of CAN, the Coalition of Asheville Neighborhoods, and a member of East End/Valley Street neighborhood. I attend City Council

meetings and help neighborhoods understand the development process. I say this to underline how city staff participates with me directly in only what I am involved in.

NAC, the Neighborhood Advisory Committee, steers and leads so many neighborhood tasks, including emergency preparedness, neighborhood grants, Parks & Recreation festivities and much more. When I email asking questions about a development or when anyone calls about a development, there is always a staff member or a planner who will answer, including zoning questions and UDO (Unified Development Ordinance) questions. I email any city staff member for answers to questions. I call the city Water Resources Department due to my Helene-related issues. And that is just me.

I manage a small shopping center, and I call the police for help too many times. I call my assistant fire marshal for help with zoning issues. I pay my employee $30 an hour. The Fire Department and the Police Department recruits should make more than this; they should have medical benefits and all of the perks that working for most cities offer.

Now regarding the zoning, I have never met a contractor/developer anywhere who doesn’t moan about the permitting processes. And there are some contractors who are aboveboard and ethical, but zoning and building codes keep neighborhoods looking like neighborhoods and the construction safe.

Now, is there redundancy somewhere within the city? Of course there is, but to state that is the

majority of the problem is hyperbolic. David and I discussed at a Board of Adjustment hearing we both were at that the outside hiring of consultants is a waste of utilization of local citizens who have the qualifications, and there are many talented people in Asheville.

Ask the local citizenry how they feel about the Tourism Development Authority, and you’ll get a resounding thumbs-down. Some of it is a local problem, and some of it is due to the legislation from Raleigh. You cannot build your way out of Asheville’s problem. Everybody knows that building does not house most of the locals.

I find it encouraging that more manufacturing, large and small, is coming into Asheville. Not counting Costco: That location was bad for Amazon and bad for Costco. Move them elsewhere; there is room.

I suspect Asheville will dig itself out of debt maybe a little later than sooner; we’ve done it before, like most of its citizens.

— Sharon Sumrall Asheville

How will new performing arts center benefit Asheville?

[Regarding “Fork in the Road: After Nearly 60 Years, Can Asheville Finally Build a Performing Arts Center?” March 25, and “Council to Explore Parkside Entertainment Center Development,” April 1, both Xpress:] Theater and performing arts are a powerful way for people to move outside themselves, to be inspired, to be challenged, to think and see the world in new ways. And that’s certainly needed now more than ever. Thankfully in Asheville, we have lots of sweet spaces for folks to engage with all kinds of performing arts: N.C. Stage Company, Asheville Community Theatre, Montford Park Players, Wortham Center for the Performing Arts and The Orange Peel, not to mention all the other alternative spaces in the River Arts District and other venues.

I understand the desire to have a mega performing arts complex to bring performers from outside our area. I understand that the Civic Center needs repair or replacement. But in these post-Helene times when there are still so many other projects needing investment, do we really think this is the time? And does Asheville really need to be a mega destination in this regard? The streets of our downtown were not built for that kind of traffic, and

CARTOON BY RANDY MOLTON

our continuing tourism push has stretched our resources.

I’m glad that City Council has at least committed to having the East End and Block communities be a part of the conversation in relation to the questionable location choice, but I truly wonder if these promises will be kept. We’ve seen how promises have evaporated in the past. Wouldn’t it be better to invest in communities long neglected rather than try to wrangle support from them for projects they didn’t ask for? Wouldn’t it be better to invest in the needs of our local community — like public transportation, water, roads, housing and local arts? How will spending millions of dollars on this performing arts center right now actually benefit Asheville, other than our hoteliers who already reap far more than they should at the detriment of our local community?

— Elizabeth Schell Asheville

On board with Mayfield’s HCA strategy

[ Regarding “HCA Board Urges Shareholders to Reject Proposal for a Full Reporting on Aftermath of Mission Sale in 2019,” March 19, Asheville Watchdog via Xpress:]

I stand with Sen. Julie Mayfield. Yes, HCA should have to contend with shareholders’ proposals. Yes, HCA should reveal how the standards of care have changed since their takeover.

—

Barb McElroy Mars Hill

It’s never too late to try a growth mindset

[Regarding “Practicing Mistakes: Teacher Nora Randolph Encourages Students to Embrace Failure and a Growth Mindset,” March 25, Xpress:]

This is really valuable information about a marvelous teacher. I’m 65 and never received any understanding of this. We had to sink or swim without such empowering guidance, and I’ve had the fixed mindset my whole life. So many decades that could have been so much more alive. I’m actually tearing up … now gently exploring the growth mindset. It’s never too late.

I hope Christopher Arbor will do a piece on the ACEs (Adverse Childhood Experiences) score and how educators and therapists are now using this to better serve children who have or are living through trauma. I’m a 7 out of 10, extremely high. There’s a wonderful documentary on it, Resilience. Again, some-

thing people my age never got. May many kids today thrive because of such compassionate advances!

— Janet Thew Flat Rock

All politics affect our lives

Thanks to Anne Craig for pointing out that all politics is local in her March 4 letter to the editor [“Ask Congressional Candidates About Military Spending,” Xpress]. Thanks to Mountain Xpress ‘ mission to “strengthen democracy” at the local level. Information helps to change us. All politics, including the national and global policies of the United States, affect our lives. Cities are the seeds each of us can plant for peace and love with our daily living that includes passionate dialogue to create a more peaceful, united world at home and abroad.

Local groups over the years have focused on telling the story of the Palestinians’ struggle for independence, and members of Veterans for Peace continue standing at Pack Square distributing information on our military-industrial complex. Locals demonstrate in the street because, without funds, it is a democratic process of drawing attention to issues. Preemptive war reflects the absolute power of our government.

Please, inform yourself and at least support the “rule of law” rather than the “violence of war.”

I suggest the documentary, Get Me Roger Stone. Stone was the “fixer.” He got things done and claimed to be the first to encourage Donald Trump to run for president. Later, Stone was found guilty in a court of law for lying to Congress. Before he was to report to prison, Trump pardoned him and later others convicted for the Jan. 6 uprising. What is truth when it comes to political pragmatism in the Disunited States of America?

Check things out for yourself. For example, there’s a PBS July 2020 documentary, United States of Conspiracy. Basically, it explained how the fringes of society now dominate with authoritarian justifications of our president being above the law. Also, you can view a documentary on Netflix called Trump: An American Dream . It explains how Trump understands force and power.

As a conservative, I believe we are inheritors of a great spiritual heritage, along with healthy societies built on democratic institutions that provide steady, gradual change and constitutional government.

— Ed Sacco Asheville

Editor’s note: The writer can be reached at esacco189@gmail. com. X

CARTOON BY BRENT BROWN

Out of many, one?

Key questions remain about a Buncombe unified fire district

BY JIM FULTON

Most Buncombe County residents probably aren’t thinking about how their local fire protection is funded. That could change soon.

At the March 17 Board of Commissioners meeting, county leaders heard about a proposal that could reshape how fire services are organized — and how they are paid for — across the county.

The item before the board: a “unified fire tax district” findings report and a recommendation that commissioners formally accept it.

That vote may sound routine. But it opens the door to a broader discussion that could eventually affect property taxes and fire protection services countywide.

FROM MANY TO ONE

The board was presented with a report prepared under North Carolina law that allows counties to consolidate multiple fire service tax districts into a single, unified district.

The board accepted the report, but such acceptance does not create a new tax or establish a unified district. Instead, it satisfies a required step in the process and allows the board to consider additional actions in the future, including setting a tax rate and holding public hearings.

In Buncombe County, boards often follow staff recommendations on items like this. Still, the decision carries weight because of what may come next.

A PATCHWORK SYSTEM

Currently, fire protection in unincorporated Buncombe County is delivered through 20 separate districts, each with its own tax rate, budget and service structure.

Some areas pay more. Some pay less. Service levels and resources can vary.

The proposal under consideration would replace that patchwork with a single countywide fire service district, a uniform tax rate and more standardized staffing, compensation and benefits.

The report outlines several challenges with the current system:

• Differences in pay and benefits across departments.

• Firefighters moving between districts for relatively small pay increases.

• Financial strain on some departments.

• Uneven service levels across the county.

A more unified system, proponents argue, could make it easier to recruit and retain firefighters while providing more consistent service. Those are reasonable goals, and the report presents a detailed case for pursuing them.

AROUND THE STATE

Buncombe County’s current system of multiple fire tax districts may appear fragmented, but it reflects a long-standing approach used across North Carolina. According to the UNC School of Government, counties commonly establish separate fire districts so that property owners help fund the services provided in their specific area.

That structure allows local governments to vary both service levels and tax rates based on geography, population and demand. In other words, differences between districts are not necessarily a flaw in the system — they are often part of its design.

Moving to a single countywide district would represent a shift away from that model, raising new questions about how costs should be shared across communities with different service needs.

Buncombe County is not alone in examining changes to its fire service

structure. Durham County conducted a consolidation study more than a decade ago with similar goals of improving efficiency and consistency. Rather than adopting a single countywide system, Durham moved more gradually — combining some functions over time while maintaining multiple funding structures.

This reveals that there is no single model for organizing fire services, and changes can be implemented incrementally.

UNANSWERED QUESTIONS

For all its detail, Buncombe’s report leaves some of the most important questions unanswered — at least for now.

• What would the unified fire tax rate be?

• How would it compare to what property owners pay today?

• Which communities would see increases, and which might see decreases?

• What would the total cost be to implement the proposed changes?

Those answers are expected to emerge as part of the county’s budget process, which typically concludes in June.

A TIMELINE TO WATCH

One aspect of the proposal that may concern some residents is the timing.

The study itself has been underway for more than a year. But much of that work has taken place outside of public view. Now, as the proposal begins to surface, key decisions could be tied to the upcoming fiscal year 2026-27 budget — just a couple of months away.

That creates a relatively short window for residents to understand the proposal and weigh in.

Large changes to public services and taxation often benefit from extended public discussion. In this case, the pace of decision-making may matter as much as the details of the plan itself.

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT

Commissioners’ next steps include developing a proposed unified tax rate and (hopefully) presenting a financial plan showing projected costs and revenues.

As local media outlets have reported, a public hearing about a unified fire district will take place Tuesday, April 21, followed by the Board of Commissioners vote the same day on whether to approve it.

The county’s recommended budget, including the fire tax rate, will be shared with county commissioners Saturday, May 2, according to the county’s presentation on the issue. A public hearing on the budget as a whole is scheduled for Tuesday, May 19, and the Board of Commissioners is set to vote on the budget Tuesday, June 2.

Those decisions will determine what the proposal means in practice.

A CONVERSATION JUST BEGINNING

As the process continues, residents may want to ask:

• What will my fire tax rate be under a unified system?

• Will my community pay more, less or about the same?

• What improvements in service should we expect in return?

• How will local fire departments retain input or oversight?

• Will changes be phased in or implemented all at once?

The idea of a unified fire district is not inherently controversial. It is an attempt to address real challenges around staffing, funding and consistency.

But it is also a significant policy choice — one that could affect both public safety and household budgets. Commissioners have taken an initial step. The more consequential decisions are still ahead.

For residents, the conversation is just beginning.

A 15-year resident of Western North Carolina, retired technical project manager Jim Fulton remains active as a community advocate, focusing on government accountability, education policy and civic engagement. Read more of his local commentary at firsttuesdayasheville.com. X

JIM FULTON

Plans and policies

Mayoral candidates discuss Save the Woods, EVs and other environmental issues

The general election is not until Tuesday, Nov. 3, but as part of Xpress’ annual Sustainability series, we reached out to candidates running for office to share their ideas and policy plans on a number of environmental issues.

Below are responses from Asheville mayoral candidates. Mayor Esther Manheimer is seeking reelection and is facing challenger and current City Council member Kim Roney, who also ran for mayor in 2022.

We will have additional Q&As with other local candidates featured throughout April.

—

Xpress: The Save the Woods campaign at UNC Asheville remains active. What is your position on the issue? And what role can City Council play in the conflict?

Manheimer: I remain concerned about development of the woods and its impact on our city’s ecology and surrounding neighborhoods. I hear the concerns and visions voiced by residents across Asheville. Although the state has preempted city oversight of the property, I have met numerous times with the chancellor and authored a letter to UNCA outlining community concerns. I will continue meeting with the university and neighbors to advocate for a use reflecting a shared community vision.

Roney: UNCA could shift Millennial Campus plans from the current proposal eliminating the urban forest to instead facilitating a visionary collaboration including housing, expansion of arts and ecology programs, deeper alumni and community relationships, and conservation of urban forest infrastructure for the university and neighborhood. I went into greater detail with Parks PR, the firm engaging community leaders for the Millennial Campus Development Advisory Committee, and I’m sharing the questions and my positions on KimRoney4Asheville.com.

The city is currently on track for its 2% CO2 reduction goal. But according to its FY25 Sustainability Annual Report, “further actions [are] needed for 4% goal.” What practices would you like to see the city implement to achieve that 4% reduction goal, and what would be necessary — in terms of funding, equipment, training, education, etc. — for your proposal to succeed?

Manheimer: To reach a 4% reduction, Asheville should prioritize electrifying its fleet, retrofitting its buildings, expanding the use of renewable energy and reducing employee

ROUND TWO: Mayor Esther Manheimer, left, will face current Asheville City Council member Kim Roney, right, on the ballot for this year’s mayoral race. The two previously faced off in the 2022 general election. Photos courtesy of the candidates

commutes. Those are the largest current sources. This requires capital investment in EVs and charging infrastructure, building modernization and solar, alongside staff training and commuter incentives like transit benefits and measured remote work. Strengthening data tracking and community partnerships is needed to scale these efforts and ensure consistent, measurable progress.

Roney: The City has picked the low-hanging fruit of recycling and changing light bulbs; we must:

• Incentivize partnership: A benefits table for residential development on transit corridors, including renewable energy, stormwater and transportation infrastructure.

• Advocate in Raleigh: Microgrid investments, intervening with the N.C. Utilities Commission around Duke’s carbon plan and removing solar caps.

• Lead by example: Operationalize sustainability and invest Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBGDR) funds in solar with battery storage on public safety, resilience hub and park facilities.

Last August, Council passed Resolution 25-194, which established four Helene Recovery Boards, reducing the role of the previous 13 advisory boards and commissions to meet on an as-needed basis through June 2027. This includes the Sustainability Advisory Committee. In your opinion, why or why not was this the correct decision?

Manheimer: This decision established four Helene Recovery Boards to guide long-term rebuilding and ensure community input shapes recovery decisions. The boards focus on housing, infrastructure, the economy and people, and environment.

Thomas Calder X

Home Delivery

Each board includes community members and representatives from the 13 existing city advisory boards. They meet regularly to provide policy recommendations to Council. This temporary structure, according to participants, is working well and helping enable more meaningful and timely participation in recovery decision-making processes.

Roney: I’m committed to processes that increase public participation and transparency so we can share the work and the wins. Post-Helene, I think it’s a missed opportunity that the City of Asheville isn’t fully utilizing our helping hands in the Sustainability, Urban Forestry, Multimodal, Transit and Affordable Housing committees. A different path is accepting the Realignment Work Group’s support with meeting logistics, focused on expediting the Climate Action, Urban Forestry, Transit and Affordable Housing plans.

Should City Council and the City of Asheville be encouraging more dense development in the city limits? What about the position of residents who want to preserve green space in the city? What development policies are better for city residents and the region in terms of sustainability?

Manheimer: All future development should enhance our environment, protect watersheds, tree canopy and the natural beauty that makes Asheville special. We can ensure that in part through thoughtful zoning changes, planning strategically for denser, mixed-use development near transit corridors and existing infrastructure rather than sprawling into green space and mountainsides. My advocacy for bond investments in parks and greenways, and housing policies that encourage dense infill on urban corridors, shows my commitment to preserving natural areas.

Roney: With infrastructure investments and antidisplacement tools, density on transit corridors can be in harmony with neighborhoods and our ecosystem.

A benefits table incentivizing residential and mixed-use development on transit corridors could include affordability, renewable energy, stormwater, tree canopy and transportation infrastructure. By skipping Council approval processes like hotels do, this would save time and resources to be reallocated toward these investments. Action to leverage this failed 3-4 at Council in favor of density without infrastructure.

Many conservation and sustainability efforts rely heavily on federal

funding. How can our state and local governments build stronger, more resilient systems for environmental stewardship when federal priorities or funding fluctuate?

Manheimer: We have done meaningful work and can do more. I have long advocated for climate change mitigation, both before Helene and while integrating resilience into recovery efforts. Through strong advocacy, I helped secure major funding to support Asheville’s recovery, with roughly $1 billion expected in the coming years. This investment will strengthen water infrastructure, rebuild parks and create community resilience centers, helping neighborhoods grow stronger and better prepared for future climate-related disasters.

Roney: The federal and gerrymandered state governments have not only failed North Carolinians, they’ve harmed us. Loss of programs has meant local, green businesses shrinking or closing — so we’re losing good-paying jobs. While we advocate for systemic change and protect our democracy so we can elect true representatives that have our best interest in mind, it’s even more important that the city prioritize resilience, partner to expedite solutions and support community-led, cooperative and mutual aid projects.

Many cities and counties have adopted climate and sustainability goals, yet new housing is often built only to minimum code standards that do little to reduce long-term energy use. In what ways can local governments better align housing policy with sustainability goals while ensuring homes remain accessible, affordable to purchase and affordable to operate?

Manheimer: This is a significant challenge for North Carolina cities, as HB 488 (2023) froze residential code updates until 2031, leaving 2018 standards in place. In response, I’ve worked with the U.S. Conference of Mayors to better align housing policy with sustainability goals, promoting affordable housing that exceeds minimum standards. The city supports this through regulatory incentives, along with affordable housing loans and grants that encourage higher-standard, more sustainable development.

Roney: It’s time to move from constant studying into implementation mode:

• Support antidisplacement recommendations the Legacy Neighborhood Coalition is voluntarily designing to preserve afford-

ability, invest in land trusts and protect cultural identity.

• Approve the Affordable Housing Plan and Missing Middle Housing Plan & Displacement Risk Assessment.

• Pass a deconstruction ordinance.

• Overhaul the Unified Development Ordinance — the rules that guide our development and land use — so we can expedite resilient development with design standards while investing in strong infrastructure. X

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA UTILITIES COMMISSION RALEIGH DOCKET NO. P-100, SUB 137E BEFORE THE NORTH CAROLINA UTILITIES COMMISSION

NOTICE OF AREA CODE RELIEF PLAN FOR 828 NPA NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that on November 24, 2025, the North American Numbering Plan Administrator (NANPA) filed with the North Carolina Utilities Commission (Commission) a recommendation made by representatives of the telecommunications industry to provide relief for the 828 area code in North Carolina. The Petition provides notification to the Commission that the 828 numbering plan area (NPA or area code) serving the western area of North Carolina, including the cities of Asheville, Boone, Hendersonville, Hickory, Lenoir, Morganton, Newton, and Waynesville, is projected to exhaust its central office (CO) codes (or NXX codes) by the third quarter of 2028 and is in need of relief. The NANPA notes that absent NPA relief, the supply of CO codes in the 828 NPA is projected to run out during the projected exhaust quarter. This has created a need to introduce another area code in the geographic area now covered by the 828 area code to ensure the availability of telephone numbers in the future.

Industry representatives have recommended an all-services overlay as the relief plan for the 828 area code. Under the recommended plan, a new area code would be assigned to cover or “overlay” the entire geographic area using the existing 828 area code boundary lines. This would result in two area codes for the same geographic area. When telephone numbers in the 828 area code run out, new residential and business telephone numbers for the area would be assigned from the new area code. Implementation of an all-services overlay requires mandatory 10-digit dialing for local calls, including calls within the same NPA.

Persons desiring to send written statements to the Commission on the Petition should submit their statement on or before March 31, 2026, and should include any information that those persons wish to be considered by the Commission in this matter. Interventions or statements should be addressed to the Chief Clerk, North Carolina Utilities Commission, 4325 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, North Carolina 27699-4300. Statements may also be faxed to (919) 733-7300 or, preferably, submitted electronically on the Commission’s website as a Consumer Statement using this website address: APPENDIX A PAGE 2 OF 2 https://www. ncuc.gov/contactus.html. Consumer Statements should be filed in Docket No. P-100, Sub 137E.

The Public Staff of the Utilities Commission, through the Executive Director, is required by statute to represent the using and consuming public in proceedings before the Commission. Statements to the Executive Director should be addressed to:

Christopher J. Ayers Executive Director - Public Staff 4326 Mail Service Center Raleigh, North Carolina 27699-4300 Fax: (919) 733-9565

District 1

Buncombe County Board of Commissioners candidates discuss housing, forests and county goals

Democratic candidate Anna Stearns and Republican candidate Rob Stetson will face off in the November general election for the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners District 1 open seat. Below, the two candidates discuss their environmental stances as part of Xpress‘ annual Sustainability series.

District 2 candidates — Lonnie Israel, Democrat, and Greg Parks, Republican — did not respond to Xpress‘ request for participation. Current Commissioner Al Whitesides is running unopposed in District 3. He was invited to share his views but did not respond to the request.

— Thomas Calder X

would be making these programs easy, local and worth it. Getting buyin is easy when the programs are simple, affordable and clearly helpful.

Xpress: The county lists several energy and environmental goals in its 2025-30 Strategic Plan — from increasing solar panels to Tropical Storm Helene recovery initiatives (to name just two). Which of the energy and environmental goals stated in the strategic plan is a top priority for you and why?

Stearns: As we continue recovery from Helene, land use and infrastructure decisions must be treated like the important public safety decisions they are. We can’t keep rebuilding in high-risk areas or expanding into flood plains and unstable slopes. I would focus on protecting natural systems like forests and flood plains, investing in stormwater infrastructure, directing growth to safer areas with existing services and limiting the county’s carbon footprint.

Stetson: We diligently fill up our recycle cans for pickup every two weeks with the thought we are doing our part to help. Little do we know that less than 20% of the contents are actually recycled. This is unacceptable. We need to do better. Would it help if, as a consumer, we do glass and aluminum one cycle and paper

and plastic the next? I don’t know the answer to this, but surely we can speed up this 2030 goal.

Many of the county’s environmental goals involve community buy-in. How will you reach your constituents about participation in programs like solarization, composting and increasing the total recycled waste generated in

Buncombe County? And what will your message be?

Stearns: People in our community want to do the right thing, especially to protect our beautiful natural resources. But it has to fit into our real lives. If composting means driving across the county, it’s not going to happen. If solar feels out of reach, people won’t look into it. My focus

Stetson: Drive down any road in our county and look out your window at the accumulation of trash on the side of the road. For those of us who have lived here, this problem has become exponentially worse over the past 10-20 years. How can we live in one of the most beautiful places on Earth and treat it the way we do? Buncombe County is not a trash can. Our community and neighbors need to adopt more local roads for cleanup. We need to start a campaign reminding all pickup truck owners to check their beds before driving. Simply, we will not tolerate littering.

How will you balance the need for new housing and development with the preservation of rural lands, forests and wetlands?

Stearns: Buncombe County is going to continue to grow. The goal should be to direct that growth in smart, sustainable ways. We should encourage higher density and mixeduse development in areas with existing infrastructure while protecting flood plains, forests and farmland. We should redevelop existing commercial corridors to limit sprawl. The goal is to increase housing supply in the right places so we can meet demand without creating environmental and financial problems down the road.

Stetson: The confluence of urban sprawl and car dependency is an ageold problem. Nothing has changed. We need to take a much closer look at recycling already developed land. Instead of moving outward, we need to use properties that are already developed but are no longer in use. We need to understand the public’s infrastructure cost associated with this problem also.

SOUTHEAST: Anna Stearns, left, and Rob Stetson, right, are competing for the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners District 1 open seat, which covers much of southeast Buncombe. Photos courtesy of the candidates

What types of industries will you prioritize bringing to Buncombe County? And what, if any, emphasis will you place on green jobs?

Stearns: I’ve seen Buncombe County go through some major economic shifts over the last 30 years, from the loss of manufacturing to the rise of Beer City, USA. Our tourism and health care industries are strong, but it’s time to diversify. We should invest in skilled trades, support artists and small businesses, and grow clean energy jobs. The goal is a more balanced economy where people can build a good living, while honoring our history and culture.

Stetson: Any industry that brings higher-paying jobs to our area. We are slowly squeezing out the middle class. We love that we are a tourist and retirement destination, but frankly, that does not pay the bills of middle-income families trying to raise children here.

Our region depends on healthy forests, trails and public lands for both community well-being and the outdoor recreation economy. What steps would you take to ensure long-term investment in conserva-

tion, trail stewardship and public land access?

Stearns: We need consistent investment in both expansion and stewardship. Projects like the Fonta Flora State Trail, the Beacon Bike Park and Deaverview Mountain show us what’s possible. I support fully implementing the greenways master plan and improving connectivity. Every community should have safe, well-maintained outdoor spaces that support public health, tourism and quality of life. Good stewardship means making the investments necessary to ensure those resources stay beautiful and accessible for generations to come.

Stetson: Just because a wealthy landowner makes the courageous and very generous decision to put their property into a conservancy, this doesn’t mean that land needs to be changed to public use. My focus when it comes to preserving land is backing our local agricultural community. Our farms continue to “age out,” and we all need to work to prevent that.

Many cities and counties have adopted climate and sustainability

goals, yet new housing is often built only to minimum code standards that do little to reduce long-term energy use. In what ways can local governments better align housing policy with sustainability goals while ensuring homes remain accessible, affordable to purchase and affordable to operate?

Stearns: We can align housing and sustainability goals by utilizing incentives in conjunction with smart policy choices. Permitting should be fast and easy. We should continue to invest in retrofit programs for existing homes and encourage building in areas with existing infrastructure. The goal is a market with homes that are not just affordable to buy but affordable to live in without creating barriers to needed housing supply.

Stetson: Our city and county leaders continually talk about an “affordability crisis,” yet that doesn’t seem to translate into “affordability spending.” Budget deficits, along with proposed spending increases of 15%, with a relentless pursuit of climate and sustainability goals isn’t working. Manage your money first, then slowly start to implement green initiatives. It needs to be affordable. X

Champions for education

Public education advocates to lobby in Raleigh for greater school funding

BY BRIONNA DALLARA

bdallara@mountainx.com

Last year, the Education Law Center gave the state of North Carolina an F for both its funding efforts and its funding levels for teachers and students.

More recently, on March 25, the N.C. Association of Educators (NCAE) focused on these two outcomes during a public meeting held at the organization’s union hall location inside the Asheville Mall. State and local school representatives participated in the session.

The meeting informed teachers, parents and local school advocates about the statewide NCAE campaign “Kids Over Corporations,” which focuses on supporting public schools through activism. On Friday, May 1, the group is inviting educators to lobby for more funding in Raleigh. (Sign up for the event at avl.mx/fgu.)

In a presentation at the meeting, Tracey Barrett, vice president of the Asheville City Association of Educators (ACAE) and an Asheville High School teacher, informed the audience that North Carolina spends about $5,600 less per student than the national average.

“North Carolina is ranked dead last in funding effort,” Barrett added. “We’re paying the least out of all 50 states.”

Barrett also noted that the state legislators’ 2023 vote to remove the income cap on its Opportunity Scholarship program created greater funding challenges for public education.

Alongside efforts to secure more state funding, NCAE’s local union chapters — ACAE and Buncombe County Association of Educators (BCAE) — continue to work with other school advocacy groups to address shortfalls in local school budgets.

RALLY THE TROOPS: Public school advocates, from left, Maia Sloan, Betts Conti, Christina Shimrock and Carson Bridges, are among the teachers, parents and community members working to increase funding for education through a number of initiatives, including a May 1 rally in Raleigh. Photo by Caleb Johnson

One of the newer local organizations, Families of Asheville City Schools (FACS), spearheaded last year’s Two Cents for AVL campaign lobbying the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners to raise the supplemental property tax rate for the Asheville City Schools (ACS) district from 10.62 cents to 12 cents. (Commissioners settled on 11 cents.)

Meanwhile, parents like Ali Engard, whose three children go to Lucy S. Herring Elementary School, attended the March 25 meeting to learn how to support public schools.

“There’s nothing more important to our society than having an educated populace. And it’s not just my kids that I’m here for; I’m here for their friends,” Engard said at the gathering. “I get involved at every level — at

the school, in these meetings, downtown with the county commissioners. It’s all part of the puzzle.”

The solution, advocates noted at the March 25 meeting, isn’t for teachers and parents alone to evoke change. It takes building solidarity across the community, several speakers emphasized at the event.

GETTING DOWN TO THE FACS

That notion is why groups such as FACS have stayed engaged with the community since forming last March. The 14-member team is made up of at least one parent representing each of the district’s schools, except for the School of Inquiry & Life Sciences at Asheville (SILSA).

Christina Shimrock, a FACS member representing Claxton Elementary School, says the group’s main mission is to celebrate and defend public education by advocating for fully funded schools that are safe, just and inclusive.

“Part of that [mission] is shifting the narrative around public schools that has developed over the past decade,” she says, stressing that too often the loudest voices push for censorship in classrooms as opposed to understanding what’s actually on the curriculum.

Maia Sloan, a fellow FACS member and Claxton parent, says this is why part of the group’s mission is to celebrate public school teachers.

“Asheville City Schools is doing incredible things every single day,” says Sloan, who also serves as an at-large member of Buncombe County’s Early Childhood and Development Committee. “The teachers are doing the work, the principals are doing the work, the students are seeing it — but then it’s not always necessarily projected.”

FACS has frequently partnered with organizations such as the nonprofit Asheville City Schools Foundation, as well as ACS schools and local businesses, on events that provide a space for families to connect with educators and other staff. One example, Sloan notes, involved an ice cream social at The Hop, where parents of rising kindergartners met with school-based organizations and parents on what to expect in their first year.

“Public education is a public good,” Sloan says. It is important, she adds, that parents think beyond their own children when making a school choice.

STAYING CONNECTED

The Two Cents for AVL campaign remains one of FACS’ biggest initiatives, says Shimrock. And despite not getting the full amount sought, Shimrock still counts the group’s ability to quickly organize as a win.

“That was the work of just getting the word out and then people really taking ownership of that,” she says. “We did that all within a month. I think it just shows the power when people are at work together and are passionate.”

In January, the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved a three-year funding strategy for Asheville and Buncombe County schools. The new formula sets each year’s operations funding for schools at 37.76% of property taxes and sales taxes collected by the county over the previous year. According

to the agreement, funding will be flexible and depend on enrollment.

The process has already reduced stress and uncertainty during the budget process, writes Commission Chair Amanda Edwards in an email to Xpress. She notes that it also increases autonomy for both districts.

Whether the Commission will consider a property tax increase for the ACS supplemental tax remains unanswered at this point in the budget process, Edwards continues. That decision will come into focus as the county hosts more budget work sessions with ACS Superintendent Maggie Fehrman and Buncombe County Schools (BCS) Superintendent Rob Jackson.

LONG-TERM GOALS

Eyeing the weeks ahead, public education advocates say they are currently focused on increasing support around their May 1 plans to lobby state officials in Raleigh for more school funding. Part of the preparation involves petitioning ACS and BCS boards to close schools that Friday. (To sign the petition, go to avl.mx/fgy.)

By 2031, NCAE’s goal for its Kids Over Corporation campaign is to raise the state spending per student to $20,000. This can be achieved, advocates say, by ending the private school voucher program and increasing taxes on big corporations. They are also pushing for more union rights, including the repeal of the collective bargaining ban that prohibits workers from negotiating wages.

Back at the March 25 meeting at the Asheville Mall, Marilyn Banks, whose grandchildren attend ACS, signed the petition to close schools on May 1.

“What we’re seeing in our society right now, to me, is the devolution of humanity and society. And it’s because those in power seem to want an uneducated electorate,” Banks said. “We need to get back to making sure that American citizens understand what a republic is and how it functions, and to keep it functioning, and not to ever be in a situation like we are in right now.”

Addressing the crowd, Copeland Rudolph, executive director of Asheville City Schools Foundation, echoed this point.

“When you look at our city — from our mayor to our sheriff to our county commission chair — they all went to public schools,” Rudolph said. “So when you defund public education, you are defunding future leadership in the community.” X

A rallying cry

Buncombe County Schools demands more funding as N.C. Supreme Court rules against statewide spending plan

During the April 2 Buncombe County Board of Education meeting, 21 public commenters addressed the issue of the state’s level of funding for public schools, noting how the shortfall is impacting daily school services and operations for local public school students.

On April 2, the N.C. Supreme Court overturned a statewide, multibillion dollar action plan aimed at improving public schools. The 2022 plan, which came out of the 1994 lawsuit Leandro v. State of North Carolina, outlined ways to strengthen teacher recruitment and retention, raise compensation and increase state funding for public schools.

The court’s latest decision came on the same day as the Buncombe County Board of Education’s regular meeting, where discussion centered on the state’s support for public schools.

Funding from the state makes up 60% of the district’s budget, said Buncombe County Schools (BCS) Superintendent Rob Jackson, who noted that the state’s failure to pass its current budget has made this year’s calculations especially challenging for BCS.

After the meeting, Jackson told Xpress that in his 35 years with the district, this is the longest leaders have had to wait for a budget. As a result, they’ve based current funding on recurring dollars from the previous year’s budget.

During the meeting, Jackson reported that due to the lack of a set state budget, salaries are frozen for 3,330 employees. Coupled with rising health care costs, the capped salaries are a net decrease in compensation for BCS staff.

The Leandro lawsuit, initially filed by five school districts in some of the state’s poorest counties, argued that the state’s unequal funding violated constitutional guarantees for every child’s right to receive a sound, basic education. Along with its aforementioned action plans, it also focused on supporting at-risk students through wraparound services, improving academic standards and aligning education with future career opportunities, as outlined in the 2019 WestEd report “Sound Basic Education for All: An Action Plan for North Carolina.” While the plan wasn’t a silver bullet for resolving all the state’s public school woes, it was a road map to resolving them, said N.C. Rep. Lindsey Prather, D-115th District, who spoke

CONTINUES ON PAGE 14

MORE MONEY, LESS PROBLEMS:

Photo by Brionna Dallara

during public comment at the board’s meeting.

“It’s all laid out there, clear as a bell — this is what we need; this is what we need to fund for; this is how much it would cost; these are the staffing ratios for social workers and counselors and nurses; this is what it would take to get us up to that level,” Prather told Xpress Fully funding the Leandro plan had been part of the district’s 2025 legislative agenda.

“For the state Supreme Court to walk away from that was surprising to me,” Jackson said to Xpress after the meeting. “I worry about that, because we had certainly hoped that that litigation would encourage our general assembly to fully fund public education, and so in the coming days we’ll begin to fully understand the ramifications of that decision.”

In the meantime, the board approved a resolution calling on the state to pass a budget, and passed its 2026 legislative agenda at the meeting.

CALLING ON THE STATE

The school board’s resolution notes that nine months into fiscal year 2026 the General Assembly has yet to adopt a budget. It also highlights that the state’s short session convenes on Tuesday, April 21 — less than one month before local boards must submit their budgets to county commissioners.

As a result, both entities have been forced to plan without knowledge of state appropriations for the current year, Jackson said.

The resolution further states that BCS has been required to adopt an interim budget, placing increased strain on local funding to offset what the state is legally required to fund. Additionally, the absence of a state budget has resulted in the loss of grant funding for safety initiatives, no staff raises, restricted hiring and an inability for the district to commit funds to operational needs.

Furthermore, the enrollment cap for the BCS Exceptional Children (EC) program is set at 13%, requiring the district to allocate roughly $138,833 in local funds to cover the gap. (Read previous Xpress reporting on the program’s shortfalls at avl.mx/fga.)

To see the school board’s recommendations, go to avl.mx/fh8.

THE LEGISLATIVE AGENDA

The board also passed its 2026 legislative agenda, which acknowledges that the growing demands to support students and staff are compounded by diminishing local funds in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Helene. The agenda

was created in collaboration with the Student Advisory Council.

The board urged the state to provide additional funding for summer learning and tutoring programs to address instructional time lost due to Helene and excessive winter weather last year. It also requested that any school funding based on enrollment remain stable due to fluctuating numbers caused by the storm.

The largest number of requests relate to personnel and benefits.

The board also noted that both the legislative agenda and the resolution will be distributed to all members of the General Assembly and shared with all the superintendents in the state.

BCS board Chair Rob Elliot also encouraged the public to share both items with elected officials as well as friends and neighbors.

“I think a lot of what was discussed in public comment today was documented here because we fully understand and support the things that you are asking for,” said board member Kim Plemmons to the audience.

COMMUNITY MEMBERS URGE SUPPORT

Several of the board’s requests were echoed by the 21 public commenters, which included parents, guardians, educators and public school advocates.

Shanna Peele, president of the Buncombe County Association of Educators, focused her comments on EC program funding. She also thanked the board for adopting a resolution at its last meeting that called on the state to account for the program’s shortfalls.

“But appreciation must live alongside honesty,” Peele said. “You are being asked to build a world-class education system with crumbs from the state. While we recognize you are doing the best you can with what you’ve been given, our students cannot thrive on scarcity.”

Commenters discussed issues such as teacher pay, rising school supply costs and the heavy reliance on teacher and parent spending. They also highlighted the lack of bus drivers, which has led to longer wait times. A majority of the commenters called on the board to send out Public School Strong’s letter of transparency to families; the letter addresses gaps in state funding and also provides a contact list for legislators.

The Buncombe County Board of Education will hold a special called budget work session on Thursday, April 30, at 1 p.m. The board’s next regular meeting is on Thursday, May 7, at 5:30 p.m. For additional reporting, visit avl.mx/fh8 X

Unmatched enthusiasm

Swannanoa residents offer input on plans for Charles D. Owen Park

BY EMILY KLINGER ANTOLIC

e.antolic@gmail.com

Over 200 community members gathered inside the Owen Middle School gymnasium on March 30 to share their ideas on the plans for Charles D. Owen Park in Swannanoa, which has remained closed since Tropical Storm Helene devastated the area nearly 19 months ago.

Previously, the park offered two fishing lakes, running paths, riverside trails, a shady jungle gym and other amenities. Due to the extensive damage, several organizations have collaborated to survey the site and assess the new ecological conditions. The county and its partners have now entered the next phase: seeking community input.

At the March 30 event, community members met and spoke with representatives from the Swannanoa Grassroots Alliance, RiverLink, Buncombe County Parks & Recreation and the landscape architecture firm Hoerr Schaudt.

Across five interactive stations, attendees recalled their memories of the park, learned about the current conditions of its lands and waterways, and shared input about the park’s amenities as it is rebuilt.

“I’ve been to so many community meetings, especially in Swannanoa, since the storm,” said Lillian Govus, Buncombe County director of communications and public engagement. “The level of advocacy that we’ve seen for this project from the Swannanoa community is unparalleled.”

GREEN AND RESILIENT

Around the room, people shared what they desired to see at the new park. Wetland boardwalks, multiuse trails, river access and accessible bathrooms were among the most popular items.

In addition to recreation and community space, many people talked about native planting, wetland restoration, fishing regulations and habitat protection.

“As you walk around and you look at the boards, you’ll see a strong theme around rebuilding this park in a way that aligns and works with nature,” Govus said.

Matthew Macchietto , a principal landscape architect at Hoerr

COMMUNITY INPUT: When it comes to community engagement, Lillian Govus, Buncombe County director of communications and public engagement, says the passion she’s seen for the future of Charles D. Owen Park is unmatched. “The level of advocacy that we’ve seen for this project from the Swannanoa community is unparalleled," Govus noted at a recent listening session. Photo by Emily Klinger Antolic

Schaudt, echoed those aims. “We want to make the park more green, resilient and sustainable long term,” he said. “We’re looking at the grading of the park and how the water engages with it so it can accommodate future storm events.”

His team also wants to reuse components of existing infrastructure and be mindful of materials used during construction.

Yet having a sustainable park is only half the vision. “We also need to be able to provide all the amenities and recreation that our community misses and hasn’t been able to find in the time since Helene,” Govus added.

NEXT STEPS

The Owen Park project will have two more community workshops this summer. The next meeting, which will take place in June or July, will invite feedback on initial concept designs by Hoerr Schadult Landscape Architecture. The final sessions, held in August or September, will focus on the draft master plan recommendations before implementation.

Construction on the park is expected to begin in the fall and is projected to take 18-24 months to complete.

To receive updates, visit avl.mx/fh6. X

NEWS

If they build it

Study finds big potential for new Buncombe tourist attractions

BY JUSTIN M c GUIRE

jmcguire@mountainx.com

Buncombe County tourism leaders are weighing a slate of major new attractions — from a performing arts center to sprawling sports complexes — as a new analysis suggests the region “can’t go wrong” investing in projects to draw visitors and diversify the economy.

The Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority (TDA) is considering eight categories of projects for large investments, which also include family-focused attractions, conference space and continued rebuilding in the River Arts District (RAD). The ideas stem from months of research by CSL International, a consulting firm the TDA hired in December to analyze market demand, interview event organizers and compare Asheville to similar destinations nationwide.

At the TDA’s annual planning meeting March 27, CSL representatives presented early findings, which suggest strong interest from outside groups, particularly in sports tourism and live entertainment. Tournament organizers and concert promoters told the firm that the Asheville area is an attractive but underequipped market, with existing venues too small or outdated to host many events. A modern indoor sports complex alone could draw hundreds of thousands of attendees annually and generate significant new hotel stays, according to preliminary estimates, the consultants said.

“There is a universal notion — from event planners, from sports organizers, from concert promoters, from the people outside our market — that Asheville and Buncombe County can’t go wrong,” said Tyler Othen , a CSL project manager. “There’s a lot of concepts that we could do here. It comes down to, ultimately, what the community and our stakeholders want to drive forward with.”

Officials stressed that the goal is not simply to boost visitor numbers but to create amenities that serve residents as well. Many local families travel the region for youth sports, concerts and other activities, and new facilities could both recapture that spending and improve the

COMING ATTRACTIONS: Tyler Othen, a project manager for consultant CSL International, talked to attendees of the Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority’s annual planning meeting about potential new attractions for the area. “We’re not here to pick one concept today,” Othen said. “We’re here to share some information, to share the data that we’ve collected so far."

Photo by Justin McGuire

quality of life while supporting longterm economic growth.

The TDA has nearly $12 million available in its Legacy Investment from Tourism (LIFT) Fund and a projected $12.3 million in the Tourism Product Development Fund (TPDF), giving it significant resources to help pay for major tourism-related capital projects, said Vic Isley , president and CEO of the TDA and Explore Asheville. With recent legislation allowing long-term debt service investments and conservative growth projections showing strong fund capacity, TDA leaders say it is an ideal time to invest

“We have real capacity to act now and to be a significant financial partner in truly transformative projects for our destination and our community,” said Tiffany Thacker , vice president of partnership and destination management for Explore Asheville.

PERFORMING ARTS VENUE?

While Asheville already enjoys a strong tourism economy anchored by assets such as the Biltmore Estate and the RAD, a modern performing arts center could fill gaps in midweek entertainment and attract new audiences, Othen emphasized.

CSL estimates that such a venue could generate from 9,000 to 15,000 new room nights annually, with direct visitor spending of $10 million to $14 million per year in local hotels and restaurants.

“There’s very strong demand,” Othen said. “Broadway shows, concerts and touring productions are currently bypassing Asheville because the existing Thomas Wolfe Auditorium [at Harrah’s Cherokee Center — Asheville] cannot accommodate them.”

Richard Cutting-Miller , CSL’s vice president of tourism strategy, highlighted additional benefits, noting that the center could support local arts, enhance downtown retail and restaurants, and serve as a cultural anchor for the RAD. “These venues tend to attract visitors from less than 100 miles, which speaks to the high quality-of-life impact they generate,” he said.

Last year, the City of Asheville entered into a memorandum of understanding with ATG Entertainment to explore the development of a 2,500-seat entertainment venue with rehearsal and education spaces that would provide a permanent home for the Asheville Symphony Orchestra. On March 24, City Council voted to place a twoyear hold on a 2.43-acre parcel next

to City Hall to explore building the performing arts center there.

The CSL report noted several issues for the TDA and others to ponder. Othen noted that Buncombe County is a slightly smaller market than some of the other destinations that have 2,500-capacity theaters. Additionally, Cutting-Miller pointed out that nearby cities such as Greenville, S.C., and Charlotte could compete with Asheville for Broadway events such as Beauty and the Beast. Such productions, he noted, might align better with these adjacent markets.

INDOOR SPORTS OPPORTUNITIES

CSL identified strong demand for indoor and outdoor sports facilities in Buncombe County but also highlighted significant logistical and financial hurdles.

A multipurpose indoor sports center could include six to eight basketball courts that could be converted into a number of additional offerings such as 12-16 volleyball courts, fitness areas, walking tracks and potentially ballrooms or trade show floors, Othen said. “Out of all the projects I’ve been involved with on the sports side, this was probably the most proactive interest we’ve had from some of these organizers,” he added.

Comparable markets suggest such a facility could host 30-40 tournaments per year. That could bring 300,000 to 400,000 attendees, 25,000 to 35,000 new hotel room nights and $20 million to $30 million in additional visitor spending annually.

Local residents would also benefit, Cutting-Miller said. Families now often travel outside the region for youth sports competitions.

“During our partner conversations, we learned very quickly that ... the residents’ engagement in this sort of facility would be enormous,” Cutting-Miller said. “There was a lot of discussion about the link, the leakage of parents and their kids going outside of the region to play basketball, play volleyball, do dance competition.”

FIELDS OF DREAMS

On the outdoor side, CSL evaluated two main types of facilities: baseball/softball complexes (referred to as diamond complexes) and multipurpose rectangular fields for soccer, lacrosse and other growing sports such as flag football and rugby.

Baseball and softball facilities were identified as having high local

“There

—Tyler Othen, a CSL project manager

demand but limited expansion opportunities. Bob Lewis Ballpark, located just outside Asheville in Candler, is the county’s main tournament facility and frequently reaches capacity. According to CSL, there may be potential for an additional eight- to 12-diamond field complex to meet growing needs. These tournament-quality fields often include turf surfaces, portable fences and bases, and adjustable layouts to accommodate multiple types of youth sports.

To illustrate the potential, CSL cited Elizabethtown Sports Park in Kentucky, one of the busier tournament-level complexes in the country. The facility attracts a high proportion of attendees from outside the region, particularly families and teams traveling long distances. The example demonstrates the untapped opportunity in Asheville, where a similar diamond complex could attract 250,000 to 350,000 attendees annually and generate 15,000 to 20,000 new hotel room nights, significantly boosting regional tourism revenue, Othen said.

While diamond complexes can attract 15-25 tournaments per year with large attendance, these facilities are seasonal, largely operating in summer months. CSL’s report estimated construction costs for a new diamond complex between $40 million and $60 million, factoring in infrastructure, field quality and tournament amenities.

Multipurpose rectangular fields, used for soccer, lacrosse, flag football and rugby, also present substantial opportunities. CSL highlighted the growing demand from local youth organizations and clubs. Turfing existing fields can extend usability into less favorable weather, while building a larger tournament complex could attract regional events. Projections indicate a $30 million to $50 million investment could yield $12 million to $18 million in additional annual visitor spending.

However, there are major challenges. Land is limited.

“Finding a flat piece of land in this county is not the easiest chore,” said Cutting-Miller, who noted indoor facilities need at least 10 acres and outdoor complexes 20

acres or more. Buncombe County’s mountainous terrain makes site selection difficult.

Competition is another concern. Asheville would face regional rivals, although the report notes a clear gap in tournament-quality venues.

OTHER CSL FINDINGS

• Buncombe County shows strong potential for family-focused attractions. While the area has lots of outdoor recreation, there are few indoor attractions for kids and multigenerational groups. Examples like Meow Wolf’s House of Eternal Return, an immersive facility in Santa Fe, N.M., show that playful spaces can keep families coming back. A new attraction locally could cost $20 million to $100 million to build, draw 250,000 to 400,000 visitors a year, create 10,000 to 15,000 new hotel stays and generate $10 million to $15 million in new visitor spending. Opportunities include giving families indoor options, creating memorable experiences for locals and offering something unique compared with nearby destinations. Challenges include fitting the attraction to Asheville’s character, covering capital and operating costs, and finding suitable land. A well-designed family attraction could make Asheville a top spot for multigenerational trips.

• Buncombe County is not able to host business meetings and conferences bigger than small corporate retreats due to a shortage of meeting spaces, limited hotel connectivity and inadequate breakout facilities.

A downtown Asheville conference center with a 350-plus room hotel could help solve that problem. The $120 million to $150 million project could include large halls, ballrooms and flexible meeting spaces, plus outdoor and lobby areas for gatherings. It could bring 25-35 new conventions a year, 150,000 to 250,000 visitors, 20,000 to 30,000 new hotel stays, and $20 million to $25 million in local spending, while boosting mid-

week tourism and energizing downtown. Potential challenges include high development costs and a lack of available land to build in downtown.

• While the Carolinas have a fairly robust inventory of midsized amphitheaters, national promoters say Asheville would have a significant opportunity to capture outdoor concerts by touring acts that don’t usually come here. An outdoor venue with a capacity of 7,000 to 8,000 could generate 20-25 new concerts annually, attract 120,000 to 180,000 attendees, create 8,000 to 12,000 new hotel room nights and drive $8 million to $12 million in new visitor spending, demonstrating strong potential for expanded evening and seasonal programming.

• Renovating Harrah’s Cherokee Center – Asheville could boost downtown activity and tourism by modernizing an existing arena for concerts, sports and live events. Upgrades like new suites, improved concessions, better sound and lighting, and enhanced guest spaces could attract three to five additional

concerts a year, bringing 15,000 to 30,000 new attendees, 1,000 to 4,000 new hotel stays and $6 million to $8 million in visitor spending. With costs of $80 million to $150 million, the project would extend the venue’s lifespan and improve the visitor experience, but promoters note it is not a critical priority over the next five-10 years, and expansion and construction challenges would need careful planning.

For CSL, the next steps include completing a cost-benefit analysis, developing recommendations, advancing strategy around development and implementation, and preparing a final report, Othen says.

“Coming out of this meeting, we’re interested to see where the discussion leads,” Othen told attendees.

“It’s certainly going to have a place in our report and our ultimate recommendations. The important goal here is just providing the information necessary to make the investment decisions in the months and years going forward.”  X

FARM & GARDEN

In the neighborhood

BY GINA SMITH

A new farmers market is coming to Beacham’s Curve this spring. The West Asheville Neighborhood Farmers Market will kick off with a soft launch 9 a.m.-noon, Saturday, April 11, at Eikon Gallery, 167 Haywood Road, across the street from Hole Doughnuts.

The markets will continue on the second Saturday of each month with the grand opening happening May 9. Organizer Alex Sosler, founder of Eikon Gallery, says the event is a response to a need he’s seen in the West Asheville community for a weekend market. “We want to be a place where neighbors can get local produce and goods for weekend dinners or the week ahead,” he says.

At the soft opening, shoppers can expect to find produce and flowers from the nearby Peace Gardens & Market, tortillas and other heirloom corn products from chef Luis Martinez of Tequio Foods, wine and cider products from Botanist and Barrel and more. Parking is available on-site and along nearby streets.

Sosler says he hopes to ultimately bring in 12-14 vendors each month. Growers and artisans interested in participating can email him at alex. sosler@gmail.com.

Community garden founder releases new book

A new book, Elder & Sage Community Gardens: An Urban Uprising, about the

Spring classes at Asheville Botanical Garden

A class on preventing mosquito outbreaks to protect pollinators, a spring wildflower walk and an introduction to wildflower identification are just a few of the educational offerings scheduled this April and May at Asheville Botanical Garden.

Classes are held at the garden on the campus of UNC Asheville, 151 W.T. Weaver Blvd. Days, times and prices vary. For the full list of classes and other details, visit avl.mx/cqx.

Organic Growers School spring workshops

establishment of the downtown Elder & Sage Community Gardens, is set to be published in mid-April. Written by garden founder Clare Hanrahan, the book tells the story of how a “tenacious group of wayside gardeners in Asheville, North Carolina, became the official stakeholders in a blazing hot gravel lot on June 1, 2017,” according to the book’s preface.

Hanrahan shares in An Urban Uprising that she earned her horticulture certificate while imprisoned at Alderson Federal Prison Camp in West Virginia for engaging in a peaceful protest. “This book has been germinating over the past decade, taking root as I cultivated the garden,” she writes. “It is a tribute to the people who showed up, the plants that persisted, the trees that pushed up through the gravel.”

The public is invited to celebrate the book’s release 6-8 p.m. on Earth Day, Wednesday, April 22, on the rooftop of the Battery Park Apartments at 1 Battle Square. Garden tours will be available. Firestorm Books will also host a launch event, says Hanrahan, with the date to be announced soon.

To order An Urban Uprising and for updates on the release date and events, visit avl.mx/fgm. An Urban Uprising will also be available at local bookstores.

Registration is open for Organic Growers School’s 2026 community educational events. In-person workshops take place 9 a.m.-noon on Saturdays. Courses include:

• Spring Gardening Series with Laura Ruby — April 18 and 24 at Peace Gardens, 47 Bryant St. $25 per class. Details and registration: avl.mx/fgn

• Growing Food on Slopes — April 11, May 9 and June 6 at Pearson Garden Food Hub, 408 Pearson Drive. $35 per class. Details and registration: avl.mx/fgo

An online homesteading course, Homegrown Dreams, will take place 7-8:30 p.m. Thursdays, May 7, 14, 21 and 28. The cost for the whole course is $100. Limited scholarships and volunteer positions are available. Details and registration: http://avl.mx/fgp

Hope Grows plans informational meeting

The new nonprofit Hope Grows Community Garden in Waynesville will host an informational meeting for potential volunteers at 1 p.m. Wednesday, April 14, at the N.C. Cooperative Extension, Haywood County Center, 589 Racoon Road, Waynesville. Planting begins in late May. Sign up and learn more at avl.mx/fdk.

Arbor Day Celebration at N.C. Arboretum

Trees and their role in Western North Carolina’s ecosystems are the focus of The N.C. Arboretum’s annual Arbor Day celebration, taking place this year 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, April 11. The event will feature tree giveaways, guided walks, demonstrations, family-friendly activities, a ceremonial tree planting and the official proclamation of North Carolina’s 2026 Tree of the Year, the downy serviceberry. Admission/parking fee is $25 per vehicle. For more details, visit avl.mx/fgq.

Garden series at Horse Shoe Farm

The Horse Shoe Farm in Hendersonville has launched a new Garden Experiences hands-on education series. Garden-to-kitchen Herb Preservation Workshops take place at 11 a.m. every Saturday; cost is $25 per person. Planning Gardens in Small Spaces classes will take place monthly on Saturdays, 2-3:30 p.m., kicking off April 25; cost is $25 per person. Immersive Get Your Hands Dirty farm experiences — featuring tasks such as harvesting, watering and feeding animals — are offered for free 10-11 a.m. every Tuesday-Saturday. Learn more at avl.mx/fgr.

Plant sales

• Asheville Spring Herb Festival: Advertised as the largest herb festival in the United States and Canada, the event features herb, medicinal and native plant vendors; gardening workshops and more. 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m., Friday-Saturday, April 24-25; 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday, April 26, at WNC Agricultural Center, 765 Boylston Highway, Fletcher. For details, visit avl.mx/fgs.

• Bullington Garden Spring Plant Sale: Shoppers can expect a selection of annuals, perennials, trees, shrubs and vegetable starts 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, April 23-25, at Bullington Gardens, 95 Upper Red Oak Trail, Hendersonville. For details, visit avl.mx/fgt.

• Sow True Seed Plant Sale: The seed shop’s annual sale will feature plants, seeds and soil from multiple vendors. 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Saturday, May 2, at Sow True Seeds Garden Shop, 243 Haywood St. For details, visit avl.mx/fh5. X

For questions about free listings, email calendar@ mountainx.com. To submit a listing, please fill out a submisison form by visitng avl.mx/fh9.

Online-only events

More info, page 34

WELLNESS

50+ Yoga

For individuals aged 50 and above, focusing on gentle movements and flexibility, taught by Barbara.

WE (4/8, 4/15), FR (4/10), MO (4/13), noon, Weaverville Yoga, 3-B Florida Avenue

Anahata Yoga

A heart-centered yoga practice focusing on the Anahata chakra, led by Barbara.

WE (4/8, 4/15), FR (4/10), SA (4/11), MO (4/13), 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.

& Vinyasa traditions. Classes are led by a rotation of certified yoga instructors.

SU (4/12), 1pm, West Asheville Park - Gassaway Field, 198 Vermont Ave

Metal Yoga w/ Quantum Mystic Where metal heads and misfits alike get to transform. Plan to sweat, stretch, growl and reset through this power flow.

SU (4/12), noon, Eulogy, 10 Buxton Ave

The Social Sangha: Be The Change This month we will explore the Six Paramitas. Come and explore how we can make our life more meaningful for ourselves and others.

COMMUNITY CALENDAR

BEAR AND FIRE SAFETY WORKSHOP: Asheville Botanical Garden hosts BearWise & FireWise: Coexistence with Nature in the Southern Appalachians on Saturday, April 11, starting at 10 a.m. Leading the workshop are N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission bear biologist Ashley Hobbs and Troy Harrison, who has over 30 years of experience in environmental regulations, forest inventory and fire control. Photo courtesy of Asheville Botanical Garden APRIL. 8 - APRIL. 16, 2026

WE (4/8, 4/15), 1pm, Dragon Phoenix, 51 N Merrimon Ave

Community Yoga w/ Carrie

A free hour of yoga, meditation and mindfulness with local yoga instructor.

WE (4/8), 10:30am, AmeriHealth Caritas NC Wellness and Opportunity Center, 216 Asheland Ave

Seán Johnson & Chris Rosser

An all-levels vinyasa practice, while multi-instrumentalist

Chris Rosser weaves enchanting live music through every posture, pause, and pulse.

TH (4/9), 9am, AyurPrana Listening Room, 312 Haywood Rd

Gathering of Friends

Friends of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail features hikes, excursions, and community gatherings.

FR (4/10), 12am, A-B Tech Community College, 340 Victoria Rd Yoga in the Park Asheville

All-level friendly yoga classes based on Hatha

MO (4/13), 6:30pm, Quietude, 1130 Montreat Rd

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 (4/13), 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 (4/14), 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 (4/14), 9am, Dragon Phoenix, 51 N Merrimon 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 (4/16), 7pm, The Well, 3 Louisiana Avenue

SUPPORT GROUPS

Staying Grounded in Shaky Times

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

WE (4/8, 4/15), 2pm, AmeriHealth Caritas NC Wellness and Opportunity Center, 216 Asheland Ave

WNC MS Support Group

This support group provides a chance for individuals with MS, their families, friends and other care partners to share common experiences, provide and receive emotional support, obtain information related to the disease and on various aspects of living and coping with MS.

WE (4/8, 15), 1pm, CenterWell Senior Primary Care, 1425 Patton Ave

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 (4/8, 15), 6pm, Online

Caregiver Support Group w/Stronger Together Wellness

Empowering caregivers through shared experiences, fostering a vibrant community that inspires healing, resilience, and hope on the journey to recovery.

TH (4/9), 3pm, AmeriHealth Caritas NC Wellness and Opportunity Center, 216 Asheland Ave

Dementia Partners Support Group

This community group offers support to those with dementia or those supporting loved ones with dementia. This group meets on the second and fourth Thursday of every month.

TH (4/9), 6pm, Ferguson Family YMCA, 31 Westridge Market Pl

Marijuana Anonymous

A safe, supportive, inclusive, and non-judgmental space to share, listen and grow together. Open to all people regardless of background, identity, or experience level in recovery.

TH (4/9, 16), 6:30pm, American Legion Post, 851 Haywood Rd

Solutions Group Daily living sober meeting. For more information, visit avl.mx/f91. SU (4/12), 12:30pm, Virtual, Online

Sunrise AA Meeting

Daily virtual Alcoholics Anonymous meeting. For more information, visit avl.mx/f91.

SU (4/12), 7am, Virtual, Online

DANCE

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 (4/8, 4/15), 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 (4/9, 4/16), TU (4/14), 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 (4/9, 4/16), 6:15pm, Stephens-Lee Rec Center, 30 George Washington Carver Ave Country Western Line Dancing & Two-Stepping Steppin’ Out AVL presents three hours of free line dancing and two-stepping in a friendly, inclusive environment. No boots, partner or experience

needed.

TH (4/9, 4/16), 6:00pm, Banks Ave, 32 Banks Ave

Steppin’ Out

The second Sunday of every month features line dancing. No cover charge, and no boots, partner, or experience needed.

SU (4/12), 5pm, Hi-Wire BrewingBiltmore Village, 2A Huntsman Pl

Beginning Belly Dance

Every class is a gentle but excellent workout that is focused on building core strength, flexibility, balance, confidence, and grace.

TU (4/14), 6pm, Uphora Dance & Fitness, 1501 Patton Ave

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

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

Unrelenting: Cherokee People & the American Revolution

Featuring historic objects in conversation with works by contemporary Cherokee artists, Unrelenting delves into 250 years of Aniyvwiya innovation, adaptability, and resistance, centering Native voices, perspectives, and creativity. Gallery open daily, 9am. Exhibition through Dec. 30, 2026. Museum of the Cherokee People, 589 Tsali Blvd, Cherokee Call & Response: Opening Reception

Four seasoned artists show together in a group show featuring Joanie Krug, Mark Flowers, Lyn Bregman Blass and William Price.

SA (4/11), 5pm, Little Animals, 31 Carolina Lane

Second Saturday Art Stroll

A monthly Second Saturday Art Stroll featuring live music, clay demonstrations, and refreshments.

SA (4/11), 11am, Odyssey Gallery of Ceramic Arts, 238 Clingman Ave

Virginia Derryberry: Private Domain

Featuring large-scale narrative figure paintings, the exhibition will explore themes of duality, transformation,

and human complexity through imagery drawn from alchemy, mythology, and contemporary life. Gallery open Wednesday through Sunday, 12pm. Exhibition through April 10, 2026.  Upstairs Artspace Gallery, 49 S Trade St In a New Light: American Impressionism 1870–1940

This exhibition explores the ways in which local artists interpreted America’s rural, maritime and urban spaces and portrayed daily life using the Impressionist devices of capturing the moment with brisk brushstrokes, a vibrant palette, and atmospheric effects. Gallery open Wednesday through Sunday, 11am. Exhibition through June 29, 2026. Asheville Art Museum, 2 S Pack Square Dialogue: Lindenfeld & Lindenfeld It features clay and mixed media work of Naomi Lindenfeld as she responded to a selection of her mother Lore’s innovative textiles. Gallery open Tuesday through Saturday, 11am. Exhibition through May, 9. Black Mountain College Museum + Arts Center, 120 College St

Master of Fine Art Thesis Exhibition 2026 Experience the culmination of three years of intense creative study and exploration in this exhibition, highlighting artwork

ART

from graduating MFA students at the WCU Belcher College School of Art and Design. Gallery open Tuesday through Friday, 10am. Exhibition through May 1, 2026.

WCU Bardo Arts Center, 199 Centennial Dr, Cullowhee

When Light Returns

The works in this exhibition reflect moments of transformation, capturing the beauty of emergence and the promise of new beginnings. Gallery open Monday through Saturday, 10am. Exhibition through April 25, 2026.

Mark Bettis Gallery, 123 Roberts St

COMMUNITY MUSIC

Bradley Ditto Presents Dance Of Life: Hold On To Your Love

Bradley Ditto returns with mesmerizing music that fosters love, hope, peace, and joy. Featured guests include well-known musicians Scott Musick and Billy Laymon, among others.

TH (4/9), 7:30pm, Tryon Fine Arts Center, 34 Melrose Ave, Tryon Pan Harmonia: Grief Leads to Gratitude

A special, very intimate program and the world-premiere of Asheville-based composer Carolina Perez’s Song Cycle: A Mother’s Grief Journey After Stillbirth.

TH (4/9), 3pm and 7pm, First Presbyterian Chapel, 40 Church St FR (4/10), 7pm, Black Mountain Presbyterian, 117 Montreat Rd

APLR Presents: Donna De Lory in Concert

A performance that weaves myriad strands of world music, contemporary pop, sacred sounds and introspective song craft into a mesmerizing musical experience.

FR (4/10), 7pm, AyurPrana Listening Room, 312 Haywood Rd Asheville Jazz Orchestra

The Asheville Jazz Orchestra brings an afternoon of classics from Count Basie and Duke Ellington to the high-energy charts of Buddy Rich, plus modern favorites.

SU (4/12), 2pm, The Grey Eagle, 185 Clingman Ave Blue Ridge Symphonic Brass

A variety of music, including a musical portrayal of “A Londoner in New York” in three movements titled ‘Echoes of Harlem’, ‘The Chrysler Building’ and ‘Grand Central’; Purcell’s “Voluntary on Old 100th”; plus a special dedication of the “Mass” by French composer Francis

Poulenc.

SU (4/12), 3pm, The Porter Center for Performing Arts on Brevard College Campus, 1 Brevard College Dr

Land of the Sky Symphonic Band Spring Concert

An inspiring evening of music that blends energy, beauty and timeless storytelling with one of Asheville’s premier wind ensembles live in concert.

TH (4/16), 7pm, Candler Center at Calvary Church, 531 Haywood Rd

Madison High School Jazz Band in Concert

Presented by the Weaverville Music Study Club. A free will offering will be taken for the 2026 Messiah presentation.

TH (4/16), 7pm, First Baptist Church of Weaverville, 63 N Main St

NC Symphony: Classical Favorites Celebrating America

250

This enchanting evening features music from timeless masterpieces by Bernstein and Copland—along with the cinematic brilliance of John Williams

TH (4/16), 7:30pm, WCU Bardo Arts Center, 199 Centennial Dr Stories of Kindness & Resilience w/Jennifer Armstrong

An evening of music and stories with this internationally known multi-instrumentalist and teller of Celtic and Appalachian tales as she reminds us that strength and compassion go hand in hand to keep us resilient.

TH (4/16), 8am, Weaverville Community Center, 60 Lakeshore Drive, Weaverville

COMMUNITY WORKSHOPS

The Learning Garden presents: Straw Bale Gardening

Learn how to prepare and grow vegetables in straw bales. A great option for gardens with poor soil and limited space.

TH (4/9), 10am, Buncombe County Extension Office, 49 Mount Carmel Rd, Ste 102

BearWise & FireWise: Coexistence w/ Nature in the Southern Appalachians

A double class on bear safety and fire safety, taught by Ashley Hobbs and Troy Harrison. Ashley Hobbs is a Bear Biologist and Troy Harrison has over 30 years experience in environmental regulations, forest inventory and fire control.

SA (4/11), 10am, Asheville Botanical Garden, 151 W.T. Weaver Blvd

Growing Food on Slopes

In this session, you will explore planning, installing infrastructure, and planting food-producing plants in a sloped system; we will build a small hillside orchard to practice the concepts and skills.

SA (4/11), 9am, Pearson Garden Food Hub, 408 Pearson Dr

Nature Journaling w/ Sue Dolamore

Learn the basics of nature journaling – with RAD artist Sue Dolamore – in this hands-on workshop suitable for beginning journalers to experienced artists.

SA (4/11), 2pm, Reems Creek Nursery, 76 Monticello Rd

Spring Wildflower Walk w/Dr. David Clarke

Enjoy the beauty of spring ephemerals and gain insight into the world of botanical science. Dr. David Clarke will lead a lively outdoor class, as he shares his in-depth botanical knowledge of the plants we encounter.

SU (4/12), 10am, Asheville Botanical Garden, 151 W.T. Weaver Blvd

Cocktail Class: Exploring the Gin & Tonic Head bartender Arah as she takes you on a journey around the globe to see how the G&T is presented in different cultures.

TU (4/14), 6:30pm, Oak and Grist Distilling Co., 1556 Grovestone Rd

Community Narcan Training

Please join us in this training led by Sunrise Recovery.

TU (4/14), 10:30am, AmeriHealth Caritas NC Wellness and Opportunity Center, 216 Asheland Ave

Ram Dass Local Asheville Satsang

An evening devoted to nourishing body, mind, and heart in community through the timeless teachings of Ram Dass, that help you reflect on love, service, and the practice of “being here now”.

TU (4/14), 6:30pm, AyurPrana Listening Room, 312 Haywood Rd

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 (4/8, 4/15), 8:30pm, Sovereign Kava, 268 Biltmore Ave

Library Tour

We’ll take you 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 (4/8), 3:30pm, Transylvania County Library, Brevard, 212 S Gaston Street

Love Thy Stranger: How the Teachings of Jesus Transformed the Moral Conscience of the West

A special author event with Dr. Bart Ehrman discussion his newest book, Love Thy Stranger: How the Teachings of Jesus Transformed the Moral Conscience of the West.

WE (4/8), 7pm, Blue Ridge Books, 428 Hazelwood Ave

Pack Book Club

We read a variety of genres. Newcomers are always welcome.

WE (4/8), 10:30am, Pack Memorial Library, 67 Haywood St

Lab Dog Book Talk w/ Chef Jason Sellers &

Author Melanie D.G Kaplan

Author Melanie D.G. Kaplan joins us to share her new book Lab Dog, the remarkable story of a beagle’s past, and the future of animal research.

SA (4/11), 5:30pm, Firestorm Books, 1022 Haywood Rd

Robert Gwaltney Presents: Sing Down the Moon w/Jennifer McGaha

Robert Gwaltney will visit City Lights to share his new novel, Sing Down the Moon, in conversation with

Jennifer McGaha.

SA (4/11), 3pm, City Lights Bookstore, 3 E Jackson St

Second Saturday Storytime & Craft

Featuring stories, songs, movement and more as we celebrate and promote early and emergent literacy.

SA (4/11), 11am, Transylvania County Library, Brevard, 212 S Gaston Street

Flooded Poetry

Mondays

Poetry-specific open mic, starring you plus weekly featured readers, every Monday.

MO (4/13), 6:30pm, Flood Gallery, 802 Fairview Rd, Ste 1200

Discussion & Book Talk w/Andrew Dietz

Andrew Dietz will discuss his new YA/ Adult crossover novel Ever U. This will be a discussion-oriented program for readers, educators, and students about creative identity and artistic formation.

See p34

TU (4/14), 5:30pm, Pack Memorial Library, 67 Haywood St

Asheville StorySLAM: SUS

Prepare a five-minute story about deception or sus(picion). Counterfeit handbags, messag-

es from unknown phone numbers, or skeletons in the closet.

TH (4/16), 7:30pm, The Grey Eagle, 185 Clingman Ave

Author Event & Roundtable Discussion on Homelessness w/ Brian Barth, Sylva Police Chief Chris Hatton, & Paul Phillips

Brian will discuss and sign his new book,  Front Street: Resistance and Rebirth in the Tent Cities of Techlandia.

TH (4/16), 6pm, City Lights Bookstore, 3 E Jackson St

Midnight Draft Poetry Open Mic

Open mic poetry over drinks, followed by a special performance from Pat Riviere-Seel.

TH (4/16), 6:30pm, The Argot Room, 717 Haywood Rd World Affairs Book Club

Where passionate readers and engaged citizens delve into thought-provoking books.

TH (4/16), 10am, Transylvania County Library, Brevard, 212 S Gaston Street

THEATER & FILM

Lauren Gunderson: Natural Shocks Natural Shocks is an immersive, 1-woman show dealing with themes of domestic violence. Starring Trinity Smith Keel as Angela, and featuring live original sound by Franklin Keel.

TH (4/9), FR (4/10), 7:30pm, SA (4/11), SU (4/12), 2pm, Hart Theatre, 250 Pigeon Street

Men in Suits

Gripping, stylish, and shot through with dark wit, Men in Suits is a must-see for fans of crime drama and film noir. A slow-burning exploration of loyalty and complicity where the most terrifying moment isn’t the crime. It’s the walk back to the Boss.

FR (4/10), SA (4/11), 7:30pm, SU (4/12), 2pm, Hart Theatre, 250 Pigeon Street

Hello, Dolly! The story of the irrepressible matchmaker Dolly Gallagher Levi, who is determined to find love for herself and others in 19th-century New York.

FR (4/10), TH (4/16),

7:30pm, SA (4/11), SU (4/12), 2:30pm, Hart Theatre, 250 Pigeon Street

The Dolls of New Albion: A Steampunk Opera

The Dolls of New Albion is a haunting, imaginative musical journey through a fantastical city where love, loss, and invention collide. As alchemy and machinery breathe life into clockwork dolls, New Albion’s secrets unfold in a sweeping tale of ambition and consequences. TH (4/16), 7:30pm, Asheville Performing Arts Academy, 55 Shiloh Rd, Ste 4

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 Confluence: A WCU Litfest Panel

Author Annette Saunooke Clapsaddle Facilitates a conversation with Indigenous writers Vanessa Lillie,

Thursday, April 23rd 11am

VOTE NOW !

Deborah Taffa, Laguna, and Shane Hawk.

TH (4/9), 12:30pm, TJ Holland Education Room, Museum of the Cherokee People, 589 Tsali Blvd

History is for the Birds

A unique and enriching series of bird walks that will take you through the natural beauty of the Swannanoa Valley while also diving into the fascinating history of the region. Visit avl.mx/fgl for location information.

TH (4/9), 9am, Multiple Locations in Asheville

IBN Biz Lunch: Brevard/Pisgah Forest Attendees can promote their business, products, and services, and meet new referral contacts. Optional food and drinks available for purchase.

TH (4/9), noon, Hawg Wild Smokehouse & Taproom, 91 Pisgah Hwy

Knit Night

In partnership with Black Mountain Yarn Shop, this evening provides an open and welcoming environment for folks to sit, knit, socialize, eat, & drink.

TH (4/9), 6:30pm, Oak and Grist Distilling Co., 1556 Grovestone Rd

Look Homeward, Asheville: A Downtown Walking Tour Through Thomas Wolfe’s Eyes

Step into the world of Thomas Wolfe with this guided walking tour through downtown Asheville- Wolfe’s hometown and the vivid backdrop for his (in)famous novel Look Homeward, Angel.

SA (4/11), 11:30am, Thomas Wolfe Memorial State Historic Site, 52 N Market St

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 (4/12), 10am, EarthFare - Westgate, 66 Westgate Pkw

Sunday Celebration

An uplifting Science of Mind Celebration. SU (4/12), 11am, Center for Spiritual Living Asheville, 2 Science of Mind Way

DRAFT: Artistry in Conversation

This month features rapper Davaion “Spaceman Jones” Bristol, painter Melanie Norris and writer Annette Saunooke Clapsaddle. The conversation will explore the intersection of the three mediums as well as the nature of obsession and the creative process.

TU (4/14), 6:30pm, Day Trip, 174 Broadway St

Open Page: A Meditative Writing Circle

It promotes authentic creativeness through curiosity and compassion and without worry about talent or productivity, making it useful for creatives, especially those experiencing writer’s block.

TU (4/14), 5:30pm, Quietude, 1130 Montreat Rd

The Future of Our Forests Community Roundtable

This community led roundtable is an opportunity to learn more about how you can contribute to protecting our roadless lands.

WE (4/15), 6pm, The Mule, 131 Sweeten Creek Road St. 10 Lunch & Learn w/ Nobel Prize Laureate, Peter Howitt

Come hear Peter Howitt’s journey to the Nobel Prize for his work in the for the theory of sustained growth through creative destruction.

TH (4/16), 10am, Kanuga Inn & Lodging, 471 Kanuga Chapel Dr

TEAM Fertility Meetup

These evenings are designed to bring together those actively

trying to conceive and experiencing difficulty to a space where we can share stories, learn from guest experts and explore holistic tools.

TH (4/16), 6:30pm, South Slope Acupuncture and Wellness, 261 Asheland Ave, Ste 102

GOVERNMENT & POLITICS

Buncombe County Hosting Property Appeals Clinics

To help answer questions about property values, connect owners to tax relief programs, and help navigate the appeals process, Buncombe County Property Assessment staff and volunteer real estate experts will host a series of free property value appeal clinics.

TH (4/9), 4:30pm, Weaverville Community Center, 60 Lakeshore Drive, Weaverville TH (4/16), 6pm, Leicester Community Center, 2979 New Leicester Hwy

GAMES & CLUBS

Asheville Board Game Club Meetup

Pay a wide variety of games—strategy, party, cooperative, and more—and we’re always happy to teach, so no experience needed!

WE (4/8, 4/15), 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 (4/8, 4/15), 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.

TH (4/9, 4/16), 11am, Well Played Board Game Café, 162 Coxe Ave, 101

WNC Parrot Head Club Meeting & Phlocking

The WNC Parrot Head Club are Jimmy Buffett fans that Party with a Purpose. We meet monthly to share upcoming phun events and service projects and to socialize with phun phriends.

WE (4/8), 6pm, Flying Squirrel Pub, 3578 Sweeten Creek Rd

Southside After Praise After church and enjoy an afternoon playing spades or dominoes. SU (4/12), 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 (4/12), 1:30pm, Stephens-Lee Rec Center, 30 George Washington Carver Ave

Game Designers of NC Meetup

Come playtest the next generation of games.

TU (4/14), 6pm, Well Played Board Game Café, 162 Coxe Ave, 101

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 (4/14), 6pm, Well Played Board Game Café, 162 Coxe Ave, 101

KID-FRIENDLY PROGRAMS

lively language enrichment story time designed for children ages 4 to 18 months.

Story Time

TH (4/9, 4/16), 10:30am, Oakley/South Asheville Library, 749 Fairview Rd

Schleich Presents: Animal Habitats Kid

Craft Event

A fun, family-friendly activity where kids can design and build their own mini animal habitat for a schleich® figurine to take home.

SA (4/11), 5pm, Imperial Mercantile & Outfitters, 25 International Blvd

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 (4/8, 4/15), 3pm, New Belgium Brewing Co., 21 Craven St

Mars Hill Farmers & Artisans Market

A producer-only tailgate market located on the campus of Mars Hill University on College Street. Offering fresh local produce, herbs, cheeses, meats, eggs, baked goods, honey, body care and more. Every Saturday through Oct. 26.

SA (4/11), 10am, College St, Mars Hill

Junk-O-Rama Vintage Market

Full bad, vintage clothes, jewelry, local art & more.

SU (4/12), 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, sour-

wood honey, and other farm fresh items. Open daily, 8am. 570 Brevard Rd

FESTIVALS & SPECIAL EVENTS

Public Star Gaze

This event is free and open to everyone, registration is not necessary to attend. A temporary gate code, required for entry, will be provided here on the day of the star gaze by 4:00 p.m. Sunset occurs at 8:22 p.m. FR (4/10), 7pm, Grassland Mountain Observatory, 2892 Grassland Pkwy

Montreat Landcare Festival & Arbor Day Celebration

Celebrate our region’s native flora and fauna, explore simple steps we can take to sustain them, and learn about initiatives to strengthen our environment.

Visitors will a chance to take home a free tree, purchase art and plants, attend a Spring Tea, and learn about initiatives to strengthen our environment.

SA (4/11), 10am, Moore Center Field, 303 Lookout Rd

World Music Dance Party

The fun starts right with an ice cream social and a bake sale followed by a concert and dance party featuring Chikomo Marimba, Paula Hanke, the Jubilee! Singers and more.

SU (4/12), 4pm, Rainbow Community School Auditorium, 60 State Street

WNC Outdoor Film Fest

The WNC Outdoor Film Fest will feature a collection of short films created right here in the region—high-

lighting the places we explore, the adventures we chase, and the people working to protect these mountains we call home.

SU (4/12), 4pm, The Mule, 131 Sweeten Creek Rd

Fiddlehead Bike Park Competition

An afternoon of riding, fun and friendly competition with prizes from local bike industry partners. All skills levels welcome.

SU (4/12), 1pm, Fiddlehead Bike Park, 701 Old Fanning Bridge Rd

WNC Career Expo

This free, community event connects job seekers at every career stage with over 100 local employers. Open to all job seekers – whether you are actively job searching, exploring new opportunities or seeking additional support to take your next step.

TH (4/16), 11am, WNC AG Center, 761 Boylston Hwy

Hops for Hominy

The Hominy Creek Greenway, a beloved public green space in West Asheville, is celebrating its 15th anniversary.

To mark the occasion, the Friends of Hominy Creek Greenway is partnering with Cellarest Beer Project to host a community celebration that features live music, a special beer release, and raffle prizes.

TH (4/16), 4pm, Cellarest Beer Project, 395 Haywood Rd

BENEFITS & VOLUNTEERING

BERTHA: Grateful Drag

The world’s first Grateful Drag band, BERTHA is an all-star

collective of queer and allied East Nashville talent coming together in wigs and full face for a good cause. $1 from every ticket sold will go to local organizations working to support and empower the health and wellbeing of LGBTQ+ communities.

TH (4/9), 8pm, The Grey Eagle, 185 Clingman Ave

DuPont Forest Bike Wash

Bring your bike and let some of the area’s most talented bike mechanics treat it to a complimentary wash and lube while you relax, enjoy the atmosphere, and support the Forest. Stick around for live music from The Late Shifters, great brews, and a community that cares deeply about protecting DuPont Forest.

SA (4/11), 1pm, Trailside Brewing Co., 873 Lenox Park Dr.

Lemon-Aid: A Drag Fundraiser for HelpMate

This special event drag fundraiser will gather funds and resources for HelpMate, a domestic violence organization located in Buncombe County. Be sure to bring cash to tip your entertainers.

SA (4/11), 7pm, Ginger’s Revenge, 829 Riverside Dr #100

Art of the Wall

This unique and intimate fundraising evening promises a memorable blend of art, atmosphere, and excitement. Guests will enjoy heavy appetizers, beverages, and live music by Betina Morgan, whose harp performance creates a soothing, dreamlike backdrop for the night.

TH (4/16), 6pm, Haywood Handmade Gallery, 86 N Main St

EMPYREAN ARTS

BY JAMIE ZANE

The orgasm gap

Ladies and gentlemen, it doesn’t have to be this way

My friend Whitni Miller is an intimacy coach who works exclusively with lesbian couples. In February, she presented her talk “How to Get Laid in Your Long-term Relationship” to a sold-out crowd at Nerd Nite Asheville/Vino & Vulvas event at The River Arts District Brewing Co. During the gathering, she offered the following comment that has stuck with me. “The straights are not OK,” she said.

Whitni is certainly not the first person I’ve heard make the claim. But usually it is phrased as a question: “Are the straights OK?” And typically, the inquiry appears in the comment section of a story that reports on some heinous encounter or unusual practice that seems to exist primarily in heterosexual relationships.

For this month’s feature, I want to address one of these phenomena: the orgasm gap.

To qualify — this isn’t necessarily only for “the straights,” but it is something that typically impacts those who are partnered in opposite-sex encounters or relationships. The research broadly reflects all types of gender and sexual orientation relational configurations, and it consistently shows that a significant orgasm gap exists between cisgender men and cisgender women in sexual relationships.

According to a July 2024 article in Sexual Medicine, men’s orgasm rates range from 70%-85%, while women’s range from 46%-58%. The report goes on to note that while men’s sexual orientation does not seem to affect orgasm rates, “lesbian women report higher orgasm rates than heterosexual women and perceive their partners as experiencing more orgasms than heterosexual men.”

PLEASURE EDUCATION

Several years ago, I attended an American Association for Sexuality Educators, Counselors and Therapists (AASECT) event. Two of the presenters discussed ways in which they were working to close the orgasm gap in Sweden.

During their presentation, they gave participants a 3D printed model of the internal structure of the clitoris. They then shared a short film in which they asked people on

the streets of Sweden to identify the model. The vast majority were unable to. Some held it upside down. One person suggested that it might be a door hanger.

These interactions drove home the point that many people are not familiar with this very significant part of anatomy, which only exists for the purpose of pleasure.

Remembering that Sweden is a place known for having far more access to comprehensive sex education than the United States, I was actually surprised to see that its general population also struggled with the orgasm gap between men and women. The presenters discussed how they were using pleasure education that focused on understanding how anatomy works to close the orgasm gap and that their research was looking promising.

WHEN DO WE KNOW THAT SEX IS OVER?

As a sex therapist, I work with countless couples, triads, polycules — people in relationships of all kinds of identities and configurations. In all scenarios, I spend a good amount of time talking about the importance of how to communicate about sex before, during and after the experience. A really good question to reflect on is this: When do we know that sex is over?

For many people in opposite-sex relationships, sex is finished when the man has ejaculated. It is often assumed without a word. Sometimes the man apologizes to the woman; maybe saying, “I’m sorry that was so quick.” In examples like this, there is a priority around the erection as if it’s the complete star of the show. If this is a scenario you are familiar with — regardless of your role within the situation — please know that I am not here to shame and blame. It can take a good amount of ego strength to have the ability to reflect on vulnerable experiences and handle taking in feedback and trying something new. And I will never forget how terrible our sex education is in schools and at home. It’s not your fault that we live in this culture and that we’ve all been handed a set of various unhealthy sexual scripts.

MIND THE GAP: According to a July 2024 article in Sexual Medicine, men’s orgasm rates range from 70%-85%, while women’s range from 46%-58%. In her latest column, sex therapist Jamie Zane looks at approaches to achieving more balanced results. Photo by Ryan Brazell

For one thing, if you don’t want to have an orgasm, that’s entirely OK. It’s legitimate to be someone who is more interested in the connection journey. It’s also legitimate to not want to have sex at all, and nobody should be forced into doing anything with their body that they do not want to do.

But if you do want to have an orgasm and you are locked in the orgasm gap, it would be very helpful to have the ability to talk this out with your partner before your next encounter. These conversations can be awkward, especially if you’re in a long-term relationship that has an established sex pattern. Like most people in long-term partnerships, it’s also very common (particularly for opposite-sex partners) to not talk about these things.

It helps to get “cliterate” — as the sex nerds say — in order to learn more about not only your body and its functioning but also your partner’s body (if you’re in a body that doesn’t have that anatomy). There is no one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to pleasing a person sexually, but there are physiological differences in how bodies tend to respond and what they need to reach a point of orgasmic inevitability.

If an orgasm is the desired outcome for both parties, it’s also great to get into the mentality of making sure that it happens regardless of whether an erection is present. This typically involves planning or being open to suggestions in the moment.

THE COMPLAINT DEPARTMENT

I’m already hearing the complaints in my head over that last suggestion.

“But Jamie, I don’t like to talk about sex ahead of time because it takes away from all of the spontaneity of it.” Or, “I can’t do that because it’s too awkward.” Or, “I’ve been faking orgasms for years because my partner doesn’t know the first thing about pleasing me, and I actually just want the sex to be over.”

Sigh.

My response to that is to have partners reflect on what they actually want and compare that with what they currently have. Do you want to have a better sex life with your partner? Do you feel as if you have a right to pleasure? Do you have the willingness to find the courage to get over the awkwardness and take some steps on your own before bringing things up to your person?

For additional guidance on these steps and issues, look for my friend Whitni on Instagram at @bde.moves. Even if you’re straight, her content is fantastic, and you are guaranteed to learn something.

Another source is Emily Nagoski’s book Come as You Are: The Surprising New Science That Will Transform Your Sex Life, as well as the companion workbook. She is also the author of Come Together: The Science (and Art!) of Creating Lasting Sexual Connections.

As always, you are invited to submit questions or suggestions for topics that you’d like to see me explore for future columns. Email me at jamie@ outofthewoodstherapy.com with the subject “Mountain Xpress.” X

17 years helping patients eliminate chronic pain through specialized massage therapy. Certified specialist in Graston techniques, cupping & deep tissue work for chronic pain and injury.

ARTS & CULTURE

Turning point

BY EDWIN ARNAUDIN

While there’s no bad time to examine how local arts organizations are faring, there’s some comfort in having an official annual checkup hosted by Buncombe County’s designated arts council and arts advocate for Western North Carolina.

This year, ArtsAVL’s State of the Arts Brunch takes place Monday, June 1, at Thomas Wolfe Auditorium, and is free and open to the public. According to Executive Director Katie Cornell, the event will include a presentation of draft recommendations for the Buncombe County Arts Recovery plan and address other crucial local issues.

“Asheville’s arts and culture sector is in a critical rebuilding moment,” Cornell says. “ArtsAVL, alongside our partners, is actively investing in that recovery — from nonprofit grants to upcoming Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery

(CDBG-DR) small business support — and providing new data that better reflects the scale and structure of our creative economy.”

At the same time, Cornell adds, local arts groups are facing major decisions and challenges, including proposed funding cuts by the City of Asheville that could undermine that progress. Proposed reductions and pauses to city arts funding discussed at the March 24 budget work session include cutting the full $76,104 Event Support Grant next year.

Administered by ArtsAVL, the grant program provides financial assistance to sustain and grow free, public events in outdoor spaces.

Also on the table is a proposed $98,000 reduction to holiday events and a $274,000 pause in public art contributions and maintenance. Cornell argues that these proposals do not function as true cost savings but instead “reduce economic activity, shift costs onto local businesses and nonprofits, and risk slowing Asheville’s recovery at a critical moment.”

“The city’s budget decisions will signal how much we prioritize arts and culture in recovery,” she continues. “The Arts Recovery Plan coming out in June will provide a road map for our next steps. And the city’s engagement process around the proposed Arts & Entertainment Facility is a critical moment for the community to weigh in on long-term cultural infrastructure. Those are the moments people should pay attention to.”

A NEW LEAF

The loss of city funding would have severe consequences on LEAF Global

Local arts leaders voice cautious optimism as proposed funding cuts loom

Arts’ educational programming.

According to the Asheville-based nonprofit’s mission statement, its efforts center on “connecting cultures and creating community through world music, arts education, preservation and experiences.”

The long-running organization is already dealing with challenges stemming from its recent change in leadership. On Dec. 31, LEAF founder Jennifer Pickering and her husband, festival director and CFO Leigh Maher, stepped away from the organization after three decades of service. Erinn Hartley then took over as executive director and instantly

found herself faced with an unusual obstacle.

“Because we are a 30-year organization and we were a founder-led organization for so long, in some people’s minds that meant that LEAF was ending as opposed to just taking on a new chapter,” Hartley says. “We’re learning a lot about how people receive information and what they absorb about the information that they’re seeing.”

That misperception came on the heels of an especially challenging final year for Pickering. In May, LEAF was one of several local arts organizations whose National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) grants were terminated.

DANCING IN THE STREET: Nikki, an Open Hearts Art Center student, participates in the 2025 Disability Pride Parade. Photo courtesy of Open Hearts

At the time, Pickering estimated that over half of LEAF’s $1.5 million operating budget was in jeopardy as a result of the cuts. And even with new funding sources to help close that gap, the fall edition of its annual festival required some extra attention in the form of public pleas for attendance that raised more than a few eyebrows.

“Before the last festival, we put out an SOS: ‘Hey, you guys really need to buy those tickets, or else we’re not going to have a festival,’” recalls Natascha van Aalst Leitner, LEAF marketing and engagement coordinator.

“So people had the idea ‘LEAF is not doing well.’ But then the whole community showed up, and it was a big, enormous celebration where we all came together. That was a big push forward for us as an organization where we felt the community stand behind us.”

LEAF received NEA funding for 2026 — as did ArtsAVL. But due to the Trump administration’s objectives, which clash with her nonprofit’s mission, Hartley isn’t counting on future federal funding.

That looming issue comes on the heels of economic uncertainty following Tropical Storm Helene — which canceled the 2024 fall festival, prompting organizers to turn it into a free condensed event at Pisgah Brewing Co. — and the COVID-19 pandemic, from which Hartley says LEAF never truly recovered financially. In addition to its patron base having less disposable income in the wake of these seismic events, other funding issues persist.

“A lot of people who have been fantastic donors for many years are waiting to see what we do next,” Hartley says. “And there’s a catch-22 right there: In order to be able to do the next thing really successfully, we still need the financial support on the front end to be able to continue the work we do and succeed in our mission. So, that’s one of the bigger internal struggles that keeps me awake at night.”

In the meantime, some significant changes have helped sustain LEAF’s efforts. Leadership has scaled back to one yearly festival instead of two and moved the fall festival from its longtime home at Lake Eden in Black Mountain to Deerfields in Mills River, which Hartley says “ensures the LEAF Festival can grow, evolve and thrive for many years to come.” There is also an increased effort underway to emphasize offerings happening at LEAF’s downtown headquarters, including weekly community music events.

“So many people’s access point to what LEAF does is through the

festival. And the festival is the revenue driver for the global arts education work that we do year-round in Asheville, WNC and 10 countries around the world,” Hartley says. “We’re more than just a festival, but the festival is also hugely important to who we are and what we do. And we love to be able to have a gathering and celebrate community together in that way.”

SHOWING UP

Debbie Harris , co-executive director/founder of Open Hearts Art Center, is also cautiously optimistic about the local arts landscape in the wake of Helene.

Following the storm, the nonprofit — which empowers adults with disabilities through the arts — faced facility disruptions that caused missed studio days, rescheduled events and reduced capacity. Harris says she and her colleagues navigated these challenges through flexibility, community support, Paycheck Protection Program loans and careful resource management. And seeing “artists and organizations continue to create, collaborate and show up for one another” across the Asheville community gives her confidence that her 21-year-old organization will enjoy continued success.

“Open Hearts Art Center remains strong in mission, spirit and community impact. Our artists continue to thrive creatively, and our programs remain deeply meaningful,” Harris says. “At the same time, like many nonprofits, we are navigating increased operational costs and the complexities of Medicaid funding, while also striving to provide our staff with a true living wage. This remains one of our most important challenges and priorities as we work toward long-term organizational sustainability.”

Cornell notes that the Buncombe County Arts Recovery Plan “is about aligning all of this — investment, infrastructure and policy — so we’re not just recovering but building a more resilient and sustainable arts ecosystem for the long term.”

Soon, ArtsAVL will additionally begin reviewing applications for its Nonprofit Arts Recovery Grant. And armed with data from studies the organization has recently done on the area’s music industry, Cornell says, she and her team can more effectively support the local creative sector.

“We’ve built real momentum in recovery — but it’s far from guaranteed,” Cornell says. “The decisions being made right now will determine whether that progress continues or stalls.” X

Oh, happy clay!

The Village Potters reopens in new location

BY EDWIN ARNAUDIN

The Village Potters Clay Center employees thought they were safe.

As heavy rain fell in advance of Tropical Storm Helene’s arrival in late September 2024, the team prepared for the possibility of water from the neighboring French Broad River entering the first-floor space at Riverview Station. They moved numerous items to the second floor and rented trucks to relocate larger objects — but they couldn’t get everything.

“I got in my car to try to go to the studio to help. It was still before 10 a.m. [on Sept. 27], and [my colleagues] were like, ‘Hey, floodwaters are rising faster than they thought. Everybody’s got to go,’” says Kat Reeves, marketing and creative director. “A lot of things were not able to be taken out and sat under the water. So, after we were able to access the property again, we could see everything caked in mud. It was very overwhelming.”

Just over 18 months later, The Village Potters is back, bigger than ever and in a new home in the Westgate shopping center. In advance of the business’s Saturday, April 11, grand opening, representatives spoke with Xpress about sustaining the operation through challenging times and why the future looks particularly bright.

MUDDIN’

Staff and volunteers salvaged many items from the mud and then drove them to an apple farm in Haywood County, whose owners generously allowed The Village Potters to use the barn for the better part of a year while Village Potters staff cleaned equipment. Shelves were power-washed and co-founder/facility manager George Rolland single-handedly took apart most of the pottery wheels, scrubbed the mud out of their insides and motors, then refurbished, reassembled and tested them until they were working like new.

“It was all hands on deck,” Reeves recalls. “We had a tremendous amount of support from our volunteers — just from our community showing up and driving all the way out to this farm to work, which was amazing to see.”

Many of the pots on display at the new Westgate location, she notes, were recovered from the mud. “They’re not

really for sale because they may be cracked or otherwise damaged from the floodwaters,” she says. “But we have them out as sort of a success story because we were able to salvage quite a bit more than we thought.”

Despite these pleasant surprises, plenty of supplies were needed, as well as a new home. To help achieve those remaining goals, co-founder and Executive Director Sarah Wells Rolland hit the road.

MILES AND MILES

Shortly after the floodwaters receded, the Village Potters leaders decided they would do whatever it took to come back, even though they lacked the money to do so. While her husband, George, and his crew focused on restoring equipment, Sarah Rolland went on a workshop tour, teaching 15 workshops in eight states across the U.S. over six months.

“I demonstrated pottery making and shared a slide presentation about who we are, the extent of our devastating loss and our efforts toward recovery,” she says. “During that tour, I raised significant funds, all of which were used directly for rebuilding.”

In addition to the national tour, Rolland says she “applied for every grant possible” and launched a GoFundMe as well as an extremely successful fund-

raiser called The Shape of Resilience. Support came in from across the country, and $400,000 was ultimately raised to help offset the more than $500,000 in equipment that was lost in the floods.

Rolland’s fundraising efforts were part of a three-pronged approach for the staff. George’s team focused on recovery and rebuilding — upfitting the new Westgate center and restoring kilns, pug mills, wheels, shelving and all lost items, including point-of-sale technology and display materials. The third group centered on administrative recovery as well as restarting Village Potters’ in-house Clay Company.

“This team worked tirelessly to provide clay for the entire region, operating out of a borrowed warehouse space generously offered by dear friends of The Village Potters, while also re-creating all of our documents and administrative procedures for our new chapter going forward,” Rolland says. “For the last year and a half, each team has stayed in their lane and worked with complete dedication to come back.”

FOUNDATIONAL

Becoming a nonprofit, Rolland notes, became a natural and logical next step.

“With our long-established mission, rooted in the centuries-old tradition of learning from masters within a craft,

we have always been — and continue to be — committed to raising up the next generation of potters and supporting emerging artists who desire to build a career in clay,” she says. “In that light, nonprofit status became a meaningful and appropriate transition.”

Thus was born The Village Potters Foundation, which Reeves explains is “focused on education and sustainability for emerging ceramic artists.” A centerpiece of those efforts is the Independent Study & Mentoring (ISM) program, which existed long before the nonprofit shift yet feels increasingly important.

“The whole focus is not just on the education piece but really the sustainability piece — how do you make a living as a potter, a creative person in the world, when that’s not always valued?” says Reeves, a graduate of the program.

“We have a large crop of applicants, and a lot of times if someone is not accepted into the program, we’ll give them advice and a little bit of mentoring on what they need to do to make it in the following year. If they apply the second year and have taken the advice, they almost always get in.”

The ISM will now operate from The Village Potters’ new 18,000-square-foot location — 4,000 square feet larger than its Riverview Station space. Reeves notes that in searching for a new home, the Rollands sought a place with ample parking as well as one that wasn’t in the flood plain. (“Too traumatic,” she says.)

Previously occupied by the Tuesday Morning home décor store, the spot allows The Village Potters to add a second classroom, a dedicated workshop space, a tool shop and additional room for working potters. The gallery is also larger, and the Clay Company now sells three types of clay instead of one.

Despite the new location, leadership is determined to stay connected to the River Arts District, which is visible from the parking lot and a mere half-mile away. Reeves says leaders are working with the River Arts District Artists (RADA) organization and trying to get classified as “Higher Ground” or something else denoting an “outpost” designation.

“We’re still really actively campaigning to be included in the RAD, and we feel very much a part of it,” she says. X

WHAT

The Village Potters grand reopening

WHERE 44 Westgate Parkway, thevillagepotters.com

WHEN Saturday, April 11, noon-6 p.m. Free to attend

FIRED UP: In 18 months, The Village Potters Clay Center went from power-washing pottery that survived Tropical Storm Helene to offering classes in its new Westgate location. Photos courtesy of The Village Potters

Domo arigato

Japanese whisky finds its way into Asheville glasses

BY AUDREY AND BILL KOPP

notes [and] bitter herbs.” Lingering notes of toasted almonds and vanilla, the menu description continues, are followed by a finish of white pepper and ginger.

The distilling of spirituous beverages has a long and storied past. But the history of Japanese whisky is relatively short: It was only in the 20th century that commercial production of Japanese whisky began in earnest.

“Shinjirō Torii was the businessman behind it,” explains Matt Hardy, bar manager at Asheville’s Ukiah Japanese Smokehouse. Hardy — a serious student of distilling history — explains that in the 1920s, Torii teamed up with Masataka Taketsuru, who had traveled to Scotland to study the art and science of distilling Scotch whisky.

Taketsuru was instrumental in the establishment of the Yamazaki Distillery and another company eventually known as Nikka. The spirits from these distilleries were clearly modeled after Scotch but with a distinctive Japanese character all their own.

‘HIGHBALL BOOM’

Westerners remained largely unaware of Japanese whisky for many years; David Embury’s classic 1953 work The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks makes no mention at all of spirits from Japan. Yet within Japan, the product surged in popularity, especially after the end of World War II. In the second half of the 20th century, distillers Nikka and Suntory maintained the largest market share of whisky sold in Japan.

“It was the Suntory distillery that popularized the Japanese highball,” Hardy says. In the 1950s, that simple drink of Japanese whisky, soda water and a twist — known in Japan as a haibōru — became a sensation across Japan. And as the country’s distillers set their sights on the Western market, they used that cocktail as a vehicle to spread the word.

Their efforts were helped to a large degree when Sofia Coppola‘s 2003 Academy Award-winning film Lost in Translation featured star Bill Murray‘s character promoting the cocktail. Hardy says a “highball boom” in 2008 helped spread even more awareness. “And for the last few years, the popularity of Japanese whisky has just been skyrocketing,” he says.

Both he and Ukiah restaurant manager Julian Ramirez emphasize that for many, Japanese whisky is more approachable than its Scottish cousin.

E v E rything in M od E ration audreybill@liquornerds.com

Those vivid, complex descriptions find their way into Ramirez’s conversations with Ukiah patrons as well. “I’ll ask them what kind of spirit they normally drink,” he explains, noting that his goal is to make certain that a diner’s choice of Japanese whisky pairs well with their food selections.

The undisputed star of Ukiah’s cocktail menu is the top-selling Ukiah Oldie, a riff on the classic Old Fashioned using Suntory Toki as its foundation. “We smoke Toki in-house with the lid open and bring it to the table with a little smoke top,” Ramirez explains. The cocktail’s smoky notes go some distance toward bridging the gap between Japanese whisky and the Scotch that inspired it.

“For the novice wanting to dip their toe in the water,” Ramirez suggests, “I describe it as a sort of peatless Scotch whisky.”

Peat, of course, is the spongy, partially decomposed moss in Scotland’s wetlands; when burned, its smoke gives off distinctive flavors and aromas that are key to Scotch whisky’s earthy, assertive character.

“And whereas Scotch is 100% distilled from malted barley,” Ramirez points out, “in Japan they’re not as highly regulated with regard to what grains they can use to produce their whiskys.”

CREATIVE FREEDOM

The Japanese whisky industry exercises that freedom to produce an array of spirits, each with its own flavor profile. “Nikka Coffey Grain is a corn-dominant whisky,” Ramirez says. “[Nikka] Coffey Malt is 100% malted barley,” reminiscent of Highland Scotches.

One of his favorites, Fukano, is modeled after the ancient Japanese spirit awamori, distilled from rice and koji mold. “Japanese whiskys — especially the ones that make their way into the American market — offer a blend of the spice and salinity of Scotch with the mellow smoothness of bourbon,” he says.

Hardy points out that, in recent years, the Japanese government has further tightened its quality control rules. “A new labeling [rule] includes a certificate that guarantees that the whisky is made

in Japan,” he explains. “It has to be made with Japanese water, aged for at least three years and so on.”

But even with the cost of importing the spirits halfway around the globe, Japanese whiskys are available locally at price points competitive with Scotch and other spirits. Ramirez recommends Suntory’s Hibiki blended whisky as a good starter. Yamazaki’s single malt whisky and the easy-to-find Nikka Coffey Grain and Coffey Malt are other suggestions.

For our part, we can heartily endorse Hatozaki, an exceptionally smooth, subtly sweet small-batch whisky from the Kaikyō Distillery, a company also renowned for its brewed sake. “These are all exceptionally made spirits,” Ramirez says. “And they are quintessentially Japanese culture.”

TASTING NOTES

An experienced sommelier, Ramirez emphasizes that Japanese whiskys are a key part of Ukiah’s mission to make “Japanese izakaya street food with Carolina cuisine influence.” The restaurant’s drinks menu helpfully describes the sensory qualities of three of the most popular (and widely available) Japanese whiskys, drawing upon the lexicon of the world of fine wines.

The “nose” of Suntory Toki is described as “soft orchard fruits, thyme honey [and] peppermint” with a palate exhibiting “green apple, bright citrus

As with other spirits, the variety of Japanese whiskys runs the gamut; the lower-priced blended types tend to play best with other ingredients in cocktails, whereas the more expensive whiskys are best served and enjoyed neat. For those interested in sampling an array, Ukiah offers its signature Salaryman flight, a trio of 1-ounce pours that focuses on high-end Japanese whiskys.

“We would like to have the best Japanese whisky program in Western North Carolina,” Ramirez says. The state’s regulatory framework poses challenges to that goal, making the availability of certain brands and varieties a hit-or-miss prospect.

But Ramirez says that at any given time, Ukiah has an impressive array on hand. “If it’s made in Japan, it’s probably fantastic,” he enthuses. “So we don’t have to get too discerning.” X

Japanese Highball

Traditional, courtesy Julian Ramirez

Follow the advice of Bill Murray’s Lost in Translation character, Bob Harris, and throw together the simple yet delightful tall cocktail that helped Japanese whisky establish a foothold in bars and restaurants across America.

• 2 ounces Japanese whisky (e.g., Suntory Toki)

• Soda water

• Dried orange slice (or fresh orange peel, if that’s easier) Fill a highball glass with ice cubes. Add whisky, top up with soda water, stir and garnish as desired. It’s that simple. X

HERE’S LOOKING AT YOU, KID: Ukiah Japanese Smokehouse uses Japanese whisky as the foundation of its signature cocktail, the Ukiah Oldie. Photo by RaeAnne Genth

Taste of nostalgia

The Majestic, a Chinese American counter service restaurant, is slated to open in late May at 319 Merrimon Ave.

The restaurant will be the fifth location from The Scheffer Group, which also owns Jettie Rae’s Oyster House, Gan Shan and two Vinnie’s Neighborhood Italian restaurants. According to a press release, owner/chef Eric Scheffer grew up in Brooklyn and Long Island and created the restaurant around “a shared nostalgia for iconic Chinese American dishes” from his youth.

“I created this concept because I’ve heard repeated demand from people in Asheville,” he says in a press release. “There’s a real longing for this kind of restaurant: something familiar, comforting and done with intention. But for me, it’s also deeply personal.”

Scheffer built the menu with Gan Shan Executive Chef Ray Hui, a first-generation Chinese American and son of restaurateurs. The focus is on “dishes that evoke a specific moment in Chinese American culinary history, when family-run restaurants shaped the food memories of entire neighborhoods,” such as shrimp and lobster sauce, crispy orange beef and Szechuan dumplings.

Chef Kaya Rehnberg will lead the back-of-house at The Majestic as executive chef. Hui will serve in an advisory capacity as needed while continuing as executive chef at Gan Shan.

To learn more, visit avl.mx/fgz.

Baba Nahm joins S&W Market

The S&W Market’s latest addition is a familiar name for Asheville diners — Baba Nahm. The Mediterranean

street food restaurant will move into the rear-right space, in the former location of Bun Intended, and is slated for a spring opening.

“It’s a meaningful next step for us,” says Laura Smith, co-owner and pastry chef, in a press release. “We’re thrilled to bring our vibrant menu to The S&W Market and be part of a place that celebrates local food, community and shared experiences.”

Baba Nahm’s ownership will reveal a new concept this spring at its 60 Biltmore Ave. location.

To learn more, visit avl.mx/fh0.

Montgomery, Iranis nominated for Beard awards

Multiple Asheville-area food industry figures have been nominated for James Beard Foundation awards. Taylor Montgomery of Montgomery Sky Farm in Leicester is a finalist for Best Chef: Southeast, and Molly and Meherwan Irani of the Chai Pani Restaurant Group (Chai Pani and Botiwalla) are up for Outstanding Restaurateur.

“The honorees and nominees represent the incredible range of cuisines, foodways and, of course, talent shaping American food today,” says Dawn Padmore, vice president of awards for the James Beard Foundation, in a press release. “In a time when our industry is navigating real challenges, we know this recognition plays a powerful role in supporting both the business health and visibility of those honored. We’re deeply grateful to our committee members

NOSTALGIC NOSH: From left, Kaya Rehnberg, Eric Scheffer and Ray Hui form the team behind The Majestic. The Chinese American restaurant is slated to open in late May. Photo courtesy of The Scheffer Group

and judges for their thoughtful work in selecting this year’s recipients.”

To learn more, visit avl.mx/prz9.

Yamaneko Bento pop-up at Good Hot Fish

Chef Khan Kogure‘s Yamaneko Bento presents an izakaya (i.e., Japanese pub) pop-up on Sunday, April 20, at Good Hot Fish. The menu features dishes such as various yakitori, korokke, kimpira gobo (marinated burdock root) and Japanese purin (milk custard). Food will be served from noon until everything is sold out.

To learn more, visit avl.mx/dqr.

Woodfin Coffee Dept. opens

Woodfin Coffee Dept. opened April 6 at 126 Elkwood Ave. The new establishment serves lattes, smoothies, breakfast and lunch items.

To learn more, visit avl.mx/fgv.

Dobra Tea ownership change

As of April 1,

and West Asheville locations. According to a post on the business’s Facebook page from founder Andrew Snavely, Frazier purchased Dobra’s Lexington Avenue shop in 2025. Snavely’s roots in the industry go back to 2003, and he opened the downtown location in November 2010.

“My 23-year career in the tea industry has gracefully come to completion, and I’m feeling whole and grateful,” Snavely says. “I want to thank [Frazier] and our current, incredible staff, who I trust will carry the spirit of tea forward.”

He adds, “Sourcing tea and connecting with farmers, families and devoted drinkers is truly a pack of memories I will cherish forever.”

To learn more, visit avl.mx/fgw.

Earthling Coffee adds Patton Ave. location

On April 4, Earthling Coffee celebrated the grand opening of its new location at 1110 Patton Ave. The spot takes the place of its Candler location, which closed in late March.

Brad Turner purchased the business in June 2025. Earthling maintains other locations in the Asheville Mall and at College Station in Brevard.

To learn more, visit avl.mx/fgx.

— Edwin Arnaudin

X

Kevan Frazier is the new owner of Dobra Tea’s East Asheville

SMART BETS

by Edwin Arnaudin | earnaudin@mountainx.com

Electric Garden Andrew Dietz

Starting this month, four artists will transform Third Room’s space into a ticketed daytime experience featuring augmented reality (A/R Asheville), interactive laser graffiti (Todd Moyer), kinetic light sculptures (Johnny Crash) and imaginative gallery art (Ashley Spero). Collectively titled “Electric Garden,” each installation invites guests to become participants with the experience — touching, interacting with and reshaping the sights around them.

“Asheville draws so many tourists every year, and they are actively looking for memorable, share-worthy things to do,” says Matt Thompson, Third Room co-founder, in a press release. “Electric Garden gives them something they genuinely cannot find anywhere else in the region — a fully interactive, multiartist immersive experience that works for families with young children just as well as it works for art lovers and the tech curious. Every visit is different.”

Appropriate for all ages, the installation opens Wednesday, April 15, and is available to experience WednesdaySunday, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Tickets are $15 for adults with discounted pricing for children, seniors and locals. Children ages 8 and younger are admitted free.

To learn more, visit avl.mx/fh4. X

Color Me Asheville

One of the area’s most beloved arts-centric fundraisers, the Color Me Asheville high-end fashion show features impressive designs created from repurposed finds at local Goodwill locations and worn by local models. Now in its 10th year, the event showcases the imaginative talents of Asheville fashion designers, all while raising money for a good cause. Creative teams are divided into groups based on colors, which this year include purple, yellow, blue and red. The

results are consistently jaw-dropping to the extent that it’s tough to believe all the components were originally found on Goodwill racks.

The 2026 edition takes place Friday, April 17, 6-8 p.m., at The Orange Peel. Tickets are $34.45, and proceeds from sales will benefit Bounty & Soul, a local nonprofit that provides fresh produce to the community at no charge through weekly markets.

To learn more, visit avl.mx/fh2.  X

A marketing entrepreneur, writer and creative coach to executives and artists, Andrew Dietz can now add “novelist” to his resumé. Published under the pen name A.S. Dietz, Ever U and the Boy Who Drew Too Much explores creative identity and the pressures young artists encounter as they try to figure out their direction in life.

On Tuesday, April 14, at 5:30 p.m., the part-time resident of Highlands will be at Pack Memorial Library. “Rather than a traditional reading,” Dietz tells Xpress, “the program will be a discussion about creative identity — why many young artists struggle to believe in their creative path. The conversation draws on themes from the novel as well as the region’s creative legacy, including places like Black Mountain College, that helped inspire aspects of the story.” Free to attend.

To learn more, visit avl.mx/fh3. X

Aaron Lipsky + Makoto Kessoku

Asheville native Aaron Lipsky hasn’t forgotten where he came from and strives to share his musical gifts with the community that nurtured that talent. Currently an artist diploma student at the Indiana University (IU) Jacobs School of Music, the principal clarinet in the IU Chamber Orchestra returns to town this month for three concerts with Japanese pianist Makoto Kessoku , a Jacobs School of Music alum currently based in the New York City area.

The duo will perform Brahms’ F minor Clarinet Sonata (Op. 120, No. 1), Poulenc’s Clarinet Sonata,

Chopin’s Ballade No. 4 in F minor and Sarasate’s “Carmen Fantasy.” The concerts take place Friday, April 10, at 6:30 p.m., at Freeburg Pianos in Hendersonville (free with donations encouraged); Saturday, April 11, at 7:30 p.m., at a private home ($32-per-person suggested donation, light food and drinks included; email aaronlipskyclarinet@gmail.com for the address); and Sunday, April 12, at 3 p.m., at St. Giles Chapel on the campus of Deerfield Retirement Community (free with donations encouraged).

To learn more, visit avl.mx/fh1.  X

Laser graffiti artist Todd Moyer is one of the minds behind ‘Electric Garden.’ Photo courtesy of Third Room

Andrew Dietz. Author photo courtesy of Dietz

Aaron Lipsky, left, and Makoto Kessoku. Photos courtesy of Lipsky

A scene from Color Me Asheville 2025. Photo by Heather Askew

CLUBLAND

DREAMY INDIE: On Saturday, April 11, local singer-songwriter Julianne Jade performs at Sierra Nevada, starting at 2 p.m. Blending experimental pop and dreamy indie, Jade aims to take listeners on a sonic journey between dreams and reality. Photo courtesy of JHawke Photography

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

THE GREY EAGLE

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 8

12 BONES BREWING

SMOKEHOUSE & BREWING

Trivia Night w/King Trivia, 7pm

ASHEVILLE MUSIC

HALL

City of the Sun (surfrock), 8pm

EULOGY

Sports w/Chrissy (indie, pop), 8pm

FRENCH BROAD

RIVER BREWERY

Saylor Brothers Jamgrass Wednesday, 6:30pm

GALACTIC PIZZA

Trivia Night, 6:30pm

HI-WIRE BREWING -

BILTMORE VILLAGE

Weekly Trivia, 7pm

HOTEL EVE JAZZ

CLUB

The Pamela Jones Trio (jazz), 7pm

JACK OF THE WOOD

PUB

Old-time Jam, 5pm

SHAKEY'S

SSIN w/DJ Ragga Massive, 10pm

SLY GROG LOUNGE

Weird Wednesday Open Jam, 8pm

STATIC AGE RECORDS

Feyleux, Cold Choir, Saint Cure & DJ Blood Chamber (dark-wave, dream-pop), 8:45pm

Emily Scott Robinson w/Admiral Radio (Americana, country, folk), 8pm

THE ODD Terraoke Karaoke Takeover, 9pm

THE ONE STOP AT ASHEVILLE MUSIC

HALL

Awen Family Band (folk, rock), 10pm

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, APRIL 9

12 BONES BREWING SMOKEHOUSE & BREWING

Andy Ferrell (blues, folk, old-time), 5:30pm

185 KING STREET

Honky Tonk Thursday w/Martha Spencer & the Wonderland Band (country), 6pm

ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL

Shelly Belly (comedy), 8pm

CROW & QUILL

Otis Trick & the Books (rock'n'roll), 8pm

EDA'S HIDE-A-WAY

Bless Your Heart Trivia w/Harmon, 7pm

EULOGY

Modelface Comedy Presents: Stormy Daniels, 7pm

FLEETWOOD’S Jason Curtis & the Black Sheep w/Momma Molasses & Ashley Heath (country), 8pm

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

HOTEL EVE JAZZ CLUB

Starkestra Swings (jazz), 7pm

JACK OF THE WOOD PUB

Bluegrass Jam, 7pm

OKLAWAHA BREWING CO.

• Trevor Kent (acoustic), 6pm

• Thursday Karaoke, 9:30pm

ONE WORLD

BREWING WEST

Fee Fi Phaux Fish (Phish tribute), 8pm

ONE WORLD BREWING

Red Rock Hill (Americana, indie-rock), 8pm

PISGAH BREWING CO. Firewater Tent Revival (folk, roots), 7pm

PULP

Missbliss!, blankstate & Mascons (indie), 8pm

SOVEREIGN KAVA

Django Jazz Jam, 7pm

STATIC AGE LOFT

Auto-tune Karaoke w/ Who Gave This B*tch a Mic, 10pm

STATIC AGE RECORDS

Sooflay, Headringer & Tanner York (lofi, power-pop, rock'n'roll), 8:45pm

TAPROOM AT HIGHLAND BREWING

CO.

Robert's Totally Rad Trivia, 7pm

THE MULE

Jackson Grimm (Appalachian, country), 6pm

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, APRIL 10

185 KING STREET

65 North Pickers (bluegrass), 8pm

ASHEVILLE MUSIC

HALL

• Asheville FloDown

Goose Pre-Party (multigenre), 3pm

• Auspicious Golden Fish (Goose After Party) (funk), 11pm

CROW & QUILL

Black Sea Beat Society (Balkan, rock'n'roll, Turkish), 8pm

CULTURA

Wood Fired Comedy, 7pm

ELEVATED KAVA LOUNGE

DOWNTOWN

Open Mic Night, 8pm

EDA’S HIDE-A-WAY

Liliana Hudgens & Jackie Kelsh (indie, rock), 8pm

EULOGY

Jeremy's Ten (Pearl Jam tribute), 8pm

FLEETWOOD’S

We Have Ignition, DG and the Big Sky & Janx Spirit (surf, indie), 9pm

GINGER'S REVENGE

Sit a Spell: Traditional Music Sessions, 6pm

HARRAH'S CHEROKEE

CASINO RESORT

Warren Zeiders (country), 8:30pm

HOTEL EVE JAZZ

CLUB

The Chicken Alley Hot 5 (jazz), 8pm

JACK OF THE WOOD

PUB

Front Porch (bluegrass), 8:30pm

MAD CO. BREW

HOUSE

Scott Stetson (Americana, country), 6pm

OKLAWAHA

BREWING CO.

Crystal Fountains (bluegrasss, folk, Americana), 8pm

ONE WORLD BREWING WEST

Fringe Festival (psychrock), 8pm

ONE WORLD

BREWING

• Honeycutt & Co. (Americana, rock, soul), 6pm

• Suns of Stars (Goose After Party) (bluegrass), 11pm

PISGAH BREWING CO.

Tru Phonic (blues, funk, rock), 7pm

PRITCHARD PARK

DOWNTOWN

The Friday Drum Circle, 6pm

REVIVAL

Healyside Trio (Goose Aftershow), 11:15pm

SHAKEY'S

2000s Karaoke w/DJ Franco Nino, 10pm

SHAMROCK IRONS

Andy Buckner (Americana, country, rock), 9pm

SHILOH & GAINES

Free Flow Band (funk), 9pm

SOVEREIGN KAVA

Will Franke & Space Fiddle (folktronica, psych), 8pm

STATIC AGE RECORDS

Caelan Jeffery Art Show w/Exfoliator & Ton of a Bitch (punk, rock), 8pm

THE GREY EAGLE

• Patio: Sunnyside Duo (country, folk, indie), 5:30pm

• Della Mae w/Love, Dean (country, folk), 8pm

THE MEADOW AT HIGHLAND BREWING CO.

Lucille Klement (alt-rock, indie), 7pm

THE ONE STOP AT

ASHEVILLE MUSIC

HALL

• Ashley Heath (blues, soul), 6pm

• Coyote Rodeo (bluegrass), 10pm

THE ORANGE PEEL

The Emo Night Tour, 7pm

THIRD ROOM

Goose Afterparty w/ Frute (indie, psych-rock), 11:59pm

SATURDAY, APRIL 11

185 KING STREET

New Dawn Starkestra (funk, psych, rock), 8pm

ASHEVILLE MUSIC

HALL

LUNA Presents: Social Latino (cumbia, Latin, reggaeton), 9pm

BURGER BAR

The Best Worst Karaoke, 8pm

CROW & QUILL

Meschiya Lake & The Moodswingers (blues, jazz), 8pm

EDA’S HIDE-A-WAY

Luke Deuce & The Wildcards (country), 8pm

EULOGY

Early Ones Only: Dance Party (disco, indie), 6pm

FLEETWOOD’S

Keta Ester, Good Taruma & Tanner York (indie, shoegaze), 9pm

GREEN MAN

BREWING

The Z-Man Experience (rock, Ska), 3pm

HOTEL EVE JAZZ

CLUB

Brian Felix Organ Trio (funk, jazz), 8pm

JACK OF THE WOOD

PUB

Nobody’s Darling String Band (bluegrass, blues, swing), 4pm

OKLAWAHA

BREWING CO.

Phuncle Sam (Grateful Dead tribute), 8pm

ONE WORLD BREWING WEST

• A Different Thread (folk), 4pm

• Lovely Asheville

Spring Jam w/Teso Ellis, Detective Blind, Lucid Jackson & Hypnotic (multi-genre), 8pm

ONE WORLD

Leah Slater (folk), 8pm

PISGAH BREWING CO.

Brushfire Stankgrass w/Tommy Maher (bluegrass), 7pm

REVIVAL

Harvey Street (alt-indie), 7pm

RIVER ARTS DISTRICT

BREWING CO.

Secret Saturday Late Nite Comedy Show, 9pm

SHAMROCK IRONS

Hope Griffin Trio (Americana, folk), 8pm

SIERRA NEVADA

BREWING CO.

Julianna Jade (indie, pop), 2pm

SOVEREIGN KAVA

Datrian Johnson & the Fellowship (funk), 8pm

STATIC AGE RECORDS

Halogi, Nox Eternus & Old Dead Gods (metal), 9pm

THE GREY EAGLE

• Blue Country Line Dance’s Giddy-Up Brunch, 11am

• Patio: Osprey Orchestra (bluegrass), 2pm

• Randall Bramblett Band (rock, roots), 8pm

THE MEADOW AT HIGHLAND BREWING CO.

Tru Phonic (blues, funk, rock), 6pm

THE ODD Party Foul Drag, 8pm

THE LOW DOWN DJ Soul Motion (soul, R&B, rock), 9pm

THE ONE STOP AT ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL

• Riyen Roots (blues, roots, soul), 6pm

• The John Inghram Band (Appalachian, funk, psych-rock), 10pm

THE ORANGE PEEL

Cameron Whitcomb (country, folk, rock), 8pm

THIRD ROOM

Flying High Again (Ozzy Osbourne tribute), 8pm

THOMAS WOLFE

AUDITORIUM Kevin James Live, 8pm

SUNDAY, APRIL 12

185 KING STREET Open Electric Jam w/ The King Street House Band, 5pm

ARCHETYPE BREWING

The Highlands (jazz), 3:30pm

BURIAL SOUTH SLOPE Mourning Mass, 2pm

EDA'S HIDE-A-WAY Open Mic Night, 6pm FLEETWOOD’S Sleeveens (punk), 8:30pm

FRENCH BROAD RIVER BREWERY

Reggae Sunday w/ Chalwa (reggae), 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

OKLAWAHA BREWING CO.

Dan Clare Duo (acoustic), 3pm

ONE WORLD BREWING WEST Suns of Stars Sunday Residency (bluegrass), 2pm

RIVER ARTS DISTRICT BREWING CO.

JORTS: A Comedy Show In Shorts, 7pm SHAMROCK IRONS Riyen Roots (blues, soul), 1pm

SIERRA NEVADA BREWING CO. The Aaron Austin Band (funk, jazz, rock), 2pm

WHERE YOUR DRINK SUPPORTS

MON Ping-Pong Tournament, 6pm TUE

OPEN JAM: 7:30pm Signup / 8pm Show WED POETRY OPEN MIC

THE GREY EAGLE

An Evening w/ Willis Alan Ramsey (Americana, country, rock), 8pm

THE MEADOW AT HIGHLAND BREWING

CO. Firewater Tent Revival, 2pm

THE ORANGE PEEL

Hail The Sun w/Foxy Shazam, Makari & Mella (Emo, math-rock, screamo), 7pm

VOWL BAR AT

DSSOLVR

Freshen Up Open Mic Comedy, 7pm

MONDAY, APRIL 13

DIATRIBE BREWING

Big Brain Trivia, 7pm

DIRTY JACK'S

Traditional Old Time Jam, 5:30pm

EULOGY

Crowbar & Eyehategod w/Weight Shift (hardcore, metal, sludge), 8pm

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

STATIC AGE LOFT

The Hot Seat w/C.J. Green & Cam (Comedy), 7pm

TAPROOM AT HIGHLAND BREWING CO.

Trivia Night W/Two Bald Guys & A Mic, 6pm

TUESDAY, APRIL 14

185 KING STREET

Travis Book & Friends w/Devin Neel, Mary Lucey, Tim Gardner, & Bennett Sullivan (multigenre), 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

EULOGY

Dead Meadow (psychrock), 8pm

FRENCH BROAD

RIVER BREWERY

Robert’s Totally Rad Trivia, 7pm

HI-WIRE RAD BEER

GARDEN

RAD Weekly Trivia, 7pm

HI-WIRE SOUTH

SLOPE

Trivia Tuesdays w/ Not Rocket Science, 7pm

MAD CO. BREW

HOUSE

Team Trivia Night, 6pm

MILLS RIVER BREWING CO.

Tuesday Night Trivia, 6pm

REVIVAL

The Band of Heathens (Americana, roots-rock), 8pm

SOVEREIGN KAVA

Open Jam, 8pm

SWEETEN CREEK BREWING

All Arts Open Mic!, 6pm

THE GREY EAGLE

Martha Scanlan & Jon

Neufeld (Appalachian, folk), 8pm

THIRD ROOM

Open Decks, 8pm

TURGUA BREWING

CO.

• Irish Jam, 5:30pm

• Americana Jam, 5:30pm

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 15

12 BONES BREWING

SMOKEHOUSE & BREWING

Trivia Night w/King Trivia, 7pm

ASHEVILLE MUSIC

HALL

Jackie Venson (electrofunk, rock), 8pm

EULOGY They are Gutting a Body of Water w/Total Wife (hardcore, metal), 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

HOTEL EVE JAZZ

CLUB

Steve LaSpina Quintet (jazz), 7pm

JACK OF THE WOOD PUB

Old-time Jam, 5pm

SHAKEY'S

SSIN w/DJ Ragga Massive, 10pm

SLY GROG LOUNGE

Weird Wednesday Open Jam, 8pm

STATIC AGE RECORDS

Anand Wilder (Yeasayer) & Ravary (indie, rock), 8:45pm

THE GREY EAGLE

Fust & Merce Lemon w/Thomas Dollbaum (country, folk, rock), 8pm

THE MEADOW AT HIGHLAND BREWING

CO.

Matt Smith’s WellCrafted Music Series w/Datrian Johnson, Duane Simpson, Tony Black & Mike Rhodes (multi-genre), 6pm

THE ODD

Terraoke Karaoke Takeover, 9pm

THE ONE STOP AT ASHEVILLE MUSIC

HALL

The Bassment w/Mad Mike & Dayowulf (afrobeat, hip-hop, House), 9pm

TURGUA BREWING

CO.

Lightning Round Trivia w/Marty, 6pm

TWIN LEAF BREWERY Open Mic Night, 6:30pm

THURSDAY, APRIL 16

12 BONES BREWING

SMOKEHOUSE & BREWING

Owen Walsh (Americana, folk), 4:30pm

185 KING STREET

Stillhouse Junkies (bluegrass, rock, roots), 7pm

ANTIDOTE COCKTAIL

LOUNGE AT CHEMIST

Antidote Comedy w/ Gilbert Lawand, 7pm

ASHEVILLE MUSIC

HALL

Willie Watson w/William Matheny (folk), 8pm

CROW & QUILL

Meschiya Lake & The Moodswingers (blues, jazz), 8pm

EDA'S HIDE-A-WAY

Bless Your Heart Trivia w/Harmon, 7pm

EULOGY

Trauma Ray + Glixen w/Her New Knife & Knifeplay (indie, rock, shoegaze), 7pm

FLEETWOOD’S

Assault & Vinegar, My Gal Monday & Player VS Player (punk), 9pm

FLOOD GALLERY

True Home Open Mic, 6pm

FRENCH BROAD RIVER BREWERY

Jerry's Dead Thursdays, 6pm

GREEN MAN BREWING

Thursday Night Trivia, 7pm

HOTEL EVE JAZZ

CLUB

Ben Colvin Quartet & Special Guest (funk, jazz, soul), 7pm

JACK OF THE WOOD PUB

Bluegrass Jam, 7pm

LEVELLER BREWING CO.

Traditional Irish Session, 6pm

MAD CO. BREW

HOUSE

Trent Rash (country, rock'n'roll), 6pm

FREEWILL ASTROLOGY BY ROB BREZSNY

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Unexpected deliverance? Lucky rides? Beginner’s grace? Dreamy, gleaming replacements? To the untrained eye, it may look like you are bending cosmic law in your favor. In truth, you’re simply redeeming the backlog of blessings you earned in the past—acts of quiet generosity and unselfish hardship that never got their proper reward. Serendipitous leaps? Divine detours? Shortcuts to victory? Welcome the uncanny gifts, Aries, even if they’re not what you expected.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): The current phase of your destiny could disturb you if you're not super patient. Life seems to be teasing you with promises that then go into hiding. You've been having to master the art of living on the edge between the BIG RED YES and the GREY MURKY NO. My advice: Imagine your predicament as an intriguing riddle, not a frustrating ambiguity. See if you can figure out how to grow wiser and stronger in response to the evasive mysteriousness. My prediction: You will grow wiser and stronger.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Why it's always triple-great to be a Gemini, drawing on an abundance of mercurial wisdom: 1. You excel at the art of translation and are skilled at finding common ground between different realms. You can oscillate and flow between the lyrical and the pragmatic, the insightful and the comic, the detailed focus and the big picture. 2. You know that consistency is overrated. Your capacity to harbor multiple perspectives is a superpower. 3. You get to be both the question and the answer, proving that wholeness includes all the fragments. All the aptitudes I just named should be your featured approaches in the coming weeks.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): The saga of Troy is one of the most renowned tales from ancient Greece. Yet the fabled setting of Homer’s epic tale, the *Iliad*, was a settlement of just seven acres. Let that detail resound for you in the coming weeks. It's an apt metaphor for what’s taking shape in your life. A seemingly modest situation could become the stage for a mythic turning point. An experience that starts small may grow into a story of immense and lasting significance.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Many people have a favorite number they regard as lucky. Some choose it because it showed up at a major turning point in their life. Others derive it from their birthday or from the numerology of their name. Plenty are drawn to “master numbers” like 33, 77, or 99. Personally, I give three numbers my special love: 555, the square root of -2, and 1.61803, also known as the golden ratio in Fibonacci-related patterns. I hope this nudges your imagination, Leo. Your fortunes are shifting now in the direction of an unusual kind of luck, so it’s a potent moment to select a new lucky number. I suggest that you also choose a new guiding animal, a fresh initiation name, and a charged symbol to serve as your personal emblem.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Do you know what ignorance is causing you to suffer? Is there a teacher or teaching that could provide an antidote? I suspect you are very close to attracting or stumbling upon the guidance you need to escape the fog: maybe a therapist who can help you undo a hurtful pattern, a mentor to inspire your quest to do work you long to do, or a spiritual friend who reminds you that you’re not merely your latest drama. Your task in the coming weeks is not to obsess on fixing everything at once, but to seek one or two sources of wisdom that illuminate your blind spots and educate your heart.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): I’m an honorary Libra, with three planets and my lunar north node in your sign. So I speak with authority when I declare that fostering harmony, which is a Libran gift, is only superficially about smoothing away friction and asymmetry. More importantly, it’s about rearranging reality so that beauty is a central feature. The goal is to accomplish practical

wonders by stimulating grace and fluency. When I’m best expressing my Libra qualities, I don’t ask how I can please everyone, but rather, how I can serve maximum goodness and intelligence. Here’s another tip to being a potent Libra: Know that your enchanting charm is a lubricant for the truth, not mere decoration. Here's your homework: Beautify one system you use every day so it serves you with less friction and more pleasure.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): You are potentially an expert in creative destruction. You have a knack for eliminating what’s unnecessary and even obstructive. What has outlived its usefulness? You’re prone to home in on energy drains and unleash transformative energy. And yes, this intensity of yours may unnerve people who prefer comfortable numbness—but not me. I love you to exult in your talent for locating beauty and truth that are too complicated for others. I applaud you when you descend into the darkness to retrieve dicey treasures. PS: You're not shadowy or negative. You're a specialist in the authentic love that refuses to enable delusion or sanction decay.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): My Sagittarian friend Artemisia bemoans “the scarcity of collective delight.” She wishes there were more public acclaim for stories about breakthrough joys, miraculous marvels, and surprising healings. Why are we so riveted by reports of misery, malaise, and muck, yet so loath to recognize and celebrate everything that’s working really well? She also mourns the odd habit among some educated folks to mistake cynicism for brilliance. If you don’t mind, Sagittarius, I’m assigning you to be an antidote in the coming weeks. Your task is to gather an overflowing harvest of lavish pleasure, fun epiphanies, and richly meaningful plot twists. Don't hoard any of it. Spread it around to everyone you encounter.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): “Id” is a psychoanalytic term. It’s the part of the psyche where basic instincts, needs, and drives reside. On the one hand, the id supplies a huge charge of psychic energy. On the other hand, it mostly operates outside conscious awareness. Consider the implications: The fierce, pulsing center of your life force is largely hidden from you. Most of the time, that veil is protective. Encountering the id directly can be overwhelming or unsettling. But in the coming weeks, you Capricorns are poised to cultivate a more interesting and righteous relationship with your high-voltage core. Do you dare? Treat your id as a brilliant but untamed creature. Extend a careful, curious invitation for it to show you more about itself.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): In architecture, a "clerestory" is a high window that brings light into a space without compromising privacy. It illuminates without exposing. I suggest that you find metaphorical equivalents for clerestories, Aquarius. Look for ways to let spaciousness and brightness into your world without disturbing your boundaries. Your assignment is to avoid swinging between total lockdown and overexposure. The best option: strategic vulnerability and selective transparency. Allow people to see selected parts of you without giving them access to everything. Be both open and discriminating.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): In 1903, the Wright brothers flew a primitive model of the first airplane. How did they prepare the way for their spectacular milestone? Their workshop was a bicycle shop, not a high-tech, state-of-the-art lab. By building and fixing bikes, they learned key insights about flying machines. The lesson for you, Pisces, is that mastery in one area may be transferable to breakthroughs in another. With this in mind, I invite you to evaluate how your current skills, including those you take for granted, might be repurposed. Methods you developed in one context could solve problems in another. You shouldn’t underestimate the value of what you already know.

MARKETPLACE

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EMPLOYMENT

ADMINISTRATIVE/ OFFICE

BOOKKEEPER/ACCOUNTS

RECEIVABLES Asheville's alternative newsweekly, Mountain Xpress, is looking for an experienced person to look after our bookkeeping and accounts receivables. Full time position. Duties include data entry, making outgoing calls, handling incoming payments, contract management.

Must be friendly, reliable and computer savvy (Mac). Send cover letter, resume and references to: Office Manager, Mountain Xpress, 2 Wall Street, Asheville, NC 28801, or by email: xpressjob@mountainx.com

HOME IMPROVEMENT

KITCHEN & BATH

GET A HIGH QUALITY, MODERN DESIGN BATH or shower transformation in as little as One Day. $0 Down, $0 Installation, $0 Payments for 12 months! Call: 1-877-2437050. (NC Press)

ANNOUNCEMENTS

ANNOUNCEMENTS

BEHIND ON YOUR MORTGAGE PAYMENTS?

Threatened with foreclosure?  Denied a loan modification? Let us help! Call the Homeowner Relief Line to speak with a mortgage specialist 844-492-0883 (NC Press)

CONNECT TO THE BEST WIRELESS home internet with earthling. Enjoy speeds from 5G and 4G LTE networks, no contracts, easy installation, and data plans up to 300 GB. Call 855-873-2215 (AAN CAN)

DENIED SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY? APPEAL! If you're 50+, filed SSD and denied, our attorneys can help. Win or Pay Nothing! Strong, recent work history needed. 877-553-0252 [Steppacher Law Offices LLC Principal Office: 224 Adams Ave Scranton PA 18503] (NC Press)

DONATE YOUR CAR TODAY

Running or not. Support Patriotic Hearts for our Veterans and their Families! Free fast pickup. Max tax deduction. Se habla Español. Call now: 877-317-3360. (NC Press)

GET A BREAK ON YOUR TAXES! Donate your car, truck, or SUV to assist the blind and visually impaired. Arrange a swift, no-cost vehicle pickup and secure a generous tax credit for 2025. Call Heritage for the Blind today at 1-855-869-7055 today! (NC Press)

GET DISH SATELLITE TV + INTERNET! Free install, free HD-DVR upgrade, 80,000 on-demand movies, plus limited time up to $600 in gift cards. Call today! 1-877920-7405. (NC Press)

GOT AN UNWANTED CAR? Donate it to Patriotic Hearts. Fast free pick up. All 50 states. Patriotic Hearts’ programs help veterans find work or start their own business. Call 24/7: 1-833-426-0086. (AAN CAN)

HOME BREAK-INS Take less than 60 seconds. Don't wait! Protect your family, your home, your assets now for as little as 70¢ a day! Call 1-833-881-2713. (AAN CAN) NEED NEW WINDOWS? Drafty rooms? Chipped or damaged frames? Need outside noise reduction? New, energy efficient windows may be the answer! Call for a consultation & FREE quote today. 1-833-890-1293. (AAN CAN)

PEST CONTROL Protect your home from pests safely and affordably. Roaches, Bed Bugs, Rodent, Termite,

Do you have an extra car that needs a new home?

Your donated car can open the doors to independence, increased income, and higher education for a hardworking member of our community. Vehicles of all types and conditions are welcomed and appreciated!

The donation is tax-deductible. The process is simple. The impact is real.

Spiders and other pests.

Locally owned and affordable. Call for service or an inspection today! 1-833-406-6971

(AAN CAN)

PREPARE FOR POWER

OUTAGES TODAY With a Generac Home Standby Generator. Act now to receive a FREE 5-year warranty with qualifying purchase. Call 1-866-381-0627 today to schedule a free quote. It’s not just a generator. It’s a power move. (AAN CAN)

REPLACE YOUR ROOF With the best looking and longest lasting material – steel from Erie Metal Roofs! Three styles and multiple colors available. Guaranteed to last a lifetime! Limited time offer – up to 50% off installation + additional 10% off install (for military, health workers & 1st responders). Call Erie Metal Roofs: 1-855-585-1815 (NC Press)

STOP OVERPAYING FOR AUTO INSURANCE A recent survey says that most Americans are overpaying for their car insurance. Let us show you how much you can save. Call now for a no obligation quote: 1-833-399-1539. (AAN CAN)

WATER DAMAGE CLEANUP & RESTORATION A small amount of water can lead to major damage in your home.

Our trusted professionals do complete repairs to protect your family and your home's value! Call 24/7: 1-833-9281861. Have zip code of service location ready when you call! (NC Press)

WE BUY HOUSES FOR CASH AS IS! No repairs. No fuss. Any condition. Easy three step process: Call, get cash offer and get paid. Call today for your fair cash offer: 1-919925-6362. (NC Press)

WE BUY VINTAGE GUITARS

Looking for 1920-1980 Gibson, Martin, Fender, Gretsch, Epiphone, Guild, Mosrite, Rickenbacker, Prairie State, D'Angelico, Stromberg. And Gibson Mandolins / Banjos. These brands only! Call for a quote: 1-833-641-6624 (AAN CAN)

WE BUY VINTAGE GUITARS!

Looking for 1920-1980 Gibson, Martin, Fender, Gretsch, Epiphone, Guild, Mosrite, Rickenbacker, Prairie State, D'Angelico, Stromberg. And Gibson Mandolins / Banjos. These brands only! Call for a quote: 1-833-641-6577 (NC Press)

WESLEY FINANCIAL GROUP, LLC TIMESHARE CANCELLATION EXPERTS

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 888960-1781. (AAN CAN)

TRAVEL

TRAVEL

YMT VACATIONS Over 50 guided tours available. Affordable, social and stress-free travel designed for mature travelers. Our tours include accommodations, transportation, baggage handling, sightseeing, entrance fees, a professional Tour Director and select meals. For a limited time SAVE $250 on all tours. Call YMT today. 1-866-3146821. (AAN CAN)

MARKETPLACE

HOME

IMPROVEMENT

NO MORE CLEANING OUT GUTTERS. GUARANTEED!

LeafFilter is backed by a no-clog guarantee and lifetime transferrable warranty. Call today 1-877-649-1190 to schedule a FREE inspection and no obligation estimate. Get 15% off your entire order. Plus, Military & Seniors get an additional 10% off. Limited time only. Restrictions apply, see representative for warranty and offer details. (NC Press)

LEGALS

PUBLIC SALE

PUBLIC SALE OF VEHICLE

To satisfy a lien for a 2014 Dodge against Canithia Lamisha Jackson for $10,045.00; 2015 Honda against Ryleigh G Wilson for $5,485.00; 2017 Mazda against Matthew Ryan Moore, Rebecca Joyce Moore and Fifth Third Bank for 6,765.00; 2020 Chevrolet against Teresa Briana Burton and State Employees Credit Union for $11,765.00. Auto Safe Towing Inc, 474 ½ N. Louisiana Ave., Asheville NC 28806. 828-236-1131

Publication: April 8, 2026

Publisher: Mountain Xpress

PUBLIC SALE OF VEHICLE

To satisfy a lien: for a 2018 Nissan Sentra against Javier Bravo Reyes for $11,955.00; for a 2017 Subaru Outback against Melissa Dawn Bessent and Regional Acceptance Corp for $9,085.00; for a 2017 Ford Focus against Joseph Michael Simpkins and State Employees Credit Union for $8,085.00; for a 2020 Dodge Journey against Adam James Inman and Navy Federal Credit Union for $11,085.00. Auto Safe Towing Inc., 474 ½ N. Louisiana Ave., Asheville NC 28806. 828-236-1131

Publication: April 1, 2026

Publisher: Mountain Xpress

N.H.L.’s ___ Bay Lightning

Parapsychologist’s study, for short

“Star Wars” droid, informally

April Fools’ Day sign

Letters before a stage name

In need of patching, perhaps

Test the water?

Spicy chip brand

Colony member

Persian, ___, Oriental, Navajo

Golf item in a bag

Motivational cheer

Insignificant amount 30 ___ Majesty

Saucer crew, in brief

“Wowzers!”

Part of a rock band?

Japan’s national sport

Reach an end

M.B.A. subj.

“Ozark” actor Morales 44 Like many drama school students

“Need a hand?”

Caves in

Pay for play, perhaps

March Madness placement

Business card abbr.

Dental hygienist’s target 2 Grande of “Wicked” 3 Twain, ___, Hamill, Wahlberg 4 Glimpse

Stubborn sort

“Slow down there, big guy!”

Metro, ___, Sports, Lifestyle

Where you might drink from a junmai

Flooring choice for a mudroom

Believe (to be)

Violin, ___, cello, ___

Key near Ctrl

Brings a fresh effort (to)

Brief time periods

Insurance co.

“Ah, that’s making