Mountain Xpress 04.15.26

Advocates of the Ecusta Trail celebrate its progress with ‘walk & roll’ event

HEMP HAPPENINGS

Against a turbulent backdrop of looming federal policy changes and a state-level regulatory vacuum, Western North Carolina’s booming hemp and cannabis industries continue to thrive. Xpress’ latest hemp roundup highlights St. Rains, a cannabis beverage business on the threshold of launching production in Asheville. The feature also examines new state recommendations around marijuana legalization and spotlights a handful of local events celebrating 4/20.

UNCA students present on

From trails to

The Beethoven 32 celebrate composer’s sonatas

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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, Merin McDivitt, Mindi Meltz Friedwald, Troy Jackson, Bill Kopp, Chloe Leiberman, Anabel Shenk, Jessica Wakeman, Jamie Zane

PHOTOGRAPHER: Caleb Johnson

ADVERTISING, ART & DESIGN MANAGER: Susan Hutchinson

LEAD DESIGNER: Scott Southwick

GRAPHIC DESIGNERS: Tina Gaafary, Caleb Johnson, Olivia Urban

MARKETING ASSOCIATES: Sara Brecht, Dave Gayler

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES: Jeff Fobes, Mark Murphy, Scott Southwick

WEB: Brandon Tilley

BOOKKEEPER: Amie Fowler

OFFICE MANAGER: Mark Murphy

FRONT OFFICE: Phillip Brock

DISTRIBUTION: Susan Hutchinson

DISTRIBUTION DRIVERS: Cass Kunst, Cindy Kunst, Courtney Israel Nash, Joey Nash, Carl & Debbie Schweiger, Gary Selnick, Noah Tanner, Mark Woodyard

Clear vision needed for performing arts center

I appreciated Arnold Wengrow’s article on Asheville’s long-standing effort to build a performing arts center [“Fork in the Road: After Nearly 60 Years, Can Asheville Finally Build a Performing Arts Center?” March 25, Xpress]. As a five-year resident, symphony subscriber and active participant in the arts community, I see both the strong demand and the missed opportunity.

Asheville can draw an audience to support a 2,500-seat venue — but clarity of vision is essential. Are we building a single hall or a true arts campus? Comparable cities suggest that a full center requires more space than currently proposed or a phased approach. Equally important is funding. Success will depend on a genuine public-private partnership, engaging not only arts and civic organizations but also The Biltmore Co., the hospitality sector and retirement communities whose residents already support performances.

This project should also be framed as economic infrastructure, especially in light of post-Helene recovery, strengthening tourism and local jobs.

Finally, a new cultural landmark offers an opportunity to respectfully acknowledge the region’s Cherokee and Indigenous history through design and programming.

Asheville is ready — but moving from study to commitment will require leadership, coordination and a shared vision.

— Jan Helm Leicester

Parking math doesn’t add up for arts center

I was pretty good at math. I made As, in fact. And what doesn’t add up

is a 2,500-seat performing arts center with only 300 parking spaces [“Council to Explore Parkside Entertainment Center Development,” April 1, Xpress]. Where are the other 1,000-plus cars going to park? Or is everyone coming in SUVs that seat eight? Or taking Uber or Lyft?

Are the planners assuming the majority of people won’t be locals but rather tourists who will walk there from $300-plus-a-night hotel rooms?

Asheville has no decent public transportation; let’s not kid ourselves. Are people supposed to use the parking garages that are always full already? In the rain? In the heat? And in the snow?

Here’s an idea: I understand that Ingles — it being a real estate company that sells groceries aside — owns the

Asheville Mall, along with many other empty, deteriorating properties. There’s also a JCPenney building that is vacant there (perhaps that’s where the Costco goes, but I digress). Yes, there will be traffic, but worse than at Christmastime? Take a drive around the back of the building. There is a lot of parking.

A performing arts center as an anchor would give people a place to shop and dine before matinees and evening shows. Instead of building in an area that will be very difficult to access (unless, of course, you’re a tourist staying downtown), very hard to park near (what parking?) and that will impact the historic Block, how about looking at vacant buildings and other sites? Even the

Innsbruck Mall has a large footprint that could be repurposed, and there are many others.

— Gary James Woodfin

Let’s tax the churches

I was surprised to learn that the county had appraised our property for about twice what we had paid for it 10 years ago. A quick search through social media tells me I’m not alone. Many homeowners are facing property tax bills that double their most recent ones.

I’m sympathetic to Buncombe County’s cause. I, like most other residents, enjoy things like roads, schools and health inspectors. All of these things have gotten more expensive, and I don’t mind paying taxes to fund them. What I do mind is paying more than my fair share. So, before the county looks to take more from those who already pay, I’d like to make a far simpler proposal: Tax the churches.

Before the constitutional arguments come out, look at the words in the First Amendment. “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.” The current system has a list of approved religions that don’t pay taxes. I would argue that is essentially a law respecting the establishment of religion, but removing all religions from it wouldn’t make the constitutional contradiction worse. As far as free exercise, this is a ludicrous stretch. We have to pay income taxes, but no one would argue it infringes on our right to work any more than paying for a FOID (Firearm Owners Identification) card infringes on the right to bear arms. There’s not a comprehensive list of tax-exempt properties, so I’ve had

UNCA should change course on urban forest

I’m a local resident of Asheville who has been very surprised by the way UNC Asheville has handled the urban forest situation. We need more green spaces. There are alternative locations for development.

Their secretiveness lets me know they are not interested in an honest discussion with city residents. And the chancellor has been unresponsive and arrogant throughout.

UNCA used to be so community oriented. Now they seem to operate in their own little bubble, as if other views don’t matter. Tearing up the forest will create a very negative image for the university. A lot of damage has already been done. UNCA needs to change course and show its willingness to contribute to our city rather than act like corporate overlords.

— Janice Stevenson Asheville X

defunct Sears building at the

CARTOON BY RANDY MOLTON

to do some bias sampling. I live in the highest-tax area in Buncombe and pay about 1%. I think that’s about as high as residential taxes go around here. I took a look at a block of Church Street in Asheville between Patton Avenue and Aston Street on the Buncombe County Tax Assessment website. In that block, there are approximately $50 million of untaxed, church-owned lands. For comparison’s sake, a similarly sized section of residential properties just north of Chestnut Street is worth about a tenth of that.

So, in taxing that block, the county would alleviate a half million dollars in new tax burden on residents. The cost of maintaining the roads that churchgoers drive on, the police services to direct traffic around them and the cost of fire services that will protect them will be more equally shared. Distributed around the city, with its numerous churches in high-value areas, these taxes could easily erase the need for a tax increase on property owners.

This proposal doesn’t even need a federal case. There’s no law saying churches can’t be taxed. The county could just flip a switch and send tax bills to churches tomorrow. I hope they do before they make us all pay more than our fair share.

— Mark Wonnacott Asheville

Driving tips for new residents

With the many new people in the Asheville area in recent years, I thought I would provide some important information about driving here.

First and foremost: It is illegal to use your turn signals here. The one exception is if you are in a dedicated turn lane and only turn on your signal once you are fully in that lane.

Tailgating is strongly encouraged. By following closely behind the car in front of you, you can block the view of their turn signal, thus possibly preventing them from being ticketed should they forget the law and turn theirs on.

Of course, speed limits, red lights and stop signs are only suggestions. You know what you are doing. When leaving a parking lot, be sure to be in the center of the entrance/ exit. That way, anyone trying to pull into that parking lot will block the cars behind them and help keep you safe from being hit by oncoming traffic.

Hope that helps as you acclimate to the unique Asheville experience.

— Eric Marx Swannanoa

P.S. Make sure you keep your car insurance current.

P.P.S. My letter to the editor is satirical in nature and I in no way rec-

ommend not following driving laws of any kind.

Then and now, train travel makes sense

Ever since I moved to Asheville (1990), I have been hearing about the desire for a train to and from Asheville to connect to the Amtrak already in existence. I heartily agree but am skeptical, having seen 35-plus years go by with still no train.

Having just two days ago experienced the torture of driving Interstate 85 in the Atlanta area at rush hour (I cannot fathom how anyone can live like that every day!), it seems just outright stupid to me that Americans are not clamoring for a restoration of our rail service.

Word of the week

epiphanic (adj.) of or having the character of an epiphany

This week’s word was nominated by Xpress contributing editor Rob Mikulak, after reviewing Xpress contributing writer Edwin Arnuadin’s latest piece “Key Collaborators: The Beethoven 32 Celebrate Composer’s Sonatas” on Page 28. X

I have been reading letters of my grandmother and her sister back in the 1880s, when they both attended college in Akron, Ohio, and were discussing which of three possible train routes they could take home to Jackson (small town in southern Ohio).

Then there was the recent vision of airport travelers spending hours coping with a clogged check-in procedure, while I’m thinking, “They could’ve driven to their destination in that amount of time!”

Think of how much land interstates take up with their on- and off-ramps versus double train tracks.

Too many cars, not enough trains! — A.A. Lloyd Asheville X

CARTOON BY BRENT BROWN

The long view Cemetery project aims to preserve and honor our history

BY PHYLLIS “LADY SUNSHINE” UTLEY

In Western North Carolina, history is often treated like our mountain topsoil: precious, yet subject to the quiet, constant erosion of neglect. We see it in the clogged tributaries of our rivers, and we see it in the silt of amnesia covering our historically marginalized cemeteries.

The late author Wilma Dykeman, the legendary voice of the French Broad River, famously challenged us to adopt the long view. She argued that we are not merely temporary residents of this land but stewards of a continuum reaching from the ancestors to the unborn. Today, as we look at the weathered, vinechoked headstones of veterans and pioneers in our region, Dykeman’s philosophy offers a moral compass for a new kind of conservation.

Dykeman spent her life fighting to stop the French Broad River from being treated as a sewer. She understood that a polluted river was a symptom of a polluted civic soul.

OUR REGIONAL STORIES

In the same vein, when we allow a cemetery, particularly one holding those who served a country that did not always serve them, to be reclaimed by briars or development, we are committing an act of historical pollution. And so, cemetery preservation can be seen as a type of environmental justice.

To clear the brush from a grave is to practice Dykeman’s human ecology, ensuring our regional story remains as clean and clear as a mountain stream. The Cemetery Remembrance Project is a local effort to do just that. An initiative of the Land of Sky Regional Council (LOSRC), the project launched in 2024 and is dedicated to identifying, mapping, protecting and preserving cemeteries honoring veterans and Americans in marginalized communities in WNC.

So far, in working with faculty from Mars Hill University, UNC Asheville, Warren Wilson College, Isothermal Community College and Western Carolina University, along

with local students, churches and community members, the project has identified about 30 cemeteries in need of restoration across WNC.

But funding has become an issue. As Xpress reported in February, the AmeriCorps grant that funded the program was terminated last year as part of widespread Trump administration cuts affecting thousands of federal grants. A U.S. District Court ordered the grants restored, yet the council has not yet received formal approval for the grant as part of the current fiscal year.

“While the Cemetery Remembrance Project has successfully identified and begun mapping critical veterans’ and marginalized community leaders’ burial grounds, our primary challenge is a structural funding gap,” says Nathan Ramsey, LOSRC executive director. “Despite the initial $338,209 AmeriCorps 9/11 Day of Service grant, the nonapproval of the final year’s federal allocation has created an immediate need for ‘bridge funding.’

“Beyond the financial hurdle, we face the logistical complexity of historical erasure,” Ramsey continues. “Many of these sites have been neglected for decades, requiring intensive technical mapping and coordination with property owners. The urgency is twofold: We must secure the technical partnerships necessary for site preservation while simultaneously transitioning from a federally dependent model to a diversified, community-governed funding structure that ensures these sacred spaces are never again at risk of being forgotten.”

A CALL TO STEWARDSHIP

In the 1957 book Neither Black nor White, which Dykeman wrote with her husband, James Stokely, they dared to suggest that the South’s identity was an inseparable tapestry. For too long, the threads representing veterans and the founders of communities like the historic Rosenwald community in Transylvania County or the Kingdom of the Happy Land in Henderson County have been frayed by time and systemic disregard. These cemeteries are the unwritten chapters of our history. By restoring them, we aren’t just fixing up old plots; we are editing the landscape to tell the whole, unvarnished truth.

In Highland Homeland and other works, Dykeman presents the past as a living part of the present. And so we have a choice: We can allow the

prickly seasons of neglect to erase these landmarks of the spirit, or we can embrace the long view. Preserving these sites is an act of radical inclusion. It is a way to ensure that the tall women and tall men Dykeman wrote about who built this region are seen clearly against our horizon. Let us honor Dykeman’s legacy by protecting the ground that holds our own. In the end, we aren’t just saving the dead; we are saving the soul of the mountains for the living.

Phyllis Utley, affectionately known as Lady Sunshine, is project manager for the Cemetery Remembrance Project and the author of Sunshine Pathways: Discovering Your Ancestral Strengths for Abundant Living and many other books. She has received numerous awards, including the 2025 Impact Award from the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce. X

To learn more

On Thursday, April 23, at 7 p.m., project leaders for the Cemetery Remembrance Project will discuss the effort at the Weaverville Community Center. Register for the free event via avl.mx/fhr. You can also join the project in its mission to document and preserve these sacred sites. Visit avl/mx/fhs or email phyllis@ landofsky.org to learn how you can volunteer or contribute to the long view of our history. X

PHYLLIS “LADY SUNSHINE” UTLEY

From Asheville to Raleigh

BY THOMAS CALDER

Incumbent District 49 Sen. Julie Mayfield shares her environmental concerns and stances, which inform her 2026 reelection campaign. Her opponent, Charles “CJ” Domingo, did not respond to requests to participate.

The Power Bill Reduction Act became law in July 2025. Its supporters assert the bill removes costly carbon reduction goals and implementations. Its critics point out that the act prolongs

the use of fossil fuels and allows Duke Energy to charge customers for plants before they are built. What is your view of the law? If you support it, why? If you oppose it, what can you do legislatively to combat it?

As one of the architects of HB 951 that established the carbon reduction goals in 2021, I led my caucus in opposing the Power Bill Reduction Act. Modeling on which the bill was based showed the savings for customers would have been less than $6/year — a small cost in exchange for significant carbon reduc-

tion. I will fight to keep the 2050 goal and reestablish an earlier goal when Democrats retake the majority.

In April, the N.C. Environmental Management Commission will hold several public hearings on proposed rules for monitoring and minimizing three PFAS substances (also known as “forever chemicals”) in wastewater discharged into the state’s surface waters. According to the Natural Resources Defense Council, more than 3.5 million North Carolinians are drinking water that is already contaminated with unsafe levels of PFAS. What steps will you take to reduce PFAS substances in our drinking water?

I have supported and tried to improve legislation regulating PFAS, but there is not yet a Republican-sponsored bill that puts the responsibility to manage PFAS where it belongs: with the user and discharger of the chemicals. Under the Clean Water Act, every other pollutant is managed by regulating the discharger rather than leaving downstream communities to spend tens of millions of dollars to remove it from drinking water. PFAS should be as well.

Will you support funding for state-level resilience projects, such as the Flood Resiliency Blueprint?

funds to properly manage the third-fastest-growing state and our increasing needs for infrastructure and services.

Do you support the expansion of solar and wind energy production in North Carolina? If yes, why? If no, why not?

Yes. Investing in renewable energy is good for the climate and North Carolina’s economy. When North Carolina had solar tax credits, we became one of the top states in the country for solar installations, creating a multibillion-dollar industry and tens of thousands of jobs. These investments also help reduce reliance on a volatile fossil fuel market and bring costs down for customers over time.

What is one position you share with your opponent on an environmental issue? Conversely, what do you consider the biggest difference between your environmental stance and that of your opponent?

Yes. We need to think beyond simply repair from storms to rebuilding for resiliency. Federal dollars, however, usually can only be used to rebuild, so the state must fund building back better. This will become more difficult, however, because Republicans have created a fiscal crisis through tax cuts, leaving North Carolina without the

My opponent talks about the importance of investing in infrastructure — roads, transit, sidewalks, water and power — and I agree with that. All of those things require significant dollars to build and maintain, but state and federal funding are diminishing, and the state legislature largely prohibits local governments from creating new revenue streams. The state must cease its irresponsible tax cuts and enable local governments to create new sources of revenue to build sound infrastructure. X

SEN. JULIE MAYFIELD

NEWS From WNC to DC

Jamie Ager on his environmental stances and how they inform his campaign for U.S. 11

BY THOMAS CALDER

tcalder@mountainx.com

Jamie Ager, who is running for the U.S. House of Representatives in District 11, discusses his environmental concerns and priorities. His opponent, incumbent Chuck Edwards, did not respond to requests to participate.

What is your stance on solar energy? What sustainability practices do you support?

Western North Carolina farms, small businesses and homes need an energy strategy that can lower costs for all of our families and communities. That includes all types of energy, including solar energy, which we take advantage of in our home.

Unlike Chuck Edwards, I won’t let partisan politics get in the way of supporting whatever energy is cheapest and best for our families.

Last March, President Donald Trump signed H.J. Res. 35 into law, using the Congressional Review Act (CRA) to revoke the November 2024 regulation that established compliance, reporting and fee collection for methane emissions from oil and gas facilities. Your opponent supported the measure. Where do you fall on the issue?

Letting oil and gas companies off the hook for tracking and reducing pollution doesn’t help anybody in the long run. We need clean air and water for our kids.

While Chuck Edwards is fine with letting these companies operate

without guardrails, I support reasonable accountability that keeps our environment clean while keeping our businesses running.

In the past year, the U.S. House considered legislation that would completely defund the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), which was critical in providing real-time data, imagery and infrastructure support during Tropical Storm Helene. If the item were put to a vote today, how would you vote and why?

I would vote hell no on defunding NOAA. Hurricane Helene cost us roads, bridges, homes and neighbors. I still wake up in the middle of the night when it starts raining and go straight into fight mode.

During the storm, NOAA was critical to understanding what was happening and how to respond. Defunding the agency means next time a storm comes up that valley, we’re blind. I will never leave Western North Carolina blind.

What is your stance on data center development?

Data centers need to work for us, not the other way around. If we’re going to let a data center be built in Western North Carolina, it needs to bring good local jobs; it cannot poison our water or our air, and it cannot drive up electric bills for families and small businesses.

Canton asked the right questions. Every community deserves that ability to set the terms if they want a data center at all.

If the House were to vote on a formal declaration of war against Iran, how would you vote? And is the current spending on the war sustainable?

I would vote no. Western North Carolina is less than 15% recovered on $60 billion in Helene damage. Every dollar we sink into another war is a dollar that does not come back to these communities.

I am glad the ayatollah is gone, but we cannot get into another war in the Middle East while we struggle here at home.

What is one position you share with your opponent on an environmental issue? Conversely, what do you consider the biggest difference between your environmental stance and that of your opponent?

Chuck Edwards introduced a bipartisan bill to expand wildland firefighter training at civilian conservation centers right here in our district. That’s good policy, and I support it.

The biggest difference between us is what happens when disaster actually hits. I watched what Helene did to this valley. Unlike Chuck Edwards, I would never cut NOAA, gut FEMA* or fail to bring home the dollars our community needs to rebuild from Hurricane Helene.

*Editor's note: On April 15, 2025, Rep. Edwards issued a 61-page report that stated that FEMA, while flawed, is needed to help WNC recover from Tropical Storm Helene. “Western North Carolina cannot afford for recovery to be interrupted by total terminations of critical recovery programs,” the report noted. It did call to eliminate duplicative programs. Read more at avl.mx/eq8. X

JAMIE AGER

District 115

N.C. Rep. Lindsey Prather on riverbank restoration, green energy and other environmental issues

Editor’s note

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. We will have additional Q&As with other local candidates featured throughout April. X OFFER EXPIRES 5/31/2026

BY THOMAS CALDER

Below are responses from Lindsey Prather, who is seeking reelection in N.C. House District 115. The district includes Weaverville and parts of north and west Buncombe County. Her opponent, Anthony Penland, did not submit responses. Eric Ager and Brian Turner are seeking reelection for districts 114 and 116, respectively. Neither faces a challenger.

The Power Bill Reduction Act became law in July 2025. Its supporters assert the bill removes costly carbon reduction goals and implementations. Its critics point out that the act prolongs the use of fossil fuels and allows Duke Energy to charge customers for plants before they are built. What is your view of the law? If you support it, why? If you oppose it, what can you do legislatively to combat it?

I oppose S266, I voted against it the first time, and I voted against it again when the governor vetoed it. I felt and still feel that the law benefits Duke Energy much more than it benefits the average North Carolinian. I will continue to support measures to repeal the law.

In April, the N.C. Environmental Management Commission will hold several public hearings on proposed rules for monitoring and minimizing three PFAS substances (also known as “forever chemicals”) in wastewater discharged into the state’s surface waters. According to the Natural Resources Defense Council, more than 3.5 million North Carolinians are drinking water that is already contaminated with unsafe levels of PFAS. What steps will you take to reduce PFAS substances in our drinking water?

I co-sponsored H569 PFAS Pollution and Polluter Liability, which is a bipartisan bill which allows polluters to be held accountable for the cost of cleaning up PFAS and the damages they cause to local water systems. I also co-sponsored a bill that would forbid firefighting foam containing PFAS chemicals to be used in training/testing exercises. I believe we can both work to reduce PFAS and to increase consequences for companies who use them.

Will you support funding for state-level resilience projects, such as the Flood Resiliency Blueprint?

Absolutely. I joined the governor recently to announce a grant provided from this program to Woodfin for riverbank restoration and resiliency. Protecting our communities from damaging floods is good for our people, the economy and the environment.

Do you support the expansion of solar and wind energy production in North Carolina? If yes, why? If no, why not?

Yes. The green energy sector has massive potential for job creation, as we’ve seen in other states. North Carolina is second in the country in solar energy production, but because of our restrictive laws and our state legislature’s relationship with Duke Energy, we’re not able to get the same benefits that other states are. We can improve our economy and protect our environment; we just have to make investments in the right places.

What is one position you share with your opponent on an environmental issue? Conversely, what do you consider the biggest difference between your environmental stance and that of your opponent?

I don’t know my opponent’s stances on environmental issues, as he hasn’t said or written much. His website says he supports “An investment in preventative infrastructure development,” so that may be something we agree on, depending on what he means. My opponent’s website doesn’t list any specific issues, whereas mine speaks specifically about the importance of a clean, healthy environment and the need for investment in stormwater management, among other things. X

REP. LINDSEY PRATHER

Forever chemicals

Residents weigh in on proposed PFAS rules

BY DANIELLE AROSTEGUI

danielle.arostegui@gmail.com

About two dozen people gathered at A-B Tech’s Ferguson Auditorium on April 7 to offer public comments on proposed rules to monitor and minimize PFAS in North Carolina waterways.

PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are a group of man-made chemicals widely found in commercial, industrial and consumer products. These chemicals, which have been linked to a variety of diseases, are known as “forever chemicals” because they are so resistant to breaking down in the environment and can build up in humans and animals.

In 2024, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) set nationwide limits for six varieties of PFAS in drinking water. As part of this process, public water systems are required to complete initial monitoring for these substances by 2027 and have until 2029 to implement solutions to reduce PFAS in accordance with the limits. (EPA is in the process of extending the compliance date to 2031.)

According to the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), an estimated 3.5 million North Carolinians drink tap water that has PFAS levels above the standards set by the EPA. DEQ has stated it will take “a whole-of-department approach to protect communities by identifying, reducing and remediating PFAS pollution,” including proposing state groundwater and surface water standards to complement the federal drinking water standards.

This is the context in which the N.C. Environmental Management Commission (EMC) proposed rules 15A NCAC 02b .0512 and 15A NCAC 02H .0923 to monitor and minimize three varieties of PFAS — PFOS, PFOA and Gen X — in wastewater discharged into North Carolina’s surface waters.

The proposed rules would require about 950 commercial and industrial facilities that produce large quantities of wastewater in North Carolina to perform baseline PFAS sampling and identify approaches to reduce PFAS discharge.

‘THAT’S NOT REGULATION’

Missing from the proposed rules, critics note, are any limits or standards on the amounts of these chemicals that can be allowed to flow into state waterways. Public commenters repeatedly identified this lack of enforceable limits as evidence that the proposed rules do not go far enough to protect public health.

“[These rules] do not protect the public — they protect polluters,” said Anna Alsobrook, a riverkeeper with MountainTrue, in her public comment. “There are no enforceable limits, no meaningful accountability and no consequences if pollution continues — or even increases. That’s not regulation. That’s permission.”

Buncombe County Commissioner Drew Ball struck a similar note. “If we are serious about protecting public health and taxpayer dollars, we need enforceable, numeric limits on PFAS discharges — not voluntary plans that vary by facility and lack accountability.”

Speaking on behalf of Clean Water for North Carolina, Crystal Norford pointed to her organization’s history to argue that the proposed rules are insufficient: “As an organization which first worked to hold DuPont accountable for releases of legacy PFAS [and other pollutants], we know ... other industries will do nothing to reduce their pollution unless they’re held to strict limits.”

She added, “We don’t lack data on these forever chemicals. We lack action.”

In a follow-up email to Xpress, Josh Kastrinsky, deputy communications director for DEQ, noted the agency’s stance remains that “reducing PFAS at the discharge source is the most cost-effective way to protect public health and lower the cost of meeting the federal drinking water standards.”

At a Jan. 8 meeting, Kastrinsky continued, the EMC “noted an intent to engage in future rulemaking efforts to set numeric standards for PFAS, although it did not indicate when that effort might begin. DEQ looks forward to hearing from the public about how these rules could be strengthened and provide regulatory certainty to affected entities.”

Additional hearings on the proposed rules will be held on Monday, April 20, in Raleigh and Thursday, April 23, in Wilmington. Written comments may also be emailed to publiccomments@ deq.nc.gov with the subject title “PFAS minimization” until Monday, June 15.

For those wishing to submit a written message by mail, address it to Karen Preston, DEQ-DWR NPDES Permitting Section, 1617 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, N.C. 27699-1617. X

PUBLIC HEARING: State officials were among those participating in a public hearing at A-B Tech on April 7 about PFAS monitoring and minimization rules. Pictured, from left, are Bill Yarborough of the Environmental Management Commission, Karen Preston from the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) and Kate Shadwell, also with DEQ. Photo by Danielle Arostegui

Miles of momentum

Advocates of the Ecusta Trail celebrate its progress with ‘walk and roll’ event

BY JUSTIN M c GUIRE

jmcguire@mountainx.com

When Laura Rice looks out at the Ecusta Trail these days, what surprises her most is not how many people are using it, but how natural all the activity feels less than a year after the trail’s official opening.

“It feels like it’s been there longer, like it’s such a part of the fabric of the communities that it’s going through already,” says Rice, executive director of the nonprofit Friends of the Ecusta Trail (FOET).

That sense of belonging is part of what organizers hope to celebrate with the Main2Main event on Sunday, April 19, starting at 9 a.m. The noncompetitive “walk and roll” will be the first official gathering on the trail and a symbolic kickoff for future programming. Rice describes it as intentionally low-key — an untimed event designed to bring together walkers, runners and cyclists alike.

Participants can choose their own pace and distance, with activities beginning and ending at the Hendersonville Welcome Center and concluding with a celebration at nearby Boodas Brewing Co. The name itself points to the trail’s longterm vision: a continuous connection from Main Street in Hendersonville to Main Street in Brevard along an abandoned railroad track, even if that full build-out is still a few years away.

The event also marks another milestone in a year of rapid progress, following the opening of the trail’s first 6-mile stretch in Henderson County in July and Rice’s own arrival as executive director of the nonprofit in September. Organized in partnership with Henderson County Parks & Recreation, Main2Main serves as something of a test case for how future events will be permitted and managed, Rice says.

STARTING SMALL

The Ecusta Trail officially opened with a 6-mile paved stretch from Main Street in Hendersonville to the Horse Shoe community in Henderson County. Plans call for extending the trail about 13 more miles southwest to the City of Brevard in Transylvania County. Rice says the latest timeline projects completion of the Henderson County portion by the end of 2028, with the Transylvania section expected to follow in 2029.

A combination of local, state and federal funding is paying for much of the project, but the need for financial help remains.

“The focus of Main2Main is both celebration and fundraising,” Rice explains.

“We know that the remaining construction on the trail and the amenities — the kind of things that make a trail really special — are still going to take money. We don’t want to lose sight of that, while

KICKOFF: The noncompetitive Main2Main event will be the first official gathering on the Ecusta Trail and a symbolic kickoff for future programming. It takes place Sunday, April 19, starting at 9 a.m. Photo courtesy of Friends of the Ecusta Trail

also just enjoying the fact that we have this 6 miles of trail operating.”

Rice expects roughly 300 participants in Main2Main. “I’d rather start a little smaller and grow into it. There’s a lot going on in the spring in the mountains, so for a first-year event, I’m very happy with where things are.”

Rice expects the trail to host a mix of activities in the coming years, from organized runs and rides to educational programs and nature walks.

“I’d love to see more community-based events, as well as opportunities to explore history and nature along the trail,” she says. “But we also want to make sure we’re meeting a real need — not just putting programs out there for the sake of it.”

Thurs., April 23rd

11am - 1pm Lunch

Come enjoy a presentation about Givens Gerber Park: a more affordable rental retirement option (55+) and enjoy lunch on us. Monthly fees are all-inclusive and based on income. RSVP required.

Safety measures, including staggered participation, will be in place to accommodate the range of users expected on the trail for Main2Main. The format is intentionally inclusive, reflecting the diverse ways people already use the trail. From casual walkers to cycling groups, the Ecusta Trail has quickly drawn a wide range of users — something Rice says is both a strength and an ongoing learning process.

“Everybody loves the trail, but they tend to love it for how they want to use it,” she says. “So it’s just about reminding people we’re all sharing the space — whether you’re walking, running or biking — and to be mindful of each other.”

LOOKING AHEAD

That shared-use philosophy is central to FOET’s broader vision. In addition to events like Main2Main,

Interest from the community — including local businesses and partner organizations — suggests that demand is already strong. Sponsors and collaborators have stepped up despite a relatively short planning window, another sign, Rice says, of the trail’s growing impact.

If all goes as planned, Main2Main will return each spring, growing alongside the trail itself.

“We definitely want it to be an annual event,” Rice says. “As the trail expands, we’ll add miles and keep building on it. The goal is that people will know each year that Main2Main is coming up — and come out to enjoy the trail again.” Registration for Main2Main will remain open through the day of the event, including on-site signups. To register before April 19, go to avl.mx/fh7. X

What comes next? UNCA students present on AI at upcoming symposium

BY ARNOLD WENGROW

a.wengrow@yahoo.com

Recent Pew Research Center polling shows that about half of the American public feel more concerned than excited about the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in daily life. Additionally, a Quinnipiac University poll found that 70% of Americans think advancements in AI are likely to lead to a decrease in the number of job opportunities for people.

In Washington, congressional committees have conducted hearings on a wide range of AI-related issues, including child safety, election integrity and national security. Closer to home, small towns such as Boone, Brevard and Canton have passed moratoriums on AI data centers, which require large amounts of electricity and water. And Watauga and Swain counties will hold hearings later this month on similar actions.

Meanwhile, at UNC Asheville, Marietta Cameron, a professor of computer science, is teaching the course Cultivating Citizenship in a Global World: Of Humans and Machines. Students have been divided into committees to investigate how AI impacts labor and economics; the environment; the entertainment and creative industries; government and health; social, cultural and religious institutions; and education.

On Tuesday, April 21, students from Cameron’s course will present their work at the UNC Asheville Undergraduate Research Symposium. The group, which also includes members of Cameron’s course Introduction to Artificial Intelligence, will take the podium at 11 a.m. at Alumni Hall. The event is open to the public.

Cameron, who has studied AI for three decades, believes informed regulation is the ultimate solution. “Technology does not make decisions — people do,” she says. “When we allow these systems to run without careful oversight, we abdicate responsibility and relinquish our power, judgment and authority.”

STUDENTS’ PERSPECTIVES

Xpress recently met with three of the course’s participating students at the Smoothie Lab located at UNCA’s Ramsey Library. Courtney Clarke is a senior majoring in environmental science; Amity Martino, a fellow senior, is studying sociology and statistics; and Mackensie Austin, a junior, is majoring in new media. A fourth student, Madison Spangler, who is studying creative writing, offered written responses via email.

OF HUMANS AND MACHINES: On Tuesday, April 21, at 11 a.m., a group of UNC Asheville students will present their research on AI at the university’s Undergraduate Research Symposium. The free event is open to the public. Pictured are members of the research cohort, as well as Marietta Cameron, a professor of computer science. From left are Amity Martino, Cameron, Courtney Clarke, Mackensie Austin and Madison Spangler. Photo by Caleb Johnson

All but Spangler have used AI in limited ways. Clarke sees the technology as a sounding board and editing tool but doesn’t rely on it for answers. Martino uses AI on a limited basis due to privacy concerns and associated environmental costs. And Austin interacts with the technology for coding syntax.

“I don’t use it to come up with creative work,” Austin says.

Spangler, however, is opposed to engaging with the technology. “As an English major, my perception of AI is quite negative,” she writes. “I have heard and seen so many students use AI to complete the entirety of assignments, and my moral code can’t stand that. I personally have never used ChatGPT or any AI-generative tool. It’s replacing art, and that is my entire life, so I stay away from it.”

Many students, says Clarke, fear what personal information AI is collecting. “They’re afraid of AI learning everything about them,” she says. “There’s a lack of privacy, a lack of anonymity.”

Austin, who plans to pursue a graduate degree in graphic and interactive design at N.C. State, sees a growing anxiety about job security in her field. “A lot of people are worried about AI replacing artists and graphic designers,” she says.

Martino, the sociology major, is more concerned about AI’s economic system than the technology itself. She questions who controls the data that trains AI

systems, how those systems consume energy and who benefits financially.

“I am worried about AI usage in automating labor,” she says. “I can imagine it being useful, but under our current economic system, it’s driving harmful effects.”

Clarke sees AI in a larger frame. “It’s like the next Industrial Revolution,” she says. “It’s going to make a lot of jobs obsolete, but it’s also going to create new ones.” Some people will choose the speed and lower cost AI offers, she believes; others will still “want to pay for human brains and human abilities,” she adds.

THE POLICY CHALLENGE

Before Tropical Storm Helene, Cameron co-chaired a three-person task force that examined AI’s impact across the campus. In the storm’s aftermath, the university has shifted its priorities.

“While there have been ongoing and meaningful discussions, there is not currently an institutionwide policy specific to AI technologies,” Cameron says.

There are benefits to this approach, she continues. “Decisions around AI are not just technical; they are deeply human. Rather than rushing to adopt a policy, we should prioritize dialogue, shared learning and inclusive engagement,” Cameron says. “This work must be ongoing and grounded in a commit-

ment to ensuring that any future policy reflects the values, needs and voices of the community as a whole.”

Clarke doesn’t envy future policymakers — be it at the federal, state or campus level. The course, she says, has made her realize that “policy is extremely complicated. It’s difficult to protect the public and the economy, while still allowing innovation.”

For now, decisions about AI use at UNCA remain in the hands of individual instructors. The technology is moving fast. The rules are still catching up. And in Cameron’s class, students will present what they’ve learned at the April 21 symposium. X

Hemp happenings

St. Rains moves cannabis drink production to Hi-Wire, plus 4/20 events

BY GINA SMITH

gsmith@mountainx.com

Through a new partnership with Hi-Wire Brewing, the Ashevillebased St. Rains cannabis drink company is set to begin local production.

Launched in 2021, St. Rains founder and Asheville resident Bennett Christian notes the company has been manufacturing its organic fruit juice-based products in a Cincinnati brewing facility since 2024 due to the need for a specific piece of equipment — a tunnel pasteurizer. With Hi-Wire installing that equipment at its Biltmore Village location this spring, Christian says St. Rains is set to begin local production in May or June.

“Since we use a lot of organic juice in our formulations, tunnel pasteurization is key to ensuring a safe and prolonged shelf-life product,” says Christian, who has a background of more than a decade in the cannabis industry, including a stint with Colorado extraction pioneer Evolab. He adds that there are very few facilities in the U.S. that can manufacture organic juices and are also willing to work with cannabis.

St. Rains THC drinks, which include flavors such as OG Mango, Ojai Kush and Peach Herer, are sold through more than 100 bars, restaurants, grocery stores and other retailers in the Asheville area. The products are also distributed in Louisiana, and Christian is working on expanding throughout the Carolinas and Georgia. “[We’re] aiming to be Asheville’s next great craft export,” he says.

With a federal ban on intoxicating hemp products with THC levels above 0.4 milligrams due to go into effect Nov. 12, Christian says St. Rains is positioned to weather that looming storm. “As a flavor-first, whole-plant cannabis beverage that’s not dependent on any particular level of THC, we’ll remain on menus, in bars and on shelves,” he says.

He also expresses optimism for Western North Carolina’s cannabis industry in general and is hopeful that the region’s dispensaries and other hemp businesses will persevere, continuing to organize and advocate as new state laws emerge.

“The way the future looks right now, lower-dose, full-spectrum products will stay federally legal, and then North Carolina will likely create a regulated market for higher-potency products that will be legal specifically within North Carolina,” he says. “We’re a huge industry here; the vast majority of us want commonsense regulations, and we need to keep voicing it.”

To learn more about St. Rains, visit avl.mx/fhl.

State cannabis report recommends legalization

A new report from the N.C. Advisory Council on Cannabis recommends that state lawmakers legalize regulated retail sales of marijuana and hemp for adults to promote safety and economic opportunity for residents.

Noting the current absence of regulation in North Carolina’s intoxicating cannabis market, the council highlighted in its interim report, released April 2, that billions of dollars are being spent by residents on illegal marijuana.

“North Carolina’s cannabis marketplace is at a pivotal moment,” the council says in the report. “North Carolina is one of only 10 states and 3 U.S. territories that do not have a regulated adult-use marijuana market or medical marijuana program.”

Formed in 2025 by Gov. Josh Stein , the group of lawmakers, law enforcement, public health officials, growers, business owners and others has been meeting regularly for about nine months with the goal of determining a comprehensive statewide approach to cannabis regulation.

In an April 2 statement, Stein thanked the council for its expertise and work. “Our state’s unregulated cannabis market today is the Wild West and is crying for order,” the statement reads. “Let’s get this right. Let’s protect our kids and create a safe, legal and well-regulated market for adults.”

Bennett Christian , owner of Asheville cannabis beverage business St. Rains (see above story), says

IN THE WEEDS

MADE IN ASHEVILLE: St. Rains founder Bennett Christian is set to move production of his company’s cannabis drinks to Hi-Wire Brewing’s Biltmore Village facility. Photo by Kelly Shotwell

he is enthusiastic that in the report, the council reveals a focus on the cannabis plant overall, rather than on intoxicating marijuana versus nonintoxicating hemp.

“Ultimately, it’s all cannabis,” he says. “North Carolina could lead the way nationally with this approach.”

To read the full draft report, visit avl.mx/fhn.

4/20 events

• HempFest Pup-up Market — 1-6 p.m. Sunday, April 19, at WagWorld Pub & Off-Leash Resort, 29 Redmond Drive, Fletcher. Multiple vendors will be on hand for this year’s dog-friendly celebration. Admission is $10. Dogs must be registered in

advance to attend. Details and registration at avl.mx/fho.

• Chronic Block Party — 1-8 p.m. Saturday, April 18, at PlantBar/ Nightshade, 32 Banks Ave. This South Slope event features local food and drinks vendors, giveaways and music from Brandon Manitoba, BunsenBurner and Divine Thud. Learn more at avl.mx/fhp.

• 420 FEST — 7 p.m., Saturday, April 18, at Eulogy, 10 Buxton Ave. Burial Beer and Golden Goat Gallery team up to present bands Acid King, Bongzilla and ASG with an album release from local group Sunbearer. Tickets are $45. A vendor market kicks off at 5 p.m. at Visuals Rooftop Bar above the venue. For tickets and more information, visit avl.mx/fhq. X

‘Leave No Trace’

BY JUSTIN M c GUIRE

As summer tourism season approaches in Western North Carolina, local organizations are doubling down on a simple message for visitors: Enjoy the outdoors but leave it as you found it.

That message is rooted in the Leave No Trace philosophy, a set of widely used outdoor ethics principles that encourage people to minimize their impact on natural spaces through preparation, proper waste disposal and respect for wildlife and other visitors. In a region defined by its mountains, rivers and trails, those ideas have become central to how communities balance a booming outdoor tourism economy with the need to protect the landscapes that sustain it.

Along the French Broad River, that balance plays out in practical ways — from what visitors pack to how they plan their trip to where they relieve themselves while out for a day of fun.

“One of the biggest things we think about is how people manage their waste,” says Jack Henderson, French Broad trail manager with the nonprofit MountainTrue. “A lot of our access points don’t have restroom facilities, so we encourage people to plan ahead or use the sites that do have them.”

Improper disposal of human waste can contribute to water quality issues, including elevated bacteria levels in the river.

Henderson’s work centers on managing recreation along the French Broad, which draws thousands of paddlers, tubers and anglers each year. He emphasizes that while visitor behavior matters, it is often not the primary driver of the river’s pollution problems. Instead, much of the debris collected during cleanups appears to come from outside recreational use.

Still, smaller, preventable impacts — like unsecured gear or a lack of trash disposal at access points — can add up, particularly when visitors are unprepared.

“A lot of those facilities don’t have trash cans,” he said. “So we encourage people to keep that in mind and bring along a trash bag to keep their stuff together.”

Other recommendations are equally straightforward: Avoid bringing glass containers that can break and become hazards; secure loose items in boats to

prevent litter; and properly dispose of trash even when bins are not available.

EDUCATING VISITORS

In Buncombe County, Leave No Trace principals are part of Explore Asheville’s long-term tourism strategy. The organization’s Strategic Imperatives, developed from more than 100 hours of listening sessions and a review of existing municipal and nonprofit plans, aim to guide tourism in a way that prioritizes stewardship alongside growth, says Ashley Greenstein, public information manager.

“We take a destination management approach that encourages safe and responsible travel,” she explains. “It’s about inspiring both residents and visitors to care for and respect our natural, cultural and human resources.”

One key tactic is dispersing visitors — both geographically and seasonally — to reduce strain on heavy-traffic areas. The organization also invests in projects that support natural spaces, including greenways and parks, while weaving stewardship messaging into trail signage, visitor guides and online resources.

Those efforts are amplified through Explore Asheville’s partnerships with broader initiatives like Outdoor NC, a statewide program launched in 2020 by Visit North Carolina to promote responsible outdoor recreation.

“We saw more and more people getting into our outdoor spaces,” says Amanda Baker, director of partner and industry relations for Visit North Carolina. “It was an opportunity to help educate visitors as well as our destination partners.”

Outdoor NC now works with more than 50 partners across the state to promote consistent messaging rooted in Leave No Trace principles, helping ensure visitors encounter the same guidance whether they are in the mountains, the Piedmont or along the coast.

While the core message is consistent, WNC presents its own set of challenges, Baker says. Waterfalls are a major draw, but also a safety concern. The region’s black bear population requires visitors to be mindful about food storage and wildlife interaction.

PADDLE

WITH CARE: Responsible tourism on the French Broad River centers on encouraging visitors to follow Leave No Trace practices, use proper facilities, minimize waste and pollution and rely on outreach tools and programs, says Jack Henderson, French Broad trail manager with the nonprofit MountainTrue. Photo courtesy of MountainTrue

Trail use is another issue, she says. Visitors who stray from marked paths can create “social trails,” contributing to erosion and potentially leading others off course.

Parking, particularly along the Blue Ridge Parkway, has also become a growing concern, as improperly parked vehicles can block emergency access.

To address these issues, Outdoor NC and its partners incorporate region-specific guidance into signage, websites and outreach campaigns.

FROM VISITORS TO VOLUNTEERS

Another growing trend is “voluntourism,” which encourages visitors to give back during their stay.

Explore Asheville connects visiting groups with local service opportunities, including planting vegetation along riverbanks, assembling seed kits and supporting community organizations.

Environmental partnerships also play a central role. Annual cleanup events, organized with groups like RiverLink and Asheville GreenWorks, have drawn significant participation. In one recent effort, more than 100 volunteers collected over 4,000 pounds of trash across multiple sites.

Education efforts are increasingly designed to reach visitors before they even arrive.

MountainTrue maintains an online planning resource, FrenchBroadPaddle.com, which provides detailed information about river access points, safety considerations and packing recommendations.

New signage at public access sites is also in development, aimed at delivering consistent, easy-to-understand guidance. Meanwhile, water quality data collected throughout the summer is shared through a public platform, allowing users to make informed decisions about recreation.

“That’s a really helpful tool for people to understand what’s going on in the river,” Henderson says.

Despite increased awareness, though, officials say challenges remain as visitation continues to grow. Greenstein notes that rising costs can make it more difficult for tourism-related businesses to adopt sustainable practices, while increased use puts pressure on natural areas.

Still, Henderson and the others are optimistic.

“The vast majority of people out there already want to do the right thing,” he says. “It’s just about giving them the tools to do it.” X

‘Talk to your neighbors’

Haw Creek activist says community input is crucial for thoughtful growth

BY DANIELLE AROSTEGUI

danielle.arostegui@gmail.com

Haw Creek has been in the news lately as the result of the neighborhood’s opposition to Meadows at Haw Creek — a proposed 84-home development along New Haw Creek Road. The resulting debate has gotten heated at times, with neighbors trading barbed editorials and local commentators accusing the neighborhood of engaging in NIMBYism. (The acronym NIMBY stands for “Not in my backyard.”) Despite having been approved by City Council in 2024, the Meadows is currently in limbo due a neighborhood challenge to the proposed entrance to the development.

The Haw Creek Community Association (HCCA) and its longtime former president, Chris Pelly, have been at the center of the debate from the beginning. When neighbors learned of the proposed development, Pelly and the HCCA helped organize the response. After months of effort, they managed to negotiate an agreement with the developer, L.B. Jackson, to reduce the number of homes from 95 to 84 and add a greenway, a sidewalk and other community improvements. Despite these concessions, there are many in the neighborhood who remain dissatisfied and continue to oppose the development.

It’s not the first time the HCCA has gotten involved in a development dispute. The nonprofit was established in 1984. Among its successes, it has managed to block the development of an apartment complex near Tunnel Road and to rezone approximately 250 acres of the surrounding land, effectively blocking any additional high-density projects in the neighborhood.

The nonprofit was also behind campaigns to establish two public parks in the neighborhood: Haw Creek Park and Masters Park. In addition, the HCCA successfully advocated for the creation of sidewalks on New Haw Creek, Trinity Chapel, Avon and Tunnel roads. Pelly, who has a background in community organizing, helmed the organization through many of these campaigns. He served as president of the HCCA from 1995-2003 and again from 2007-11. From 2011-15, he took a break to serve on Asheville

COMMUNITY LEADER: After multiple terms across several decades, Chris Pelly, longtime president of the Haw Creek Community Association, has stepped down from his position to make room for new leadership. He speaks with Xpress about his tenure, accusations of NIMBYism and the role neighborhood associations play in shaping communities. Photo by Danielle Arostegui

City Council, before returning for a third term as HCCA president in 2020. At the association’s March 11 meeting, he stepped down to make way for new leadership. At the same session, Mayor Esther Manheimer recognized Pelly for his service organizing and advocating on behalf of his community. Michelle Decker was elected to the position on March 15.

Xpress recently spoke to Pelly about his experience with neighborhood organizing and the role of community organizations in shaping crucial decisions around housing and development.

Xpress: What is the value of having an organized and engaged community association?

Pelly: No. 1, you can be prepared to respond when things happen that have a community impact. But the other thing is that it provides a place for people to come together and articulate their unmet needs and talk about what we want to do differently or do better. It provides a forum for people to come together

and work together on the needs of the community.

How do you respond to accusations that Haw Creek is NIMBY in its approach to development?

Everybody wants the best for their community. There’s not always unanimity of opinion about what that is. We’ve got to recognize that we’re a growing community. People are moving here, and they need a place to live. Haw Creek is close to downtown. All the reasons we love it are the reasons other people are probably going to love it too. Housing is going to be needed. It just comes down to how much and where.

The New Haw Creek Road site is a prime spot for development. The HCCA tried to be realistic about this and recognize that development is probably going to happen there sooner or later. So how do we make the best of it? That’s when we started negotiating for improvements that would benefit the surrounding community, such as a new sidewalk, preservation of a 4.3-acre stand of mature forest and a greenway along

the creek. We felt like we came to a pretty good agreement with the developers, but obviously not everybody agreed.

I like to think back on some of the concerns that have been raised by the residents that live in Happy Valley [the subdivision neighboring the proposed development]. Happy Valley has over 100 homes now, but I can imagine when it was first developed in 1965 there were probably folks that were pretty unhappy about this subdivision being built on former farming land. I personally live in a house that was a cornfield at one time. I try to keep that in mind. Change happens. People need a place to live. You’ve got to be flexible with it.

Having been on both sides — as a community organizer and a member of City Council — what do you see as the appropriate role of neighborhood input in development decisions?

I think neighborhoods need to be at the table. It doesn’t mean they have veto power, but they need to be listened to. Effective public policy comes from integrating all the different players and trying to come up with an outcome that serves the community but also meets the needs of the city — which is more housing. If developers engage in a good process, community associations can be a partner in helping foster that change. When I was in my first term as HCCA president, Mountain Housing Opportunities came to us about locating one of their developments in Haw Creek. It was only 12 or 14 homes, but there were people in the neighborhood who were concerned. So the staff of Mountain Housing and I went door to door to talk to the neighbors about what they were trying to do. After that outreach happened, there was no opposition.

Let’s talk about development. The HCCA has been involved in development battles well before the Meadows was proposed. Tell me more about that.

The first big campaign I was part of, back in 1995, was the opposition to the apartment complex that was proposed for where Haw Creek Park is now. It had been approved by City Council. It was a done deal. But the thing that gave us something to hang our hat on was that Carolina Power & Light (CPL) — which is a precursor to Duke Energy — had an option on the land. We met with CPL and talked about our concerns. CPL agreed not to extend the option on the land, which forced the devel-

opers to back out. Then the conversation shifted to, well, we don’t have any public spaces in Haw Creek, and that’s when we began the campaign to build Haw Creek Park.

As part of that first campaign, we realized that a whole chunk of Haw Creek was high-density zoning. And we’re like, “Why is that? This is kind of a rural area.” So we went door to door to get the signatures we needed to get it rezoned. That success really helped spur us on to fight for the park.

What are you most proud of accomplishing during your 17-year tenure as HCCA president?

I am proud HCCA’s efforts have been about more than just fighting against development. We also battled for improvements that have enabled us to expand amenities as the population grew. Aside from the two public parks, which I am very proud of, the campaign I feel really good about is getting sidewalks built along Tunnel Road so that the veterans living in Oteen could safely walk to the hospital and back. At the time, there was nothing but goat trails along there. The cool thing about

this campaign was that it was a collaboration between several local neighborhoods and the veterans themselves. At first, the Department of Transportation (DOT) said, “Whoa, we don’t do sidewalks.” But by the end of the campaign, the DOT agreed to install the sidewalks.

What advice would you give to other people who are interested in organizing their community?

Talk to your neighbors. You can learn a lot of good skills just talking to people. It’s about listening. Get a sense of the pulse of the community and their concerns and be willing to put some shoe leather into it.

It may take a while to see progress. Our association gives out an award called the Dogged Determination Award to people who have demonstrated stick-to-it-ness because that’s what it often takes to see change. It’s been over 25 years since we first started advocating for a sidewalk on New Haw Creek Road, but we’re finally getting it.

Editor’s note: Danielle Arostegui now serves on the HCCA board. Her official role with the association began after reporting this story. X

For questions about free listings, email calendar@ mountainx.com. To submit a listing, please fill out a submission form by visiting 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 (4/15, 4/22), FR (4/17), MO (4/20), noon, Weaverville Yoga, 3-B Florida Avenue

Wellness Wednesdays:

Cue The Pub Run

A fun pub run that takes place every Wednesday, rain or shine. All ages and experience levels are welcome.

WE (4/15, 4/22), 6pm, Archetype Brewing, 265 Haywood Rd

Anahata Yoga

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

WE (4/15, 4/22), FR (4/17), SA (4/18), MO (4/20), 10:30am, Weaverville Yoga, 3-B Florida Avenue

Tai Chi Fan

The Tai Chi Fan class includes a short Flying Rainbow Single Fan form, partner work, and Flying Rainbow Double Fan form.

WE (4/15, 4/22), 1pm, Dragon Phoenix, 51 N Merrimon Ave

Yes Om: Where the Playful Spirit of Improv Meets the Profound Stillness of Meditation Improv and Meditation spring from the same place within us: Improv connects us to others. Meditation connects us to ourselves. Both refine our awareness.

WE (4/15), 5:30pm, Quietude, 1130 Montreat Rd

Tai Chi w/Jay Lohr

Working with a Sun Style base, this class offers a relaxed experience, improving movement and health no matter your mobility level or limitations.

TH (4/16, 23), 10am, Quietude, 1130 Montreat Rd

Group Meditation

Weekly group meditation sessions, in person or via zoom.

TH (4/16, 23), 7pm, Asheville Insight Meditaiton, 85 Weaverville Rd

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

Saturday Morning Farm Yoga

There’s something truly special about practicing yoga on the land, surrounded by gentle animals and open skies.

SA (4/18), 9:30am, Animal Haven of Asheville, 65 Lower Grassy Branch Rd

Sound Healing Meditation w/Himalayan Bowls

Imagine the soothing tones of Himalayan singing bowls washing over you, calming your mind, and rejuvenating your spirit.

SA (4/18), 11am, Quietude, 1130 Montreat Rd

Yoga in the Park Asheville

All-level friendly yoga classes based on Hatha & Vinyasa traditions. Classes are led by a rotation of certified yoga instructors.

SU (4/19), 10am, West Asheville Park - Gassaway Field, 198 Vermont Ave

Sunday Sound Meditation w/Himalayan Bowls

Imagine the soothing tones of Himalayan singing bowls washing over you, calming your mind, and rejuvenating your spirit.

SA (4/18), 11am, Somatic Sounds, 157 S Lexinton

Y12SR: Yoga & 12 Step Recovery

Learn to deal with life’s stressors, substance free.

MO (4/20), 4:30pm, AmeriHealth Caritas NC Wellness and Opportunity Center, 216 Asheland Ave

Yin Yang Qigong

Together, we will balance the Yin and Yang within to effortlessly smooth out internal and external physical, emotional and mental disharmonies.

MO (4/20), 10am, Dragon Phoenix, 51 N Merrimon Ave

Doom Metal Yoga w/ Quantum Mystic Doom metal Yoga will be a slower paced yoga class connecting

COMMUNITY CALENDAR

ON YOUR MARK, GET SET, GO!: On Saturday, April 18, Mills River Brewing hosts a 5K, beginning at 10 a.m., and a fun run at 10:45 a.m. The race benefits the Blue Ridge Humane Society, an organization dedicated to the welfare and protection of animals our community. Photo courtesy of Mills River Brewing

movements with the breath.

TU (4/21), 6:30pm, Eulogy, 10 Buxton 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 (4/21), 8:30am, Happy Body Pilates, 25 Reed St., Suite 210

Yoga for Optimal Aging w/Leslie Temme

Instructor Leslie Temme will guide us through movement to help maintain joint and muscle health and address inflammatory conditions.

TU (4/21), 1:30pm, Quietude, 1130 Montreat Rd

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 (4/21), 9am, Dragon Phoenix, 51 N Merrimon Ave

Community Yoga w/ Carrie

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

WE (4/22), 10:30am, AmeriHealth Caritas NC Wellness and Opportunity Center, 216 Asheland Ave

SUPPORT GROUPS

Staying Grounded in Shaky Times

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

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

Reconnecting Through Hard Times

This quick but valuable, interactive training offers simple, powerful strategies to support others after a crisis.

Register at avl.mx/f9v.

WE (4/15, 22), 12pm, Online

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 (4/15, 22), 6pm, Online

Community Listening Circle

This free virtual listening circle offers a judgement-free, trauma-informed space to gather, reset and reflect-together. Register at avl.mx/f9u.

WE (4/15, 22), 12pm, Online

Solutions Group Daily living sober meeting. For more information, visit avl.mx/f91.

SU (4/19), 12:30pm, Virtual, Online

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

SU (4/19), 7am, Virtual, Online

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

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 (4/15, 4/22), 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 (4/16, 4/23), TU (4/21), 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 (4/16, 4/23), 6:15pm, Stephens-Lee Rec Center, 30 George Washington Carver Ave

Rooftop Salsa

Instructors will kick things off with a fun, easy-to-follow lesson during the first hour— perfect for beginners or anyone who wants to warm up before the party starts.

SU (4/19), 5pm, The Rooftop at Highland Brewing Co., 12 Old Charlotte Hwy

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

When Light Returns

The works in this exhibition reflect these 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

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 Master of Fine Art Thesis Exhibition 2026

Experience the culmination of three years of intense creative study and exploration in this exhibition, highlighting artwork 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

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

ART

Tuesday through Saturday, 11am. Exhibition through May, 9. Black Mountain College Museum & Arts Center, 120 College St

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

COMMUNITY MUSIC

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), 7:15pm, 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.

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

Masterworks 6: Requiem

Two deeply personal masterpieces reveal glimpses of the soul: Mozart’s haunting self-eulogy pairs with Tchaikovsky’s luminous serenade, composed from “deep within” as both a tribute to Mozart.

SA (4/18), 2pm, First Baptist Church of Asheville, 5 Oak St

Thee Dragonfly in Concert

This concert will feature nostalgia-invoking ballads and fresh new originals, plus a few powerhouse covers thrown in for good measure.

SA (4/18), 6:30pm, Flood Gallery, 802 Fairview Rd, Ste 1200

Music by the River w/ Goldpine Husband-wife duo GOLDPINE offers their own brand of bold harmony-driven Americana to audiences large and small.

SU (4/19), 4pm, Olivette Riverside Pavilion, 1069 Olivette Rd

Emerald Empire Wedding Showcase

This showcase offers the opportunity to meet your producer, who can answer any questions you may have about booking your band. You can experience a rehearsal and preview a variety of musical styles and band sizes to help you find the perfect fit for your event.

WE (4/22), 6pm, One World Brewing West, 520 Haywood Rd

Remembrance: Honoring Creation, Land & Community w/Murphy Campbell

Murphy Campbell is nationally recognized, known throughout WNC for her heartfelt

blend of traditional Appalachian folk, mountain ballads, and acoustic storytelling music rooted in the rich musical heritage of our region.

WE (4/22), 6:30pm, Alexander Chapel United Methodist Church, 880 Aiken Road

COMMUNITY WORKSHOPS

Gardening in the Mountains: Epic Tomatoes–Dwarf Tomatoes

Discover tomato varieties that perform well in WNC, growing tomatoes from seed to harvest and a few basics of home tomato breeding. Visit avl.mx/fhg to register.

TH (4/16), 10am, Online,

Introduction to Wildflower Identification w/Gary Kauffman

In this class Gary Kauffman will show participants how to use popular picture-based wildflower guides as well as digital resources for identification.

SA (4/18), 2pm, Asheville Botanical Garden, 151 W.T. Weaver Blvd

The Reliability of Cessation

This program explores how attaching and resisting what we experience complicates and conditions what is naturally occurring and can lead to engrained habits and feelings of unsatisfactoriness and suffering.

MO (4/20), 6:30pm, Quietude, 1130 Montreat 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 (4/15, 4/22), 8:30pm, Sovereign Kava, 268 Biltmore Ave

Asheville StorySLAM: SUS

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

Aoundtable discussion on homelessness with author Brian Barth, Sylva Police Chief Chris Hatton, & Paul Phillips, Interim Supervisor of HERE In Jackson County.

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

Bryan E. Robinson Presents: She’ll Be KILLING ‘Round the Mountain w/Linda-Marie Barrett

An in-store or online meeting with local author Bryan E. Robinson where he will launch his new mystery, She’ll be Killing “Round the Mountain”, in conversation with Linda-Marie Barrett.

TH (4/16), 6pm, Malaprop’s Bookstore/ Cafe, 55 Haywood 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

Tommy Hays Presents: The Marriage Bed in Conversation w/Ron Rash

Tommy Hays will visit City Lights to share his new novel, The Marriage Bed, in conversation with Ron Rash.

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

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

The Dark City Speaks An evening of poetry featuring local college students, the Dark City Poets Society, and award-winning poets.

See p34

SA (4/18), 7:30pm, Black Mountain Center for the Arts, 225 West State St

Poetry w/Joseph Bathanti

Steady Daylight, the latest volume of poetry from Joseph Bathanti, returns to the place he grew up, the now-vanished neighborhood of East Liberty in Pittsburgh.

SA (4/18), 3pm, City Lights Bookstore, 3 E Jackson St

Flooded Poetry

Mondays

Poetry-specific open mic, starring you plus weekly featured readers, every Monday. MO (4/20), 6:30pm, Flood Gallery, 802 Fairview Rd #1200

The Inner Passage: An Untold Story of Black Resistance Along a Southern Waterway Photographer and researcher Virginia McGee Richards presents her new book, The Inner Passage: An Untold Story of Black Resistance Along a Southern Waterway, in conversation with Color My Outdoors founder Simone Adams. WE (4/22), 6pm, Malaprop’s Bookstore/ Cafe, 55 Haywood St Black Experience Book Club

This community-centered series is designed to explore literature that centers the voices, histories, and futures of the African Diaspora. TH (4/23), 6:30pm, YMI Cultural Center, 39 S Market Street

THEATER & FILM

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. . TH (4/16), 7:30pm, Asheville Performing Arts Academy, 55 Shiloh Rd, Ste 4

Venus in Fur Desperate director Thomas Novachek auditions a seemingly uncouth actress named Vanda for his play based on an 1870 erotic novel. As she reads, she transforms, taking control of the audition and inverting the power dynamics in a tense, funny, and seductive battle of wits that blurs the lines between reality and the play’s S&M fantasy. See p34 FR (4/17), SA (4/18), 7:30pm, SA (4/18), SU (4/19), 2:30pm, Attic Salt Theatre Co., 2002

Riverside Dr Cabaret!

Cabaret is a musical set in 1930s Berlin that contrasts the decadent nightlife of the Kit Kat Klub with the rising tide of Nazism, exploring themes of racism, love, denial, and complicity. FR (4/17), SA (4/18), 7:30pm, SU (4/19), 2pm Carol Belk Theatre at UNCA Campus, 1 University Heights

Foreign Film Friday: Babette’s Feast Having fled France, cook Babette Hersant arrives in West Jutland and soon becomes a housekeeper for two unmarried sisters. But when Babette wins the lottery, she decides to spend the money on a sumptuous meal for these melancholic and frugal people. FR (4/17), 6pm, Flood Gallery, 802 Fairview Rd #1200

Candice Guardino: Italian Bred Candice Guardino’s Italian Bred is a hilarious

and heartwarming theatricaedy based on true life events.

SA (4/18), 8pm, Wortham Center for the Performing Arts, 18 Biltmore Ave

Film Screening & Community Conversation: Redemption Time

The program will begin with live music, followed by the film screening, a panel discussion, and a closing reception at Deep Time AVL. See p34 SU (4/19), 4pm, Trinity United Methodist Church, 587 Haywood Rd

Screening: A Life

Reimagined, The George Masa Story

A new documentary exploring the life of George Masa, a Japanese immigrant photographer whose images helped shape early conservation efforts and the creation of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, will be featured in a series of special free screenings across wNC this month.

MO (4/20), 6pm, UNC Asheville, 1 University Hts

WE (4/22), 7pm, UC Theater at WCU, 136 Hinds University Center Liars & Believers presents: Yellow Bird Chase Yellow Bird Chase launches you into a wild world with no

words—just laughter, wonder, and theatrical magic for all ages and backgrounds.

WE (4/22), 6pm, Wortham Center for the Performing Arts, 18 Biltmore Ave

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 Aha Co-LAB: A Collaborative Conversation for Life Affirming Businesses

A think-tank to connect teachers, artists, and wellness entrepreneurs and explore the wide range of healing arts modalities, exchange ideas, and support each other and the community.

WE (4/15), 10am, 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

XPRESS EVENT PICK

Rooftop Salsa

• Rooftop at Highland Brewing Co. 12 Old Charlotte Hwy

• Saturday, April 19 | 5 p.m.

Instructors will kick things off with a fun, easy-to-follow lesson during the first hour—perfect for beginners or anyone who wants to warm up before the party starts.

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

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 (4/19), 10am, EarthFare - Westgate, 66 Westgate Pkw

Sunday Celebration

An uplifting Science of Mind Celebration.

SU (4/19), 11am, Center for Spiritual Living Asheville, 2 Science of Mind Way

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 (4/16), 6pm, Leicester Community Center, 2979 New Leicester Hwy

GAMES & CLUBS

Asheville Board Game Club Meetup

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

WE (4/15, 4/22), 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 (4/15, 4/22), 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 (4/16, 4/23), 11am, Well Played Board Game Café, 162 Coxe Ave, 101

Dungeons & Drafts

A Dungeons & Dragons

1-shot session run by a professional GM right next to our beautiful copper stills.

SA (4/18), 3pm, Oak and Grist Distilling Co., 1556 Grovestone Rd

Southside After Praise After church, enjoy an afternoon playing spades or dominoes.

SU (4/19), 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 (4/19), 1:30pm, Stephens-Lee Rec Center, 30 George Washington Carver Ave

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 (4/21), 6pm, Well Played Board Game Café, 162 Coxe Ave, 101 Game Night

An evening of cards and games such as dominoes and Rummikub.

TH (4/23), 7pm, First Congregational Church of Christ of Asheville, 20 Oak Street

KID-FRIENDLY PROGRAMS

Baby Story Time

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

TH (4/16, 4/23), 10:30am, Oakley/South Asheville Library, 749 Fairview Rd

TheaterWorksUSA presents Cat Kid Comic Club Cat Kid and Molly Pollywog help 21 rambunctious baby frogs create their own comics—encouraging creativity, collaboration, and problem-solving through storytelling, imagination, and artistic expression.

TH (4/23), 10am, Wortham Center for the Performing Arts, 18 Biltmore Ave

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 (4/15, 4/22), 3pm, New Belgium Brewing Co., 21 Craven St

A-B Tech Plant Sale Find more than 60 varieties of plants to choose from including herbs, flowers and veggies. Proceeds go directly to the Gnilka Memorial Scholarship.

WE (4/15), TH (4/16), 9:30am, A-B Tech’s Sycamore building, 29 Technology Drive

Huge Book Sale

The sale is located in the main meeting room of the Library and will feature over 3 thousand new and gently used donated and past library books as well as DVDs and music CDs.

TH (4/16), 10am, Marshall Library, 1335 N Main St

Rummage Sale

The WNC chapter of Project Linus is sponsoring a rummage sale with all proceeds, benefiting the chapter. FR (4/17), noon, First Congregational Church, 1735 5th Ave West

Green Man Maker’s Mart

A local vendors market featuring a rotating group of vendors selling

handmade products and vintage resale.

SA (4/18), noon, Green Man Brewing, 27 Buxton Ave

12 Bones Brewing Spring Arts Market

Celebrate spring with local artists, handmade goods and a community full of creativity as well as various drink options.

SA (4/18), noon, 12 Bones Brewing Smokehouse & Brewing, 2350 Hendersonville Rd

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 (4/18), 10am, Mars Hill Farmers & Artisans Market, College St, Mars Hill

Blue Ridge Community College Horticulture Program Plant Sale

All plants are student grown and proceeds directly benefit the program and its participants. It will feature a wide variety of vegetables, herbs, ornamentals, hanging baskets, perennials, native trees & shrubs, as well as a stunning selection of succulents and houseplants.

SA (4/18), 8am, BRCC Flat Rock Campus Greenhouses, 245 E Campus Dr Junk-O-Rama Vintage Market

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

SU (4/19), noon, Fleetwood’s, 496 Haywood Rd WNC Farmers Market

This year-round market features locally grown produce, fruits and vegetables, mountain crafts, plants, shops, arts and crafts, sourwood honey, and other farm fresh items. Open daily, 8am. 570 Brevard Rd

FESTIVALS & SPECIAL EVENTS

Hops for Hominy

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

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

Patio Pop-up w/ Murrell’s Row Spirits Folks are invited to sip refreshing cocktails and make their own mini flower bouquets. Get creative with the build-your-own gin and tonic station and grab some dinner from the new spring menu.

TH (4/16), 5:30pm, Easy Tiger Pub, 125 S Lexington Ave

420 FEST w/Acid

King, Bongzilla, ASG & Sunbearer

Back for the 3rd year, Eulogy’s annual 420 FEST is teaming up with local purveyors of green goodness Golden Goat Gallery this year to present to you one hell of a ripper with California vintage smoke legends.

SA (4/18), 7pm, Eulogy, 10 Buxton Ave

Downtown After 5: Stomp & Holler Night w/Sam Burchfield

The events are free and open to the public and feature live music, food trucks, local beverage vendors, artisan market vendors, and family-friendly activities.

FR (4/17), 5pm, Pack Square Park, 80 Court Plaza

Fourth Annual Hendo Earth Fest

Local organizations and environmental champions will educate, entertain, and raise awareness of the need to protect our planet for future generations. There will also be fun, family-friendly activities for children of all ages and engaging musical acts.

SA (4/18), 10am, Downtown Hendersonville

Hobbit Affairs: Ren Fest

This two day Hobbit-themed mini Ren Fest will feature local craft vendors, live blacksmithing, face painters, live music, tarot and oracle readings. There will be also be food from the Groovy Grubbery and Bear’s BBQ as well as quests to solve the riddles of the shire. See p34

SA (4/18), SU (4/19), noon, Sweeten Creek Brewing, 1127 Sweeten Creek Rd

Maker Faire

Part science fair, part county fair, and part something entirely new, Maker Faire is an all-ages gathering of tech enthusiasts, crafters, educators, tinkerers, hobbyists, engineers

and more.

SA (4/18), 10am, A-B

Tech Mission Health Conference Center, 16 Fernihurst Dr

Patch-a-Palooza Patch-a-Palooza welcomes families with K-8th grade children to try their hands at various historic activities from making butter to playing historic games.

SA (4/18), 10am, Vance Birthplace State Historic Site, 911 Reems Creek Rd

MRB 5k & Fun Run

Mills River Brewery will be hosting a 5k and fun run that will benefit Blue Ridge Humane Society.

SA (4/18), 10am, Mills River Brewing Co., 336 Banner Farm Rd, Mills River

4th Annual Back Alley Hempfest

A free, family-friendly festival with live music, local vendors and more celebrating hemp culture.

SU (4/19), 1pm, Tryon Depot Plaza, 24 Depot St

Back Alley Hempfest

After Party

Not ready for the Hempfest fun to end?

The after party will feature fire-spinning, free samples all night, endless super-salad bowls, dance party music by DJ Supanova, and more.

SU (4/19), 7pm, Back Alley Boutique & Bud Bar, 226 S Trade St

Main2Main: Friends of Ecusta Trail

Come out and celebrate this incredible new greenway with your friends, family, and neighbors.

Whether you walk, bike or roll, this event is all about gathering as a community and enjoying the trail together.

SU (4/19), 9am, Hendersonville Welcome Center, 201 S Main St

Vegan Ice Cream Week

The Hop’s Earth Week Vegan celebration that features a variety of dairy-free treats at all of the Hop’s locations.

MO (4/20), noon, The Hop & Pop Bubble Tea, 640 Merrimon Ave, Ste 103

Community Science Night

Every participant can complete each station and bring their creations home and there will be free pizza for participants who register.

TH (4/23), 6pm, Haywood Community College, 185 Freedlander Dr

BENEFITS & VOLUNTEERING

Art of the Wall

This unique and intimate fundraising evening promises a memorable blend of art, atmosphere, and excitement. Guests will enjoyappetizers, 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

Color Me Asheville

Celebrate Asheville’s creative community and the power of second chances with this runway show featuring seven local design teams presenting collections using repurposed materials found at Goodwill. Proceeds from ticket sales benefit Bounty & Soul.

FR (4/17), 7pm, The Orange Peel, 101 Biltmore Ave

Drag Brunch Fundraiser for Youth OUTright

Expect big performances, bigger hair, and the biggest delicious brunch from Biscuit Head South. Proceeds benefit Youth OUTright.

SA (4/18), 11am, Banks Ave, 32 banks Ave

Asheville Community Talent Showcase

A vibrant celebration of the rich talent from communities across WNC, showcasing the

best of the region’s performers on stage. Proceeds to benefit graduating seniors in the Tanglewood Teens Senior Scholarship Fund.

WE (4/22), 7:30pm, Asheville Community Theater, 35 E. Walnut St

Earth Day Concert & Silent Auction Benefiting MountainTrue

Celebrate Earth Day with fellow nature lovers at this special event packed with mountain spirit. It will feature live music, opportunities to learn and connect, a silent auction, art and more.

WE (4/22), 5pm, The Argot Room, 717 Haywood Rd

The Bassment: Earth Day Fundraiser

We’re turning the dance floor into a force for good with an open format DJ fundraiser. 100% of artist profits from this event will be donated to Green Olive’s Children Home in Mtwapa, Kenya.

WE (4/22), 9pm, The One Stop at Asheville Music Hall, 55 College St

2026 Paddling Film Festival World Tour

Benefiting MountainTrue

What better way to celebrate than by watching the best paddling films and being in community with other clean water supporters?

TH (4/23), 7pm, The Grey Eagle, 185 Clingman Ave

Planting Futures: Back To Our Roots 2026

This beloved farmto-table experience celebrates the power of community while raising critical funds to support high-quality early childhood education, family support, and mental health services for children and families across Western North Carolina.

TH (4/23), 5:30pm, La Esperanza, 17 Westside Dr

36th SPRING HERB FESTIVAL

April 24 & 25

April 26

FOOD TRUCKS GALORE!

• Bluebird Bubble Tea

• Cecilia’s Kitchen

• Dave’s 209 Restaurant

• The Garden

• Habibi Village

• Smasheville

• Southern Grounds

WORKSHOPS

on herbal medicines, cures and treatments, container gardening, and everything herbal!

Melody and verse

Nancy Dillingham’s latest poetry collection salutes the art of music

BY GINA SMITH

gsmith@mountainx.com

A childhood steeped in music was the gateway to a lifelong love of writing for sixth-generation Big Ivy native Nancy Dillingham. In her latest book, On Music: Collected Poems, released in December by Rockwood Press, Dillingham digs into those roots, celebrating musicians from Elvis Presley and Nina Simone to Jason Isbell and Sinead O’Connor.

After 13 years teaching language arts, history, journalism and creative writing at Fairview Elementary School and A.C. Reynolds High School, Dillingham spent 17 years as an instructor at A-B Tech, where she worked on the college’s literary magazine. She has taught poetry with the Great Smokies Writing Program and is currently editor of the online poetry publication Speckled Trout Review. She is also serving as judge for the 2026 Xpress Poetry Contest. The winner will be announced later this month.

Her recent publications include No Time Like the Present: A Memoir in Essays, Curves: Collected Stories and After Helene. Her 2010 poetry collection, Home, was nominated for a Southern Independent Booksellers’ Alliance Award.

Below is a selection from On Music, “Ode to John Prine,” Dillingham’s tribute to the beloved musician, who died in early 2020. Following the poem is a conversation with Dillingham about her poetry and the On Music collection.

Ode to John Prine

by Nancy Dillingham

I dreamed I went to Heaven last night sat down with John Prine in the Tree of Forgiveness club

John was having his favorite cocktail of vodka and ginger ale in a cup smoking a nine-mile-long cigarette discussing one of his favorite subjects “siph’litic” critics he called them but insisted he had forgiven them all We went for a happy outing in his 2008 Porsche Turbo 911 took a ride on a Tilt-a-Whirl

Xpress: What prompted you to write a poem about John Prine? Was this inspired by an actual dream you had?

Dillingham: I wrote the poem as a loving tribute to John Prine after his death at 73 from complications from COVID. It was not based on a dream I had but was a play on his own composition “When I Get to Heaven” on his last studio album The Tree of Forgiveness, a mock-serious song where he enumerates in narrative detail what he is going to do when he gets to heaven.

The song’s exuberance captures John’s unique personality, his quirkiness and his big, affectionate heart present in his large catalog of music. One can almost see him smiling and his eyes crinkling as he sings.

Can you talk about the process of writing this poem and the others in On Music? Did you use different techniques or tap into different creative resources than you had in the past?

I saturated myself with details about the subject, the artist. Since I have been writing for many years, I do tend to tap into creative processes I have relied on. I think about point of view and format, structure. I aim for economy, choosing the fewest, most powerful words — I write and rewrite, refine and refine.

I like internal rhyme; when appropriate, crisp, punchy rhythm. I like to find some humor when appropriate, as with writing about John, and at least some irony and to leave the reader with one lasting impression.

returned to the cafe where he finished off his favorite meal meatloaf and mashed potatoes with gravy mac and cheese with a hot dog on the side Jello to go

Then he picked up his guitar and joined his rock and roll band and was singing something about chasing rainbows down a dead-end street when I woke up with a craving for some extra sharp cheese— not blue—sorry John cheddar is better son of a gun

Attila the Hun

I think I’m all done

FACING THE MUSIC: In her latest poetry collection, sixth-generation Big Ivy native Nancy Dillingham explores her lifelong love of music, celebrating musicians from Elvis Presley to Sinead O’Connor. Images courtesy of Dillingham

There is so much good-natured humor in this poem — something John Prine would no doubt appreciate. How do you infuse humor into your work in a way that feels appropriate and balances with deeper reflections or themes?

I try to capture something of the personality of the subject. Though John used self-deprecating humor, delivered in that inimitable voice, there is something of the fragile, plaintive, poignant and vulnerable present — and always the sense of loneliness. One of my very favorite songs of his is “Far from Me.” He says, “This is a song about the first girl that broke my heart.”

One gets the sense that he may have been sensitive to the comments of those “siph’litic” critics. I try to capture some of his playfulness and vulnerability yet ultimate good nature — he forgives the critics!

Why did you choose music as the focus of this latest collection?

I grew up in the small, isolated town of Dillingham in the Big Ivy section of WNC. We listened to the Grand Ole Opry on our small AM radio. I remember vividly the morning of New Year’s Day 1953, when Daddy came into our small kitchen and said, “Hank Williams died in the backseat of his car last night.” It was like a family member had died.

I loved the poetry of Hank’s song “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry” before I knew the word “poetry” and have loved poetry and music ever since.

What spurred you as a young person to begin putting pen to paper?

I began writing poetry in earnest in the ’70s, published in the ’80s in [the Asheville Area Arts Council’s] The Arts Journal locally and placed in a short

story contest sponsored by Quality Forward [the nonprofit now known as Asheville GreenWorks]. I always loved reading and words and in the 10th grade wrote a paper on Emily Dickinson. My 11th and 12th grade teacher emphasized writing. I was encouraged by the professor in an advanced rhetoric class [at Asheville-Biltmore College, now UNC Asheville] where we wrote in all genres. I have always loved music and the sounds of the words that led me, naturally, to poetry and the “music” it makes.

Can you name a few poets who have influenced your work?

As I mentioned, Emily Dickinson’s poetry has always fascinated me — her near rhymes, her absolutely original point of view. And I like the economy of the imagist poets, most especially William Carlos Williams. Robert Frost’s conversational tone and “plain speak” and his use of objects in nature like apple trees, birches and woods — even the act of mowing — to mine universal truths are skills I admire. I love e.e. commings’ inventive playfulness. And the power of Sylvia Plath’s poetry holds me in thrall. And I do like very much Ada Limon’s way of writing personal poetry.

What words of wisdom would you offer to new and emerging poets hoping to publish their work?

Read, read and read some more. Pay attention to words and their sounds, their music. Then write and rewrite, discard and begin again. There is an art to be gleaned from practice.

Prune your poems to their elemental essence. Read your poems aloud and listen to the sounds and the flow of it. You will be able to discern something discordant.

Though it is hard and scary at first, read your poems in front of an audience — could be an audience of one. Listen to the feedback. Publish anywhere you can — get your work out there. Cultivate mentors, network. X

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Key collaborators

The Beethoven 32 celebrate composer’s sonatas

BY EDWIN ARNAUDIN

earnaudin@mountainx.com

Movie marathons are an important part of pop culture, testing the mettle of cinephiles as they watch multiple films over the course of a day.

But what about Ludwig van Beethoven marathons?

In honor of the upcoming bicentennial of the German composer’s death, local concert pianist and educator Hwa-Jin Kim has organized The Beethoven 32, during which the legendary artist’s 32 sonatas will be performed by 32 pianists over the course of one week. Performances take place Sunday-Saturday, April 19-25, at Piano Emporium in Asheville and Freeburg Pianos in Hendersonville.

V FOR VICTORY

Kim retired in May 2025 after 22 years of teaching at UNC Asheville, then formed Sonare Music Academy, through which she gives lessons in her home and online. Having built plentiful connections over the past two-plus decades, she says she’s long wanted to bring area pianists together for a music festival.

“We have a lot of pianists in Asheville but it’s always individual events,” Kim says. “I just wanted to have a united platform where everybody can come together and celebrate — the musicians and the students and the audience.”

The idea to focus on Beethoven occurred to her last summer while she was practicing one of his pieces. Kim feels that 2027 will be “a big

year for Beethoven, everywhere” with numerous offerings commemorating the 200th anniversary of his passing.

The Beethoven 32 will help kick off that celebration on a local level — and Kim is confident it will indeed be a joyful occasion, not just because of the enduring power of the music but also the composer’s inspirational personal journey.

“Many people know that he lost his hearing at 27. It was shocking to him, and it happened gradually,” she says. “The sonatas, he wrote for about 30 years — from [age] 24 to 52. In them, you can hear his struggle and resilience and humanity and victory.”

Kim calls Beethoven’s deafness “a death sentence to him” and says that he contemplated suicide but decided to continue composing. In turn, she views his work as a reliable source of hope, particularly in troubling times.

“His music is different — it’s innovation after innovation, and that’s why it still resonates with us now,” she says.

PUZZLE PIECES

Beethoven’s sustained appeal indeed resonates with pianists across the region. Kim says that it only took a few weeks to recruit almost all 32 performers, who range in age from 14 to 87.

Two of the sonatas were written specifically for students. For those works, Kim asked a pair of her former pupils from UNCA who took Class Piano 1, designed for beginner and intermediate players.

“They’ve improved so much,” she says. “They don’t know the potential they have, but they’re so happy to play.”

CLASSICAL HEIST: “It’s kind of like Ocean’s 11," says The Beethoven 32 organizer Hwa-Jin Kim, pictured. “I had a lot of fun coming up with the title.”

Photo courtesy of Sonare Music Academy

Otherwise, Kim let the pianists choose which piece they wanted to play. Odile Perrenoud selected No. 14, Op. 27, No. 2, aka the “Moonlight Sonata” — arguably the most famous of the 32. And Renee Allsbrook picked No. 8, Op. 13, better known as “Sonata Pathétique.”

“When that piece was written [in 1798], it was shocking to audiences,” Kim explains. “People think of [Wolfgang Amadeus] Mozart and [Franz Joseph] Haydn sonatas as very pleasant and nice. But No. 8 starts with a tragic C-minor chord — a thunderous sound. He wanted to shock.”

While those popular compositions were claimed quickly, one piece took significantly longer to find a taker. Kim describes No. 29, Op. 106, as “one of the most difficult [sonatas] in history” — a 45-minute beast of a piece that no one in her network wanted to take on.

to music that Kim calls “food for our soul.” But she also notes that the sonatas are a body of work that demands the kind of focused listening that the Piano Emporium and Freeburg Pianos spaces encourage.

“Beethoven’s music can never be used as background. You can’t listen while driving — you will get pulled over,” she says with a laugh. “The dynamic range is so huge you almost have to adjust the volume. You need to just sit down and listen.”

Kim assigns students to do precisely that with Beethoven, then write a reflection about the experience. She says teenagers often roll their eyes at the undertaking but soon find themselves in an epiphanic situation.

“’I was folding laundry and don’t know what happened — I started crying,’” she recalls one pupil reporting.

“You can’t just sign up to play it. It has to be in your repertoire and learn it when you’re in college. It’s that type of piece,” she says. “When it wasn’t claimed, I started calling professors. They said they could play anything comfortably except that one.”

Eventually, Kim expanded her reach and contacted Muen Vanessa Wei, a professor at Lee University in Cleveland, Tenn., who accepted the challenge. Wei will perform the piece on Friday, April 24, at Freeburg Pianos, after which Kim will close out the evening with No. 31, Op. 110.

A DEEPER CONNECTION

The pianists will introduce their piece, adding a personal touch

“They don’t know why, but you just pay attention. It’s how you consume the music. There’s a connection, and that’s why it endures. Otherwise, it could have been forgotten.” X

WHAT The Beethoven 32 WHERE Piano Emporium, 828 Hendersonville Road, and Freeburg Pianos, 2314 Asheville Highway, Hendersonville, avl.mx/fht WHEN Sunday-Saturday, April 19-25, various times. $5-$50

On ramps

HOMEMADE LIVING

Cooking and preserving WNC’s favorite edible spring wildflower

BY ASHLEY ENGLISH

If early springtime in Western North Carolina could be characterized by one taste, it might arguably be the one offered by ramps. A native wildflower that is actually considered a vegetable, this perennial spring ephemeral pops up in moist, deciduous forests with ample decomposed leaf litter for but a few fleeting weeks each spring.

Though frequently found in woods populated with birch, sugar maple and poplar trees, the plant can also be found in forests containing beech, linden, hickory and oak trees. Colloquially known across WNC as ramps, they’re also sometimes referred to as ramson, wild leeks or spring onions in other locales.

A member of the onion family, Alliaceae, the plant exudes a pronounced garlic odor when the leaves are torn or the bulb is cut, alongside a sweet, spring onionlike flavor.

Ramps grow from a bulb base, with long, fibrous, white roots attached firmly to the soil, clustering together in groups. Come spring, each bulb sends up two or three flat, smooth green leaves attached to a stalk that’s similar in appearance to those on scallions, although considerably narrower. Both the leaves and stalks of ramps are edible.

As ramps have gained popularity in culinary circles, overharvesting and unsustainable harvesting practices of wild plants have unfortunately risen as well. When wild foraging, it is essential to cut the plant directly at the base of the bulb, leaving the entire root system intact in the soil.

Best practices also include the rule of thirds when harvesting ramps: Take no more than one-third (or less) of the plants found in a given area. In addition to wild foraging, many area growers are also now intentionally cultivating ramp patches expressly for commercial markets. They can be found for sale at the WNC Farmers Market and local tailgate market farm stalls.

I’m sharing here three ways my family uses ramps. My quick-pickled ramps make short work of preserving the plant for later use. They’re delectable served on a

charcuterie board alongside hard salami slices, sharp cheese and other springtime pickles, including my pickled carrots and pickled beets shared in previous issues (visit avl.mx/fha and avl.mx/fhb for recipes). They’re also great for dunking into a bloody mary or martini, and when chopped, they make a flavorful addition to pasta or potato salads.

My sour cream bacon dip incorporates ramps into an otherwise classic dip, quickly eclipsing all other iterations. Lastly, ramps salt is as much a joy to use as it is to gift to others. Consider sprinkling it over roast chicken or fish, scattering it over french fries or potato wedges, or tossing it into grain bowls or bean salads.

Quick-pickled ramps

Makes: 1 pint jar

You will need:

• 3/4 cup white vinegar

• 3/4 cup water

• 2 teaspoons sea salt

• 2 tablespoons sugar

• 20-30 ramps bulbs (trim off the leafy greens and save for another use, enough to fill a pint jar), cut into 3-inch lengths

• 5 garlic cloves, peeled

• 2 teaspoons peppercorns

• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds

• 1 teaspoon celery seeds

• 1 teaspoon mustard seeds

• 1/2 teaspoon hot pepper flakes

• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

• A few small strips of lemon zest

To make:

• Bring the water and vinegar to a boil in a medium saucepan. Stir in the salt and sugar until dissolved. Remove the brining solution from the heat.

• Blanch the ramps for 2 minutes in boiling water, then drain.

• Fill a pint-size jar with the ramps. Add the garlic cloves, peppercorns, cumin seeds, celery seeds, mustard seeds, hot pepper flakes, cilantro and lemon zest.

• Pour the brine over the ramps. Screw a lid onto the jar and refrigerate for at least three days or up to a few weeks before eating. (The longer it infuses, the more pronounced the flavors of the added aromatics will become.)

Sour cream bacon dip

Makes: About 2 cups

You will need:

• 6 pieces thick-cut, smoked bacon

• 1 cup coarsely chopped ramps, greens and bulb

• 2 cups sour cream

To make:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place a metal cooling rack over a large rimmed baking sheet. Lay the bacon slices on the cooling rack and bake for 15-18 minutes, until browned and fragrant. Once cool to the touch, crumble into small pieces.

• Pour off 2 tablespoons of bacon fat from the baking sheet into a medium saucepan. Sauté the ramps in the bacon fat for about 5 minutes over low heat, until cooked through. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside to cool for 6-7 minutes.

• Transfer the ramps to a food processor. Add the bacon and sour cream and process until fully combined. If you don’t have a food processor, you can use a blender, or simply chop the ramps and bacon as finely as you can by hand and stir them into the sour cream.

• Serve immediately, or cover with a lid and place in the refrigerator. Consume within three to four days.

Ramps salt

Makes: Amount varies

You will need:

• Ramps, any amount, leaves and bulb

• Coarse sea salt, regular or smoked

SOMETHING WILD: A native perennial, ramps can be found in moist, deciduous forests — or at your local tailgate market — for just a few fleeting weeks each spring.

Photo by Katie Davis for N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services

To make:

• Using a dehydrator or the lowest setting on your oven, place the ramps on dehydrator trays or, if using an oven, atop a cooling rack set over a rimmed baking pan. Arrange snugly but not overlapping.

• Dry ramps until no moisture remains and they’re fully crisp to the touch; times and settings will vary, so check on them periodically.

• Transfer to a food processor along with coarse salt. The amount of salt to use is at your discretion. Play around with using more or less, tasting as you go to find the ratio you prefer. Process until the ramp pieces have fully broken down into the salt (heads up that this step doesn’t take long!).

• Transfer to a lidded container. Label, date and store out of direct sunlight. X

Ways of seeing

Painting en plein air opens doors for expression and observation

BY MERIN M c DIVITT

“You know how when a light hits a prism, it is divided into the full spectrum of the rainbow?” Ashevillebased painter Yekaterina Benson asks. “That’s what the Impressionists did with color.”

When Benson paints or sketches outdoors, she focuses on capturing the complexity of light and color all around her. “There are all these other colors, other shades, and sometimes unexpected ones that appear in places where you would not think they would,” she says. “But all together, it looks like a cohesive image.”

A century and a half ago, the Impressionist movement revolutionized art in the Western world. Beginning in Europe under paint-

ers such as Claude Monet and Paul Cézanne, a radical way of seeing soon spread to North America and beyond.

Just as Benson describes, this meant breaking up a landscape into fragments of light and color, capturing not just a view, but a singular artistic perspective and moment in time.

The Asheville Art Museum’s current exhibition, In A New Light: American Impressionism 1870–1940, on view through Monday, June 29, explores how this style transformed American art, paving the way to modernism and exposing viewers to the country’s diverse landscapes, many still largely unknown by its citizens.

Inspired by the exhibition, the museum is hosting two adult studios in plein air (outdoor) painting. The first, led by Benson, takes place Saturdays, April 18 and 25. The second, scheduled for Saturday, May 30, will be led by local plein air painter Ehren Fritz Gerhard

HANDS-ON IMPRESSIONISM

The museum’s studio programs associate, JD de Wit, organized the workshops as a complement to the exhibition. “Impressionism really embodies this idea of the fantastical, of capturing nature in art,” de Wit says. “It’s real enough that folks can recognize what they’re seeing,” yet also evokes the emotions and expressiveness of the individual painter.

Both workshops will include two elements: an outdoor painting experience with all materials provided at either The N.C. Arboretum or Zealandia Estate; and a visit to the museum exhibition itself. “It’s a great opportunity to see the paintings in a new way, learning how that process works,” de Wit explains.

For the instructors, de Wit sought talented local painters with a focus on Asheville’s natural landscapes, teaching experience and a vibrant,

NATURAL GIFT: When Asheville artist Yekaterina Benson, pictured, paints outdoors, she focuses on capturing the complexity of light and color around her. Benson is one of two local artists teaching plein air painting classes at Asheville Museum of Art this spring. Photo courtesy of the artist

expressive touch. They were drawn to a whimsy and playfulness in both Benson’s and Gerhard’s art, with Benson bringing a brighter, lusher and more impressionistic color palette, and

Asheville Plein Air Painters

For regular plein air practice with a group, Asheville Plein Air Painters, founded in 2014, meets weekly at sites around Asheville for outdoor painting sessions from mid-April through early November. Painters of all skill and experience levels are welcome. There is no charge to join. Learn more at avl.mx/fhi. X

Gerhard a greater sense of the surreal, with limited colors and brushes.

“I feel so honored that JD reached out to me,” Benson says. Born in Moscow, Russia, the artist grew up in New York and Connecticut and received a bachelor’s degree in film and animation from the Rochester Institute of Technology. In addition to her painting practice, she has worked as a technical director on five Pixar films, including Soul, Coco and Finding Dory

With her animation and fine art backgrounds, Benson considers

color, emotion and intuition to be essential, and hopes to make them central for her workshop participants at the arboretum.

“Let’s not paint what we see. Let’s paint how we feel when we see it,” she says. “I’ll guide them through what exactly inspires them. Is it a specific angle? Is it looking this way or looking that way? Maybe it’s just a single flower — whatever inspires them in that moment.”

Benson sees color as the key to unlocking a new perspective on the Impressionists’ work. “The core of Impressionism is breaking down light and color into its subcomponents, and I think there’s infinite possibilities within that,” she says.

While painters can approach this almost scientifically, she adds, color can also express emotional depth in a subjective, personal way. “I am not the best with words, so I don’t always have the words to describe my emotions,” Benson explains. “But with color, I can mix a color that tells me that’s how I feel today.”

Gerhard also sees the Impressionists as an important shift toward expressiveness in art. “What I find significant about this exhibition and artists working plein air is that artists are painting not only what they see, but what they feel,” he says. “It’s an interesting point in art history, as it begins the movement toward more conceptual and introspective communication from the artist.”

Originally from Pennsylvania, Gerhard has painted, taught and worked in arts management for many years, and is currently the Asheville Art Museum’s curatorial project manager. With a Master of Fine Arts degree from Arizona State University, he taught at universities throughout Florida and served as a director for arts festivals and centers before relocating to Asheville.

“Being exposed to many different styles and movements in the history of art [as a curator and arts manager] helps me as an artist better define who I am, what I create and why I find it personally valuable,” he explains.

‘CHASING BEAUTY’

Gerhard has painted en plein air for decades. “I always find much more to paint when working from nature as opposed to the static frame of a photograph in the studio,” he says. “I can attempt to replicate the complete experience of a place rather than a single scene.”

He notes that his surroundings play a major role in his work. “The Appalachian Mountains are beautiful, and a picture just can’t do them justice,” he says. “Artists are always

trying to capture and distill the magnificent. Chasing beauty like butterfly hunters.”

Benson, too, has long chased the beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

“The spectacular views, the stunning waterfalls — it makes you just go quiet with reverence,” she says. “It’s grand, it’s ancient, it’s a little mysterious, but it’s also warm. It feels comforting.”

From de Wit’s perspective, the museum’s collection is a testament to Western North Carolina’s storied status as a muse to artists, including many plein air painters. De Wit points to works such as Landscape of Mount Pisgah, painted over a century ago by Lawrence Mazzanovich. With its purples and greens, she says, the piece “captures the otherworldly colors of these mountains.”

Gerhard and Benson hope their plein air workshop students leave not just with a painting they’ll cherish, but with greater confidence in their own artistic vision. And both instructors observe that plein air offers a chance for heightened awareness of the natural world and its tiniest details.

“The act of looking is an important skill for both artists and humans,” Gerhard reflects. “This act of mindfulness and presence becomes increasingly significant as technology further permeates our everyday lives.”

Benson’s goal is for the experience to extend into participants’ lives long after the workshops are over. “I’m really hoping that after this class, they might go hiking on a trail or go to a garden and be captivated by the way light catches on this one little leaf and makes it shine gold, having a mindful moment of appreciating that tiny little detail that catches their attention,” she says.

“All of a sudden, it’s not just a hike. It’s not just walking through the same forest again and again. There’s something special to it. There’s something that makes them pause and tap into something deeper within them.” X

WHAT

Asheville Museum of Art plein air workshops WHERE Various locations. For details and to register, visit avl.mx/fhh.

WHEN

1-4 p.m. Saturdays, April 18 and 25, with Yekaterina Benson, $125 for the series; 1-4 p.m. Saturday, May 30, with Ehren Fritz Gerhard, $75

Fresh start

Gemelli opens in Biltmore Village

On Friday, April 17, Gemelli opens in Biltmore Village. The Italian American restaurant shuttered its original location at Westgate Shopping Center on March 30 and will now operate out of the former home of Andaaz Indian eatery at 28 Hendersonville Road. The historic building’s first floor was destroyed by flooding from Tropical Storm Helene in 2024 and has been fully restored. Gemelli debuted in 2022 and is owned by chef Anthony Cerrato, also owner of Strada Italiano and Social Lounge. Helming Gemelli’s kitchen are Cerrato’s son, executive chef Gabe Cerrato, and chef de cuisine Chuck Baudendistle, formerly of The Admiral. The restaurant’s new baking and dessert program is led by head baker Mahsa Golabi. According to a press release, both Strada and Gemelli are “inspired by the Cerrato family’s Italian heritage and foodways, focusing on fresh, high-quality ingredients, house-made pasta and offering many gluten- and diet-sensitive options. Whereas Strada offers a neighborhood trattoria atmosphere and Old World Italian cuisine, Gemelli delivers a more elevated dining experience with New Italian American fare.”

In preparation for the reopening, Gemelli received a branding refresh and menu makeover. The reimagined menu features a selection of antipasti and spuntini (Italian for “snacks”), such as risotto with saffron and leek, fire-roasted sweet potatoes and ’nduja with bread. Mains include several house-made pastas (including vegan and gluten-sensitive options) along with wood-fired steak and trout dishes and a smash burger. Also opening soon within the Biltmore Village location is Affogato, a café offering house-made gelato and pastries, espresso and counter-service lunch. Affogato will be accessible via its own street entrance. To learn more, visit avl.mx/fhk.

Dining Out for Life returns

The Western North Carolina AIDS Project (WNCAP) holds its annual Dining Out for Life event on Thursday, April 30, during which Asheville-area residents are encouraged to eat out at participating restaurants in order to

raise money for HIV care and prevention in our region.

According to a press release, Dining Out for Life 2025 raised more than $85,000. Now in its 24th year, this event has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars, helping WNCAP “provide care, medical case management, rental assistance, prevention education, peer support and outreach in its fight against HIV/AIDS.”

To learn more, visit avl.mx/fhc.

A-B Tech culinary students win big

On March 28, A-B Tech won first place in the Student Team of the Year category at the American Culinary Federation (ACF) Southeast Regional competition in Winston-Salem.

In addition, culinary arts alumnus Ezrah Hanson earned a gold medal in the Student Chef category, scoring third-highest in the nation. Hanson earned a degree in culinary arts in 2025 and returned to A-B Tech to pursue a baking certificate this year. He will compete in the Student Chef of the Year category at ACF Nationals. He also was captain of the 2025 student team that earned second place at ACF Nationals.

The team and Hanson have advanced to compete in the ACF Nationals in Grand Rapids, Mich., this summer.

Team members are Rowan Armstrong, Martin Deyman (captain), Kat Douvres, Kiah Jackson and Joshua Jimison. The coaches are chef instructors Michelle Bailey and Stephen Hertz

A-B Tech has now earned 16 Southeastern Regional victories and won the ACF Nationals in 2007 and 2024.

“Continued annual success at ACF competitions is a true testament to the knowledge and dedication of both the coaches and their student competitors,” Cathy Horton, A-B Tech chair of culinary arts and hospitality, says in a press release. “I often refer to this as ‘skills on steroids’ because their level of mastery must be exceptional to compete and win at this level. For students, this is a real game-changer in their careers, for they carry this exponential learning with them.”

The team will practice throughout the summer in preparation for the ACF Nationals, which will be held Sunday-Thursday, June 28-July 2.

To learn more, visit avl.mx/cjo.

Meadowsweet

Creamery adding Weaverville location

Andrea and Michael Clem, the owners of Mars Hill-based ice cream shop Meadowsweet Creamery, announced April 6 on the business’s Instagram page that they are adding a Buncombe County location this spring.

“This new spot is right in the heart of Weaverville, behind the delicious

Well-Bred Bakery,” the post says. “Things happened quickly, and now we have a lot of work to do. We will keep everyone posted on a potential opening date, so stay tuned. We are really grateful to continue to be a part of this amazing community we call home.”

The Clems will continue making all of their ice cream and cookies in their original Mars Hill kitchen.

To learn more, visit avl.mx/fhj.

— Edwin Arnaudin X

IN THE FAMILY: Gemelli owner Anthony Cerrato, right, is pictured with his son, the restaurant’s executive chef, Gabe Cerrato. The Italian American concept debuts in its new Biltmore Village space on April 17. Photo by Andy Lukacs-Ormond

by Edwin Arnaudin

Hobbit Affairs The Dark City Speaks

Following a successful 2025 edition, “The Dark City Speaks” returns on Saturday, April 18, at the Black Mountain Center for the Arts.

The jam-packed evening of poetry gets underway at 7:30 p.m. with readings by student poets from local colleges, followed by performances from members of the Dark City Poets Society. The group holds a monthly critique meeting for area writers on the first Tuesday of each month at the Black Mountain Public Library and a poetry night on the third Tuesday of each month at Oak and Grist Distilling Co.

The event concludes with readings from renowned local poets David Brendan Hopes, Lockie Hunter and Allan Wolf. Tickets are $18.05.

To learn more, visit avl.mx/fhd. X

Venus in Fur

Minimalism is “in” lately with local theater. ArchNemesis recently concluded its production of the one-woman show Natural Shocks, and now Attic Salt Theatre Company presents the two-hander Venus in Fur.

Written by David Ives, the dark comedy follows arrogant theater director Thomas Novachek (played Alex McDonald Villarreal) during an impromptu audition with enigmatic actress Vanda Jordan (Kate McGunagle) for his stage adaptation of the 1870 novel Venus in Furs by Leopold von Sacher-Masoch — the novel that inspired the term “masochism.” As a

storm rages outside and Vanda and Thomas read from his script, Vanda shows a surprising understanding of her character, resulting in power dynamic switches that mirror the source material.

“This play really makes you think about how we see ourselves and how we see others,” says director Jeff Catanese in a press release. “I hope everyone will come out for this smart, sexy and very funny play.”

Performances run April 17-26, Fridays at 7:30 p.m., Saturdays at 2:30 and 7:30 p.m., and Sundays at 2:30 p.m.

Tickets are $20.

To learn more, visit avl.mx/a1a. X

With the 25th anniversary of director Peter Jackson‘s The Fellowship of the Ring arriving in December, it’s an especially good time for Sweeten Creek Brewing to bring back its Hobbit Affairs event. Described by organizers as a “two-day mini Ren Fest,” this year’s gathering takes place SaturdaySunday, April 18-19, noon-8 p.m.

Offerings include live music from Holler & Crow, Big Fur Duo, Grass Owls and Creative Differences; numerous local vendors; live blacksmithing from Heritage Hammers; face painting; tarot and oracle readings; and plenty of games. Attendees are encouraged to “dress up in your most mystical outfit and join us down at the Shire.”

“This has been a favorite event of the owners, staff and patrons for years now, so we are very excited to be able to bring it and the community back after such a rough year posthurricane,” says taproom manager Ellie Wilson

The event is produced in collaboration with Geek Orthodox and Bears

Smokehouse BBQ, the latter of which will have a half-chicken “hobbit meal” on the menu. Free to attend.

To learn more, visit avl.mx/fhm. X

Redemption Time

April is Second Chance Month, a national campaign raising awareness about the impacts of incarceration while encouraging second-chance opportunities and community reintegration. As part of this advocacy effort, Trinity United Methodist Church in West Asheville hosts a screening of Redemption Time on Sunday, April 19, at 4 p.m.

According to a press release, director David Gonzalez‘s 70-minute performance film features poet Jimmy Santiago Baca and Asheville-based

jazz violinist Christian Howes — artists “whose lives were shaped by incarceration and who now give voice to stories of dignity, struggle and renewal.” The event will begin with live music, followed by the film screening, a panel discussion and a closing reception at Deep Time AVL, the church’s in-house coffee roasting company, which offers employment and workforce development to people affected by incarceration. Free to attend, but donations are encouraged.

To learn more, visit avl.mx/fhe. X

Lord of the Rings stained glass from Geek Orthodox.

Photo courtesy of the artist

Photo of Allan Wolf courtesy of the author

Alex McDonald Villarreal and Kate McGunagle star in Venus in Fur. Photo courtesy of Attic Salt Theatre Company

A still from Redemption Time. Image courtesy of Christian Howes

BLUEGRASS WITH A TWIST: Pisgah Brewing hosts Charlotte-based band Pickety Split on Friday, April 17, starting at 7 p.m. Listeners can expect a lively new take on traditional bluegrass, led by multi-instrumentalist and songwriter Cooper Eades. Photo courtesy of Pickety Split

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

STATIC AGE RECORDS

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 15

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

PISGAH BREWING

CO.

Cuberow (Americana, indie, soul), 6pm

SHAKEY'S

SSIN w/DJ Ragga

Massive, 10pm

SLY GROG LOUNGE

Weird Wednesday Open Jam, 8pm

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 (hardcore, 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

OKLAWAHA BREWING CO.

• Kid Billy (blues, folk, roots), 6pm

• Thursday Karaoke, 9:30pm

ONE WORLD BREWING WEST

Fee Fi Phaux Fish (Phish tribute), 8pm

ONE WORLD BREWING

Christina Chandler (Americana, folk, soul), 8pm

STATIC AGE LOFT

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

STATIC AGE RECORDS

Matt Geary, Motherfuckers JMB & Co. & Sarah Louise (acoustic, indie), 8:45pm

THE ORANGE PEEL

Penny & Sparrow (Americana, folk), 8pm

TWIN LEAF BREWERY

Trivia Night, 6:30pm

URBAN ORCHARD

CIDER CO. Wayward Trivia, 6:30pm

VOWL BAR AT DSSOLVR

Hot Couch Karaoke w/ DJ BridalPartiBucardi, 8pm

FRIDAY, APRIL 17

185 KING STREET 80's Prom w/LazrLuvr, 8pm

ASHEVILLE YARDS

Greensky Bluegrass w/Fireside Collective (bluegrass, psych, rock), 6pm

AYURPRANA

LISTENING ROOM

Natalie Jane Hill w/ Sham (folk), 7pm

CROW & QUILL

Las Montañitas (AfroColombian, cumbia, psych), 8pm

EDA'S HIDE-A-WAY

Tina & Her Pony (Appalachian, folk), 8pm

ELEVATED KAVA LOUNGE

DOWNTOWN

Open Mic Night, 8pm

EULOGY

Teathyme Takeover (House), 10pm

FLEETWOOD’S

The Inhibitors, Seismic Sutra & Blistering Dissonance (psych, punk), 9pm

FRENCH BROAD

RIVER BREWERY

JLloyd Presents: The Big Little Quintet (funk, jazz, reggae), 6pm

JACK OF THE WOOD

PUB

• Lenny Pettinelli & Friends (rock, soul), 8:30pm

• Charming Disaster (punk, rock), 8:30pm

LOBSTER TRAP

Dinah's Daydream (Gypsy, jazz), 6:30pm

OKLAWAHA

BREWING CO. Kayla McKinney (country), 8pm

ONE WORLD

BREWING WEST

A.G. Hammond & Ovadya (blues, jazz, r&b), 8pm

ONE WORLD

BREWING

C.J. Brewer (rock), 7pm

PISGAH BREWING CO.

Pickety Split (bluegrass), 7pm

PRITCHARD PARK

DOWNTOWN

The Friday Drum Circle, 6pm

REVIVAL

Maris w/McKinney (glam, pop, rock), 7pm

REVOLVE GALLERY

Evil Sword w/Secret Shame (electro-pop, synth), 8:30pm

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

SHAMROCK IRONS

Long Way Ramblers (Americana, bluegrass, folk), 8pm

SHILOH & GAINES

Mojarra (shoegaze), 9pm

SIERRA NEVADA

BREWING CO.

The Saint Cecilia (rock), 7pm

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Vinyl Night (multigenre), 8pm

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RECORDS

PAKG, Bum Monk & Fashion Bath (art rock), 8:45pm

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• Patio: All Night Boogie Band (blues, rock, soul), 5:30pm

• West 22nd w/Dipsea Flower (rock), 8pm

THE MEADOW AT HIGHLAND BREWING

CO.

Meschiya Lake & the Paradigm Shifters (jazz, punk), 7pm

THE ONE STOP AT ASHEVILLE MUSIC

HALL

• Julianna Jade (indie), 6pm

• Ajeva (funk, rock), 10pm

THIRD ROOM

Residual Groove w/ Pocket Full of Gold & Yesterday’s Clothes (indie-rock, psych), 8pm

VAVAVOOOM

Comedy Vibez: Saucy Comedy, 10pm

SATURDAY, APRIL 18

185 KING STREET

Oliver Wood w/Seth Walker (Americana, country-soul, folk), 8pm

ASHEVILLE MUSIC

HALL

Shakedown Citi w/ Hype Machine (Grateful Dead tribute), 9pm

BURGER BAR

The Best Worst Karaoke, 8pm

CROW & QUILL

Adrianne Blanks & the Oracles (jazz), 8pm

EDA'S HIDE-A-WAY

Old Chevrolette Set (country), 8pm

FLEETWOOD’S

Naked Eye, Powder Horns & Garden

Apartments (noise, psych, punk), 9pm

FRENCH BROAD RIVER BREWERY

Joe Medwick & Monkey Butt Music

Present: For The Love of Levon & Lowell (multi-genre), 6pm

GREEN MAN

BREWING

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

JACK OF THE WOOD PUB

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

• Chris McGinnis & Mamaw’s Angels (Americana, rock), 8:30pm

OKLAWAHA BREWING CO. Randomonium (acoustic), 8pm

ONE WORLD

BREWING WEST

• Rye Dunn (jazz), 12pm

• Dan Clare Collective (multi-genre), 4pm

• Pickity Split (bluegrass), 9pm

ONE WORLD

BREWING

Brent Hyder (funk, indie-rock, psych), 8pm

PISGAH BREWING CO.

Spafford (alt-rock), 6pm

SHAMROCK IRONS

Brian Ashley Jones & Melanie Jean (Americana, blues, country), 7pm

SHILOH & GAINES

Tuff Sol (reggae), 9pm

SIERRA NEVADA BREWING CO. Ajeva (funk, rock), 2pm

STATIC AGE

RECORDS

Yes Dear, Scoby, Convalescent & Paper Pills (alt-pop, grunge, indie), 9pm

THE GREY EAGLE

• Rock Academy Showcase (multi-genre),

noon

• Delicate Steve (indierock, pop, psych), 8pm

THE MEADOW AT HIGHLAND BREWING CO.

Angela Perley (altcountry, Americana, psych), 6pm

THE ODD Party Foul Drag, 8pm

THE ONE STOP AT ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL

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

• Peach Candy Nut Boys (psych, rock), 10pm

THE ORANGE PEEL

Sold Out: St. Paul & The Broken Bones (r&b, soul), 8pm

WISE EATS

The Candleers (country), 7pm

WORKSHOP LOUNGE AT THE FOUNDRY HOTEL

Anne Coombs (jazz, r&b), 7pm

SUNDAY, APRIL 19

185 KING STREET

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

ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL

GA-20 & Jontavious Willis (blues, country, rock), 8pm

BURIAL SOUTH SLOPE

Mourning Mass, 2pm

EDA'S HIDE-A-WAY Open Mic Night, 6pm

FLEETWOOD’S Bloodletting Goth Dance Party, 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), 12pm

• Traditional Irish Music Session, 3:30pm

OKLAWAHA BREWING CO.

The Brue (blues, pop), 3pm

ONE WORLD BREWING WEST

Suns of Stars Sunday Residency (bluegrass), 2pm

ONE WORLD BREWING Bob Dylan After Party w/String Pong (bluegrass), 11pm

PISGAH BREWING CO.

Sunday Jam: Spiro & Friends, 6:30pm

SIERRA NEVADA

BREWING CO.

My Magnificent Nemesis w/Alien Music Club (jazz, rock), 2pm

STATIC AGE RECORDS

Liam Kazar, Landon George & Zack Kardon (alt-country, folk, rock), 8pm

THE GREY EAGLE

• Burlesque Brunch, noon

• Patio: Reed Turchi Album Release Show (blues, rock), 3pm

• The Black Twig Pickers w/Elsa Howell (Appalachian, folk, old-time), 8pm

THE MEADOW AT HIGHLAND BREWING CO. Floridaze (reggae, surf-rock), 2pm

THE ORANGE PEEL

Sold Out: Watchhouse (Americana, indie-folk), 8pm

VOWL BAR AT DSSOLVR

Freshen Up Open Mic Comedy, 7pm

MONDAY, APRIL 20

DIATRIBE BREWING

Big Brain Trivia, 7pm

DIRTY JACK'S

Traditional Old Time Jam, 5:30pm

EULOGY

Holy Fuck w/Gus Englehorn (alt-indie), 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 21

185 KING STREET

Andy Falco & Travis Book (Jerry Garcia tribute), 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

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

MILLS RIVER BREWING CO.

Tuesday Night Trivia, 6pm

SOVEREIGN KAVA

Open Jam, 8pm

STATIC AGE RECORDS

HIRS, Commitment & Harsh Realm (hardcore, metal, punk), 8:45pm

SWEETEN CREEK BREWING

All Arts Open Mic!, 6pm

THE GREY EAGLE

Todd Albright & Arthur Terembula (blues, country), 8pm

THE ORANGE PEEL Snail Mail (indie-rock), 8pm

THIRD ROOM Open Decks, 8pm

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 22

EULOGY Superchunk w/Rosali (indie-rock), 8pm

FLEETWOOD’S Lydia Lunch, Black

Viiolet, Genre is Death, Full Time Night Woman & Louise Page (Garage, jazz, punk), 8pm

FRENCH BROAD

RIVER BREWERY

Saylor Brothers Jamgrass Wednesdays, 6:30pm

GALACTIC PIZZA Trivia Night, 6:30pm

HI-WIRE BREWINGBILTMORE VILLAGE Weekly Trivia, 7pm

JACK OF THE WOOD PUB

Old-time Jam, 5pm

PISGAH BREWING CO. Redd & The Paper Flowers (Appalachian, folk), 6pm

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

SLY GROG LOUNGE Weird Wednesday Open Jam, 8pm

THE GREY EAGLE

Pool Kids w/Pretty Bitter (indie, pop, rock), 8pm

THE MEADOW AT HIGHLAND BREWING

CO.

Matt Smith’s WellCrafted Music Series w/Silas Hamilton, Zach Smith & Evan Martin, 6pm

THE ODD Terraoke Karaoke Takeover, 9pm

THE ORANGE PEEL Lambrini Girls (punk), 7:30pm

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 23

ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL

Dr. Bacon w/The Keith Allen Circus (Appalachian, funk, rock), 8pm

EDA'S HIDE-A-WAY

Bless Your Heart Trivia w/Harmon, 7pm

FLOOD GALLERY

True Home Open Mic, 6pm

FRENCH BROAD RIVER BREWERY

Jerry's Dead Thursdays, 6pm

GREEN MAN

BREWING

Thursday Night Trivia, 7pm

JACK OF THE WOOD PUB

Bluegrass Jam, 7pm

OKLAWAHA

BREWING CO.

Thursday Karaoke, 9:30pm

ONE WORLD BREWING WEST

Fee Fi Phaux Fish (phish tribute), 8pm

ONE WORLD BREWING

Talbot Mayo & Anthony Frijia (Americana, country), 8pm

STATIC AGE LOFT

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

THE ORANGE PEEL

The Happy Fits (folk, indie-rock, pop), 7pm

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

WORKSHOP LOUNGE AT THE FOUNDRY HOTEL

Datrian & Friends (funk), 6pm

FIRST KAVA BAR IN NORTH CAROLINA

MON Ping-Pong Tournament, 6pm

TUE

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

8:30pm

FREEWILL ASTROLOGY BY ROB BREZSNY

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Anthropologist and author Clifford Geertz loved to use "thick description.” He wrote detailed reports that captured not just the surface level of what happened but the deeper levels of meaning. Here’s an example of thin description: "He winked." Thick description: "He quickly closed and opened his right eyelid in a culturally specific gesture of playfully conspiratorial communication." In the coming weeks, Aries, I invite you to enjoy the sumptuous pleasures of thick description. Unleash your wild curiosity as you dig down into the rich, complex truths about everything. Gleefully explore how the cultural, personal, and historical contexts give each moment its specific, nuanced significance. (PS: This approach will enhance your options for responding.)

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): New beginnings and final chapters will be overlapping in the coming weeks, and they’ll push you in the direction of robust growth. It won’t always be obvious which is which, though, so you’ll need to sharpen your discernment to read the signs. Here are two contemplations to steer you: 1. Which long-running sagas in your life have finally played themselves out? 2. Which struggling, half-forgotten dreams are yearning to rise again and blossom as if they were brand new? Once you’ve listened deeply enough to answer those questions, move boldly: Feed and protect whatever is being born, and actively assist in the graceful dismantling of whatever is ready to end.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): One of your go-to tools or assets is still functioning, but now is exactly the time to repair or refurbish it—*before* it breaks. Furthermore: A power outage of sorts may be looming unless you move to head off an impending overload. Wait, there’s even more! The monster in your closet is still deeply asleep, which is why now is the perfect moment to summon an exorcist or exterminator, before it stirs. Are you getting the picture, Gemini? The very fact that you’re reading this horoscope gives you all the advance warning you need to sidestep potential glitches and diversions.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): According to my reading of the astrological omens, asking the BIG questions is highly advisable right now. Why? Because you are unusually likely to get really good answers to those BIG questions. Want a nudge to get started in this noble enterprise? Here are three recommended queries: 1. “What is the wild meaning of my precious life?” 2. “Who the #@$%&!* am I, anyway?” 3. “Where is this so-called 'God' I hear so much about?" Dear Cancerian, I will also urge you to formulate humorous, satirical BIG questions that inspire life to be playfully revelatory with you. Here are three: 1. “How can I fine-tune my friends and loved ones to perfection?” 2. “Are there shortcuts to getting absolutely everything I want?” 3. “How do I sign up for a life of nonstop pleasure, free from all discomfort?”

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): When people finally grasped just how radical Einstein’s theory of relativity was, a journalist asked him how he had arrived at such a breakthrough. Einstein said it was simple: He had utterly ignored supposedly fundamental truths. Dear Leo, please notice what that might imply for you in the coming weeks. Einstein didn’t dismiss a mere opinion or fashionable theory; he set aside theories so deeply accepted that everyone treated them as obviously factual. He didn’t waste energy fighting them, but simply proceeded as if they didn’t exist. Consider doing the same: Set aside at least one seemingly incontestable assumption and be alert for the new realities that then become possible.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): The International Space Station orbits Earth every 90 minutes, so astronauts see 16 sunrises and sunsets every 24 hours. It’s a challenge to maintain their circadian rhythms. They must be disciplined as they stick to a sleep cycle that human bodies are accustomed

to. But there’s a wonderful trade-off: the rare privilege of witnessing the rapid cycling of total darkness and brilliant light, which provides a visceral sense of life’s deep cadences at work. Your routine may seem similarly unsettled these days, Virgo. Transitions are coming faster than feels natural. But I suspect this disruptive blessing is giving you access to patterns that aren’t intelligible when you’re moving more slowly. You're beholding the way things change as well as the changes themselves. This is a valuable gift. The insights will be worth the disorientation.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): You Libras sometimes get accused of indecision, as if your careful weighing of possibilities were a weakness. But I see a different truth: You aspire to be fair-minded as you honor all the legitimate claims on your attention. So the problem isn't your capacity for considering multiple sides of each story. Rather, I find fault with the culture you live in, which is obsessed with one-dimensional certainty. If I were your coach or therapist, I would give you permission to take your time and resist the rush to resolution. The most honest thing you can say may be, "I'm still deciding," or "Both of these feel true."

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): You’re not a flaming expert at turning tension into treasure, but you have modest skills at that art. And now I’m predicting you will grow these skills. Before you jump to conclusions, though, please know that I’m not implying you will be immersed in stressful melodrama. I’m suggesting you will handle differences of perspective with increasing aplomb and curiosity. Instead of treating conflict as a debilitating hassle, you’ll try to find value in it. Some debates may even feel stimulating and fun rather than tiring. To take maximum advantage, enjoy the controversies as exploratory missions rather than as showdowns you must win at all costs.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): I hope and predict that you will be wildly resourceful as you wisely experiment with love in the coming weeks. I hope and predict that you will research the art of tender, inspiring intimacy in new frontiers. Reinvent passion, you subtle intensity freak! Be a bold explorer who breaks the boring old rules! Dare to break open new varieties of sweetness and companionship that require you to innovate and improvise!

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): If you were on a walk and spied a dime on the ground, would you bend down to grab it? Probably not. Would you feel differently about a quarter? Maybe you have decided that nothing under a dollar is worth your effort. But in the coming weeks, you will be wise to break such rules. Symbolically speaking, the act of stooping down to pick up a dime will set off a chain reaction that ends with you acquiring a hundred-dollar bill. By saying yes to small, unexpected blessings, you’ll position yourself to receive larger ones down the line.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): The coming weeks will be an excellent time to begin a building project on the scale of Egypt's Great Pyramid or India's Taj Mahal. You should at least initiate work toward *some* magnificent masterpiece or creation, Aquarius. According to my analysis, there's a chance you could coax an armada of helpers to work on your behalf. And as you set out to accomplish your labor of love, I bless your quest.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Artists who specialize in origami can create structures far stronger than the flat paper they're folded from. The weakness of being made from thin, fragile material is overcome through strategic creasing. Engineers now use origami principles to design everything from solar panels to artificial blood vessels. Let’s extrapolate these facts into a lesson for you in the coming weeks, Pisces. We’ll assume that your flexibility is a strength, not a liability. You will wield your pliability to produce a high degree of structural integrity.

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UNCLAIMED / RECEIVED FIREARMS The following is a list of Unclaimed / Received firearms currently in possession of the Asheville Police Department Color, Make, Model, Caliber BLK, GLOCK, 19, 9MM; BLK, GLOCK, 43, 9MM, PURPLE, GLOCK, 43X, 9MM; BLK, GLOCK, 42, .380; BLK, RUGER, LCP, .380; BLK, SIG SAUER, P365, 9MM; BLK, SIG SAUER, P365, 9MM; GRN/ BLK, KELTEC, P32, .32; UNK, COLT, AGENT, .38; UNK, S&W, M&P SHIELD, .45; TAN, SPRINGFIELD, HELLCAT, 9MM; UNK, GLOCK, 34, 9MM; UNK, TAURUS, G2S, 9MM; BLK, COLT W/MAG, SERIES 80, .380; BLK, TAURUS, G3C, 9MM; BLK/SILV, S&W, RP, .38; UNK, HI STANDARD, SENTINEL, .22; UNK, S&W, SD9VE, 9MM; BLK, RUGER, P345, .45; SILV/ BLK, S&W, SW40VE, .40; BLK/ GLD, SHADOW SYSTEMS, MR920, 9MM; BLK/SILV, RUGER, MAX9, 9MM; BRO/ BLK, S&W, UNK, .38; SIL/ BLK, TAURUS, PT145, .45; SIL/ BLK, S&W, 40VE, .40; BLK, GLOCK, 19, 9MM; BLK, S&W, BODYGUARD 380, .380; BLK,

S&W, 45 SHIELD, .45; SIL/BLK, TAURUS, GCC, 9MM; TAN/SIL, TAURUS, G2C, 9MM; BLK, GLOCK, 42, .380; BLK/BLK, GLOCK, 19, 9MM; BLK, RUGER, LCP, .380; BLK, SPRINGFIELD, RXF11, 9MM; BLK, GLOCK, 26, 9MM; UNK, SAR, 9, 9MM; BLK, KEL TEC, PF-9, 9MM; BLK/ SILV, KAHR, CM9, 9MM; UNK, SPRINGFIELD, XDS, .45; UNK, JENNINGS, J-22, .22; PURP/ BLK, RUGER, LCP, .380; BLK/ BRO, RG, UNK, .22; BLK/BRO, SEARS, MOD 583.3, 20GA; UNK, SPRINGFIELD, UNK, 7.62; BLK/BRO, REMINGTON, 552, .22; BLK/BRO, REMINGTON, 550-1, .22; UNK, NEW ENGLAND, SINGLE SHOT, 20GA; BLK, S&W, M&P SHIELD, .22; BRO, SEARS, MODEL 25, .22; UNK, H&R, TOPPER, 12GA; BRO/BLK, REMINGTON, 870, 12GA; BLK, MOSSBURG, 500E, .410; BLK, RUGER, 10/22, .22. Anyone with a legitimate claim or interest in this property must contact the Asheville Police Department within 30 days from the date of this publication. Any items not claimed within 30 days will be disposed of in accordance with all applicable laws. For further information, or to file a claim, contact the Asheville Police Department Property & Evidence Section at 828-232-4576

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Publication: April 8, 2026

Publisher: Mountain Xpress

ACROSS

1 Clause separator

6 Channel showing committee hearings

11 Request

14 Winning, for the moment

15 “Don Giovanni” genre

16 Container for sardines

17 In 1968, Spencer Silver at 3M Corporation was attempting to develop a superstrong adhesive ...

19 Musician Yoko

20 One in a hundred

21 Alternative to fries, maybe

22 ___-color pasta

24 In 1928, Alexander Fleming at St. Mary’s Hospital in London found mold in his cultures of staphylococcus bacteria ...

27 Vulgar

30 Answer to the riddle ending “How many are going to St. Ives?”

31 “Olympia” painter

32 Ran out, as time

36 In 1945, Percy Spencer at the Raytheon Manufacturing Coimpany noticed the chocolate bar in his pocket had melted close to a magnetron ...

39 Language in which “computer” is made up of the characters for “electric” and “brain”

40 Take one’s foot off the gas

42 Kwik-E-Mart proprietor on “The Simpsons”

43 Attacks

44 In 1943, James Wright at General Electric was attempting to develop synthetic rubber for the war effort ...

50 Inits. on a police forensic van

51 Racetrack shape

52 Like Mercury among all the planets vis-à-vis the sun

55 One to build on

56 Happy chance, as illustrated by the four invention stories at 17-, 24-, 36and 44-Across

60 Singer Garfunkel

61 Update, as the Constitution

62 Vaudeville show

63 Deli bread option

64 ___-turvy

65 Paradises

1 Upper limit 2 “Well, that’s a surprise!”

3 Marked by a religious zeal

4 Join

5 Tennis score after deuce

6 Old French tale

7 With whom the dish ran away in “Hey Diddle Diddle”

8 ___ dish

9 Exist

10 Rapper Lil ___ X

11

21 Things a vest lacks 22 Channel for old westerns

Wander 25 Deal (with) 26 Shoe part 28 Community center for games and activities 29 Having streaks

32 Producer of milk for Roquefort cheese

“___ Culturistas” (popular podcast)

Street sign abbr.

Clue examiner

“Movin’ ___” (“The Jeffersons” theme song)

McAuliffe’s one-word reply to a German commander’s demand of surrender

General Assembly participant, for short

Many first-time smartphone owners

Jessica who won an Oscar for “Driving Miss Daisy”

Ireland, to the