Mountain Xpress 08.06.25

FEATURES PAGE 6 DIGGING IN

Following landslides caused by Tropical Storm Helene, a UNC Asheville research team began collecting oral histories from residents across Western North Carolina. Their goals are to understand how people experienced these events and what information is necessary to better prepare residents for future natural disasters.

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Choose ridership over reach for Asheville transit

As Asheville evaluates the future of its transit system, we face a pivotal choice: Stretch service thin across the entire city or invest in frequent, reliable transit along key corridors where it can truly succeed. We should choose ridership.

Asheville’s comprehensive plan envisions a walkable city, shaped by vibrant mixed-use corridors and compact, connected development. Prioritizing ridership aligns directly with this vision. Frequent service attracts more riders, supports higher-density development and creates the kind of transit culture that helps reduce car dependence. These are not just transportation outcomes — they’re city-shaping tools.

Expanding coverage to the farthest reaches of the city may sound equitable, but it stretches resources too thin to be effective for anyone. Infrequent service is unreliable service, and unreliable service doesn’t shift travel behavior or support long-term change. It’s time we recognize that where we invest transit service helps determine where and how Asheville grows.

Focusing on ridership means doubling down on places where people already live, work and shop — or to incentivize appropriate places for future residential development. It means supporting a network that can truly compete with the car, not just exist beside it. And it means building the kind of city we’ve said we want in our plans — one where walking, biking and transit are real options, not afterthoughts.

Let’s choose a transit system that reinforces our goals, not one that works against them.

— Vaidila Satvika Asheville

Editor’s note: The writer works as a planner for the City of Asheville but notes that he is expressing his opinion as a private citizen.

Why not restart citizen advisory committees?

[Regarding “Unfinished Business: City Boards and Commissions

Members Clamor for Attention,” July 23, Xpress:]

If all the advisory committees “need” from the City of Asheville is “assistance,” then I’m sure the city won’t mind if the committees continue their usual responsibilities sans this “assistance.” No further suspension required.

In all seriousness, two years is both not a lot of time (it’s already been, what, 10 months since Helene) and also enough that people will drift away and motivation will wane or be diverted. Rebuilding knowledge and momentum after years away is no joke.

Assuming, of course, that this isn’t a soft launch for dispensing with citizen advisory committees altogether or drastically restructuring them.

— Janine Paris Asheville

Reconsider disastrous UNCA stadium plan

Word of the week

bean slot (n.) the food delivery slot in a jail cell door

This week’s word comes courtesy of “Prison Slang: The Complete Guide,” by Aaron Delgado. Why prinson slang, you ask? Turn to Page 20 to discover our source of inspiration. X

I have been closely watching the developments of the proposed woods development with dismay, as details of the stadium complex emerge and the total impact of this plan is understood. I implore the UNC System Board of Governors to consider the vast negative consequences of this development.

As a master arborist having worked throughout the urban forest in Asheville for almost a decade, I have seen our canopy decline from development, lack of new planting and Hurricane Helene. My fellow arborists and I will never forget the devastation

we encountered in September, and the unimaginably complex, dangerous process we had to undergo to remove trees from houses and roads. The initial loss was traumatic. The subsequent loss of healthy, low-risk trees, due to lack of understanding and overzealous out-of-town tree crews, further reduced our canopy to an extent we still have yet to quantify.

It is in this climate of tree loss that the board brings to our community a voluntary bulldozing of a huge parcel of undeveloped woods in the heart of the city. One wonders if the cruelty is intentional. These woods have economic values that can be measured, giving us crucial water runoff services, reduction of surface heat, air purification and carbon sequestration. They also have values to the school and to the community at large, providing a learning environment for students in the STEM field, recreational use for all who live near and improved medical and mental health for all who pass under the canopy.

I understand there has been a problem with enrollment, yet I do not see how a 5,000-seat stadium will improve this issue. Students are attracted to UNC Asheville due to its proximity to nature and the promise of a deepened relationship to the outside world. This plan signals a cultural shift in the college that I imagine would lead to its complete demise within a decade. For an organization that is partially supported by taxpayer money, I do not understand how the board can make such a bad economic choice and create an environmental disaster and expect taxpayers will accept the choices. The community and the ecosystem should

not be paying for the board’s lack of business sense.

Thank you for reconsidering the plan. — April Wilson Stump Sprouts Tree Consulting Sandy Mush

Stadium is a bad solution to a real problem

UNC Asheville, like all the UNC institutions, is facing reduced funding from a GOP-led General Assembly that is eager to send public money to private K-12 schools but not so willing to fund the higher education institutions critical to our state’s future.

To generate revenue, the UNCA chancellor wants to raze one of Asheville’s last urban woods and replace it with what she thinks will be a cash cow 5,000-seat soccer stadium to host a future semiprofessional soccer teams and dozens of large-scale events like outdoor concerts. In addition, there are new retail sites that we don’t really need and market-rate housing, which is needed, but could be built in lots of other areas of Asheville. While UNCA’s need for additional funding sources is real, building a stadium that’s not necessarily needed and may well not be the revenue generator that’s hoped for is not the best solution to this problem.

We should all be promoting UNCA as a great little university that punches above its weight in terms of varied, high-quality course offerings and smaller class sizes with more personalized instruction. It’s a beautiful, wooded campus. The university itself, along with all Asheville has to offer, should be reason enough for students to want to attend.

We don’t need a financially questionable soccer stadium crammed next to a peaceful residential area, with all the noise, traffic, runoff and other problems that come along with it. It’s not going to put UNCA on the national college map. It is likely to hurt UNCA’s brand locally and impact its future endowment prospects. If the university can’t survive without additional funding sources, and if there is evidence that a stadium will indeed generate the needed funds, then at least build it someplace else without razing the urban woods. There are plenty of underutilized, flat properties in Asheville and Buncombe County that could be purchased by the city and/or county and deeded to UNCA through a land swap.

The currently proposed stadium plan, which requires the destruction of the woods to build it, is simply not the right solution to UNCA’s funding problem.

— Tony Sarris Weaverville

CARTOON BY RANDY MOLTON

FEAST teaches kids about healthy food

I want everyone to know about and support a powerful program sponsored by Bountiful Cities locally called FEAST: fresh, easy, affordable, sustainable, tasty. In four local public schools, hardworking yearround staff members teach kids and families how rewarding it is to have a hand in the production of what you eat.

It is important to educate our community on how to grow their own healthy food.

I hope this program gets the attention it deserves and lasts for many, many years. Support it if you can and spread the word.

— Beth Heinberg Asheville

Preventing nuclear war is a local issue

The possibility of nuclear war is a very local issue, just as climate change is. Remember Helene. In the case of nuclear war, the effects would be the same, but they would get worse instead of better. No cellphone coverage, no TV, no internet, no electricity, no water, no gasoline, no food … no help. Add to that radiation sickness.

Asheville citizens can and are pushing back against climate change. Asheville citizens can also push back against the dangerous nuclear policies of the military industrial complex that President Dwight D. Eisenhower warned us about.

Politicians these days do not seem to be influenced by letters, email or phone calls. Large organizations may be able to help through educational efforts and lobbying. Supporting Physicians for Social Responsibility or Ploughshares or Back from the Brink is a good pushback effort. Western North Carolina Physicians for Social Responsibility meets every month in Asheville. Check out our website and join us.

The United States started this dangerous situation 80 years ago last month. U.S. policies are making the situation more dangerous. Local citizens need to work for change. Preventing nuclear war is a very local issue.

— Dot Sulock Asheville

Fixing problems starts with paying attention

Paul Weichselbaum’s letter in Mountain Xpress’ July 2 issue hit a nerve with me [“Stand Up for WNC and Refuse Trump’s Bill”]. His reference to not focusing only on local stories in Mountain Xpress is important. I have

been struggling with how to express the urgency and importance of personal growth for everyone for a never-ending lifelong learning about things that matter. Local news is important, but ignoring national and global news in a world gone wrong is needed.

What does national or global news have to do with Asheville? What motivates local demonstrators like the Veterans for Peace, Resist Raytheon, Palestinians’ supporters and advocates of social reform? They demonstrate in the streets because they do not have the big money to influence people and do not have easy access to the powers that be. Most have a sense of history and an understanding of free speech and the restraints on governmental powers written into our Constitution that are being violated.

What motivates local Trump supporters? My experience is that they are basically good people. Some are simply confused and have no political background. Others with real certainty simply believe we need change without any real knowledge of our Constitution, the legal system, history and Trump’s past history.

Talking to Trump supporters, I note we are pretty much in agreement about the problems we are facing in today’s world. It is their response in supporting an authoritarian government and their misreading of history that I disagree with. An authoritarian government is antidemocratic.

Ignorance isn’t a bad thing. In fact it’s a good thing to discover your ignorance, because you can fix that by reading, reflecting, studying and dialoguing with others.

The dangerous omission of ignorance is the refusal to learn!

We can’t make the world perfect, but we can make the world a better place to live if we pay attention. As the Dalai Lama said, “Do not let the behavior of others destroy your inner peace.”

— Ed Sacco Asheville

Editor’s note: A longer version of this letter will appear at mountainx. com. You can reach the writer at esacco189@gmail.com. X

CARTOON BY BRENT BROWN

Digging in

UNC Asheville team documents Helene landslide stories

BY JUSTIN M c GUIRE

jmcguire@mountainx.com

In the days after Tropical Storm Helene, Paige Ambord started knocking on doors.

“I thought it would be worthwhile to collect oral histories, so I went around our neighborhoods, talking to folks and reporting back,” says Ambord, an assistant professor of sociology at UNC Asheville. “I felt like this was the kind of work people like us, trained in interview techniques, should be doing.”

That impulse sparked a research project focused on how residents across Western North Carolina experienced the landslides that followed the storm. Ambord soon looped in her students from a research methods class, and word reached her department chair, who connected the team with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). Agency personnel had arrived in Asheville to assess poststorm hazards and wanted to find local researchers.

“There’s a common problem in disaster research where people fly in, do the work and leave,” Ambord

Helene landslides, by the numbers

Tropical Storm Helene resulted in more than 2,000 landslides in Western North Carolina and parts of several other states, according the U.S. Geological Survey

Of those, about 1,000 were “flagged” by the agency, meaning they could potentially affect critical infrastructure like rivers, roads or structures.

The areas most heavily impacted by landslides included:

• Lake Lure/Bat Cave/ Chimney Rock

• Swannanoa/Black Mountain

• Hilly areas north and east of Asheville, including Linville Gorge and Table Rock

• The Blue Ridge Parkway up to Blowing Rock

Source: USGS X

explains. “They were looking for researchers who had boots on the ground.”

Together with Caitlin Meagher, a lecturer in anthropology, and two student researchers, the team has conducted more than 20 interviews with the goal of reaching 40 by early fall. The work spans Buncombe, Yancey, Henderson and Mitchell counties.

“Some [of the interview subjects] had structural damage from a landslide; others just had a landslide somewhere on their property,” Ambord says. “It’s been interesting to capture the wide array of experiences.”

Xpress spoke with Ambord and Meagher about how they found residents to interview, the role of social science in disaster research and the long-term goals for their work.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Xpress: How did your initial oral history interviews lead to the landslide project?

Ambord: Our department chair, Dr. Megan Underhill, heard about it. Her background is more in disaster sociology, and she has connections, including with the USGS. When USGS sent a team to Asheville to assess geological hazards after the storm, they wanted to meet with us.

Megan didn’t have capacity to take on a new project, but since we were already doing work in this space, we said we’d be interested in collecting information.

From there, we connected with a broader community of disaster-focused social scientists and decided to pursue the project after learning that the UNC system’s Collaboratory was offering grants for research connected to communities impacted by Helene. (For more on the Collaboratory, go to avl.mx/f0p.)

We’ve been doing a lot of in-home interviews [since June]. People walk us around their properties and give us a sense of what it was like to live through the event.

Meagher: Ethnography, as I teach it, is about spending time with people, interviewing them and trying to radically empathize with their experience. You do that by being present, by listening and learning through extended engagement.

SEEKING STORIES: “Natural scientists felt the messaging before [Tropical Storm] Helene was clear, but we found that many people didn’t know landslides were a risk from hurricanes or didn’t realize their homes were vulnerable,” says Paige Ambord, right, an assistant professor of sociology at UNC Asheville. Since the storm, Ambord and Caitlin Meagher, left, a lecturer in anthropology, have been collecting residents’ stories about how people experienced and responded to the disaster. Photo by Caleb Johnson

What can social science uncover that traditional scientific approaches might miss?

Ambord: We’re really interested in how people understand risk. Geologists can tell us which places are prone to landslides, but whether people internalize that risk and take steps to protect themselves, that varies widely. Our work looks at how to communicate scientific findings in ways that actually affect people’s lives.

We’re also asking: How do people experience a landslide in the moment? What decisions do they make? Do they stay or leave? What steps do they take? We get at those questions by talking to people, which you can’t do through data on debris flows or rainfall levels alone.

Meagher: People in Appalachia and Western North Carolina have a distinct culture. As local researchers, we can be more attuned to those cultural nuances than someone flying in for a week.

How did you find people to interview?

Ambord: We’ve used what’s called a “snowball sample” in the social sciences. You start with a few people, often through recommendations, and then those people refer others and so on. Like a snowball gathering more snow as it rolls downhill.

We were lucky to have some initial connections from folks in the UNCA community and local geologists who knew people impacted by the storm. A lot of residents had professional geologists assess their properties, so that helped.

Beyond that, it’s been mostly wordof-mouth. We posted flyers and tried some online recruiting, students recommended people, and former colleagues in rural areas reached out. It’s really been all over the place — neighbors recommending neighbors, friends recommending friends.

Our first interview was in Fairview, and it’s moved out from there. Snowball sampling tends to produce clusters. One of our retired colleagues lives in the Gerton area,

so we had a cluster of interviews there and in Bat Cave. Other clusters include Hendersonville, Burnsville and Fairview.

Meagher: This has been really humanizing. I moved here in 2022, Paige in 2023. We experienced the storm ourselves, and this has helped us connect with parts of Western North Carolina we wouldn’t otherwise have known. People have been incredibly open and generous.

What kinds of questions do you ask?

Ambord: One question we ask is: If you knew a landslide was going to occur, would you have made a different choice about where to live? What’s been surprising is that most say they’d still choose to live there. We’re trying to understand how the disaster has changed their view of their community and environment.

Seeing these homes makes it clear why people choose to live where they do. The most beautiful parts of our region are often the most at risk.

Meagher: We also ask about their impressions of the community and government responses. What went well and what could’ve been better?

What is the role of your students in this research?

Meagher: We both are very invested in student mentorship. With this grant, we were able to hire two student workers. I selected Samantha Adams, who just graduated summa cum laude. She lives in Hendersonville, speaks Spanish and has been immensely helpful. We did a couple interviews together in Hendersonville. One participant even took us out on his ATV for a tour of the property. She’s now interviewing independently.

Ambord: And Lily Kight is from Asheville, born and raised. Her parents are very connected with the community. She’s a great research student. I taught both of them in research

methods, so I know they’re capable of doing interviews. It’s a rare opportunity for students to engage in real-world research in their own communities. Many interviews are over Zoom, which we’re more likely to assign to students. Lily has mainly been interviewing people she knows personally.

What’s the end goal of the research? Where will all this information go?

Ambord: We’re connected to the USGS Landslide Social Science Community of Practice. We’ll present our findings there. We’ll also publish in academic journals. I’ll be presenting at the American Sociological Association conference in Chicago, talking about how climate change factors into risk perception. We’ll also present on campus, including at a symposium marking one year since the storm.

Additionally, we’re donating interviews — when participants consent — to the Buncombe County Special Collections, so they’ll be available to future researchers.

One goal is to improve communication in future disasters. Natural scientists felt the messaging before Helene was clear, but we found that many people didn’t know landslides were a risk from hurricanes or didn’t realize their homes were vulnerable. There are state-level maps of landslide susceptibility, but they’re not widely accessible. There’s been resistance, especially from real estate interests, to making those maps more public. So people were caught off guard.

Meagher: I spoke to a woman who bought her house in Hendersonville, unaware that a landslide had occurred on the same site just five years earlier. It wasn’t disclosed, and it didn’t have to be.

If your property was affected by landslides caused by Tropical Storm Helene and you would like to be interviewed, contact uncalandslidesresearch@gmail. com or look for flyers around the region with a scannable QR code. X

Mission unaccomplished

HCA potentially not in compliance with purchase deal for hospital group

BY JANE WINIK SARTWELL

For the second year running, HCA is potentially not in compliance with its 2019 purchase agreement for the Asheville-based Mission Health hospital system.

The repeated compliance issues raise questions about whether HCA is fulfilling its promise to maintain health care services for Western North Carolina residents.

HCA purchased Mission Health, the region’s largest hospital system, for $1.5 billion in 2019. In allowing the acquisition, the Attorney General’s Office placed key stipulations on the purchase, to which HCA agreed.

Dogwood Health Trust, which is charged with monitoring HCA’s compliance with the purchase agreement, announced July 29 that it intends to notify the health system of three instances of potential noncompliance:

• Diminished emergency/trauma and oncology services at Mission Hospital due to staff reductions.

• Failure to remain in good standing with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

• Issues with uninsured and charity care policies.

These are the same three instances Dogwood listed last year, when it found HCA potentially not in compliance. Two of these three issues are no longer active thanks to corrective action HCA took in 2024, according to Dogwood. The charity care policy was updated to explicitly prohibit patient liens, and the CMS standing issue was resolved when federal regulators lifted their “immediate jeopardy” findings in June 2024.

This leaves the continuation of emergency and oncology services as the last outstanding instance of potentially not being in compliance for HCA.

NC LAWSUIT OVER HCA COMPLIANCE

HCA promised in 2019 that it would not stop emergency/trauma and cancer care at Mission Hospital. Gov. and former Attorney General Josh Stein believes this promise was broken.

Stein sued HCA in 2023, when he was attorney general, for this alleged degradation of care, which he says leads to

long wait and travel times and improper and unsafe care. Stein’s suit argues that reductions in staff in both these wings made care inadequate or unavailable.

In his complaint, Stein alleges that doctors and nurses are forced to treat patients in the waiting room without adequate and sterile equipment due to staffing shortages. He writes that Mission Cancer Center no longer employs a single medical oncologist and that patients with leukemia and lymphoma must travel to Charlotte or the Triangle for care. All of this, in his view, represents a breach of Mission's promise to retain quality care for Western North Carolinians.

That case remains pending in Buncombe County Superior Court, meaning the instance of potential noncompliance is still active.

Attorney General Jeff Jackson has 30 days to inform Dogwood about whether he agrees or disagrees with the trust’s findings. Jackson has made his position on Stein’s suit against HCA clear: He supports it.

“I know HCA was hopeful that a new attorney general would drop our office’s lawsuit,” Jackson said in a statement earlier this year. “I am the attorney general, and that’s not going to happen.

“HCA broke the promises it made to provide emergency and cancer care services to the people of Western North Carolina. We’ll keep fighting for this case as long as it takes to restore the health

care HCA promised to provide and western North Carolinians deserve.”

By Aug. 28, either Dogwood or the attorney general must notify HCA of any area in which the company is not in compliance.

In addition, Dogwood is accusing HCA of “delayed production of documents and blanketed confidentiality constraints.”

However, Dogwood's ability to hold HCA accountable is limited.

“Under the contract, our only remedy is what's called ‘specific performance,’” Dogwood’s general counsel, Rachel Ryan, told Carolina Public Press. “In layman’s terms, that is basically saying that the person has to do what they said they were going to do under the contract. You can't drag them into court and ask for a bunch of money or anything like that.”

Dogwood will host a webinar on Thursday, Aug. 7, noon-1 p.m., to provide an opportunity for community members to learn more about the 2024 monitoring report.

But compliance with the purchase agreement isn’t the only legal arena where Mission’s dominance is being tested.

DISPUTE HEADING TO SUPREME COURT

Mission Hospital is bringing its fight to prevent AdventHealth from building a competitive hospital to the N.C. Supreme Court.

Because of North Carolina’s certificate-of-need laws, the state must award hospitals a certificate to offer more hospital beds. The state has continually awarded certificates to AdventHealth to fill a need for hospital beds in Buncombe County, but each time, HCA has appealed this decision.

HCA is one of the largest providers of hospital care in the mountains, especially in the region’s largest county, Buncombe, and the multiple rural counties where HCA operates the only hospital or where no hospitals are located and HCA’s are the closest option. That near-monopoly in the region appears to be one that the corporation would like to hold onto.

In June, the Court of Appeals ruled against HCA’s appeal of the state’s decision to grant AdventHealth 67 beds. On July 25, the state Supreme Court granted HCA’s request for a temporary stay on this decision. This will further delay AdventHealth’s project to build a 222bed facility in Weaverville, a project on which it has already started construction.

The Supreme Court has no deadline to decide whether to hear the full case.

This article first appeared on Carolina Public Press and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. X

LINGERING ISSUES: Mission Hospital is still facing issues resulting from its acquisition by HCA Healthcare. Photo by Colby Rabon of Carolina Public Press

Council hears arguments for and against reducing advisory boards

Prior to Tropical Storm Helene, the City of Asheville’s 15 advisory boards met regularly. At Asheville City Council’s July 29 meeting, Assistant City Manager

Ben Woody provided an overview of the city’s time commitments to these monthly sessions, which included staff attendance, setting up audiovisual equipment to securely stream meetings, taking minutes and responding to data requests, among other tasks. Under a proposal that the city has been kicking around for years, the number of boards would be condensed into four larger Helene Recovery Boards.

Woody shared a presentation (available at avl.mx/ezq ) providing information on a proposed structure for Council to consider. Fountainworks, a firm the city hired to assist with establishing recovery priorities, helped develop the proposal, Woody said.

The Helene Recovery Boards would prioritize the following: economy, housing, infrastructure, and people and environment. Some of the current 15 advisory boards would align with multiple Helene Recovery Boards, such as the Affordable Housing Advisory Committee, which would align with “economy” and “housing,” as well as the Sustainability Advisory Committee, which would align with “infrastructure” and “people and environment.”

The boards would include no more than 11 members, who would come from existing advisory board membership as well as the general public. According to Woody’s presentation, in order to propose new tasks, board members would “ask their board’s representative on the Helene Recovery Boards to present the idea to their respective recovery board.”

The Helene Recovery Boards would be time limited and operate under this proposed structure for two years.

Woody read Council a statement from the International Association of Public Participation Core Values: “Aligning technique with intention is essential not just for meaningful input but for building and maintaining public trust.”

Woody continued, “That really is a reflection of the approach I think we are proposing tonight — to be intentional.”

During public comment, Stacy Anderson spoke on behalf of the Realignment Working Group, which opposes the city proposal.

“Understandably, the city leadership is exploring ways to streamline operations during the intense recovery period,” Anderson said. “One such consideration — suspending regular

advisory board meetings for up to two years — may seem pragmatic given limited staff capacity. However, we believe the approach would be a critical misstep at a time when inclusive, participatory community and informed governments is more vital than ever.”

Anderson continued, “Advisory boards are not peripheral. They are foundations to Asheville’s democratic process. They amplify community voices, they generate innovative ideas and help ensure that public decisions reflect the lived realities.”

City officials who spoke at the meeting said they hope Council will adopt a resolution at its Tuesday, Aug. 26, meeting establishing a new framework for advisory boards and then implement

VIEW FROM THE PRESS BOX

Anyone whose work hours are consumed with tasks, especially when there’s a lot of other work to do, can sympathize with the city staff’s claim. Providing support for boards does take valuable time. But downsizing the number of advisory boards may solve one problem while creating a bigger, gnarlier one. A public commenter at the July 29 meeting pointed out that condensing dozens of boards into four large work groups is making citizens nervous about open government and transparency. “Regardless of what the intentions of this plan are, what it looks like to the public is fewer chances for people to have their voices heard and to participate in the city’s decision-mak-

the appointment and application process during the fall.

In other news

• Asheville Planning and Urban Design Director Stephanie Monson Dahl updated the Council on the work of the Urban Land Institute (ULI) Advisory Panel. The City of Asheville is partnering with ULI to bring nine land use experts to address recovery from Helene. Citing key themes garnered from public engagement, Dahl explained focuses on infrastructure, environment and the economy. These include restoring park infrastructure, preserving flood-prone areas

ing process,” said public commenter Rachel Cohen, speaking on behalf of Sunrise Movement WNC. “One of the messages it sends is that it’s too hard to include community voices. … And I don’t think that’s acceptable.”

Council member Kim Roney, noting that at least one staff member has attended past advisory board meetings, said she’s sympathetic. “We have way too much work and not enough staff,” Roney said. However, in some cases, staff members are not legally required at advisory meetings, she explained. “None of our advisory boards takes up quasi-judicial matters,” Roney explained. “There’s absolutely no reason our advisory boards can’t meet and have conversations.” Roney continued that the proposal from the resident-led Realignment Working Group could take some workload off staff, as it offered free clerical support. The group, which has met for 3 1/2 years, has done its own clerical work, for example.

from future development, fortifying roads and bridges, support for arts and culture, and floodplain management in commercial corridors.

• Numerous public commenters identified themselves as part of Save the Woods, an organization that is seeking to halt a soccer stadium from being built on what is currently a 45-acre forest on UNC Asheville’s campus. Council members acknowledged their limitations on addressing the matter beyond putting forth a resolution. Council member Kim Roney suggested placing a resolution about Save the Woods on Council’s Aug. 26 agenda, and Mayor Esther Manheimer said she would discuss it with other members of Council. “I would like to make sure that everybody on Council sees it, and they’re OK with it moving it forward, and then putting it out there for everyone to take a look,” Manheimer said.

• A public hearing for conditional zoning of 93 and 95 Springside Road, for the purpose of constructing 36 single-family detached housing units, was continued until Council’s Aug. 26 meeting.

• Vice Mayor Antanette Mosley honored civil rights attorney James P. Ferguson II, who was born in Asheville in 1942 and died last week. As a high school student, Ferguson was the president of the Asheville Student Committee on Racial Equality (ASCORE), which sought to integrate lunch counters and public facilities in Asheville, and fought to desegregate North Carolina schools. Learn more about Ferguson’s legacy at avl.mx/ezp.

— Jessica Wakeman

X

In a phone interview with Xpress, Roney also pointed out that condensing advisory boards could cause missed opportunities for the city. Boards and commissions act as pipelines for further community engagement, she said. Numerous Council members, in fact, noted they’ve served on various advisory boards themselves. To me, trust is at the heart of this dispute. Does city staff trust members of its advisory boards in their efforts? Are they aligned in all, or most of, their goals? And do members of advisory boards trust city staff to listen to them? On that note, I think public commenter Cohen made the most pertinent point when she asked, “Do we consider it more important that we make life a little more convenient for city staff? Or is it more important to make sure community members have the opportunity to participate in this process?”

LAWYERLY ADVICE: City Attorney Brad Branham, second from left, stated that the city has provided legal counsel to its advisory boards — one of the many tasks provided by staff. Photo by Jessica Wakeman

Green thumb

BY CAROL KAUFMAN

KaufmanInk20@gmail.com

Arturo Carrillo may have turned 78 recently, but age hasn’t slowed him one bit, especially not in the kitchen or the garden. Growing up in a family of cooks, he continues to prepare traditional dishes from his hometown of Quito, Ecuador, such as shrimp ceviche, seasoning his dishes with herbs he gathers from the community garden near his home.

Carrillo met his partner, Clare Hanrahan, around nine years ago, shortly after she founded the Elder Sage Community Garden.

“I moved into one of downtown Asheville’s historic apartment buildings. Turns out Clare lived there, too,” Carrillo recalls. “When she told me she was coordinating a community garden just down the street, I asked if I could volunteer.” And, well, the rest is history.

What started as a simple act of volunteering soon grew into a close friendship and eventually a lasting romance.

Downtown resident discovers a new passion

Meeting his life partner and learning about her passion for gardening sparked a new appreciation for plants in Carrillo.

“Before I met Clare, I had little interest in gardening,” he admits. “I was living in Miami, the city I settled in after leaving Ecuador 52 years ago. Back then, I helped develop petroleum programs throughout Latin America, and later, I ran my own electronics business. I came without knowing any English.”

These days, Carrillo can be found at Elder & Sage most days of the week, happily lending a hand, especially with maintenance projects. From tiled walkways to imaginative seating areas and unique planters, much of the garden’s design reflects his craftsmanship, often brought to life with help from Hanrahan and a team of enthusiastic volunteers.

“Although Elder & Sage is part of the Bountiful Cities Community Garden Network, it’s entirely self-run, relying on volunteers and donations,” Carrillo explains. “Thankfully, we’ve

PLANT LIFE: These days, Arturo Carrillo can be found at Elder & Sage most days of the week. Photo by Carol Kaufman

had plenty of people who are excited about what we’ve created — and what we’re still creating. It’s a work in progress, and it’s come a long way

from the empty lot Clare and others began transforming in June 2017.”

The couple plan to keep Elder & Sage thriving for as long as they can. They welcome visitors and volunteers from mid-March through early November, closing the gates during the winter months for a seasonal rest.

“The garden is our playground,” Carrillo says. “It’s a living sanctuary — a fenced-in oasis nestled in the middle of a parking lot where Clare and I can create and feel nourished by the plants, the shaded sitting areas, the abundance of birds and pollinators — even the people who pass through.”

“I moved to Asheville 12 years ago,” he continues. “When a friend in Miami told me about Asheville, I planned a visit, and I instantly fell in love with the mountains. They reminded me of Quito. I knew right then I had found my new home. Clare and I try to visit Quito every year. I still have family there. But Asheville is home, and I have no plans of leaving.”

AUG. 6 - AUG 14, 2025

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



Online-only events

 More Info, Page 19

 More info, page 24

 More info, page 26

WELLNESS

Free Community

Functional Fitness

Build muscular endurance through exercises that focus on multiple repetitions with lower weights while moving in all planes of motion.

WE (8/6, 13), 10:15am, YWCA of Asheville, 185 S French Broad Ave

Gentle Tai Chi for Balance

This class works on improving our balance through exercises that help you to think with your feet while strengthening your balance muscles.

WE (8/6, 13), 11:30am, Dragon Phoenix, 51 N Merrimon Ave, Ste 109

Tai Chi Fan

The Fan forms include movements from Yang, Chen and Sun styles of Tai Chi.

WE (8/6, 13), 1pm, Dragon Phoenix, 51 N Merrimon Ave, Ste 109

Tai Chi for Beginners: Yang 10 & 24

In this Beginner Tai Chi class, the focus is on the Yang 10 and 24 forms as well as Qigong exercises for health.

TH (8/7, 14), MO (8/11), 11:30am, Dragon Phoenix, 51 N Merrimon Ave, Ste 109

Chen Tai Chi Chen style is known for its spiral movements and fajin, or issuing power. It is considered a very high level of Tai Chi.

TH (8/7, 14), MO (8/11), 1pm, Dragon Phoenix, 51 N Merrimon Ave, Ste 109

Free Community Zumba Gold

The class design introduces easy-to-follow Zumba choreography that focuses on balance, range of motion, and coordination.

FR (8/8), 10am, YWCA of Asheville, 185 S French Broad Ave

Intermediate Tai Chi Yang 24

This is the Tai Chi that most people envision

CRAFT: Authors in Conversation w/ Denise Kiernan & Bonnie Kistler

• Little Jumbo

241 Broadway St

• Sunday, Aug. 10 | 4:30 p.m.

A series hosted by New York Times bestselling author Denise Kierna. Denise’s next guest will be Bonnie Kistler, author of Shell Games.

“As a parent of a young child, it can be tricky sneaking off for a bit during the weekend. But I’ll be doing my best to make it to Denise Kiernan’s latest CRAFT talk. As host, Kiernan always keeps the conversation flowing. Meanwhile, Little Jumbo bartenders help keep the drinks doing the same.”

— Thomas Calder X

COMMUNITY CALENDAR

when they think of Tai Chi. Slow, gentle movements that promote good health.

FR (8/8), 10:30am, Dragon Phoenix, 51 N Merrimon Ave, Ste 109

The Professor's Tai Chi

A great class for those who have studied Yang 37 or would like a form that is a little bit more involved than Yang 10 or 24.

SA (8/9), 8:30am, Dragon Phoenix, 51 N Merrimon Ave, Ste 109

Goat Yoga

Partake in a 45 minute all-levels yoga class, and then take all the time you want to snuggle and take selfies with your new goat friends.

SA (8/9), 9:30am, Candler, Candler

Yoga in the Park All-level friendly yoga classes based on Hatha & Vinyasa traditions.

SA (8/9), 10am, West Asheville Park, 198 Vermont Ave

Free Community Qi

Gong Qi Gong improves balance and coordination, enhances physical and emotional energy.

SA (8/9), SU (8/10), 11:30am, YWCA of Asheville, 185 S French Broad Ave

Sunday Morning Meditation Group

The Sunday Morning Meditation Group will gather for a combination of silent sitting and walking meditation.

SU (8/10), 10am, The Lodge at Quietude, 1130 Montreat Rd, Black Mountain

Metal Yoga w/Quantum

Mystic

This class will take you on a journey through the abyss. Where metal heads and misfits alike get to transform.

SU (8/10), 11am, Eulogy, 10 Buxton Ave

Candlelight Flow Yoga

This breath-centered practice blends gentle movement and mindfulness to release tension, restore balance, and leave you feeling grounded and renewed.

SU (8/10), 5pm, Asheville Happy Body, 25 Reed St, Ste 210

Free Community Athletic Conditioning

Combining strength training, HIIT, plyometrics, kickboxing and step, this class offers a diverse, challenging training experience.

MO (8/11), 8am, YWCA of Asheville, 185 S French Broad Ave

Yin Yang Qigong Yin Yang Qigong offers lineage practices to return to your center, to be strong in your body and to feel relaxed, regulated and energized.

MO (8/11), 10am, Dragon Phoenix, 51 N Merrimon Ave, Ste 109

Free Community Yoga (Level 2)

A full body movement series to get you poised for an energized day.

TU (8/12), 8:45am, YWCA of Asheville, 185 S French Broad Ave

Qigong for Health & Resilience

This class is an opportunity for people of all ages and abilities to learn traditional Qigong exercises.

TU (8/12), 9am, Dragon Phoenix, 51 N Merrimon Ave

Yoga & Coffee

Practice on the outdoor deck, get the body and mind balanced, and then you can hang out after for some coffee, tea and pastries.

TU (8/12), 9:30am, Cooperative Coffee Shop, 210 Haywood Rde Qigong Downtown It is easier to learn since all movements are performed 8 times and you create a flow of Qi, the lifeforce energy.

TU (8/12), 10am, Asia House, 119 Coxe Ave

Nia Dance

Nia is a sensory-based movement practice that draws from martial arts, dance arts and healing arts.

TU (8/12), TH (8/14), 10:30am, Dragon Phoenix, 51 N Merrimon Ave, Ste 109

Baguazhang Level 1

Baguazhang is considered a very advanced style of Kung Fu with its complex use of geometry and physics.

TU (8/12), 1pm, Dragon Phoenix, 51 North Merrimon Ave, Ste 109

Community Yoga & Mindfulness

Free monthly event with Inspired Change Yoga that will lead you into a morning of breathwork, meditation and yoga.

WE (8/13), 10:30am, AmeriHealth Caritas, 216 Asheland Ave

SUPPORT GROUPS

Disordered Eating/ Eating Disorders

This support group is peer-led and facilitated by licensed therapists & dietitians specializing in eating disorders. Register at avl.mx/es6.

WE (8/6, 13), 6pm, Online

Maternal Mental Health Support Group for Mommas w/Sistas

Caring 4 Sistas

Sistas Caring 4 Sistas invites you to an afternoon of mental health support.

TH (8/7), 6pm, AmeriHealth Caritas, 216 Asheland Ave

Nicotine Anonymous

People share their experience, strength and hope to stop using nicotine. You don’t need to be stopped, just have a desire to attend.

BACK TO SCHOOL COLLECTIVE DRIVE: Ingles, in partnership with Eblen Charities, hosts its annual Tools for Schools Supply Drive on Thursday, Aug. 7, starting at 6 a.m. School supplies can be dropped off at the Ingles at 153 Smokey Park Highway, and they will be given away to support students, teachers and schools in Western North Carolina as they begin the 2025-26 school year. Photo courtesy of Eblen Charities

TH (8/7, 14), 4:30pm, Asheville 12-Step Recovery Club, 1 Kenilworth Knolls Unit 4

Mad Hatter’s Collective: Hearing Voices Network

A group collective that gathers to talk about encounters with visual, tactile, sensational, or fringe experiences with life and the interaction of energy.

TH (8/7, 14), 6pm, 12 Baskets Cafe, 610 Haywood Rd

Marijuana Anonymous

Whether you’re exploring sobriety, new to recovery, or have been on this path for a while, you are welcome here.

TH (8/7, 14), 6:30pm, American Legion Post #2, 851 Haywood Rd

Magnetic Minds: Depression & Bipolar Support Group

A free weekly peer-led meeting for those living with depression, bipolar, and related mental health challenges. For more information contact (828) 367-7660. SA (8/9), 2pm, First Congregational UCC of Asheville, 20 Oak St

Dementia Support Group

This free community group meets every

month on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday at the Woodfin YMCA and 1st and 3rd Monday at the Asheville YMCA. MO (8/11), 6pm, Woodfin YMCA, 40 N. Merrimon Ave, Ste 101

Community Narcan Training

Learn how to use Naloxone, an introduction into harm reduction, what’s going on in our community and more.

TU (8/12), noon, AmeriHealth Caritas, 216 Asheland Ave

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 (8/6, 13), 8pm, One World Brewing West, 520 Haywood Rd Pop Choreo Workshop (Ages 12+)

A high-energy, music video-inspired dance experience designed for ages 12 and up.

TH (8/7), 5pm, Black Mountain Center for the Arts, 225 W State St, Black Mountain

Monday Night Contra Dance

Contra dancing is a fun, social dance for everyone. Follow a lesson at 7 p.m. and then dance to a live band and caller at 7:30 p.m.

MO (8/11), 7:30pm, A-B Tech, 340 Victoria Rd

ART

Our Living Record

This vibrant and deeply personal exhibition features artwork from Southern LGBTQ+ community members and allies who explore preserving queer memory in the face of cultural erasure. Gallery open Monday through Saturday, 9:30am. Exhibition through Sept. 1. Revolve Studio, 821 Riverside Dr , Ste 179

Randy Siegel: Bindings Art Exhibit

This exhibition features scraps of fabric, rope, wire, and thread, along with obsessive stitching and often beading, obscure and obstruct hidden aspects of self often too painful to acknowledge and to beautiful to ignore. Gallery open Tuesday through Saturday, 10am.

Exhibition through Aug. 30. North Asheville Library, 1030 Merrimon Ave

#RADstrong Nine displaced River Arts District artists will exhibit their work in a range of media including painting, encaustic, jewelry, mixed media, photography and more. Gallery open Monday through Saturday, 10am, and Sunday, noon. Exhibition runs through Aug. 17. Pink Dog Gallery, 348 Depot St

Iron & Ink Exhibition This exhibition focuses on a dynamic era in American history—the Machine Age—when industrialization and advances in technology transformed urban landscapes and redefined the nature of work and leisure nationwide. Gallery open Wednesday through Sunday, 11am. Exhibition through Sept. 27. Asheville Art Museum, 2 S Pack Square Native America: In Translation This exhibition, curated by Apsáalooke artist Wendy Red Starr, features the work of seven Indigenous artists

who explore themes of community, heritage, and the lasting impact of colonialism in North America. Gallery open Wednesday through Sunday, 11am. Exhibition through Nov. 3. Asheville Art Museum, 2 S Pack Square

Colors of the Blue Ridge: The Mountainscapes of Richard Baker

Experience the majesty of the Blue Ridge and its waterways through the eyes of a talented and prolific artist.

FR (8/8), 10am, Folkmoot Studios, 112 Virginia Ave, Waynesville

James Henkel: On the Nature of Things

James Henkel’s photography shows a commitment to aesthetic pleasures while embracing melancholia and the disruption of the preciousness of still life imagery, allowing space for humor & absurdity. Gallery open Wednesday through Saturday, 11am. Exhibition through Aug. 9.

Tracey Morgan Gallery, 22 London Rd

Viewshed Exhibition

The exhibition highlights works that span painting, textile, sound, and performance, inviting viewers to consider the ways in which artistic methodologies evolve and reverberate across time. Gallery open Tuesday through Saturday, 11am. Exhibition through August, 16, 2025.

Black Mountain College Museum & Arts Center, 120 College St

Tina Curry: Into the Wild

Into the Wild features a wide variety of animals not often encountered in daily life, originating from various continents. It will primarily showcase ceramic creations. However, it will also include a unique bronze sculpture and some new experimental pieces. Gallery open Monday through Sunday, 10am. Exhibition through August 10.

Grovewood Gallery, 111 Grovewood Rd

Enchanted Garden Art

Show

Discover a magical blend of art and nature in this outdoor sculpture invitational featuring works by eight artists from North Carolina and beyond. Gallery open Monday through Sunday, 10am. Exhibition through Sept. 21. Grovewood Gallery, 111 Grovewood Rd

the project.

WE (8/6), 7pm, The Grey Eagle, 185 Clingman Ave

Sarah Hennies & Tristan Kasten Krause

Composer and percussionist Sarah Hennies and composer and bassist Tristan Kasten-Krause make music rooted in observation.

TH (8/7), 7pm, Black Mountain College Museum & Arts Center, 120 College St

Concerts in the Park w/ Soul Blue

This week features music from Soul Blue, a charismatic and entertaining classic soul, blues and R&B band.

FR (8/8), 6:30pm, Biltmore Park Town Square, Town Square Blvd., Asheville

HSO Presents: Music in the Vines w/The Iliana Rose Trio

Hendersonville Symphony Orchestra will host an unforgettable open air concert series at the Marked Tree Vineyard with the Iliana Rose Trio.

FR (8/8), 6:30pm, Marked Tree Vineyard, 623 Deep Gap Rd, Flat Rock

Concerts on the Creek: Arnold Hill Free concert series for the community with Arnold Hill, known for their heartfelt storytelling, tight three-part harmonies and powerful stage presence. There will be food trucks available on most nights.

FR (8/8), 7pm, Bridge Park Gazebo, 76 Railroad Ave, Sylva

Summer Tracks w/The Feels

Summer Tracks, Tryon’s most popular music series continues this week with The Feels, a female-fronted band providing the tunes this week. There will also be new food vendors and alcohol beverages are allowed but will not be sold. See p19 FR (8/8), 7pm, Rogers Park, 55 W Howard St, Tryon Voces8

The Music at Trinity concert series is thrilled to kick off the 2025-26 season with a special concert given by London, UK based world-class vocal ensemble Voces8. SA (8/9), 7:30pm, Trinity Episcopal Church, 60 Church St

Chlo! & the Cardinals

Chlo! released their latest album in January of 2025, and it has made an impact in the Asheville music scene.

TH (8/14), 7:30pm, White Horse Black Mountain, 105C Montreat Rd, Black Mountain

COMMUNITY WORKSHOPS

Change Your Palate Cooking Demo

This free lunchtime food demonstration is open to all but tailored towards those with type 2 diabetes or hypertension and/or their caretakers.

TH (8/7), noon, AmeriHealth Caritas, 216 Asheland Ave

Understanding Credit

Learn what you can do to build it, improve it, and how to plan for future financial goals.

Register at avl.mx/ezo.

FR (8/8), noon, OnTrack

WNC, 50 S. French Broad Ave

Rooted & Radiant: Movement Lab

A 6-month series to explore movement practices that support strength, resilience, and holistic well being.

SA (8/9), 11am, YWCA of Asheville, 185 S French Broad Ave

Basic Accounting Principles for Small Business Owners: Disaster Recovery Focused We will explain the concept of financial management and its importance to a small business and its owner.

Register at avl.mx/f0q.

WE (8/13), 10am, Online

Permission to PLAY

Join ginger in gathering and creating with others embracing the playfulness of creativity through some fun, open ended studio time.

WE (8/13), 7pm, Ginger Huebner Art, 573 Fairview Rd, Ste 3

Summer Heat Candle

Making

Pour your own custom candle in a Devil’s Foot Soda can. Each session features different scents.

TH (8/14), 4pm, The Mule, 131 Sweeten Creek Rd Ste 10

An Organic Intelligence Workshop

a disabled protagonist that explores the chilling effects of climate change and medical debt.

WE (8/6), 6pm, Firestorm Books, 1022 Haywood Rd

Poetry Open Mic

This support group is peer-led and facilitated by licensed therapists & dietitians specializing in eating disorders.

WE (8/6, 13), 8:30pm, Sovereign Kava, 268 Biltmore Ave

Mindful Storytime & Yoga for Families

This interactive event will blend storytelling with emotional wellness, helping young readers explore calm breathing, connection, and creativity.

TH (8/7), 4pm, Firestorm Books, 1022 Haywood Rd

Natalie C. Anderson Presents: That Kind of Girl

Natalie C. Anderson will visit City Lights from Geneva, Switzerland to share her new Young Adult novel, That Kind of Girl.

TH (8/7), 6pm, City Lights Bookstore, 3 E Jackson St, Sylva

A Cultural History of the Purse in America

Author Kathleen B. Casey presents her new book

The Things She Carried, a cultural and social biography of the purse, exploring how and why purses became intimately linked with gender, travel, waged work and modernity.

SA (8/9), 3pm, Firestorm Books, 1022 Haywood Rd

Aubra Love Presents: Our Lactating God

In her most recent published work, Our Lactating God, Love hosts a sacred gathering in which we are each invited to remember and rejoice: we are made in the image of God.

SU (8/10), 1pm, Malaprop’s Bookstore & Cafe, 55 Haywood St

CRAFT: Authors in Conversation w/Denise Kiernan & Bonnie Kistler

A series conceived and hosted by New York Times bestselling author Denise Kierna. Denise’s next guest will be Bonnie Kistler, author of Shell Games.

SU (8/10), 4:30pm, Little Jumbo, 241 Broadway St

and a showcase of Asheville area songwriters involved in

Carolina Celtic Presents: Steve Baughman New Asheville resident Steve Baughman has long been celebrated for his melodic fingerstyle guitar playing, which draws on Celtic, Appalachian, and various ethnic and folk traditions. MO (8/11), 7:30pm, White Horse Black Mountain, 105C Montreat Rd, Black Mountain

Learn how to sustain your energy, reduce burnout and increase your confidence as a helper, even when you’re going through some of the same stressors as your clients.

TH (8/14), 5:30pm, AmeriHealth Caritas, 216 Asheland Ave

LITERARY

Author Event: Climate of Chaos

Author Cassandra Newbould's new novel is a hard-hitting survival story featuring

Rojava & Revolutionary Commitment

A conversation with scholars Rosa Burç and Azize Aslan to discuss his new book on Rojava's tireless fight against oppression. Register at avl.mx/f0n.

MO (8/11), 2pm, Online Flooded Poetry

Each poet will be able to share 2-3 poems, and occasionally we will have local celebrity poets close out our night with a featured reading.

MO (8/11), 6:30pm, Flood Gallery, 802 Fairview Rd Ste 1200

COMMUNITY MUSIC

Jodi John EP Release Show & Asheville Songwriters Showcase Catch the release of Jodi John’s debut EP, Sybelia,

THEATER & FILM

Side Stories Live w/ Henry Zebrowski & Ed Larson

Dig into the latest true crime news and paranormal happenings, breaking down ookyspooky stories.

TH (8/7), 7pm, The Orange Peel, 101 Biltmore Ave

Anything Goes

Set aboard an ocean liner bound for London, Anything Goes is a madcap musical comedy filled with mistaken identities, mismatched lovers, and show-stopping songs by Cole Porter.

TH (8/7), FR (8/8), SA (8/9), 7:30pm, SU (8/10), 2pm, Hart Theatre, 250 Pigeon St, Waynesville

Lisa Langford: Dear God

Aliens have arrived from space, and they are turning Rev. Vonnie Braxton’s world upside down. Her congregation is freaking out; her husband is distant, and her faith is challenged.

TH (8/7, 14), FR (8/8), SA 8/9), 7:30pm, Tina McGuire Theatre, 18 Biltmore Ave

Foreign Film Fridays

Every Friday visitors can enjoy a cozy movie night in the gallery featuring some amazing foreign films curated by film-buff Carlos Steward.

FR (8/8), 7pm, Flood Gallery, 802 Fairview Rd Ste 1200

Cyrano De Bergerac Cyrano, a man with a large nose and an even larger heart, is secretly in love with Roxane. Yet, he helps the handsome but inarticulate Christian win her affection, all while concealing his own feelings and sacrificing his chance at love. See p26

FR (8/8), SA (8/9), SU (8/10), 7:30pm, Hazel Robinson Amphitheatre, 92 Gay St

Improvised Star Trek

Adesto Theatre presents a completely made-up show in the style of Star Trek: The Next Generation. It is improvised using suggestions from the audience.

FR (8/8), SA (8/9), SU (8/10), 7:30pm, NC Stage Co., 15 Stage Ln

Something Rotten!

A hilarious musical comedy that combines Shakespeare with musical theatre in a madcap Renaissance mashup.

FR (8/8), Sa (8/9), SU (8/10), 7:30pm, Hendersonville Theatre, 229 S Washington St, Hendersonville Asheville Movies in the Park: Wicked

A free family-friendly movie night on a massive outdoor screen for all community members. Bring blankets and lawn chairs to participate in this fun summer tradition. This week's movie

feature is Wicked. FR (8/8), 8:25pm, Pack Square Park, 80 Court Plaza

Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night

A romantic comedy about mistaken identities and love triangles, this approachable adaptation brings Shakespeare’s classic comedy to new audiences.

WE (8/13), TH (8/14), 7:30pm, North Carolina Stage Co., 15 Stage Ln Film Screening: Artists & the Unknown

A selection of documentary films by Art21. These five films explore the work of artists who use randomness, mystery, and unknowability. TH (8/14), 7pm, Black Mountain College Museum & Arts Center, 120 College St

MEETINGS & PROGRAMS

Be Here Now: Mindfulness 101

This experiential introduction to mindfulness will help you explore grounded presence, deep relaxation, and inner clarity.

WE (8/6), 6:30pm, Center for Spiritual Living Asheville, 2 Science Mind Way

Higher Deeper Love w/ April E. Conner, RScP

A rich spiritual discussion, and practical ways to remember love, even in the realness of living.

WE (8/6), 6:30pm, Center for Spiritual Living Asheville, 2 Science Mind Way

First Wednesday w/Big Asheville Science Salon

Each month, a bona fide expert takes attendees on a thrill ride of science awesomeness with a lively Q&A afterwards.

WE (8/6), 7pm, The Mule, 131 Sweeten Creek Rd Ste 10

WNC Sierra Club Presents: Identifying & Replacing Invasive Plants

An informative and fun discussion with ecologist Bob Gale about how to identify and remove invasive plants, and how to replace them with native ones.

WE (8/6), 7pm, OLLI/ Reuter Center, UNCA, 300 Campus View Rd

Stewards Of Children Training w/Mountain Child

Stewards of Children is a comprehensive, evidence-based training program that provides adults with the practical tools they need to prevent, recognize, and respond to child sexual abuse.

TH (8/7), 9am, AmeriHealth Caritas, 216 Asheland Ave

IBN Biz Lunch: Hendersonville

All are invited to attend and promote their business, products, and

services, and meet new referral contacts.

TH (8/7), noon, Thai Spice, 220 South King St, Hendersonville

Nancy Pheasant: On Building & Rebuilding Community Cherokee storyteller

Nancy Pheasant share traditional ways of building and sustaining community.

TH (8/7), 7pm, Weaverville Community Center, 60 Lakeshore Dr, Weaverville

Family Paint Night

Get ready for a fun evening of creativity and connection. Bring your kiddos and prepare for a canvas of colorful memories as you paint alongside loved ones.

FR (8/8), 6pm, Burton Street Community Center, 134 Burton St

Appalachian Healing Collective

Practice asking for what you want and need and trusting that the collective efforts will heal and launch you into a never-before-felt-experience of group focus on loving you.

FR (8/8), 6:30pm, The Well, 3 Louisiana Ave

SVM Valley History Hike #6: Riceville (Rattlesnake Lodge) History hike to Rattlesnake Lodge with the Swannanoa Valley Museum. From the Tanbark Ridge Tunnel, hikers will travel up to the ruins of Rattlesnake Lodge.

SA (8/9), 9am, Swannanoa Valley Museum & History Center, 223 West State St, Black Mountain Water Aerobics

This water-based workout is perfect for anyone looking to stay active and socialize in a supportive and enjoyable environment.

SA (8/9), 10am, Dr Wesley Grant Sr. Southside Community Center, 285 Livingston St

Chinese Wrestling: Shuai Jiao

It is a standing grappling style, meaning that although there are hip throws, leg sweeps and hand techniques, like many other arts, there is no ground grappling.

SA (8/9), 4pm, Dragon Phoenix, 51 N Merrimon Ave, Ste 109

Yoga Hike

Enjoy a moderate one mile hike up to the summit of a scenic mountain top plus an hour of yoga for all levels and opportunities for lots of pictures before heading down.

SU (8/10), 9am, Bearwallow Mountain Trail, 4899 Bearwallow Mountain Rd, Hendersonville

Access Genius On Demand: Group

Songwriting

Top 10 Billboard-charting singer-songwriter and international

bestselling author John Stringer will lead a transformative masterclass in group songwriting.

SU (8/10), 12:30pm, Center for Spiritual Living Asheville, 2 Science Mind Way

Coloring w/Cats Take 50 minutes for yourself and cuddle with the panthers, meet other cat-lovers, and color a beautiful picture of a cat from our adult coloring books.

SU (8/10), 2pm, House of Black Cat Magic, Co., 841 Haywood Rd

Sound Bath Meditation & Guided Yoga Nidra w/Candace Kentridge-Britton

This experience is designed to invite deep relaxation with a combination of Yoga Nidra and Sound therapy including a variety of crystal bowls, singing bowls, and nature sounds.

SU (8/10), 2pm, UR Light Center, 2196 NC-9, Black Mountain Push Hands

A two-person training routine practiced in internal Chinese martial arts such as baguazhang, xingyiquan and tai chi.

SU (8/10), 5:30pm, Dragon Phoenix, 51 N Merrimon Ave, Ste 109 Enlightened Action The Social Sangha along with Anne-Marie Polanski discuss cultivating stillness and the qualities that evolve, as well as how our individual meditation practice affects our lives.

MO (8/11), 6:30pm, The Lodge at Quietude, 1130 Montreat Rd, Black Mountain

IBN Biz Lunch: Candler Bring a stack of business cards, and if you like, a door prize to add to our drawing at the end of the meeting.

TU (8/12), Elena's Mexican Grill, 101 Westridge Market Place, Candler Teen Mental Health First Aid

This free training equips teens with the tools to recognize when a friend might be struggling, offer support, and connect peers to trusted adults.

TU (8/12), 3pm, AmeriHealth Caritas, 216 Asheland Ave

All About Monarchs & Their Migration w/Kim Bailey Monarch butterflies have captured the imagination of young and old. Learn more about their 3,000 mile journey and how to help them on their way.

TU (8/12), 6pm, Asheville Botanical Garden, 151 WT Weaver Blvd. We Are The Ones

This is a space for real talk, deep connection, and conscious spiritual practice. Bring your

heart, your hope, and your willingness to believe in a higher truth.

WE (8/13), noon, Center for Spiritual Living Asheville, 2 Science Mind Way

Easels & Eats

Tap into your inner artist and create a masterpiece while savoring a beautiful charcuterie spread.

WE (8/13), 5pm, Tempie Avery Montford Community Center, 34 Pearson Ave

Tarot Community Circle

Each week we will cover different topics, so every class will provide new information. Please bring a deck based on the system of the Rider Waite Smith tarot.

WE (8/13), 6pm, House of Black Cat Magic, Co., 841 Haywood Rd

Facilitation Lab

Asheville w/Voltage Control

We’ll practice vision exchange, a tool that helps groups co-create a compelling future vision by speaking from the future.

WE (8/13), 6:30pm, Self Help Credit Union Building, 34 Wall St, Ste 307A-B

NSA-WNC Meeting

Professional keynote speakers, coaches, trainers, facilitators, and consultants who cover a broad range of topics, skills, & knowledge.

TH (8/14), 10am, AmeriHealth Caritas, 216 Asheland Ave

IBN Biz Lunch: Brevard/Pisgah Forest Incredible Towns of WNC invites you to WNC's largest free and independent Business Networking group.

TH (8/14), noon, Hawg Wild Smokehouse & Taproom, 91 Pisgah Hwy, Pisgah Forest

Weekly Sunday

Scrabble Club

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 (8/10), 1:30pm, Stephens Lee Recreation Center, 30 George Washington Carver Ave

Level 256 Weekly

Pinball Tournament

This is a weekly group knockout pinball tournament. All ages and skill levels are welcome.

SU (8/10), 5:30pm, Level 256 Classic Arcade Bar, 79 Coxe Ave

Ping Pong Tournament

Come by and shoot your shot against some of the best ping pong players in town. Free to enter and $50 bar tab to the winner.

MO (8/11), 6pm, Sovereign Kava, 268 Biltmore Ave

Asheville Crokinole Club

The Crokinole Club meets every other week for friendly competition, good drinks, and great company.

TH (8/14), 6pm, Well Played, 162 Coxe Ave, Ste 101

Books & Brews Trivia: Villains & Antiheroes

From literary masterminds of mayhem to flawed protagonists we can’t help but root for, this trivia night explores the darker side of fiction.

TH (8/14), 6pm, Ginger’s Revenge Craft Brewery & Tasting Room, 829 Riverside Dr

KID-FRIENDLY PROGRAMS

Family Story Time

A fun and interactive story time designed for children ages 18 months to 3 years.

WE (8/6, 13), 10:30am, Black Mountain Library, Black Mountain

Baby Storytime

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

TH (8/7, 14), 10:30am, Black Mountain Library, Black Mountain

Kids & Teens Xing Yi

Learn complete systems of Xing Yi, Baguazhang, and Taiji, including weapons and sparring as optional classes.

TH (8/7, 14), MO (8/11), 4pm, Dragon Phoenix, 51 N Merrimon Ave, Ste 109

Black Cat Tales: Story Time w/Cats

A special after-school workshop where families with children age 7 and under can relax and foster a love of reading while also socializing with the cats in the lounge.

FR (8/8), 4pm, House of Black Cat Magic, Co., 841 Haywood Rd

Coloring w/Cats: Kiddie Edition

An artistic session with coloring books and markers for children ages 13 and under to relax by coloring as they pet cats to reduce stress and anxiety.

SA (8/9), 1pm, House of Black Cat Magic, Co., 841 Haywood Rd

Little Kids Kung Fu (Ages 5-7)

This class builds a solid foundation through playing Kung Fu games while building HandEye-Foot coordination as well as listening skills.

WE (8/13), 3pm, Dragon Phoenix, 51 N Merrimon Ave, Ste 109

LOCAL MARKETS

RAD Farmers Market Asheville’s only yearround weekly market, featuring 30+ vendors offering fresh produce, baked goods, handcrafted items, beverages, grab-and-go meals, and more. EBT and SNAP accepted.

WE (8/6, 13), 3pm, New Belgium Brewing Co., 21 Craven St

Leicester Farmers Market

A community-led farmers market local produce, cheese, meats, honey, strawberries, asparagus, rhubarb, ramps, a variety of

plants and more. Every Wednesday through October.

WE (8/6, 13), 3pm, Leicester Community Center, 2979 New Leicester Hwy, Leicester Weaverville Tailgate Market

This market features a selection of fresh, locally grown produce, grass fed beef, pork, chicken, eggs, cheese, baked goods, artisan bread, eclectic handmade goodies, garden and landscaping plants. Open year-round.

WE (8/6, 13), 3pm, 60 Lake Shore Dr Weaverville

Enka-Candler Farmer’s Market

A grand selection of local foods and crafts, everything from produce to pickles, baked goods to body care, and even educational resources. Every Thursday through October 31.

TH (8/7, 14), 3:30pm, A-B Tech Small Business Center, 1465 Sand Hill Rd, Candler

Flower Market

Pick up freshly cut farm flower bunches and seasonal goodies directly from the farm. This is a self-serve flower stand at Bloom WNC.

TH (8/7, 14), 9am, Bloom WNC Flower Farm, 806 North Fork Rd, Black Mountain

Biltmore Park Farmers Market

This market features fresh seasonal produce, delicious homemade pastries, premium meats and seafood, beautiful vibrant flowers, and more.

TH (8/7, 14), 3pm, Town Square Blvd

East Asheville Tailgate Market

Featuring over 25 vendors selling meat, seafood, produce, flowers, bread, eggs, baked goods, fruit, herbs, sweet treats, tamales, and more. Every Friday through Nov. 21.

FR (8/8), 3pm, Groce United Methodist Church, 954 Tunnel Rd

Mills River Farm Market

This market offers local food, live music, kids' activities, cooking demos, and a welcoming community. Browse fresh produce and pasture-raised meats to homemade breads, fresh flowers, and artisan goods.

SA (8/9), 8am, Mills River Elementary School, 94 Schoolhouse Rd, Mills River North Asheville Tailgate Market

Browse from over 70 vendors that will be offering sustainably produced produce, meats, eggs, cheeses, breads, honey, plants, prepared foods, crafts and more.

SA (8/9), 8am, UNC Asheville Lot P28

Asheville City Market

A producer-only market featuring local food products, including fresh produce, meat, cheese, bread, pastries, and other artisan products. Every Saturday through December.

SA (8/9), 9am, 52 N Market St

Black Mountain Tailgate Market

A seasonal community event featuring organic and sustainably grown produce, plants, cut flowers, herbs, local raised meats, seafood, breads, pastries, cheeses, eggs and locally handcrafted items. Every Saturday through Nov. 22.

SA (8/9), 9am, 130 Montreat Rd, Black Mountain

Swannanoa Farmers Market

This market will feature farm-fresh produce, local honey, eggs, baked goods, and delicious eats. You'll also find handmade jewelry, artwork, fiber crafts, wooden utensils, yard art, apothecary essentials, and more.

SA (8/9), 9am, 216 Whitson Ave, 216 Whitson Ave, Swannanoa

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 (8/9), 10am, College St, Mars Hill

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

Junk-O-Rama

Browse vintage clothing vendors, local crafters, antiques and more.

SU (8/10), noon, Fleetwood's, 496 Haywood Rd

Meadow Market

This vibrant outdoor market features a curated selection of local makers and artisans. Browse a delightful array of one-of-a-kind textiles, handcrafted jewelry, beautiful pottery, and more.

SU (8/10), 1pm, The Meadow at Highland Brewing Co., 12 Old Charlotte Hwy, Ste 200

West Asheville Tailgate Market

This market features an array of goods including fruits, vegetables, baked goods, bread, eggs, cheese, plants, specialty items, locally made art and crafts and more. Every Tuesday through November.

TU (8/12), 3:30pm, 718 Haywood Rd

FESTIVALS & SPECIAL EVENTS

BMCA Sourwood

Pottery Market

Experience the vibrant creativity of the Sourwood Pottery Market at the Black Mountain Center for the Arts

during the Sourwood Festival weekend.

SA (8/9), 10am, Black Mountain Center for the Arts, 225 W State St, Black Mountain

The Big Wiener Party Nine daring teams will dress up 300 hot dogs in outrageous, creative toppings to compete for the ultimate title: King or Queen Wiener.

SA (8/9), 2pm, Bear’s BBQ Smokehouse, 135 Coxe Ave

Sourwood Festival

This two-day festival is a celebration of of our bees and locally-produced sourwood honey, offering a vibrant atmosphere filled with arts and crafts, music, food, and family-friendly fun.

SA (8/9), 10am, SU (8/10), 5pm, Black Mountain

Sourwood Festival

Sausage Special In honor of the Sourwood Festival, Foothills Butcher Shop will be making a special hot honey sausage. It will also feature a wide range of drinks, live music and other festivities.

SA (8/9), 11am, Foothills Grange, 120 Broadway Ave, Black Mountain

MRB 2nd Annual End of Summer Field Day

Enjoy an end of summer field day with a bloody mary bar, a vendors market and tons of fun for the kids. It will feature hula hoop, pie eating, keg rolling, wheelbarrow race and more.

SA (8/9), noon, Mills River Brewing Co., 336 Banner Farm Rd, Mills River

National Book Lover's Day Fundraiser & Spelling Bee

Celebrate National Book Lover’s Day with cold brews, cozy vibes, and a spelling showdown. Proceeds support literary together and R2s Asheville.

SA (8/9), 1pm, The River Arts District Brewing Co., 13 Mystery St

Acoustic Corner 25th Anniversary Celebration

This event celebrates 25 years of business with live music, food, cold beverages, and an instrument raffle to benefit two amazing music education initiatives in our area.

SU (8/10), 4pm, Pisgah Brewing Co., 2948 US Hwy 70 W, Black Mountain

ACNC's Back-To-School Event ACNC and multiple community vendors will provide backpacks with school supplies for children grades K-12, while supplies last.

WE (8/13), 1pm, AmeriHealth Caritas, 216 Asheland Ave

BENEFITS & VOLUNTEERING

Low-Cost Community Neuter Clinic

Please schedule and pay for your appointment prior to showing up. Appointments and additional services can be scheduled at avl.mx/dlq.

TH (8/7), 9am, House of Black Cat Magic, Co., 841 Haywood Rd Tools for Schools Collection Drive School supplies can be dropped off at Ingles and Eblen Charities. All funds and school supplies will be given away to support students, teachers, and schools in WNC as they begin the 2025-26 school year.

TH (8/7), 6am, Ingles Smoky Park Hwy, 151 Smoky Park Highway Volunteer Reading Tutor Trainging w/ Read 2 Succeed This program recruits volunteer reading tutors to commit to one student for the full school year, meeting with them twice a week during or after school. Tutors are trained, supported, and committed to literacy justice. Register at avl.mx/bto. WE (8/13), 6pm, Online

GAMES & CLUBS

You cannot beat aging ...

But you do have some control in how the process looks and feels

BY TROY JACKSON

As much as I enjoy exercise, I have never been a “gym bro.” Most of my youth involved team-based sports, tennis and cycling. When I tried lifting weights on occasion, I found it both uncomfortable and boring. After having kids, however, there were far less opportunities to devote a spare two hours to my regular Elk Mountain/Town Mountain cycling loop. I had to pivot to find something that could both keep me healthy and accessible at home.

I had been reading about the benefits of strength training at the time, so I started lifting weights again. It still felt monotonous, but it was something I could do consistently and grew into a regular habit. Using a body composition machine in our office, I have watched how this steady routine has increased

my muscle mass over the past five years. Not only do I feel healthier and stronger, but I am proud to have overcome an obstacle that previously kept me from experiencing a more well-rounded definition of health. Strength training is now a regular habit that I look forward to each week.

While this is a personal story, it reflects how often action drives motivation, especially with strength training. Strength training confers so many health benefits, yet our perceived barriers keep us from ever fully experiencing them. I hope that my story provides encouragement that you do not have to be limited by these barriers: You are not too old (I have patients in their late 80s lifting); you do have time (two 30-minute sessions per week equals less time scrolling social media); and it’s OK to not like it at first (or ever).

To this day, I have yet to see a negative study on strength training. It reduces all-cause mortality and improves diabetes control, balance, bone density, anxiety and depression, self-esteem, cancer rates and overall quality of life.

So why is it so difficult for many of us to lift weights consistently? Simply put, we are just not designed for it. For most of human existence, strength was a byproduct of our daily practice for survival — foraging, hunting, cleaning, fighting, carrying, traveling and building. But nowadays, modern technology has engineered comfort into our lives, reducing the inherent necessity to build and maintain muscle.

As a result, muscle mass begins to decline about 0.5%-1% per year

STRENGTH TRAINING: “To this day, I have yet to see a negative study on strength training,” writes Dr. Troy Jackson. “It reduces allcause mortality and improves diabetes control, balance, bone density, anxiety and depression, self-esteem, cancer rates and overall quality of life.” Photo courtesy of Jackson

and muscle strength by 1%-2% per year starting in our mid-30s. This translates to about a 4- to 6-pound loss in muscle mass per decade. The declines of muscle tissue and strength are some of the biggest risk factors to accelerated aging, reducing quality years and limiting opportunities for meaningful life experiences. It also is the main contributor to frailty, a growing problem in America that results in accidental falls, hip fractures and increasing nursing home admissions.

FUNCTION IS YOUR GOAL

For most of you, your goal is not to become a bodybuilder but rather to be strong enough for the next decade of life. Increasing functional capacity allows you to stay physically capable to do the things that you want to do and not feel particularly limited by pain, weakness or range of motion.

In retirement, you likely want to be able to walk the airport terminal with luggage, get on the ground with your grandkids and regularly work in your garden. If you were to fall, you want to be able to get up off the ground unassisted. This requires planning, doing more for your body now to slow down that inevitable decline in muscle mass that happens later. You cannot beat aging, but you do have some control in how your aging process looks and feels. For functional strength training, you want to think about performing lifts that resemble movements of daily life. Examples include bench press, pushups, squats, lunges, stepups, deadlift, overhead press, pullups, dips, rows and planks. Some of these exercises can be done with just body weight, while others will require some equipment.

HOW TO START

• The easiest way to start strength training is to use what you have. Don’t feel as if you have to join a gym or purchase new equipment. You have a body. You may have some dumbbells. Just start there. If you have musculoskeletal con-

cerns, chronic pain or a history of falls, you may want to consider a personal trainer or guided class to get started.

• Carve out 15-30 minutes twice per week into your schedule. For the first two months, hold rigid to this time slot for your exercise routine. This helps to build the habit and get past the uncomfortable beginner phase.

• Search for a simple routine online that is full body, for beginners and still meets rule No. 1. I use DAREBEE and Muscle & Strength websites for free workout routines.

• Do your workout. Be consistent.

• After two months, feel free to change up your workout, find a personal trainer, join a gym or purchase new equipment.

A NOTE ON CHALLENGE

Once you get started, it is easy to fall prey to the idea of “just getting it done” when it comes to exercise. The key to building strength is challenge, a target that is constantly changing. What was challenging to you when you first started will not be eight weeks later.

Challenge is also personal: What is challenging to a 90-year-old will not be the same for a 20-year-old. Every few weeks, it’s helpful to pause to assess the difficulty level of each lift you’re doing. If it’s still tough to complete, continue on. But if it has become easy to finish out the set, congratulations! You’re stronger, and now is the time to increase the weight or adjust the workout routine in some way. Because our muscles are used in different ways, one lift may get easier while others progress more slowly.

Strength training is a health superpower, improving quality of life and reducing risk of almost all major chronic conditions. As a doctor, it has become one of my most favorite topics to review with patients. Maintaining functional fitness is the secret sauce to happy, healthy aging and something you will never regret doing. No matter where you are in your health, you will benefit from regular strength training. The best time to start is now. If you have a specific medical topic you’d like me to explore or a question about health you’ve always wondered about, please write to me directly at troyjackson@authentichealth.com with the subject line “MountainX Health Question.” X

retirement has never been easier. 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 based on income. RSVP required.

Magical Offerings

August Herb: Motherwort

August Stone: Amber

8/7: Reader: Violet 1:20-6

8/8: Reader: Fen 12-7

8/9: FULL MOON in Aquarius

Reader: Ed 12-6

Kate Stockman: Amber Jewelry Pop-Up 11-3

8/10: Reader: Andrea 12-4

Mercy Fund Animal Rescue

Adoption Event 12-3

8/12: Reader: Byron 1-5

Around Town

BY EDWIN ARNAUDIN

Folkmoot USA, the State International Festival of North Carolina, will not hold its annual summer festival this year. Instead, leadership for the Waynesville-based organization will continue its transformation to a nonprofit that promotes world music, dance, art and community activities at the Folkmoot Friendship Center.

“We want to continue to invest in our monthly Folkmoot Live performances in our auditorium, other special events and the programming our artist-tenants provide,” says Pete Christian, chair of the Folkmoot board, in a press release. “At some point, perhaps, we will be able to resume the summer festivals, but for now this decision is best for Folkmoot’s future and its fiscal well-being.”

Debuting in 1984, the popular festival has brought up to 10 international dance and music groups to Waynesville for up to 10 days each July. However, since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, international visa requirements and travel to the U.S. from many countries have become more difficult and expensive. Despite significant underwriting over the years from the Border Memorial Foundation — named after Chuck Border, the Waynesville surgeon who started Folkmoot — staying financially solvent has grown increasingly challenging.

“It’s a different world now than what it was when this festival was in its heyday,” says Folkmoot board member Scott McLeod in a press release. “The world was larger, and it was so exotic and energizing to meet people from places like Russia, China, Colombia and Turkey back in those

Folkmoot festival goes on hiatus

days. But despite the best efforts of employees, the board and a legion of dedicated volunteers, as years went on, ticket sales declined, expenses went up, and we just weren’t able to attract the kind of corporate sponsorships that festivals in major metro areas are able to depend on.”

Since weathering the COVID-19 pandemic, Folkmoot has focused on

upgrades to the Folkmoot Friendship Center as well as programming smaller events.

To learn more, visit avl.mx/cpm

AUMAN’S NOVEL NOW ON AUDIOBOOK

Local author William D. Auman’s novel If Trees Could Testify… is now

ON PAUSE: The Imani Milele dancers from Uganda are pictured participating in the Parade of Nations during a previous Folkmoot. The summer festival will not be held this year. Photo courtesy of Folkmoot USA

available on audiobook. The book is based on the true story of the Gahagan murders in Madison County, which began with a double homicide in 1983 and, 18 years later, saw the defendants arrested and charged. Auman was the principal defense attorney in the case. This fictionalized account of the events features biker gangs, organized crime and such colorful characters as the draft-dodging son of a snake-handling preacher. The author’s cousin, Kevin C. Auman, narrates the audiobook.

To learn more, visit avl.mx/ezw.

SOUTHERN HIGHLAND CRAFT GUILD’S WOOD DAY RETURNS

On Saturday, Aug. 9, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., the Folk Art Center hosts the Southern Highland Craft Guild’s annual Wood Day celebration. The event features live demonstrations by a range of Appalachian woodworkers, including scroll-saw artistry, spoon carving, bowl turning, marquetry, instrument making and rustic furniture. There will also be a carve-off from 1-3 p.m., during which attendees can watch as carvers race to shape a wooden bird in the shortest amount of time.

“Wood has sheltered, served and inspired Appalachian communities for millennia — from 2500 B.C. Egyptian furniture to the split-oak baskets and coopered barrels of early settlers,” says the guild in a press release. “Wood Day honors that legacy while celebrating today’s makers who keep the tradition alive through innovation and skill.” Free to attend.

To learn more, visit avl.mx/etp.

RAD RENDEZVOUS ARTIST STUDIO AND RETAIL SPACE OPENS

Nearly one year after the destruction from Tropical Storm Helene, the River Arts District continues to rebuild and add new businesses. One of the latest is RAD Rendezvous, an artist studio and retail space from the team behind The Radical Hotel. Located next door to the hotel at 87 Roberts St., RAD Rendezvous opened Aug. 1. It can accommodate up to 40 artists within rental spaces that include solo and shared studios, plus two retail spaces for creative commerce tenants.

“RAD Rendezvous aims to uphold the artistic character of the neighborhood in an area heavily affected by Helene and provide support to both emerging and established artists, including as a refuge for those who may have lost their art studios or galleries in the aftermath of the storm,” the ownership team says in a press release.

To learn more, visit avl.mx/ezy.

THE FEELS, AMANDA ANNE PLATT & THE HONEYCUTTERS PLAY TRYON

The 25th season of Tryon’s Summer Tracks outdoor music series concludes with a pair of Asheville-area bands. On Friday, Aug. 8, The Feels shares its female-fronted fusion of indie soul, R&B, funk and groove. And two weeks later on Friday, Aug. 22, Americana favorites Amanda Anne Platt & The Honeycutters take to the Rogers Park Amphitheater stage.

Both shows begin at 7 p.m., and gates open at 6 p.m. In the event of rain, concerts will move across the street inside the Tryon Fire Department. Suggested donation for admission is $10.

To learn more, visit avl.mx/ezz

DAVID LEVITHAN AND JENS LEKMAN STOP AT DAYTRIP

In a highly creative pairing, author David Levithan and songwriter Jens

Lekman have collaborated on a new novel called Songs for Other People's Weddings. On Saturday, Aug. 9, at 6 p.m., Malaprop’s Bookstore/Café brings the artistic partners to town for a duo event at DayTrip, 174 Broadway. The evening includes a book talk and a performance from Lekman of songs inspired by the novel. Tickets are $35 and include general seated admission and a hardcover copy of Songs for Other People's Weddings.

To learn more and purchase tickets, visit avl.mx/f00  X

‘Part

of my lawyer DNA’

John Rhea’s debut novel draws upon his decades as criminal defense attorney

BY MERIN M c DIVITT

merinmcdivitt@gmail.com

At first glance, those who know John Rhea as a former criminal defense attorney may be surprised to learn that he’s published a novel. In reality, his book Lifer — which came out June 10 with Redhawk Publications — has been a long time coming.

Lifer follows Jack Merritt, a talented South Carolina trial lawyer who finds himself serving life in prison for a brutal killing. Rhea works backward, unraveling the story of Jack’s life, crime and trial with the unique insight gleaned from his own decadeslong career in law.

BETWEEN TWO DREAMS

A native of Rock Hill, S.C., Rhea grew up fascinated by literature, music and art. He read voraciously, with everything from Albert Camus to Joan Didion to Walker Percy leaving its mark, along with the art books that his mother often left around the house and a rapidly growing record collection. As a teenager, he was divided between two dreams: becoming a writer and a lawyer.

After college, his literary ambitions took precedence, and Rhea lived a bohemian existence in New York and New Orleans while writing a novel in his early 20s. “I was idealistic and full of self-confidence,” he says. “But it was not my time as a writer. Thankfully, that noble failure of a book has been destroyed.”

Instead, he decided to attend Tulane University for law school, becoming a defense attorney — and eventual law

partner — in his hometown and marrying painter May Rhea. Yet all of these experiences, from his law career to his love of art, music and books, would find a home in Lifer. “I wrote that book because I had to,” he says. “It came from the heart and the gut.”

After Rhea retired from his law practice, he and May relocated to the Asheville area, which they had loved visiting over the years. He returned to writing, yet struggled to move a story forward. One evening, the broad strokes of Lifer appeared in vivid detail.

“It really did come to me in a flash late at night,” he recalls. Immediately, he knew that his protagonist would be a former criminal defense attorney like himself, imprisoned for life.

After years of work alongside his editor, Tom Rash, Rhea’s novel was complete, telling the story of a South Carolina lawyer, Jack, who becomes embroiled in a crime out of fierce loyalty to his cousin Gil. He celebrated its publication with an author event at Malaprop’s Bookstore/ Cafe on June 18 and will continue to

promote the book with events around the region.

‘A CONFLUENCE OF FACTORS’

Lifer is far from an autobiography — yet the adage that “you write what you know” proves true in several of its key themes and storylines. Rhea’s legal expertise and experiences with thousands of criminal defendants deeply informed his prose. During his many years as a trial lawyer, he would write down memorable turns of phrase he heard in courthouses, local jails and state prisons, recording them in a journal.

Rhea knew that the prison scenes were key to making the book work — he needed to evoke its hopeless, oppressive and claustrophobic atmosphere, a harsh emotional contrast to Jack’s comfortable, white-collar life before his conviction.

“If the prison scene didn’t work, nothing was really going to work — everything stemmed from that,” he says. “The prison scenes came very quickly, because I know these guys.” Rhea was able to construct realistic, gritty dialogue, drawing upon that journal to give many of its most colorful lines to his favorite character, the wisecracking prisoner Panic.

But how does an upstanding citizen like Lifer’s Jack, an attorney himself with no criminal record, end up committing a violent crime in the first place? To make this storyline believable, Rhea drew upon his observations of human nature as a criminal lawyer.

“You have someone who’s done something that's uncharacteristic of them and really unthinkable in some ways, that someone of Jack's education and knowledge would do something like he did,” he says. “But it's not just one factor. It's a confluence of factors. And I saw that in real life with some cases I handled.”

A larger point that he wants to make with Lifer is that any of us could com-

CONTINUES ON PAGE 22

WORKING BACKWARD: Lifer follows Jack Merritt, a talented South Carolina trial lawyer who finds himself serving life in prison for a brutal killing. Author John Rhea works backward, unraveling the story of Jack’s life, crime and trial with the unique insight gleaned from his own decadeslong career in law. Photo courtesy of the author

ARTS

mit a crime, given just the wrong mix of external and internal factors. “You should never generalize about inmates, for any number of circumstances can cause a person to commit uncharacteristic, even unthinkable, acts,” Rhea says. “Someone’s life can go terribly wrong in an instant. We are, all of us, just a couple of bad decisions away from ruining our lives and the lives of those we love.”

In the case of the protagonist Jack, factors such as a struggling marriage, mental health issues and family loyalty build up to the climactic crime. As a defense attorney, Rhea saw firsthand how these could lead to criminal activity and later become mitigating factors he used in trial to explain his clients’ behavior. “These sort of complex nuances are part of my lawyer DNA,” he says.

INSPIRATION FROM UNEXPECTED PLACES

In the case of family or friend influence, he was especially conscious of how close personal ties can lead people astray. “I did want it to be a cautionary tale,” Rhea says, “because every family has certain power dynamics.” For Jack, this was his cousin Gil, with whom he shares both deep loyalty and jealous rivalry.

“There’s a little bit of Jack in Gil, and there’s a little bit of Gil in Jack. They both understand each other very well,” the author explains. “I wanted to take it to extremes with both of them.” Inspiration also came from many unexpected places. After all, “So much of influence is subconscious,” Rhea says. “So much of writing is theft of experience.” Jack’s eclectic music taste and love of literature come from Rhea himself, while character details like his artistic spouse and idyllic family farm harken back to Rhea’s wife, May, and her grandmother, a talented poet and painter.

Beyond the clear lines of influence accrued over the years as a defense attorney, Rhea recognizes the many overlaps between the legal profession and writing. Fundamentally, both come down to storytelling: taking the complex, even contradictory realities of a full life and transforming them into a coherent narrative. “I did some of my best writing,” Rhea remembers, “writing and rewriting what I'm going to say in the closing argument in a big trial.

“But for my years of being a lawyer, and the work ethic and self-discipline that I learned as a lawyer,” he adds, “I would not have been able to complete Lifer.” X

Just crazy enough to work

New shoots grow from old roots at Cellarest Beer Project

BY CHRISTOPHER ARBOR

On Jan. 1, Christopher Arbor and his friends pledged to visit one Asheville brewery each week for all of 2025 in the order that they opened, then share the experience with Mountain Xpress readers. To read about their farewell to TRVE Brewing, visit avl.mx/eyh.

For our 30th outing, we hit Cellarest Beer Project on Haywood Road. The first thing I noticed was the logo — a sapling growing out of a stump — which may well be the most apropos logo for a business I’ve ever seen. It works on oh-so-many levels, because Cellarest seems to be all about finding success in some of the most unexpected times and places.

First of all, Cellarest opened in March 2021. Remember what was going on back then? That’s right: While other, older businesses were shuttering, co-founders Mark Goodwin and Harrison Fahrer had the audacity to open during the pan-flipping-demic in a town already rife with breweries. But wait … there’s more.

How could Cellarest distinguish itself from all the other breweries in town? Well, its entire mission is to be place-based. As its website states, it’s a “regionally influenced brewery that showcases how unique beer can be to its environment.” And — get this — “Through bioprospecting, we have captured wild yeast and bacteria from the West Asheville neighborhood which will be used to ferment our wild beer.”

YEAR BINEER

BEAR ESSENTIALS: Local food writer Tony "The Cuban Bear" Prieto, left, joined Christopher Arbor, right, and the Year in Beer gang during their recent visit to Cellarest Beer Project. Wes Miller provided the photo bomb. Photo by Arbor

What the what? Have you seen my side of town? Have you seen the bacteria that abounds? And the team at Cellarest somehow makes genuinely great beer from it? But wait … there’s still more.

Cellarest specializes in lagers. Allow me a detour into basic beer taxonomy to explain why that matters.

There are essentially two kinds of beers: ales and lagers. Ales are more common, at least in part, because they ferment faster than lagers (a week or two rather than a month or two) at higher temperatures (in the

60s rather than 45-55 degrees F). So Cellarest focuses on the beers that literally take more time and energy, and then ages them!

But wait … there’s still even more. There was Tropical Storm Helene! When I asked Goodwin about the storm and its aftermath, he said, “Times were bad here for sure, but we felt that the community came together in West Asheville. … Fortunately, our building was not damaged enough to warrant closing, so we could operate a community hub for charging electronics, handing out food and water along with keeping a line of communication to the outside world.”

However, the most unexpected delight of the evening was that insurance adjuster-turned-localfood-writer Tony “The Cuban Bear” Prieto joined us. I’d been bugging him for months to get a brew with us, and his schedule had finally opened up.

He’s known through his online writing for his self-deprecating humor and uplifting charm, and — as it turns out — that’s him in person as well. He moved to Asheville after Helene, and he, too, is finding success in unexpected places. I’m glad to have you join us, Tony, and look forward to seeing you again.

Cheers to everyone who has ever said, “That’s just crazy enough to work.” Come join us on another adventure. We gather at 5:30 p.m. Wednesdays. You can email me at yearinbeerasheville@gmail.com or just show up.

• Aug. 6: DSSOLVR

• Aug. 13: Riverside Rhapsody X

Water under the bridge

by Gina Smith | gsmith@mountainx.com

but it’s even more meaningful for one that survived a major flood. French Broad River Brewery announced recently on social media that it will celebrate its 25th anniversary with a party Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 9-10.

The Biltmore Village brewery reopened in mid-April after it closed due to flooding from Tropical Storm Helene. “This feels extra special because there were some moments when we weren’t sure we would make it with our post-Helene recovery,” the brewery said in its announcement. “This can also be considered our grand reopening party since we weren’t able to go all out when we first reopened.”

The free, family- and pet-friendly event will run 1-10 p.m. Saturday with food and craft vendors and music from Saylor Brothers, Jerry’s Dead and DJ teathyme. Sunday, Aug. 10, will feature a food truck and reggae music, 3-7 p.m., from Alvitas Way and Chalwa. Both days include fundraisers to benefit RiverLink’s post-Helene river restoration work. For updates on the event, follow

Big Wiener Party

Art and eats

Sample local wines, beer, cocktails and food while exploring the studios and galleries of more than 350 River Arts District artists at the free RAD Sip & Stroll 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 9, in the RAD. About 100 artists displaced by Tropical Storm Helene will exhibit at the RAD Art Market during the event. Visit avl.mx/ezx for more information. X

Do you have a Halloween hot dog costume gathering dust in your closet? Bear’s Smokehouse BBQ at 135 Coxe Ave. has the perfect offseason opportunity to brush it off and flaunt it. Costumes are encouraged at the restaurant’s Big Wiener Party, 2-6 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 9.

The event, in partnership with Asheville Comedy Festival, will be hosted by food personalities Kyle “The Vulgar Chef” Marcoux and Dan “The Food in My Beard” Whalen. Nine teams — The Sportsocracy radio show, Hi-Wire Brewing, PIE.ZAA, Wicked Weed Brewing, Capella on 9, The Vault, Asheville Sports Club, Knuckle Deep BBQ and Infill D — will come up with creative toppings for up to 300 hot dogs each in pursuit of the title of King or Queen Wiener. Tickets are $25 each and include hot dogs, beer samples and a chance to vote for the People’s Choice winner. Ticket sales benefit Bear’s Foundation’s mental health initiative for local food and beverage workers, Linked4Life, at All Souls Counseling Center. Details X

Sustainable harvest

Local crop-trialing nonprofit Utopian Seed Project (USP) kicks off its annual Trial to Table tasting series Saturday, Aug. 16, at The Mule, 131 Sweeten Creek Road. Local chefs will prepare veggie-forward dishes featuring harvests from USP’s sustainability-focused crop trials.

Participating chefs are Jamie Wade (Sand Hill Kitchen), Jamie Crone (Food Experience), Nick Barr (Chai Pani), Brittany Kroeyr (Paperhouse Pizza), Tie Whittaker (Buttermilk Boutique) and Jessica Weisman (Found Ice Cream). Chef, cookbook author and farmer Cathy Cleary will do a pickled okra demonstration and guests can sample watermelon varieties to help determine the best types for continued crop trials.

The event runs 1-4 p.m. Sliding scale ticket prices are $30-$90 each. Future events are Saturdays, Sept. 27 and Nov. 9, at various locations. Visit avl.mx/ezv for details and tickets. X

Fresh take

Following Rhubarb's closing, two young chefs bring new energy to The Rhu

BY KAY WEST

kwest@mountainx.com

It’s not just mad photography skills or filters that have been making The Rhu’s recent Instagram images of new salads, sandwiches, pastries, baked goods and superloaded focaccia pop off screen and say, “Put me in your mouth.”

Collaborative brainstorming between chefs Mallory Foster and Brooke Adams has sparked a burst of creative energy in the nearly 10-year-old business while still faithfully adhering to the ethos of local sourcing, supporting small farmers and creating a healthy workplace that has always been the guiding light of their boss, chef John Fleer.

The Rhu bakery/caf é /pantry on South Lexington Avenue sprouted from Rhubarb, the nationally acclaimed restaurant on Pack Square launched by Fleer in October 2013 as a mountain-modulated love song to Appalachian cuisine and culture. The two backto-back addresses shared a central service staircase, prep kitchen, bakery and some staff.

Both shared produce and product purchased from the same WNC farms, including Gaining Ground Farm, Looking Glass Creamery, Old North Farm, Hickory Nut Gap Farm and Dry Ridge Farm. They also shared an executive pastry chef — Foster — who came on board in January 2024.

This was not her first experience juggling two restaurants — she previously had the same post at Corner Kitchen and Chestnut, with two distinct dessert programs. “One of the biggest advantages to Rhubarb and The Rhu was they basically shared a space,” Foster says, adding she had a sizable team working under her. When both restaurants temporarily closed after Tropical Storm Helene in late September 2024, The Rhu reopened a month later with Adams — a former Cultura sous chef — on the team.

The two had previously cooked together at Funkatorium. “We lost a lot of staff after Helene when people moved away to find work,” recalls Foster. “We desperately needed someone very capable to run savory,

so when we were rehiring, I pleaded to get Brooke into this space.”

Fleer’s Feb. 25 announcement of Rhubarb’s closure reverberated through so many circles — diners, farmers, vendors and staff. The life-changing decision, says Fleer, was largely driven by pending changes to the end of his lease in February 2026, and it took an emotional toll.

“There’s been a great deal of sadness, much of which I worked through watching The Bear, season 4,” he says, with some humor. “It hit every single raw nerve I had, and I was basically a puddle after every episode. But I probably could have watched Ratatouille and had the same reaction.”

Ultimately, Fleer plans to extend service hours at The Rhu and hopes for it to be recognized as more than a place for breakfast, bread and pastry. He enjoys watching Foster and Adams find joy and expression, and though he works with them on the menu, he says he trusts them both implicitly with the food.

Foster says all the pastries — save the oatmeal cream pie — are now her recipes, but “… the savory menu additions and specials are all Brooke.” That includes new sandwiches The Italian and The Mountain Thai; tweaks to standards turkey melt and pastrami; and seasonal specials like the peach and tomato salad; and beet and berries salad. Foster introduced a poppy seed brioche bun filled with service berry jam and Bavarian cream that has been a hit.

Thursdays feature rotating pancake specials, every other Friday from 2-6 p.m. is grilled cheese and wine, and loaded focaccia is available Saturdays and Sundays after 11 a.m. Foster says that, eventually, they’d like to bring back some iteration of Rhubarb’s beloved Sunday Supper.

“With Rhubarb closing, we want to make sure The Rhu portrays John’s values now more than ever. Brooke and I brainstorm menus with more local ingredients, then add the funk and flair people are used to seeing from us.”

The Rhu is at 10 S. Lexington Ave. Follow The Rhu on Instagram at avl.mx/ezi for updates on specials and new menu items. X

SAVORY AND SWEET: Chefs Mallory Foster, left, and Brooke Adams are working as a team to freshen things up at The Rhu with new sweet and savory menu items and specials. Photo courtesy of The Rhu

Miss the first weekend of the 17th annual Asheville Comedy Festival? Shame on you! (Just kidding.) Whether you didn’t make it out for sets by headliners Ben Bailey, Jessica Michelle Singleton and Eleanor Kerrigan, or if you did and can’t wait for more laughs, there’s an entire second weekend of hilarious stand-up performers coming to the Wortham Center for the Performing Arts Thursday-Saturday, Aug. 7-9. Each showcase features 11 up-and-coming comedians from across the country. Handpicked by festival owner/executive director Charlie Gerencer, these individuals represent the next wave of comedy. The events will be hosted and emceed by fellow comic Ken Garr, a Chicago native and graduate of the Second City Conservatory

SMART BETS

by Edwin Arnaudin | earnaudin@mountainx.com

Program. All three showcases begin at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $23.50$28.50 per night. To learn more, visit avl.mx/f03  X

The Jesus Casino + Impending Joy + Sunbearer

Asheville Comedy Festival Cyrano de Bergerac Site

If Asheville-area bands play The Orange Peel, it’s usually as an opening act for a touring artist. But the venue’s bookers have been cranking up the number of local showcases lately, and audiences have shown up in support of the city’s talented performers.

The latest local collection takes place Thursday, Aug. 14, with a trio of ensembles. The Jesus Casino blends

atmospheric soundscapes with heavy, pounding riffs and searing vocal dynamics; psych/garage rockers Impending Joy brings unfettered energy to each stage; and Sunbearer delivers powerful and authentic stoner doom sounds. Velvet Doe Enigma will also be in the building for free tarot readings. The show starts at 8 p.m., and tickets are $12. To learn more, visit avl.mx/f01. X

The Montford Park Players is famous for staging productions of William Shakespeare’s plays and has presented plenty of them this summer in its Season of Lunatics, Lovers Poets. But the troupe is also not afraid to mix things up and work non-Bard plays into the schedule at Hazel Robinson Amphitheatre.

The latest outlier is Cyrano de Bergerac, Edmond Rostand’s classic tale of the eponymous man with a large nose and a big heart. In love with the beautiful Roxane, Cyrano helps the handsome but inarticulate Christian win her over, all while holding back his own feelings and sacrificing his love for her. Opening night is Friday, Aug 8, at 7:30 p.m., and performances run Fridays-Sundays through Aug. 30. Free to attend. To learn more, visit avl.mx/ewr. X

Filmed in North Carolina, co-produced by Asheville resident Daniel Judson and crewed by numerous local filmmakers, artists and technicians, the sci-fi thriller Site will have its North Carolina premiere on Wednesday, Aug. 13, at the Fine Arts Theatre. Directed by Jason Eric Perlman, the film follows Neil Bardo ( Jake McLaughlin , ABC ’s “Will Trent”), a commercial real estate inspector and dedicated family man who, after discovering an abandoned government test site, experiences nightmarish visions that begin dominating his waking

life. Theo Rossi (HBO Max’s “The Penguin”) and Arielle Kebbel (The CW’s “The Vampire Diaries”) co-star, and local puppeteer Hobey Ford created puppet effects for the film.

“Having the Asheville community so deeply involved in Site is a testament to the filmmaking talent in Asheville and Western North Carolina,” says Judson in a press release. “We’re excited to bring it home.”

Tickets are $9-$11. The screening commences at 9:30 p.m. To learn more, visit avl.mx/f02  X

Photo of Ken Garr courtesy of Asheville Comedy Festival

Travis Lowe plays the eponymous character in Montford Park Players' production of Cyrano de Bergerac.

Photo by Kristi DeVille

Photo from Site courtesy of Cinema Foundry

Photo of The Jesus Casino by Ian Duvall

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 6

12 BONES SMOKEBOUSE & BREWING

Trivia w/King Trivia, 7pm

CAMDEN'S COFFEE

HOUSE

Open Mic Night, 7pm

EDA'S HIDE-A-WAY

Open Mic Wednesday, 7pm

ELUVIUM BREWERY

The Candleers (country), 5:30pm

EULOGY

Thelma & the Sleaze w/ Designer, Puppy & the Dogs (rock, alt-indie), 8pm

FOOTHILLS GRANGE Trivia Night, 6pm

FRENCH BROAD

RIVER BREWERY

Bluegrass Jam Wednesdays, 6:30pm

GALACTIC PIZZA

Fast Eddie's Trivia, 6:30pm

JACK OF THE WOOD PUB

Old Time Jam, 5pm

PISGAH BREWING CO.

5J Barrow (folk), 6pm

SLY GROG LOUNGE

Weird Wednesday Open Jam, 7pm

STATIC AGE RECORDS

STGMA, On The Block & Warmones (Appalachian, punk, grunge), 9pm

THE JOINT NEXT

DOOR

Rod Sphere (soul, rock, reggae), 6pm

THE MEADOW AT HIGHLAND BREWING CO.

Well-crafted Music Series w/Ed Jurdi and Zach Smith (multi-genre), 6pm

THE ODD

Terraoke Karaoke Takeover, 9pm

THE ORANGE PEEL

Todd Snider w/Rachel Cole (folk, rock, blues), 8pm

TWIN LEAF BREWERY

Open Mic Night, 6pm

URBAN ORCHARD

Wayward Trivia, 6:30pm

WHITE HORSE BLACK MOUNTAIN

Straight Ahead Wednesdays w/The Taylor Pierson Trio (jazz), 7:30pm

THURSDAY, AUGUST 7

12 BONES SMOKEBOUSE & BREWING

Jackson Grimm (folk-pop, Appalachian), 5:30pm

CROW & QUILL

• Russ Wilson & The Kings of Jazz, 8pm

• The Ashvegas Playboys (rock'n'roll), 8pm

EDA RHYNE

DISTILLERY & TASTING ROOM

The Gilded Palace of Metamodern Sounds, 6pm

EDA'S HIDE-A-WAY

Bless Your Heart Trivia w/Harmon, 7pm

FLEETWOOD'S Shock Tea, Paprika & Socialist Anxiety (punk, indie), 9pm

FLOOD GALLERY

True Home Open Mic, 6pm

FRENCH BROAD RIVER

BREWERY

Jerry's Dead Thursdays (Grateful Dead & JGB tribute), 6pm

GREEN MAN BREWERY

Thursday Night Trivia, 7pm

JACK OF THE WOOD PUB

Bluegrass Jam w/Drew Matulich, 7pm

MAD CO. BREW HOUSE Karaoke Night, 6pm

ONE WORLD BREWING Tyler Dodson (acoustic), 8pm

ONE WORLD BREWING WEST

Fee Fi Phaux Fish (Phish tribute), 8pm

PISGAH BREWING CO. Deer Tick w/Twain (alt-rock, folk), 7pm

CLUBLAND

HIGH-ENERGY FUNK: On Friday, Aug. 8, Yo Mama’s Big Fat Booty Band performs at Third Room, starting at 9 p.m. The show serves as a special goodbye to two band members focusing on their new project, ElectroLust, while welcoming back old band members for an evening of classic funk tunes and new music. Photo courtesy of the band

SHAKEY'S Karaoke w/Franco Nino, 9pm

STATIC AGE LOFT

Auto-Tune Karaoke w/ Who Gave This B*tch A Mic, 10pm

THE GREY EAGLE

• Patio: Electric Blue Yonder w/Randy Steele (country, folk, psychrock), 5:30pm

• Cowboy Judy & Lillie Syracuse (country, Motown, pop), 8pm

THE MEADOW AT HIGHLAND BREWING CO.

Hearts Gone South (country, honky-tonk), 2pm

THE ONE STOP AT ASHEVILLE MUSIC

HALL

Firewater Tent Revival (psych, bluegrass), 9pm

THIRD ROOM

Thurzdaze Underground w/LVMA, Oneiric & Holotek (house, tech, trance), 9pm

TWIN LEAF BREWERY Trivia Night, 6:30pm

TWIN WILLOWS The Candleers (country), 6:30pm

WHITE HORSE BLACK MOUNTAIN

Slim Pickens (country, bluegrass, country), 7:30pm

WICKED WEED

BREWING

Andy Ferrell (folk, country, Appalachian), 5pm

FRIDAY, AUGUST 8

ALL DAY DARLING

Dinah's Daydream (jazz), 6pm

ASHEVILLE MUSIC

HALL

Barrington Levy w/Brandon Rootz (dancehall, reggae), 9pm

COFFEE, ART, MUSIC TYPE PLACE

Open Mic, 6pm

CORK & KEG

The Old Chevrolette Set (country), 8pm

EULOGY

Aether Realm w/Wretched, Paladin & Trollcraft (metal, folk), 7pm

GINGER'S REVENGE

CRAFT BREWERY & TASTING ROOM

Madelyn Ilana Duo (folk, ambient-dream), 6pm

HEMINGWAY'S CUBA

Latin Night w/DJ Mtn Vibez, 8pm

JACK OF THE WOOD

PUB

Ashley Heath & Her Heathens (Americana, rock), 8:30pm

MAD CO. BREW

HOUSE

Danny Knowles (Appalachian, country, blues), 6pm

NEW BELGIUM

BREWING CO.

Adam Chase & The Really Good Band (multigenre), 5:30pm

ONE WORLD BREWING

Chris Morel (Americana, folk), 8pm

ONE WORLD

BREWING WEST

Clout Circuit (electronica, trip-hop, psych), 8pm

PISGAH BREWING CO.

Brother Fat (rock, blues, funk), 7:30pm

SHILOH & GAINES

The Happy Dog (multigenre), 9pm

SOVEREIGN KAVA

Jeff Sipe, Asher Hill & Carson Moore (jazz, psych), 8pm

STATIC AGE RECORDS

Sinister Feeling, Erode & Harsh Realm (power-violence, death-metal), 9pm

THE GREY EAGLE

• Patio: McKinney (acoustic), 5:30pm

• Scott Miller w/Tin

Roof Echo (rock, roots, pop), 8pm

THE MEADOW AT HIGHLAND BREWING CO.

Quasi Quasar (funk), 7pm

THE ODD

Evil Eye, Beyond the Portal, Black Diamon

Empress & Halogi (sludge, stoner-rock, power-metal), 9pm

THE ONE STOP AT ASHEVILLE MUSIC

HALL

• Skylar Gowanloch (roots, folk), 6pm

• Paul Gladstone & Friends (funk, jazz, R&B), 10pm

THE ORANGE PEEL

Hot In Herre: 2000s Dance Party, 8pm

THE STATION BLACK MOUNTAIN

Mr Jimmy (blues), 5pm

THIRD ROOM

Yo Mama's Big Fat Booty Band w/Ain't Sisters (funk, R&B), 9pm

TURGA BREWING

The Candleers (country), 5pm

WHITE HORSE BLACK MOUNTAIN

Duende Libre (jazz, Cuba), 7:30pm

SATURDAY, AUGUST 9

ASHEVILLE CLUB

Mr Jimmy (blues), 6pm

ASHEVILLE MUSIC

HALL

Sam Wolfe (techno, electronic), 9pm

BATTERY PARK BOOK

EXCHANGE

Dinah's Daydream (jazz), 5:30pm

CORK & KEG

Soul Blue Rocks (soul, blues, R&B), 8pm

CROW & QUILL

Meschiya Lake & The Moodswingers (blues, jazz), 8:30pm

EDA'S HIDE-A-WAY

Nordmoe & The Rodeo (country, honky-tonk), 8pm

EULOGY

Boat Command w/The Cartridge Family & DJ

Patricia (yacht-hop, jazz, hip-hop), 8pm

FUNKATORIUM

Funk DJ Series w/Mitch Offe, 6pm

GINGER'S REVENGE

Modelface Comedy Presents: Ryan Singer, 8pm

HEMINGWAY'S CUBA

Saturday Night Live, 6pm

JACK OF THE WOOD PUB

• Nobody’s Darling String Band, 4pm • Sal Landers (rock'n'roll), 8:30pm

NC STAGE CO.

Improvised Star Trek, 7:30pm

NEW BELGIUM

BREWING CO.

Silent Disco w/DJ Spence, 7pm

OKLAWAHA

BREWING CO.

Billingsley (funk, R&B, rock), 8pm

ONE WORLD BREWING

Hidden Cabins (indie, alt-folk), 8pm

ONE WORLD BREWING WEST

Clouds of Delusion (Jerry Garcia tribute), 9pm

SHAKEY'S Saturday Night Dance Party w/DJ Raheim Andrews, 9pm

SHILOH & GAINES

Dirty Dead (Grateful Dead & Jerry Garcia tribute), 9pm

SIERRA NEVADA BREWING CO. Ska City (ska), 2pm

SLY GROG LOUNGE Catharsis, Flora in Silence, Fliora & Serrate (hardcore, punk, screamo), 8pm

STATIC AGE LOFT

Daddy Deem's R&B Night, 10pm

STATIC AGE RECORDS Killiad, Hashwitch & Bonedozer (stoner-doom, metal), 9pm

THE GREY EAGLE

• Patio: The Moon Unit (jazz, pop, experimental), 2pm

• Buddhagraph Spaceship, The Kind Thieves & Hustle Souls (rock, funk, Americana), 7pm THE MEADOW AT HIGHLAND BREWING CO.

Justin Cody Fox (blues, rock), 6pm THE ODD Party Foul Drag, 8pm THE ONE STOP AT ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL

• Aaron Lane (multigenre), 6pm

• East Coast Dirt (psychrock), 10pm

THE ORANGE PEEL East Forest (indie-pop, alt-indie, electronic), 8pm

THIRD ROOM

Bass Theorem w/DJ Ujjayi, Westbrock IV, Just Press Play, Ephygy & Vexer (electronic, bass), 8:30pm

WHITE HORSE BLACK

MOUNTAIN

Dirty Logic Does Gaucho (Steely Dan tribute), 7:30pm

WICKED WEED

BREWING

Country Summer Series w/Payton Smith, 6pm

SUNDAY, AUGUST 10

ASHEVILLE MUSIC

HALL

Larry Keel & Jon Stickley Duo (bluegrass, jazz), 8pm

ASHEVILLE YARDS

Blackberry Smoke (country, rock), 5:30pm

EULOGY

Midnight Cowgirls (country, post-punk, new-wave), 8pm

FRENCH BROAD RIVER

BREWERY

Reggae Sunday w/ Chalwa, 3pm

GINGER'S REVENGE

CRAFT BREWERY & TASTING ROOM

Sunday Jazz Jam, 2:30pm

HEMINGWAY'S CUBA

Sunset Sunday's w/Para Gozar (Appalachian, Latin), 6pm

JACK OF THE WOOD

PUB

• Bluegrass Brunch w/ The Bluegrass Brunch Boys, 12pm

• Traditional Irish Music Session, 3:30pm

OKLAWAHA

BREWING CO.

Petah Iah & the Mind (reggae, Latin), 4pm

ONE WORLD

BREWING WEST

• Suns of Stars Sunday Residency (bluegrass), 2pm

• One Love Sundays (reggae), 7pm

SHAKEY'S

Stand Up Comedy Open Mic, 8pm

SIERRA NEVADA

BREWING CO.

Purple (pop, jazz, funk), 2pm

SLY GROG LOUNGE

• Most Open Mic, 6:30pm

• Open Mic w/Mike Andersen, 6:30pm

STATIC AGE RECORDS

Suroor, Seraph Siege

& DJ Digital Spliff (industrial, hyper-pop, dream-pop), 9pm

THE GREY EAGLE

• Country Brunch w/ Cary Fridley & Down South, 11am

• Patio: Afton Wolfe (Americana, blues, rock), 4pm

South for Winter (blues, folk), 6:30pm

THE MEADOW AT HIGHLAND BREWING CO.

Peggy Ratusz & Daddy Longlegs (blues), 2pm

THE ODD

Cam Girl Flesh, Chrome Tour, TinyTVs & Madder Max (glam-rock, indie), 7pm

THE ORANGE PEEL

Sunday Afternoon Club w/Big Fur (psych, country), 5:30pm

THE RAD BREWING CO.

RAD Comedy w/Nathan Owens, 7pm VOWL Freshen Up Comedy Open Mic, 7pm

WHITE HORSE BLACK MOUNTAIN

Dirty Logic Does Aja (Steely Dan tribute), 7:30pm

MONDAY, AUGUST 11

27 CLUB

27 Club Karaoke, 10pm

FLEETWOOD'S Best Ever Karaoke, 9pm

HIGHLAND BREWING CO.

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

ONE WORLD BREWING Open Mic Downtown, 6:30pm

ONE WORLD BREWING WEST

Mashup Mondays w/ JLloyd, 8pm

STATIC AGE LOFT

Hot Seat Comedy w/C.J. Green, 8pm

THE JOINT NEXT DOOR

Mr. Jimmy & Friends (Blues), 7pm

TUESDAY, AUGUST 12

FRENCH BROAD RIVER BREWERY

Robert's Totally Rad Trivia, 7pm

HIGHLAND BREWING

CO.

Music Bingo w/Spencer, 6pm

LOOKOUT BREWING

CO.

Team Trivia, 6:30pm

ONE WORLD BREWING WEST

The Grateful Family Band Tuesdays (Grateful Dead tribute), 6pm

SHAKEY'S • A Night of Stand Up Comedy, 8pm

• Booty Tuesday w/DJ Mad Mike, 10pm

SOVEREIGN KAVA Open Jam, 8pm

THE JOINT NEXT DOOR

The Lads AVL (rock, blues), 6pm

THE ORANGE PEEL Scott Bradlee’s Postmodern Jukebox (dance, jazz, pop), 8pm

WHITE HORSE BLACK MOUNTAIN

White Horse's Open Mic, 7pm

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 13

12 BONES

SMOKEBOUSE & BREWING

Trivia w/King Trivia, 7pm

CAMDEN'S COFFEE HOUSE

Open Mic Night, 7pm

EDA'S HIDE-A-WAY

Open Mic Wednesday, 7pm

ELUVIUM BREWERY

The Candleers (country), 5:30pm

EULOGY

Fiddlehead, Rival Schools, Bad Beat & Collateral (rock), 7pm

FOOTHILLS GRANGE Trivia Night, 6pm

FRENCH BROAD RIVER BREWERY

Bluegrass Jam Wednesdays, 6:30pm

GALACTIC PIZZA

Fast Eddie's Trivia, 6:30pm

JACK OF THE WOOD PUB

Old Time Jam, 5pm

PULP

Asheville Guitar Bar Presents: Ovadya (rock, psychedelic), 7pm

PISGAH BREWING CO.

Sarah Levecque (blues, country, folk), 6pm

SLY GROG LOUNGE

Weird Wednesday Open Jam, 7pm

THE GREY EAGLE Golden Folk Sessions, 7pm

THE MEADOW AT HIGHLAND BREWING CO.

Well-Crafted Music Series: Rick Cooper w/Zach Smith (multigenre), 6pm

THE ODD Terraoke Karaoke Takeover, 9pm

THE ONE STOP AT ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL

Andy Sydow & The Minor League (Americana, rock, folk), 10pm

TWIN LEAF BREWERY

Open Mic Night, 6pm

URBAN ORCHARD

Wayward Trivia, 6:30pm

WHITE HORSE BLACK MOUNTAIN

• Irish Session, 5pm

• White Horse Bad Ass Blues, 7:30pm

THURSDAY, AUGUST 14

12 BONES

SMOKEBOUSE & BREWING

Leather Britches (old-time, Appalachian), 5:30pm

27 CLUB

Half Blind Eyes, Solemn Shapes & Hemlock for Socrates (experimental, art-rock, electronnica), 8pm

CROW & QUILL

Raspbaddy Cabaret, 7pm

EDA RHYNE

DISTILLERY & TASTING ROOM

The Gilded Palace of Metamodern Sounds, 6pm

EDA'S HIDE-A-WAY

Bless Your Heart Trivia w/Harmon, 7pm

EULOGY

Zoo House w/Scribblers & Jesse Velvet (surfrock, blues, funk), 8pm

FLOOD GALLERY

True Home Open Mic, 6pm

GREEN MAN BREWERY

Thursday Night Trivia, 7pm

JACK OF THE WOOD PUB

Bluegrass Jam w/Drew Matulich, 7pm

ONE WORLD BREWING

Sarah Levecque Duo (blues, country, folk), 8pm

ONE WORLD BREWING WEST

Fee Fi Phaux Fish (Phish tribute), 8pm

PISGAH BREWING CO.

Melodic AF (blues, yacht-rock, Americana), 7:30pm

SHAKEY'S Karaoke w/Franco Nino, 9pm

SOVEREIGN KAVA

Django Jazz Jam, 7pm

STATIC AGE LOFT

Auto-Tune Karaoke w/ Who Gave This B*tch A Mic, 10pm

STATIC AGE RECORDS

Ari Sage, Normal People & Kaitlin Tracy (alternative, hip-hop), 8:45pm

THE GREY EAGLE

Patio: Bam-a-Lam (rock'n'roll), 5:30pm

THE JOINT NEXT DOOR

All Female Singer-Songwriter Night, 7pm

THE ONE STOP AT ASHEVILLE MUSIC

HALL

Preston Cate & The Outfit (experimental, groove), 9pm

THE ORANGE PEEL

The Jesus Casino, Impending Joy & Sunbearer (rock, alt-indie), 8pm

THIRD ROOM

Dennett w/Papajay (electronic, dubstep, riddim), 9pm

TWIN WILLOWS

The Candleers (country), 6:30pm

WICKED WEED

BREWING

Mike Hollon (roots, blues, Americana), 5pm

FREEWILL ASTROLOGY BY ROB BREZSNY

ARIES (March 21-April 19): The Tagalog word "gigil" refers to the urge to squeeze or pinch something adorable. It’s an ecstatic tension that verges on overflowing the container of decorum. In the coming weeks, you Aries could feel "gigil" for the whole world. Everything may seem almost too vivid, too raw, too marvelous and altogether too much. I advise you to welcome these surges and allow them to enhance your perceptions. Laugh hard. Cry freely. Invite goosebumps. But don’t actually squeeze anyone without their permission.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): In Japan’s Snow Country, artisans practice "yuki-sarashi." It involves laying woven cloth on snow under sunlight to bleach, brighten, purify and soften the fibers through the effects of snow, sunlight, cold and ozone. Because this process doesn't require harsh chemicals, it helps maintain the fabric's strength and prevents it from yellowing over time. I propose you make "yuki-sarashi" a useful metaphor, Taurus. Something fragile and fine is ready to emerge but it needs your gentle touch and natural methods. You are often grounded in the adept manipulation of raw material — what works, what holds and what can be relied on. But this burgeoning treasure needs maximum nuance and the blessings of sensitive care.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): When African American dancer Josephine Baker arrived in Paris in 1925 at age 19, she was seeking refuge from her home country’s racism. Her electrifying performances soon made her a celebrity. Author Ernest Hemingway said she was “the most sensational woman anyone ever saw.” As she grew wealthy, she donated generously to French charities, hospitals and schools. Her compassionate works evolved further, too. During World War II, she worked as a spy for the French Resistance against the Nazi occupation. Later, she became a civil rights activist in the U.S. Can you guess the astrological sign of this multi-faceted star? Gemini! I hope you will be inspired by her in the coming weeks. May you, too, use your natural gifts and stylish flair to serve the greater good. Look for opportunities to mentor, encourage and advocate for those lacking your advantages.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): When a glacier moves, it doesn't rush. It presses forward incrementally, reshaping mountains, carving valleys and transporting boulders. In a metaphorical sense, Cancerian, you are now in glacier time. A slow, relentless and ultimately magnificent process is afoot in your life. Others may not yet see the forward momentum. Even you may doubt it. But the shift is real and permanent. Trust the deep, inexorable push. Your soul is hauling whole landscapes into new configurations.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): In the Arctic, the sun shines for 24 hours a day during midsummer. There is no night, only the surreal glow of prolonged gold. The human body, confused by the unending day, may be confused about when to sleep. For some, this creates disorientation and for others, a strange euphoria. In my astrological opinion, Leo, you have entered a metaphorical version of this solar dreamscape. Your creative powers are beaming like a relentless sun. There may be little darkness in sight. So how will you rest? How will you replenish under the glow of fervent possibility? Be wisely discerning with your energy. Don’t mistake illumination for invincibility. Bask in the light, yes, but protect your rhythms.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Now is an excellent time for you to swear sacred oaths. I suggest you get less comfortable with transitory arrangements and short-term promises. The near future will also be a ripe phase to make brave commitments that require you to go farther and deeper than you've dared to before. I recommend you forgo the cheap thrills of skipping along from one random moment to the next. Embrace a game plan. Finally, I urge you to cast magic spells on yourself that will release your unconscious mind from old fixations

that subtly drain your power to fulfill your dreams. Please, please, please surrender trivial obsessions that distract you from your life’s key goals.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): In West African traditions, griots are key figures in their communities. They serve as storytellers, oral historians, poets, genealogists and advisors. Their presence is often central to events like weddings, funerals and ceremonies. In the coming weeks, Libra, I hope that you will embrace a role that resembles the griot. Your ability to enhance and nurture your network is at a peak. You have extra power to weave together threads that have become frayed or unraveled. Given your potential potency as a social glue, I advise you to avoid gossip and instead favor wise, kind words that foster connection.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): The phrase “elegant sufficiency” is an old English expression meaning “just enough” or “a sufficient amount in a refined or tasteful way.” I am expanding it to also mean “the simplest solution that solves a problem completely without unnecessary complexity.” It’s your power phrase, Scorpio. What you need is not intricate perfection but elegant sufficiency: enoughness. I suggest you welcome this gift with enthusiasm — not in a resigned way, but with a quiet triumph. Maybe your plan doesn’t need more bullet points. Maybe the relationship doesn’t require further analysis. Maybe your offering is already thorough. Allow yourself the sweet satisfaction of having just the right amount. What you have created may be more organically whole than you realize.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): How do you become a maestro of desire? What must you do to honor your beautiful yearnings and cull your mediocre ones? What’s the magic that will help you fulfill your life’s purpose by trusting your deepest cravings? Here are some tips. First, jettison your inessential desires and cherish the precious yearnings that are crucial. Second, dispose of outmoded goals so you can make expansive space for robust goals that steer you away from the past and guide you toward the future. These are challenging tasks! The very good news is that the coming weeks can be a turning point in your quest to claim this birthright.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): I’m writing a fairy tale about an ancient land whose queen regards poetry as essential to the public good. She often invites poets to perform for her and her court. When they finish a stirring passage, they bow — not to the queen or other observers, but to the silence they mined to access their inspiration; to the pregnant chaos from which the poem was born. The pause is a gesture of gratitude and acknowledgment. I invite you to partake in similar acts of appreciation, Capricorn. Bow toward the mysteries from which your blessings flow. Honor the quiet sources that keep you fertile. Praise the treasures in the dark that fuel your intense activities.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): When I advise you to "get naked* " I’m not necessarily suggesting that you doff your clothes. What I primarily mean is the following: Shed the armor around your heart; strip off your defense mechanisms; discard knee pads you wear while kissing butt or paying excessive homage; recycle shoes, jackets, pants and opinions that don't fit you and discard pride-spawned obstacles that impede your communions with those you love.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): The Finnish word "sisu" describes a radical, unglamorous persistence. Those who possess "sisu" can summon extraordinary determination, tenacity and resilience in the face of confusion or difficulty. It’s not about bravado or flair but about soulful gutsiness. I suspect it’s time for you to draw on your "sisu," Pisces. It will empower you to tap into reserves of strength that have previously been unavailable. You will activate potentials that have been half-dormant.

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ACROSS

1 ___ salad

5 Site for techies

9 One of the hues in a Crayola eight-pack

14 Shape of many a racetrack

15 Fit as a fiddle

16 “… for He is ___” (Matthew 28:6)

17 Did you know?! … The most common bar name in the U.K. is The Red Lion

19 Enough

20 W.W.E. star Dumas

21 Portfolio portion, in brief

22 It hangs on in the winter

23 … The oldest known porno movie is the 1907 short film “El Satario”

27 One might charge el capote rojo

29 2014 Winter Olympics host

30 Iridescent gemstones

32 Bingo relative

34 Squid’s ink holder

37 … Engaging in leisure activities has been shown to reduce stress levels by over 30%

40 … Before mastering fire, cave men ate uncooked meat for the first million years of human existence

42 Official currency of Ecuador and Guam: Abbr.

43 “___ move”

45 Cabinet department since 1913

46 Nudges against

49 Room for growth?

50 … America’s first chartered money supplier opened in Philadelphia on January 7, 1782

56 Enemy vessels in W.W. II

57 Outfit that might have satin lapels, informally

58 Key near F1

61 Spanish island with many nightclubs

62 … Diamonds are 58 times more resistant to pressure than rubies or sapphires

65 “___ est mort” (“the king is dead”)

66 Modern aerosol emitter, for short

67 x times y, potentially

68 Boxer nicknamed “Kid Dynamite”

69 “... or ___!”

70 “College GameDay” airer

DOWN

1 ___ América (international football competition)

2 Tube descender

3 Step up from an upright piano

4 Layered lunch offering, informally

5 Tweets

6 Language of W.W. II “code talkers”: Var.

7 Inventor Whitney

8 Beverage in Wonderland

9 Leg support

10 Minimum or maximum

11 Pet safety org.

12 Chamber group instruments

13 Genuflect

24 “The Sound of Music” antagonist 25 “Ugh!”

26 Only acting Oscar winner in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame

27 Common stir-fry ingredient

28 Grand work

31 For example

33 One who gives a hoot

34 Ones wreaking havoc 35 ___ bomb

36 No-no in many fad diets

38 Thoroughly covers

39 Low-pitched musical instrument

41 “Rosy-fingered” time of day in the “Odyssey”

44 Don’t get stuck in it! 47 Onetime geometric game fad

48 What mascara might do 50 Muscular 51 “The Sound of Music” locale

52 “The Third Man” and “Kiss Me Deadly,” for two

53 Creator of a lot of buzz in the music scene

54