Mountain Xpress 09.24.25

FEATURES HELENE: ONE YEAR LATER

This week’s publication coincides with the one-year anniversary of Tropical Storm Helene. Throughout the issue, you will find stories about small towns still deep in recovery efforts, environmental experts seeking initiatives to reduce damage from future floods and plenty of stories from local residents about what gives them hope moving forward.

PUBLISHER & EDITOR: Jeff Fobes

ASSISTANT PUBLISHER: Susan Hutchinson

MANAGING EDITOR: Thomas Calder

EDITOR: Gina Smith

OPINION EDITOR: Tracy Rose

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

COMMUNITY CALENDAR & CLUBLAND: Braulio Pescador-Martinez

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

REGULAR CONTRIBUTORS: Christopher Arbor, Edwin Arnaudin, Danielle Arostegui, Mark Barrett, Eric Brown, Cayla Clark, Molly Devane, Ashley English, Mindi Meltz Friedwald, Troy Jackson, Bill Kopp, Chloe Leiberman, Jessica Wakeman, Jamie Zane

PHOTOGRAPHER: Caleb Johnson

ADVERTISING, ART & DESIGN MANAGER: Susan Hutchinson

LEAD DESIGNER: Scott Southwick

GRAPHIC DESIGNERS: Tina Gaafary, Caleb Johnson, Olivia Urban

MARKETING ASSOCIATES: Emily Baughman, Sara Brecht, Dave Gayler

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES: Jeff Fobes, Mark Murphy, Scott Southwick

WEB: Brandon Tilley

BOOKKEEPER: Amie Fowler

OFFICE MANAGER: Mark Murphy

FRONT OFFICE: Caitlin Donovan, Lisa Watters

DISTRIBUTION: Susan Hutchinson

Cass

Cindy

Courtney Israel Nash, Joey Nash, Carl & Debbie Schweiger, Gary Selnick, Noah Tanner, Mark Woodyard

Goodwill must do better to secure its facility

As a direct neighbor to Goodwill’s Patton Avenue facility, I feel compelled to respond to Bill Haymore’s comments in your Aug. 13 article about the July 7 fire [“Property Dispute: Blaze at Goodwill Fans Smoldering Dismay of West Asheville Neighbors,” Xpress].

That morning, my family awoke to explosions and flames, 75 yards from our home. As the flames grew taller, we wondered if we should evacuate. Our home was directly threatened by a fire that was started on Goodwill’s poorly secured property.

Mr. Haymore claims they’ve taken action, but after years of these promises, we’ve seen no meaningful improvement. Time and again, there is cursory cleanup and smooth PR by Mr. Haymore, only for the property to remain insecure and unmaintained. The real issue is that this nonprofit operates like a for-profit corporation, prioritizing executive compensation over property security.

What Mr. Haymore doesn’t mention is what our contacts at the Patton Avenue location tell us: They repeatedly ask Winston-Salem for resources to secure

Word of the week

charette

(n.) the intense final effort made by architectural students to complete their solutions to a given architectural problem in an allotted time or the period in which such an effort is made

This week’s selection comes courtesy of Gina Smith’s article about a recent initiative led by N.C. State University landscape design students in Biltmore Village. The group held a three-day design charette focused on Biltmore Village’s recovery. Read more about it on Page 23. X

their property, only to be ignored. The local staff aren’t the problem — it’s corporate leadership’s indifference.

Here’s the reality: Goodwill Industries of Northwest North Carolina has little incentive to secure freely donated goods. When items are stolen or ruined, they simply replace them with more of your donations. Meanwhile, according to ProPublica, this $90 million organization pays CEO Barbara Maida-Stolle $480,000 annually, while Mr. Haymore himself earns $319,000 as chief operating officer.

Goodwill has more than enough resources to fix their fence, install 24/7 monitored cameras, relocate trailers to secure areas and grant Asheville police their requested property access. Instead, they blame vulnerable populations while earning profits from your generosity.

Our message to Winston-Salem: You have the money, you have the responsibility, and you have no more excuses.

cy emphasizes the importance of local reporting. The bigger story of national news that matters in our daily lives is also needed. We are not an isolated city that can ignore the consequences of national and world news.

It’s not so much as to what we do. It’s what we don’t do — focus on the bigger and deeper stories of what it is to be human, including the genius of our Constitution: the checks and balances of power and the Bill of Rights. With amendments, the American Constitution can still be an outstanding revolutionary forward step for humanity. The genius of the American dream is that we don’t have to agree on issues. We can inform ourselves, read in depth, dialogue with each other, study and reconcile.

We all can’t be active in the streets, but we can be kind and compassionate toward those who are struggling to survive. A healthy democracy requires respectful dialogue. My hope is that Mountain Xpress will reach out and pay more attention to the various local groups and events like Memorial Day and the International Day of Peace on Sept. 21. It requires more than one day to adequately support and inform us public citizens on things that matter.

— Nick Wesselman President, Malvern Hills Neighborhood Association Asheville

Editor’s note: Xpress reached out to Goodwill Industries of Northwest North Carolina with the writer’s points, and we received the following response from spokesperson Ginger Salt: “We continue to welcome the opportunity to discuss/address the concerns that have been raised in this letter, and we want to correct any misperceptions that have been voiced.”

A healthy democracy requires respectful dialogue

My thanks to Mountain Xpress, Bill Branyon and Carl Mumpower for the exchange of differing viewpoints [“I Beg to Differ: What’s Wrong With Our Political Discourse?” Aug. 27] . It’s a good start — an important start. I suggest reading Compassionate Conversations: How to Speak and Listen from the Heart by Diane Musho Hamilton, et al. Also, a 15-minute TED Talk on YouTube, “Why I Have Coffee With People Who Send Me Hate Mail.” There are many such sources on the need for us citizens to come together to participate in our democracy.

I dare to dream that a radical social change is possible if we, the people, participate in our democracy. Mountain Xpress’ mission statement to build community and strengthen democra-

I grew up and lived in a world that does not exist anymore. Never could I imagine today’s world of violence and polarization. For me, Asheville is a great place to live. I still meet wonderful, sincere people. But things have changed. After 29 years here, on Sept. 9 at Pack Square, I was threatened with violence by two Trump supporters. I was distributing information on the Gaza war and told to leave the area or face violence.

I held my ground, and the violence turned out to be a string of obscenities. That’s a warning that good people can’t sit back and do nothing. The least you can do is explore all sides of an issue, including science, religion, philosophies and political ideology. It’s a lifelong journey.

For resources or comments, contact esacco189@gmail.com. — Ed Sacco Asheville

Editor’s note: A longer version of this letter will appear at mountainx.com.

City should defund police if feds arrive

Asheville and other blue cities should prepare for increased federal or military policing, for free, by preparing now to immediately defund local police and fund human needs the very moment the feds arrive, rather than copy Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser with their legalistic fluff. Money talks.

Stop scapegoating and start securing your property before someone gets seriously hurt.

— Alan Ditmore Leicester X

CARTOON BY RANDY MOLTON

CARTOON BY BRENT BROWN

Healthy and alive

Mountain rivers deserve our care and protection

BY TAL GALTON

It’s been a year since Tropical Storm Helene, and I still get asked if the South Toe River is safe for swimming. Helene’s heaviest recorded rain fell over the mountains and tributaries of our valley, and all of us who live here watched the river consume everything in its path, so the concern is understandable. Yet I’ve been immersing in this headwaters river since those initial weeks after the storm, when it ran with glacial clarity.

There are still places where framing and roofing tangle with woody debris along the banks. A lawn mower and several RV chassis litter an otherwise undeveloped stretch. But by now, broken glass is softening into rounded chunks of river glass, reuniting with the silica of the Appalachian river bottom. In places, nails or other sharp objects may lurk, but most of this river is free of manmade debris. Most miles of riverbank are still intact forest, much of it public lands — the same forest that slowed the floodwaters a year ago and filtered the debris. Chemicals and waste that entered the water have long since flushed into Tennessee, diluted over and over again on their way to the ocean, the greatest diluter of all.

MORE ALIVE THAN EVER

On a recent paddle down the river, the debris was not the highlight. In the morning mist, we followed a pair of playful otters until they ducked into their den under a sycamore root. We saw great blue herons, countless kingfishers, a large and boisterous family of mergansers, several ospreys and a bald eagle. These fishing birds know, far better than I, how alive the river is. We spent a minute snorkeling in a particularly deep and scenic gorge, carved from smooth bedrock. Fish filled a pool, and we found a small population of greenfin darters — resting seallike on their fins among the rocks, darting away when we got too close.

In my eyes, the river is more alive than ever. Partly it’s because my eyes are opening to the wonders below the surface — and partly because the river is indeed very, very alive. After moving to the mountains, it took me a decade to overcome my plant blindness. I’m now on a crash course of overcoming aquatic blindness. For

years, I’ve gone to the river daily, spring through fall, to cool off. I bring my phone to photograph anything of note (otters, hellbenders, blue crayfish). Recently, I’ve added another accessory: a dive mask.

First, I stand in the river, mustering courage to immerse myself in cold water — a meditation I call “icing my knees.” I watch forest leavings float by, which change every week. In spring, the river reflects the season by way of oak catkins, tulip tree bud scales and red maple samaras spinning on the current. In July, discarded rhododendron blossoms drift by, and puzzle pieces of shed sycamore bark bounce along in semibuoyant slow motion down the riffle.

I like recognizing the blooms and buds — knowing (and loving) the forest just by watching the surface of the river. I can now distinguish different birdsongs in the trees. But below the water’s surface is still largely a mystery to me. The little fish who nibble my toes as I ice my knees — are they minnows or baby bass? I now know there are dozens of species of darters, daces and shiners, but I can only recognize a few.

STRUCTURE OR DEBRIS?

With my mask, I explore the nooks and crannies. Fish are everywhere — minuscule minnows in the shallow pools, flashing schools of bigger ones in the deeper pools.

Large fish lurk in the depths of the big pool — a mottled sculpin, a pair of redhorse and four smallmouth bass. An enormous brown trout always occupies the same corner of the pool behind a log. How long has she lived in this hole? Was she stocked at 22 inches, or has she grown here for years?

Fish particularly like to congregate around a big log — and especially its root ball — lodged between the rapids and the pool. Fishermen call this structure, while biologists call it flow refugia. Wood in the river provides habitat for growing populations of fish, just as coral reefs serve as nurseries in the ocean. This particular dead tree predates Helene, but even as Helene swept away live trees along the bank, the flood added structure to the river.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency, the N.C. Department of Transportation and

cleanup contractors call this debris, and in much of Western North Carolina, clearing woody debris from waterways became a destructive boondoggle. Fortunately, Yancey County opted not to contract with the Army Corps of Engineers, instead choosing Southern Disaster Recovery and local contractors. Our small but impactful group of South Toe Stewards has worked closely with the county and contractors to minimize destructive debris removal practices in our watershed.

BELOW THE SURFACE

To overcome the next hurdle in my quest to conquer aquatic blindness, I’ll need a wetsuit. Other warm-blooded creatures in this water — the beavers, otters and mergansers— are equipped with wetsuits of oily fur or feathers. Ryan Sonier has a neoprene one. Ryan practices microfishing and is intent on learning the aquatic wildlife of Blue Ridge watersheds. I often

BLENDING IN: A hellbender, one of only three types of giant salamanders in the world, rests among the river rocks. The state classifies hellbenders as a species of special concern, meaning it is illegal to kill, harm, collect, harass or sell them. Photo by Tal Galton

see him from where I ice my knees — 50 yards upstream, in his wetsuit, snorkel and mask, with a 1-foot fishing rod and a few inches of line. Ryan pursues the tiny, colorful minnows that populate the riffles and pools, and he has an intimate knowledge of what lies below the surface. Most of the fish in the river are not stocked or wild trout or other game fish like bass. The vast majority of the fish population is made up of a diverse array of little minnows — the game fishes’ game fish.

I asked Ryan how the river’s life in 2025 compares to how it was before Helene. He replied: “I honestly think the species diversity and abundance of each species is largely the same as it was before the flood. The faster water is full of greenfin darters, central stonerollers, Tennessee shiners, Swannanoa darters, warpaint shiners, gilt darters and more. Plenty of other fish, too, like northern hogsuckers, whitetail shiners, river chubs, mirror shiners and Western blacknose dace in the creeks.”

THE DUTY TO PROTECT

This is a wild river — largely as it is meant to be. That’s what the trout love about it, as do the otters, osprey, hellbenders, blotchside logperches and elktoe mussels. Much of the headwaters have never been truly settled, though Helene washed out multiple septic systems and the local golf course that were in the floodplain. If anything, the river is cleaner now than it has been in decades, without the fertilizer and pesticide runoff that a conventional golf course produces. Now it is reverting to field and forest, filtering runoff instead.

The river doesn’t just carry flowers and seeds from the forest; it reveals when the forest is disrupted. When soil-disturbing machines are operating upstream, telltale sediment bleeds past in a reddish-brown plume. In more developed watersheds, roads, farms and construction chronically release silt that eventually overwhelms a river. Fortunately, in this largely forested watershed, the silt from disturbance settles quickly, and the next high water event clears it from the riverbed.

Here in the South Toe Valley, we are incredibly lucky to live in such a pristine watershed, upstream from 99% of the world’s population. I call this headwaters’ privilege. With this privilege comes both the risk of floods and the responsibility to care for the river.

Yancey County resident Tal Galton is a naturalist who loves introducing people to wild places. He runs Snakeroot Ecotours. X

TAL GALTON

Long after the storm

For some small towns, Helene’s impact remains a daily struggle

BY BRIONNA DALLARA

bdallara@mountainx.com

What comes next?

This is the question many residents in small towns across Western North Carolina continue to ask as the oneyear anniversary of Tropical Storm Helene approaches.

“At some point we’re not going to be in the news anymore,” says Joel Friedman, owner of Zuma Coffee in downtown Marshall, a town that experienced around 27 feet of floodwater inundating its main thoroughfare and demolishing numerous buildings.

Meanwhile, resource hubs such as the Big Ivy Community Center in Barnardsville continue to dole out food and clothing to hundreds of residents each week. And others in nearby communities, such as Swannanoa, speak of “compassion fatigue,” as the days and weeks of initial recovery efforts remain part of their daily reality, one year later.

These residents don’t know what comes next. But if nothing else, they want to make sure their communities’ stories are not forgotten.

DRIED MUD LINGERS

On a recent afternoon in downtown Marshall, Friedman scans the room of nearly 20 people at Zuma Coffee. He knows nearly everyone sitting in the cafe and regularly addresses customers by name, offering unique details about each person he comes in contact with.

“There’s actually a couple legends in here at the moment,” Friedman says with a smile, pointing out local musicians and regulars as they converse over a fresh cup of coffee and steaming lunch plates.

Since its launch in 2002, creating community has been Friedman’s goal for the coffee shop. And community, he says, is how the business survived Helene’s wrath. The storm brought more than 8 feet of water into the space, blowing out the store’s windows and carrying nearly all its contents down Main Street. In April, Friedman reopened.

KEEPING THE PUBLIC EYE: Like other small-town residents across Western North Carolina, Joel Friedman, owner of Zuma Coffee in downtown Marshall, worries about how his town will fare as attention around Tropical Storm Helene fades from the media spotlight. Photo by Brionna Dallara

“Folks were very, very generous,” he says. “That was a big help.”

Friedman says seeing familiar faces and hearing the hum of his coffee machines bring a sense of balance to an otherwise chaotic year. Damage from the storm remains apparent throughout downtown Marshall — from vacant and gutted buildings to stacks of storm debris.

Despite his business’s progress as well as the relaunch of several other nearby shops, Friedman remains worried about the area’s long-term recovery and viability.

He notes the town’s post office has remained indefinitely closed since the

storm. Its absence means residents who might have otherwise made additional stops for errands or lunch in Marshall now tote their mail (and business) to neighboring towns such as Weaverville and Mars Hill.

Ryan Cody, town administrator, says there have been open lines of communication between the Town Board and the U.S. Postal Service regarding the potential reopening of the site. But no date has been set, and negotiations over a lease agreement are ongoing.

And while the town’s water and sewer plants are back online, Cody says additional repairs are still needed for them to be fully operational. Similar updates are required for Town Hall. Meanwhile, the courthouse remains indefinitely closed.

These and other infrastructure needs remain top priorities, says Cody.

From a commercial standpoint, roughly 40% of businesses in downtown Marshall are open at some capacity, Cody continues. Staples such as Penland & Sons Department Store

(which has been in business for over 100 years) are steadily working toward reopening. Meanwhile, restaurants such as Star Diner on Main Street — soon to be Star Taco — are in the process of rebranding.

“For the businesses that are open, we need people to continue to come in and support [them],” says Connie Molland, founder of Flow Gallery on Main Street, which reopened six months after the storm.

The emotional toll is constant, Molland continues. Despite several power washes, she can still kick dried mud off the shop’s checkout counter.

“You’re so busy in the months of dealing with everything and answering questions and trying to put on a happy face, and then all of a sudden, it starts to catch up with you, and that's the part that's really hard to talk about,” she says.

SOME THINGS ARE IRREPLACEABLE

About 20 miles east of Marshall is Barnardsville, a community of around 600 residents living within the larger Ivy Township, an unincorporated area in north Buncombe with a population of around 4,000. Garbage piles stacked outside abandoned buildings remind residents of Helene’s ongoing impact on their daily lives.

Tony Clinton, 73, has spent his whole life in the area and currently serves on the board of the Big Ivy Community Center, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit facility on county-owned land. The organization has served the area since 1974. Damage from Helene has kept the building closed, but the site continues to operate out of tents on the property, providing residents food, clothing and other essentials.

At the beginning of the recovery, the organization saw at least 300 people a day; today, it’s averaging about 200 families per week.

Clinton praises the county, local churches and residents for the ongoing efforts to repair the Big Ivy Community Center. Still, he notes the community at large is growing impatient.

“There’s a lot of people that’s angry, you know — they’re frustrated at FEMA, they’re frustrated they’re still in the camper. They’re frustrated that they’ve been promised from organization after organization they’re going to get help,” Clinton says, referring to the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Rebuilding homes is the community’s No. 1 priority, says Sierra Clark, an operations assistant at the Big Ivy Community Center. But the magnitude of the task can feel overwhelming at times.

“It’s still hard to assess where do you start, and what does finished and done

look like,” Clark says. “These were generations that were passed down homes and lands — you can’t go back and buy that stuff back. All the money in the world doesn’t fix that.”

In the current draft of the county’s Helene Recovery Plan, commercial district revitalization for unincorporated areas such as Barnardsville is among the priorities. According to the draft, the initiative “can be used to support the return of businesses in the county to profitability, retaining jobs within the community, and ensuring continued access to products and services for residents.” The county invites residents to continue to offer their input on the plan at avl.mx/f3m. The deadline to submit responses is Friday, Oct. 3.

Additionally, federal Community Development Block Grant - Disaster Recovery Funds (CDBG-DR) are intended to support the repairs of damaged homes as well as support replacement and expansion of multifamily housing opportunities, notes Lillian Govus, communications and public engagement director for the county, in an email to Xpress.

Residents can also still apply for assistance through RenewNC Housing’s Single-Family Housing Program. The deadline to apply is Wednesday, Dec. 31.

DOWN BUT NOT OUT: Since Tropical Storm Helene, the Big Ivy Community Center in Barnardsville has been closed for repairs. But the site continues to serve residents on the property, where food, clothing and other essentials are collected and disbursed under tents. Photo by Brionna Dallara

Clinton notes that in recent weeks, due to the ongoing needs of displaced residents living in temporary campers, the center brought back a laundry and shower facility.

“We’re who we are because of what we went through,” says Clinton, who remains dedicated to serving his neighbors and friends through his work at the community center.

STILL IN LIMBO

Thirty miles south of Barnardsville, in the Swannanoa Valley, the grassroots recovery organization, Swannanoa Communities Together (SCT), works to keep its resources stocked as well.

But as the storm’s one-year anniversary approaches, compassion fatigue is a major concern for Summer Whelden, who handles disaster case management and community care at the SCT’s community hub, a former hair salon along U.S. 70.

“People who were volunteering for hundreds of hours during the storm received a lot of secondary trauma … [that] they are also dealing with,” Whelden says.

The organization notes several culprits behind the uptick in need: Savings from before the storm have been depleted; the federal Healthy Opportunities Pilots (HOP) program ended in June, worsening food insecurity among community members who are still without a local grocery store; and temporary housing is becoming more difficult to find, one year out.

Beth Trigg, co-founder of SCT, says in the unincorporated community of Swannanoa, over 400 households have

been documented as displaced by severe home damage or total home loss.

Most of the individuals whom SCT has worked with have cycled through multiple short-term living situations that ultimately proved insufficient, Trigg notes. She lists shelters, family members’ couches, temporary sheds, recreational vehicles with nowhere to park and expired FEMA hotel vouchers as examples.

“By the time you get to 11 months of doing that, think about the mental health impact, the impact to health and wellness in general,” Trigg says. “Housing being insecure causes a ripple effect through people's lives.”

Paulina Hernandez, the food coordinator at SCT, has lived in a temporary mobile home provided by FEMA since her residence was washed away in the flood. She has until December to find permanent housing. So far, she’s had no luck locating an affordable option.

“There’s fewer places to live, and so those places have increased in cost,” says Carmen Ybarra, director of systems and engagement at SCT. She adds that the organization continues to assist individuals who are unable to pay rent due to losing all or part of their income stream. Since January, SCT has distributed an average of $62,000 of direct finan-

STRONGER TOGETHER: Members of Swannanoa Communities Together have distributed an average of $62,000 a month in direct financial assistance to community members since January and remain steadfast in their mission.

are Beth Trigg, Carmen Ybarra and Summer Whelden.

Photo by Brionna Dallara

cial assistance in the community every month to prevent future displacement. And in the past year, the group has donated over $600,000 in financial assistance — $200,000 of which has come from

individual donations. Church congregations, grants and community groups have contributed the rest.

“We haven’t received any state or federal money,” Trigg says. “People’s lives

have been able to stabilize because of community support more than anything.”

During June, Ybarra says, SCT had an average of 25 walk-ins per day. In July, it served 54 residents in a single day.

“People are still experiencing trauma every day,” Trigg says.

To date, Trigg states no one in Swannanoa has received a FEMA buyout for properties in flood-torn areas, and no new rental units have gone on the market. Xpress reached out to FEMA for comment but did not hear back from the agency before publication.

“So most people, even those who owned their homes, are still in limbo. What we hope is that wherever housing is rebuilt will be in places that are safe, where people can be safe. So not only out of the flood zone but out of the landslide zones,” Trigg says.

Preventing further displacement remains STC’s top priority. But the group also continues to seek ways to keep their community and themselves energized and engaged amid the area’s ongoing recovery needs.

“Relating to each other as community members who have needs and gifts is how we're going to build our long-term resilience and sustainability and wellness as a community,” says Whelden. “And that is what we have seen.” X

Pictured, from left,

Changes in eligibility

Speakers at local forum say Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill will harm the most

BY MARK BARRETT

markbarrett@charter.net

Being poor in Western North Carolina will be even more difficult as provisions of President Donald Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill take effect, speakers at a community forum said Sept. 17.

The measure will cut spending on Medicaid as well as a federal program providing help buying food for low-income people. According to analysis by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), this will reduce the total incomes of the poorest Americans by 3.1%.

“There is absolutely nothing beautiful about a bill that cuts services to the poor,” said Jaclyn Kiger, executive director of Pisgah Legal Services, a nonprofit that serves WNC residents unable to afford an attorney in civil matters.

Changes in eligibility rules will make the task of getting and keeping government benefits more difficult for those who need them most, Kiger added. Already, that path contains “barrier after barrier after barrier,” she said. About 70 people attended the forum, The Justice, Health, and Financial Impacts of the One Big Beautiful Bill, held at the Ferguson Auditorium at A-B Tech. The event was sparked by a conversation between the event organizer, the Rev. Steve Runholt, and a fellow clergyman over whether the bill is compatible with Christian ethics. Runholt is the former pastor of Warren Wilson Presbyterian Church.

The bill became law in July with nearly unanimous Republican support and uniform Democratic opposition in Congress. In addition to spending cuts, it contains a wide range of items high on Trump’s agenda, including an extension of tax cuts passed at Trump’s behest in 2017, more money for immigration law enforcement, more defense spending, the elimination of many incentives for clean energy use and production, and stricter rules on student loans.

The bill’s supporters say it will reduce waste and fraud in benefit programs, put more money in the pockets of taxpayers and thereby boost the economy. Opponents say it will put the government deeper in debt and unduly benefit the wealthy at the expense of the poor and working class.

CUTTING THE SAFETY NET

Discussion at the forum centered on impacts on low-income residents.

EXPERT PANEL: The Rev. Steve Runholt, right, organized and moderated the Sept. 17 forum, The Justice, Health, and Financial Impacts of the One Big Beautiful Bill. He was joined by the panelists, starting left: Jaclyn Kiger, executive director of Pisgah Legal; Laurie Stradley, CEO of Impact Health; Dr. Raymond Barfield, a palliative care physician; Dr. Shannon Dowler, a family physician; and the Rev. Guy Sayles. Photo by Elinor Maloney

The nonpartisan CBO projects that the bill will reduce the number of people with health insurance by 1.3 million next year and that figure will rise to 10 million in 2034 as more of the bill’s provisions take effect. New rules for calculating the amount of federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, commonly called food stamps, will mean lower benefits than under previous rules, the CBO says. It estimates that expanded work requirements alone will mean 2.4 million fewer people will get SNAP in a typical month.

Medicaid cuts will harm “the people who do the everyday work that doesn’t provide the opportunity to have health insurance,” said Dr. Shannon Dowler, a Madison County physician who previously served as chief medical officer for North Carolina’s Medicaid program.

Changes to Medicaid in the bill include requiring that many beneficiaries work or volunteer at least 80 hours per month as well as increasing the frequency with which recipients must prove their eligibility. The idea that people who get Medicaid should have to work is a popular one, but pilot work requirements in Arkansas and Georgia have not significantly increased the number of Medicaid recipients in the workforce, according to KFF, a nonprofit that researches health care issues.

“The vast majority of people on Medicaid … are already working,” Dowler said. Nonetheless, she predicted that many will lose coverage because of the difficulty of navigating the paperwork

and bureaucracy involved in keeping their eligibility.

“People are going to fall out of coverage, and it’s going to raise the costs for everybody else” because hospitals will pass on the costs of emergency care of the uninsured to those who can pay, she said.

The bill raises the possibility that North Carolina could roll back its 2023 Medicaid expansion, funded largely with federal dollars, to include people who make up to 138% of the poverty level. The Trump bill reduces that support.

Another 4.2 million people are expected to lose health insurance next year if Congress allows subsidies for insurance purchased through the Affordable Care Act to expire, KFF reports. Unless Congress acts, insured people face the prospect of 75% premium increases, Kiger said.

LOVING YOUR NEIGHBOR?

At the forum, the Rev. Guy Sayles, the retired pastor of First Baptist Church of

Medicaid’s reach

Medicaid is a federal health insurance program available to those whose incomes fall below certain limits. Run in conjunction with the states, it is a major source of coverage in North Carolina and the nation, especially in rural areas. Enrollment in the program in most

vulnerable

Asheville, said Christians can disagree about how to help the poor and others in need but there is no doubt that their religion directs them to take on that job.

Sayles noted that U.S. Rep. Chuck Edwards, a Henderson County Republican who represents most of WNC, said during his campaign “that he would take his relationship with Jesus to every vote he takes.”

Edwards voted in favor of the Trump bill. Sayles said the harm the bill will do to the poor “makes me wonder how that can be a Christian vote.”

“There can be no Christian politics that avoids responsibility for the weak, the stranger, the immigrant … and those who have been shoved to the margins,” Sayles said.

The CBO projected in August that most U.S. households will see a net financial gain from the tax and benefits provisions of the bill. The largest gain — $13,600 a year — will go to the top 10%, as ranked by income.

By contrast, those in the bottom 10% will lose about $1,200 annually, or 3.1% of their income, the CBO reported.

An Edwards spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment by press time.

In a statement issued when the bill passed, Edwards said approval prevented a substantial tax increase — the end of the 2017 tax cuts — that would have taken effect otherwise. He touted provisions to reduce taxes on tips, overtime pay and some car loans, give many seniors a tax deduction and spend more on defense and border control.

Edwards said that previously, the federal government “failed to police waste, fraud, and abuse” in Medicaid and allowed some people who could work to get benefits without holding down a job.

The bill, he said, “strengthens Medicaid to its original intent: to serve pregnant women, children, folks with disabilities, low-income seniors and other vulnerable populations.” X

rural Western North Carolina counties ranged from 23% to 36% of a county’s total population, according to the N.C. Association of County Commissioners. Statewide, enrollees total 3.1 million. Of these, 680,085 residents are covered by Medicaid expansion. In Buncombe County there are 62,412 people covered by Medicaid. The expansion program covers 16,211 county residents. X

Time for action

BY JUSTIN M c GUIRE

jmcguire@mountainx.com

A year into Asheville’s recovery from Tropical Storm Helene, two familiar words echo through local environmental and planning circles: climate resilience. And the road map to get us there, say these experts, has already been written.

In 2016, a team of 31 city staff members and volunteers partnered with UNC Asheville’s National Environmental Modeling and Analysis Center (NEMAC, now known as the National Environmental Mapping and Application Center) to study the issue. Two years later, in April 2018, the group’s report, Planning for Climate Resilience, was presented to Asheville City Council, which adopted the document as part of Living Asheville: A Comprehensive Plan for Our Future

The 124-page climate document recommended actions in key areas, from forest protection and community outreach to fixing roads and bridges to withstand floods. Some steps have been taken, notably a $40 million dam improvement project at the North Fork Reservoir and improvements to weather alert systems. But most of the recommendations — like updates to floodplain zoning, stormwater design standards and expanded green infrastructure — remain largely untouched, a fact that came into sharp focus when parks and neighborhoods along the French Broad River flooded during Helene.

“I don’t think we need more studies,” says Lisa Raleigh, executive director of the environmental nonprofit RiverLink. “I think there’s actually really good studies out there. It’s just finding ways to move forward with some of those implementations.”

City officials say some progress has been made and more is on the way.

Asheville’s climate plan offers guide to Helene recovery and rebuilding

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED: The eight fusegates installed at Asheville's North Fork Dam in 2020 were designed to automatically release water under extreme rain conditions, protecting the dam from failure. They did their job during Tropical Storm Helene, officials say. Photo courtesy of the City of Asheville

“Since that time [2018], we have been working to advance the plan,” says Bridget Herring, the city’s recovery coordinator. She cites the North Fork Reservoir improvement — completed in 2020 — as one major success. The project expanded water storage capacity and included a new spillway designed to direct overflow more safely during major storms.

The dam improvement project was in the works before 2018, but Herring explains the climate resilience plan led the city to rethink its scope so that officials were not just patching up what was there but actually planning for long-term climate impacts.

“Surely, if that improvement hadn’t happened, we could have seen a significant level of more destruction and potentially more loss of life downstream [during Helene],” she says.

The city also developed a public Climate Action Toolkit aimed at helping residents understand and reduce their own vulnerability to natural disasters — though officials say early versions saw limited traction. That resource has since been updated and rebranded under a new outreach campaign called Elevate AVL, which focuses on preparedness at the neighborhood and watershed levels.

‘STARTING FROM SCRATCH’

After Helene, environmental advocates Alison Ormsby and Mary Spivey took a deep dive into a trove of more

than a dozen reports, studies and community task force summaries that called for stronger flood planning and infrastructure upgrades — one report dated to 1955. What they found, they say, was a frustrating disconnect between knowledge and action.

Many of the same recommendations have reappeared in report after report: Reduce impervious surfaces, invest in green infrastructure, improve emergency communication systems and coordinate regionally on stormwater planning.

“There’s been a lot of really good work done,” says Ormsby, former co-director of sustainability at UNCA. “We’ve had flooding before. Why haven’t we learned from it? It’s almost like we’re starting from scratch again.”

For example, Ormbsy and Spivey point out, the city’s riverside parks were devastated by Helene, highlighting the need for the green infrastructure approach recommended in the 2018 plan.

The local park that weathered the storm best — RiverLink’s Karen Cragnolin Park on Amboy Road — was built using such techniques: bioremediation plants, rain gardens, berms and permeable surfaces that allowed it to absorb and recover from flooding more quickly than surrounding areas.

“Green infrastructure is something we’ve been recommending for over 20 years,” Ormsby says. “And here we are still needing it.”

Spivey, former director of The Collider nonprofit who once worked for NEMAC, says many of the experts

and city officials involved in the City of Asheville’s 2018 plan have since left their positions, leaving institutional knowledge scattered or lost.

“We talked to city officials who said, ‘I don’t even know where to find it,’” Spivey says. “This plan was developed with community input and technical expertise, and now it’s just sitting on a shelf.”

Herring disputes that characterization, however, saying the plan has served as a guide for city staff over the past seven years.

Ormsby thinks funding and bureaucratic hurdles have hampered implementation of needed climate resilience efforts. “There are plans in place, but getting them funded and executed takes time.” The recent influx of recovery funds from Helene offers a potential turning point, she says.

The two also underscore the need for a watershedwide approach involving both the city and county, as well as revitalizing task forces dedicated to stormwater management and flood mitigation. The Urban Land Institute’s recent report on Asheville’s recovery offers fresh strategic recommendations, echoing many of the same priorities identified over the past seven decades.

As Asheville looks to the future, Ormsby and Spivey urge city leaders and residents to remember the lessons from past reports and commit to tangible action. “The information is here. Now, we have to use it — so this doesn’t happen again.”

NOT JUST HELENE

Like Spivey and Ormsby, RiverLink's Raleigh dug into past reports in the immediate aftermath of Helene. And like them, she thinks action, not more studying, is what's needed as the area recovers and plans for the future.

Founded nearly 40 years ago, RiverLink focuses on both environmental and economic vitality in the French Broad River watershed. That dual mission includes protecting riparian zones — tree-lined buffers along the river that stabilize banks and reduce flood impacts — and helping guide resilient redevelopment in floodprone areas such as the River Arts District (RAD).

“Those root systems are so deep and complex that they don't allow for bank erosion, and they can even slow down floodwaters and/or keep things in the river channel,” she explains. “But when over years of taking them away due to development, those river banks without their riparian zones are very prone to eroding and collapsing.”

Post-Helene, RiverLink has partnered with Unified RAD — a coalition of artists, business owners and residents — to gather stakeholder input on how the district can rebuild in ways that are more flood resilient.

“We're advocating in both lanes of supporting just responsible floodplain resilience,” Raleigh says. “We have to honor private property rights, but I think on the backside of Helene, we get to look at some things differently.”

Raleigh doesn’t see Helene as a one-off event but part of a larger pattern that includes smaller, more frequent flooding.

“Maybe it's just an amplifier of what I think we've always known, but it brings it really present day,” she says. “We chronically flood here in varying degrees. … We don't want Helene to sort of be the only measuring stick.”

While many commercial properties have the resources to rebuild with resilience, Raleigh notes it’s much harder

for underserved residential areas such as Swannanoa. “That's a tougher conversation. But I think on the commercial front, you're seeing a lot of people really lean in and adapt.”

RiverLink has responded by expanding its programming to include recovery and planning alongside its water resource education.

“We're championing the rivers wherever we go and making sure they have seats at the table … because we believe our recovery here is only going to be complete when our rivers are restored and reinforced.”

Her message for decision-makers?

“Please include the rivers in the recovery and [recognize] their role in our resilience, because they are so worthy of the investment.”

LOOKING AHEAD

The City of Asheville’s Herring says Planning for Climate Resilience will serve as a road map for recovery and a blueprint for a more climate-resilient future.

“The resilience assessment helped us think beyond routine maintenance,” she says. “It pushed us to plan for longterm climate realities, not just shortterm fixes.”

Much of the plan remains aspirational at this point. But as Asheville enters a new phase of recovery, city leaders say many of those deferred actions are now coming into sharper focus — and funding opportunities triggered by the disaster could help bring them to life.

Among the city’s top priorities are several grant applications now in progress through the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Hazard Mitigation Grant program. If approved, the money would support projects ranging from flood mitigation in parks and neighborhoods to modernizing development ordinances to better reflect today’s environmental risks. The city is also eyeing improvements to energy infrastructure, including back-

up power and solar storage for critical facilities to ensure continuity during future weather emergencies.

But, Herring cautions, construction could still be years away even if the grants are awarded.

Emergency preparedness and communication strategies are also under review. An after-action report presented to Asheville City Council on Sept. 9 outlined both strengths and gaps in the Helene response. Officials believe that some of the communication recommendations in the original climate plan — including neighborhood-level education — could help build a stronger foundation for community-level resilience.

One example is the city’s aforementioned revamped Climate Action Toolkit, part of a broader campaign called Elevate AVL, which is designed to help residents understand and act on local climate risks. The toolkit offers region-specific guidance, from low-cost

resilience tips to more substantial property-level changes, helping individuals and neighborhoods prepare for flooding, heat and other threats.

While Asheville also adopted a new Municipal Climate Action Plan in 2023 to replace the outdated 2009 Sustainability Management Plan, Herring says the 2018 resilience assessment still plays a central role. “It laid the groundwork for how we think about risk and recovery,” she says. “That’s more relevant now than ever.”

As grant applications move forward and recovery planning deepens, Herring says the 2018 climate resilience plan is a core priority that will shape everything from zoning to infrastructure over the next several years.

“Helene showed us just how vulnerable we still are,” Herring says. “But it also showed us how much smarter and stronger we can become — if we follow through.” X

REFLECTIONS ON HELENE

Neighbors helping neighbors

Craaack!! A tree — in fact, many trees — fell in our nearby forest, and they did make a resounding impact, accompanied by the surreal roar of jet enginelike wind gusts.

As my wife and I awoke to these unfamiliar and alarming sounds before dawn on Sept. 27 last year, we quickly realized that we weren’t in the former suburban refuge of Arlington, Va., any longer. A sizable walnut tree had toppled upon our roof, while an even larger white pine had just missed our nearby Outback in the driveway. Numerous other trees in our yard had fallen, in domino fashion, including a neighbor’s tall pines which opted to fall squarely across our cul-de-sac and driveway.

At first light, the next sound we heard was that of chain saws as several of our neighbors had already begun to clear the street and offer hot coffee via generator as we awaited word from Duke Energy and Spectrum on when we might expect power and internet to be restored. Water and even a few gallons of gas were then forthcoming from one resident, knowing that our more elderly residents would be at extra risk.

A year later, we haven’t forgotten those manifold kindnesses of neighbors helping neighbors, regardless of politics or any petty past grievances over the likes of barking dogs or unkempt lawns. These kindnesses were replicated across the greater Asheville area and bode well for our collective capacity to prepare for and rebound from any other potential future “storm of the century.”

— Brian Muys, Weaverville X

Addressing homeless concerns

CoC board approves $250K for emergency shelter, eyes Code Purple integration

BY JUSTIN M c GUIRE

jmcguire@mountainx.com

The Asheville-Buncombe Continuum of Care (CoC) board voted unanimously on Sept. 11 to earmark $250,000 in federal funds for nightly emergency shelter beds, a move board members say could lay the groundwork for a long-term alternative to the city’s seasonal Code Purple program.

The decision is part of a broader effort to address homelessness in West Asheville, where concerns have grown among residents, businesses and service providers. At the CoC board’s August meeting, members cited increasing reports of open drug use, trespassing, discarded syringes and fires near encampments — concerns that intensified after a July 7 fire at the Goodwill Industries complex on Patton Avenue.

In response, a working group of eight board members met three times over the past month to develop a threepart strategy focused on coordinated street outreach, harm reduction and expanded shelter capacity. The $250,000 in Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery Funds (CDBG-DRF) will help support the shelter expansion.

“We believe that adding emergency shelter nightly will greatly assist in

the efforts of West Asheville and kind of be a model maybe for the greater Asheville,” said Christian Chambers, a CoC board member and director of Safe Shelter. “We know the question is always, if we’re asking people to leave one site, where do they go?”

‘VERY IMPACTFUL THING’

Under the plan, 40 beds would be available for 180 consecutive nights at Safe Shelter, with additional overflow capacity activated as needed at other locations, including the Salvation Army Center of Hope on Haywood Street and AHOPE Day Center, a program of Homeward Bound of WNC. Chambers said outreach workers and community paramedics would work together to direct people to appropriate shelter options based on their specific needs.

The effort is designed to complement — and possibly eventually replace — Code Purple, the city’s emergency cold-weather shelter system. “If we have emergency shelter with enough beds open consecutively, then we don’t need Code Purple,” Chambers said. “We’re just trying to start off with proving this model can work.”

Board member Josh Morrow, who represents Sunrise, supported the shift. “There is no place to go, and

that’s been one of the ongoing things for years,” he said. “If you’re able to use this for emergency shelter, that would be a very impactful thing.”

The working group's plan also includes:

• Street outreach: The Asheville Fire Department’s Resource Engagement Support Team (AFD-REST) will dedicate two days a week to focused engagement in West Asheville, supported by two new peer support specialists. Outreach will take place from 2-8 p.m., covering the area from Goodwill to the Bowen Bridge.

• Needle response: Tuesday cleanup efforts have expanded, with increased volunteer participation. Buncombe County and the Western North Carolina AIDS Project are now providing sharps disposal units and designated trash bags to support the effort. The board agreed that a detailed shelter budget and operational plan will be developed and presented at its October meeting. In the meantime, the $250,000 allocation signals a growing shift toward building long-term shelter infrastructure — and away from relying on temporary seasonal solutions. X

SAFE SPACE: Safe Shelter, a partnership of three churches and the nonprofit Counterflow LLC, has been operating out of the former educational building of Trinity United Methodist Church on Haywood Road in West Asheville since 2024. Photo by Justin McGuire

Diamond days

BY JUSTIN M c GUIRE

McCormick Field, which has hosted legends like Babe Ruth and Jackie Robinson over the past century, will soon welcome a new generation of players chasing their own baseball dreams.

The historic ballpark, home of the Single-A Asheville Tourists, will host the Big South Conference Baseball Championship in 2026 and 2027, conference officials announced Sept. 18 at a downtown press conference. The first four-day, double-elimination tournament is scheduled for May 20-23, 2026, and is expected to bring nearly 275 athletes, along with families and fans, to town.

The winning team will secure an automatic bid to the NCAA Division I Baseball Championship tournament, which culminates in the Men’s College World Series in Omaha, Neb.

The announcement comes as the city-owned McCormick Field undergoes a $55 million renovation, partially funded by a $23 million investment from the Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority’s product development fund. The renovations, which began following the Tourists’ 2024 season, will bring the stadium up to standards required by Major League Baseball (MLB) under a 2021 directive.

“When complete in spring of 2026, it will be a modern, year-round venue that also preserves the character and tradition fans know and love,” said Vic Isley, president and CEO of Explore Asheville and the Buncombe County TDA. “McCormick Field is more than a ballpark. It’s a living part of Asheville’s story. We’re really excited that on the heels of these completed renovations, we’ve landed this great partnership.”

Big South Commissioner Sherika Montgomery said the selection of Asheville was influenced by both the stadium upgrades and community interest.

“This collaboration brings together the revitalized McCormick Field, the incredible hospitality of Explore Asheville and the unwavering support of UNC Asheville and local partners,” she said during the press conference. “These enhancements will elevate the championship experience and enrich the overall experience of student-athletes, coaches, fans, partners and the entire community.”

Montgomery noted that all games will be streamed on ESPN+, with the possibility that one or more games could be picked up for national broadcast on one of ESPN’s cable networks.

The Big South has nine baseball-playing member schools, including UNC

Asheville. Its baseball programs have produced more than 300 MLB draft picks. Nine players were selected in the first 18 rounds of the 2024 MLB draft. Coastal Carolina University won the College World Series in 2016 as a Big South member.

Montgomery said the decision to bring the tournament to Asheville was about more than the facility.

“I will say that this was definitely a significant contribution,” she said of the renovations. “We talk about this a lot in our conference office and throughout our membership, and that is the importance of being in a city, being in a community where you are wanted and that you’re valued.”

Officials estimate the event will generate over $750,000 in direct local spending.

This is the second collegiate sports championship Asheville has landed in the past month. On Aug. 27, officials announced the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Men’s and Women’s Outdoor Track and Field National Championships would be held at UNCA’s campus in 2026 and 2027. Unlike that event, Airstream Ventures, the Florida company hired by the TDA last year to attract sports events to the area, was not involved in landing the Big South tournaments.

SPARKLING DIAMOND

McCormick Field opened in 1924 and has been home to Asheville’s minor league baseball teams for most of that time. It also hosted all-Black semipro teams, including the Asheville Blues, who won two pennants in the 1940s. Baseball legend Ty Cobb hit a home run during the stadium’s first game,

and over the years the field has hosted a variety of events — from high school football games and NASCAR races to a presidential speech by Franklin Roosevelt, a scene from the 1988 movie Bull Durham and even concerts.

It is the third-oldest Minor League Baseball stadium still in use.

Matt Martin, director of athletics at the University of South Carolina Upstate and liaison to the Big South’s baseball coaches, said the setting will add meaning for players.

“Our student-athletes will now get to be part of that story,” Martin said. “Championships are not just about the trophies. They’re about the moments, the memories and being connected to something bigger.”

He also emphasized the role ESPN coverage will play in promoting both the conference and its athletes. “It’s an opportunity to showcase the talent and represent the Big South on a national stage,” he said.

Gardner-Webb University head coach Jim Chester said the environment in Asheville will make the tournament a unique experience for players.

“Championship baseball is different,” he said. “The stakes are higher. The atmosphere is electric, and every pitch feels bigger.”

He added, “To know … that the Big South Championship [will be] played in Asheville, McCormick Field, makes it even more special for our student-athletes.”

UNCA baseball players and staff attended the announcement alongside Big South officials and athletic directors from other member schools. Montgomery thanked the players directly.

“This championship is for you all,” she said. “It’s something that marks an unforgettable experience.” X

THE BOYS OF SUMMER: UNC Asheville baseball players and staff attended the Sept. 18 announcement at AC Hotel Asheville Downtown alongside local and Big South officials and athletic directors from other member schools. Photo by Justin McGuire

Commissioners get update on Helene recovery efforts

With the one-year anniversary of Tropical Storm Helene approaching, the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners received updates about recovery efforts during its Sept. 16 meeting.

Rachael Sawyer, director of strategic partnerships, presented a draft of the county’s Helene Recovery Plan. According to the report, there are 114 projects underway across seven local governments — Buncombe County (31 projects), City of Asheville (31), Woodfin (17), Weaverville (14), Black Mountain (12), Biltmore Forest (5) and Montreat (4).

The county’s top 10 priorities, based on community feedback, are:

• Investing in infrastructure

• Disaster preparedness and resiliency investments

• Wildfire prevention

• Floodplain management

• Restoring streambanks

• Rebuilding parks

• Preserving flood-prone property from development

• Landslide stabilization

• Building more affordable housing

• Funding to promote food security in vulnerable areas

Matthew Cable, community development division manager, updated commissioners on the RenewNC Single-Family Housing Program. The program seeks to rebuild or replace damaged or destroyed housing for low- to moderate-income families in 29 counties impacted by Helene. Among the 2,905 applications, 898, or 31% are in Buncombe County. The program is accepting applications through Wednesday, Dec. 31, at avl.mx/f3r.

Dane Pedersen, solid waste director, reported on debris cleanup.

Right of way debris removal totaled more than 1.5 million cubic yards and waterway debris removal climbed slightly higher at 1.6 million cubic yards, according to the presentation. Additionally, 99% of private and commercial debris removal projects have been completed, and 23 demolitions have wrapped up in Buncombe County — with 10 additional sites undergoing review. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers are inspecting all completed properties, Pedersen noted.

Brad Hughes, Hazard Mitigation Grant Program project manager, updated commissioners about the new Tropical Storm Helene Private Road and Bridge (PRB) program. Residents who have incurred costs associated with repairs or replacements to private roads, bridges, culverts or pipes, and wish to seek partial reimbursement, can apply to the PRB program through March 1. To apply, visit avl.mx/f3q.

The draft plan is available avl.mx/f3i. An ongoing public survey is underway at avl.mx/f3m. The deadline to submit responses is Friday, Oct. 3. The county seeks to adopt the plan at a November meeting.

In other news

• The Commission passed a resolution to accept a schedule of values by the Tax Department. The schedule of values is a guidance document for property value reappraisal. State statute requires counties to reappraise all real property at least every eight years. In 2018, commissioners adopted a resolution to schedule the revalu-

ation every four years, beginning Jan. 1, 2021. Last year’s scheduled reappraisal was delayed until 2026 due to Helene. As previously reported by Xpress, the reappraisal updates all of Buncombe County’s property values to reflect fair market value. The county derives 62% of its more than $440 million general fund from property taxes, which rely on the accurate assessment of thousands of properties. A presentation on the schedule of values is available here: avl.mx/f3l

• The Commission approved a budget amendment to transfer $4 million in Article 39 sales tax funds from use-for-capital to use-for-operating expenses. The Article 39 sales tax funds are for use by Asheville City Schools and Buncombe County Schools. Following a presentation on BCS’ needs, Superintendent Jackson informed the Commission he will have a forthcoming request

for a referendum to address school capital needs.

• The Commission accepted a budget amendment to accept a $4.4 million grant from Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership (ORLP). The funding, along with a matching $4.4 million grant from the N.C. Land and Water Fund, means the county can finance the transaction to acquire Deaverview Mountain. In 2023, the Commission passed a resolution to explore the creation of a county park or preserve out of the 342-acre site.

• The Commission approved $840,000 in federal and state grant money for Mountain Mobility, which provides transportation services compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act. The funds will allow Mountain Mobility to purchase four new vans. This story was supported by the

‘Something we overcame’

Community spirit drives Biltmore Village’s rebirth after Helene

BY GINA SMITH

gsmith@mountainx.com

Biltmore Village businesses were already fighting floodwaters the day before Tropical Storm Helene arrived in Western North Carolina last year.

“We’d had that smaller storm the day before,” remembers Kara Irani, director of public relations for the Historic Biltmore Village Association (HBVA). “We were already working with the city on closing roads, because anytime someone would drive through the water, it would push into people’s front doors. That’s just the nature of being in a low-lying area; this district has always had to deal with this stuff.”

But even longtime Biltmore Village tenants accustomed to coping with occasional small “nuisance floods” as well as those who were around for the extensive flooding in September 2004 were unprepared for what happened next.

By the afternoon of Sept. 27, as Helene swept through WNC, the Swannanoa River crested at over 26 feet, nearly 6 feet above the 1916 record flood, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The river raged through Biltmore Village’s tree-lined streets, carrying masses of storm-tossed debris. The neighborhood’s historic buildings — many built in the late 1800s and early 1900s — filled to the top of their first stories with muddy water.

As the world soon learned from viral photos and drone videos of the flooding, the destruction was catastrophic. When the floodwaters receded, blocks of shattered and sodden storefronts, ruined furnishings and lost business inventory were revealed.

OPEN FOR BUSINESS:

in the

But even as the business owners waded through the muck and mess in the chaotic first hours after the water retreated, they were united by a resilient community spirit that has continued to propel the neighborhood through a year of intense recovery and rebuilding aimed at embracing a thriving future.

National Guard and rescue and recovery teams descended on the neighborhood, business owners got organized.

“Our triage approach was that whoever could get here would meet in the village and we would just start cleaning up whatever we saw,” Irani remembers. HBVA board member Anthony Coggiola and his wife, Sherrye, owners of the now-closed restaurant The Cantina at Historic Biltmore Village, started keeping a list of tasks and needs on a piece of cardboard taped to the side of their building at 10 Biltmore Plaza.

“We would consult the cardboard triage list and figure out, OK, well, this has been done, these folks are dealing with this, here’s where we can align with community resources,” she says. “That was our very analog way of managing immediately after the storm.”

From there, she says, the group moved to daily meetups at Ruth’s Chris Steak House on All Souls Crescent to share updates and discuss priorities, such as getting electricity back in the neighborhood. After a few weeks, the daily gatherings transitioned to weekly meetings. Today, the HBVA member businesses — now about 20 — continue to convene monthly at Ruth’s Chris to coordinate recovery efforts.

“The merchants association went from a promotions and marketing group to an advocacy and action and community organizing group, essentially,” says Irani.

are

‘TRIAGE APPROACH’

When Helene hit, the HBVA had around 45 members, says Irani, and one of the organization’s top priorities was communicating with each of them, despite cellphones not working and electrical service being out. As the

Part of this new role has involved working with city and county governments on things like permitting. “There was dynamic advice happening [right after the storm],” Irani says. “The city had never gone through this either, so everybody was in a learning phase.”

City of Asheville spokesperson Kim Miller says that since Helene, many local business owners, including those in Biltmore Village, have consulted with the city’s interdepartmental Flood Assistance Support Team (FAST) to navigate rebuilding efforts.

“The program provides focused and personalized support for property/busi-

Pictured

heart of Biltmore Village

Historic Biltmore Village Association board members and business owners, from left, Vanessa Salomo, Neal Reed and Benjamin Mitchell. The historic neighborhood is open and ready to welcome visitors this leaf season. Photo by Kara Irani

GOOD BONES: Gemelli owner Anthony Cerrato, pictured, says that despite the destruction caused by Tropical Storm Helene, he’s thrilled that his restaurant has an opportunity to move into one of Biltmore Village’s historic buildings. Photo courtesy of Gemelli

ness owners, developers and designers needing timely and clear information about what can be built or developed in the flood plain,” Miller says.

Irani also credits Buncombe County’s permits and inspections department with being especially flexible and responsive. “They really did take into account what businesses need, what residents need.”

COMING BACK

A handful of Biltmore Village businesses reopened over the summer, but rebuilding efforts are now in a seemingly “quiet phase” with much of the construction happening inside the boarded-up structures, says Irani. Some business owners hope to launch in time for leaf season, but other folks will be reemerging over the next six to eight months.

The Biltmore Estate led the charge when it threw open its gates in early November, despite major damage to the property. Nearby businesses soon committed to rising from the mud as well, lighting the path for others such as longtime neighborhood stalwarts Corner Kitchen restaurant, which relaunched in August after extensive renovations to its 125-year-old building, and New Morning Gallery, which reopened in May.

Before them, though, was the Grand Bohemian Lodge in the heart of Biltmore Village. It held its grand reopening in early May. Built in 2009 under modern zoning requirements, the hotel’s ground floor is elevated above the 100-year floodplain level, yet it was swamped with nearly 8 feet of fast-moving water during Helene.

Despite massive damage to the first-floor lobby, art gallery, bar and restaurant, the hotel’s owner, Richard Kessler, never considered anything other than rebuilding. “And not just rebuilding, but rebuilding as quickly as we could,” says Matthew Lehman, the Grand Bohemian’s general manager.

As part of The Kessler Collection hospitality brand, the Grand Bohemian had more resources to draw from for recovery than many small, independently owned businesses, Lehman points out. “We had the wherewithal to go first and figure out insurance along the way, and we saw the opportunity to be a symbol of rebuilding in the village,” he says.

Getting the four-story English Tudor-style hotel ready to welcome guests again was no small task. In addition to rebuilding the gutted first floor, moisture from the flooding affected the whole structure, requiring extreme measures.

“We had an 18-wheeler-sized generator powering another 18-wheeler-sized dehumidification system that was piped up the side of the building,” Lehman explains. Temporary

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REFLECTIONS

Local food systems are key

A society that forgets — or neglects — how to grow its own food does so at its peril, and we are fortunate to have farms and gardens in our area carrying that work and that wisdom. In the days following the storm, the major transportation routes into and out of Asheville were ruptured, and restored electrical and water service were far-off steps. These conditions work against foods coming from a distance, and bring the local food system into focus and more urgent relevance. The Helene experience emphasized how urgently we must continue to foster our local food systems and local knowledge of raising food. — Kris Medic, manager of Sand Hill Community Garden X

ductwork pumped hot, dry air into the rooms to keep mold and mildew at bay.

Today it’s impossible to tell that the hotel was ever affected. “For us to be one of the first businesses to reopen is something we're very proud of,” Lehman says. “We thought it would be a good message to send the rest of the community and the travel community more broadly that we’re back. The village is coming back.”

FRESH FACES

Though some Biltmore Village businesses will not be returning, including longtime favorites like Well-Bred Bakery and The Cantina, Irani says about 70% of tenants are planning to rebuild. And she’s excited to report that numerous entrepreneurs are eager to move into the neighborhood.

One of those is Anthony Cerrato, owner of Italian restaurants Strada and Gemelli. The chef plans to relocate Gemelli from its current home in Westgate Shopping Center to 28 Hendersonville Road in Biltmore Village within the next few months.

Andaaz, the Indian restaurant that previously occupied that historic space, was destroyed during Helene when the Swannanoa River raced through the building to a height of 11 feet, sweeping away contents and blasting out the windows and doors.

MORE INFO

A Helene remembrance prayer service will be held at 4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 27, at Cathedral of All Souls. For details, visit avl.mx/f3j.

To donate to the HBVA’s GoFundMe campaign to support Biltmore Village’s recovery, visit avl.mx/f3k.

Yet Cerrato is enthusiastic about joining the Biltmore Village community and even doubled down on his commitment by moving his offices to the building’s second floor. “It’s the gateway into Biltmore Village from Hendersonville Road and also the gateway from Biltmore Village to the Biltmore House, so the location is very prime,” he says, also noting that the building has its own parking lot.

The restaurant will continue to offer its current menu of house-made pastas, antipasti and salads. And the new location will feature a dedicated gelateria and espresso café.

Cerrato, an architecture buff, says he is also drawn to Biltmore Village for its historic structures. The building at 28 Hendersonville Road, he says, was designed more than a century ago to withstand flooding. Its large windows and doors are situated to allow floodwaters to flow through them, leaving the rest of the edifice intact.

He plans for Gemelli’s interior to highlight the building’s history, using copper to mend cracks in the granite bar that survived Helene and marking the 2024 flood level on the walls.

“Rather than looking at them like scars, we look at them like something we overcame,” says Cerrato. “And that’s why we’re moving to Biltmore Village in a nutshell — because it needs to be rebuilt. It needs people who have faith in those spaces and have the grit and drive to really make something better.”

‘HARBINGER OF HOPE’

Biltmore Village’s commitment to recovery is important even for businesses that weren’t flooded. Chuck Giezentanner’s coffee shop, The Daily Grind, sits on a hill at the edge of Biltmore Village on Fairview Road. Though Helene’s floodwaters consumed businesses below his, The Daily Grind was physically untouched.

Yet with Biltmore Village tourist traffic curtailed, the shop has faced huge economic challenges. It's stayed afloat, says Giezentanner, solely due to the support of loyal customers from the nearby residential areas.

“I chose this location because of the neighborhood, because you can walk from here down to Biltmore Village,” he says. “When the Grand Bohemian reopened, I noticed an uptick [in sales] right away.”

With Biltmore Village galvanized for recovery, Giezentanner is feeling hopeful. “I think that we’re going to have a pretty decent leaf season,” he says. “I know that as more stuff opens in Biltmore Village, it’ll bring more business up here.”

Grand Bohemian manager Lehman, who also serves as chairman of the Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority (BCTDA), points to recent Explore Asheville data indicating that hotel occupancy is down 5% from last year. Yet he, too, is optimistic.

“I think we’re all very hopeful that as the leaves start changing, we’ll have the kind of fall we’ve been used to having,” he says.

BIGGER AND BETTER: Finch Grocery is not only returning to Biltmore Village this month after being flooded by Helene, but it’s expanding into a much larger space. Pictured are General Manager Lauren West, left, and co-owner Abigail Riley. Photo by Kara Irani

Irani says each business relaunch draws more visitors — and more life — to the district. “I’ve seen way more cars in the village just since Corner Kitchen reopened,” she says. “It is a harbinger of hope.”

Rebuilding history

Biltmore Village was designed in the late 1800s and early 1900s by Frederic Law Olmsted, designer of New York City’s Central Park. Its original buildings were designed by architects Richard Sharp Smith and Richard Morris Hunt, designer of the Biltmore House. Therefore, historic preservation has been a key consideration throughout the recovery process.

The Historic Biltmore Village Association (HBVA) has worked closely with the Preservation Society of Asheville Buncombe County since the storm, as well as with the Historic Resources Commission of Asheville and Buncombe County, says Kara Irani, director of public relations for the Historic Biltmore Village Association (HBVA).

A representative from the City of Asheville attends each monthly HBVA meeting to answer questions and provide guidance, Irani continues. At the August meeting, for example, city stormwater supervisor Nancy Watford shared information about zoning variances for historic structures.

One ongoing challenge is replacement of the neighborhood’s 92 city-maintained streetlights. The lights — replicas of ornate vintage lamps — were rendered unusable after being submerged in the flood, leaving Biltmore Village deep in shadows after dark.

Duke Energy and the city have been partnering with the neighborhood to install temporary pole lights while the city conducts an eight-week assessment this fall to determine a plan of action. (Learn more about the project at avl.mx/f3g).

The historic aspects of Biltmore Village’s recovery are of interest to more than just locals. Ben Monette, owner of Raleigh-based landscape architecture firm Mud and professor of landscape architecture at N.C. State University’s College of Design, is so captivated by the neighborhood’s history and post-Helene potential that he’s created a whole class around it.

In August, Monette and co-instructor Stephen Faber kicked off their semesterlong design development studio class with a three-day charette in Biltmore Village. The project is giving the 17 students hands-on experience with designing climate-resilient landscape concepts for a historic district heavily impacted by a natural disaster.

But it’s also an opportunity, says Monette, to be part of Asheville’s recovery while also fulfilling N.C. State’s landgrant mission to “achieve new scientific breakthroughs that translate into discoveries and meet grand challenges.”

During the charette, students met with City of Asheville staff, Biltmore

historic character. Yet in the short term, she says, optics are crucial.

“It’s kind of the southern gateway to the city of Asheville,” she says. “When people come in from I-40, and they drive through Biltmore Village and see plywood and overgrown curbs and destroyed buildings behind fencing, that’s their first impression of Asheville.”

To improve aesthetics as the neighborhood rebuilds, the HBVA recently partnered with the Grand Bohemian, the Biltmore Estate and Asheville GreenWorks on a privately funded cleanup initiative. Paid workers and volunteers removed debris, cleaned streets and erected upbeat signage and fencing to hide damaged structures.

“That’s been the piece that I think has been really inspiring,” says Irani. “The community is coming together; private citizens are just getting it done.”

Irani notes that as the neighborhood recovers, it’s important to carefully document all plans and agreements with the city and county for future follow-up and to avoid quick fixes in rebuilding in order to preserve the neighborhood’s

Now, she adds, it’s time for what one HBVA board member calls the “second wave of recovery workers” — people who will spend money to help businesses recover.

“That’s the biggest need for businesses,” she says.” We just need locals to come and support Biltmore Village.” X

LEARNING OPPORTUNITY: N.C. State University landscape design students gathered in Asheville in August for a three-day design charette focused on Biltmore Village’s recovery. Photo courtesy of Ben Monette

Village preservation landscape architect Glenn Stach, HBVA chairman and Biltmore Property Group Vice President Benjamin Mitchell, Martha Fullington from the Cathedral of All Souls and others to get a sense of the district’s history and needs. They then began sketching ideas, which they presented to local partners and will continue to develop throughout the semester.

Monette says the students are creating landscaping elements — such as trees, streetscapes and sidewalks — that fit with the neighborhood’s historic aesthetic and will help the neighborhood recover quickly from large floods and hopefully avoid impacts from nuisance floods.

“What it’s really about is getting a place functional as quickly as possible [after a flood],” he says.

The students’ initial ideas were well-received by local partners, says Monette, but there’s no way to know yet if any will actually be implemented

Landscape architect Stach says the ideas provide food for thought. “The business community here in the village is resolved to come back better, but it takes time,” he says. “The inspiring and creative work provided by these students is invigorating and offers ideas that can return vibrancy to the village, both during recovery and long term.”

— Gina Smith X

Dignity in labor

YMCA Blue Ridge Assembly discusses Helene’s impact on its Black Mountain campus

BY FRANCIS MURPHY

fran.murphy1990@gmail.com

A year later, Greg Hall walks the YMCA Blue Ridge Assembly grounds in Black Mountain and reflects on Tropical Storm Helene’s impact on the 1,200acre complex. In some areas, there are no hints of the storm’s destruction. A pavilion, for example, stands untouched. But less than 300 yards away, the storm wiped out the gymnasium.

Hall, vice president of the organization’s Mission Impact program, has served in the role since 2018, though his involvement with the YMCA dates back to the late ’70s.

The Black Mountain campus, launched in 1906, initially served as a training conference center for men involved with the YMCA movement across the South. More recently, and before Helene, the assembly provided opportunities for roughly 300 groups per year to participate in activities such as ropes courses, climbing towers, archery and team development games.

In the storm’s immediate aftermath, the facility’s seasonal staff returned to their homes across the country, Hall says. In June, the site reopened at 40% capacity. “The rebuilding process at Blue Ridge is definitely going to be a multiyear project,” he says.

Here, Hall speaks with Xpress about the facility’s ongoing challenges, community involvement and how work to restore the property is on par with the YMCA’s mission.

Editor’s note: This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Xpress: What have been some of the largest hurdles for the facility’s recovery?

Hall: Blue Ridge Assembly is a oneway in, one-way out kind of campus, and our internal roads and bridges were damaged by some of the creeks. We had to completely rebuild two bridges; we have two more bridges that have to be totally rebuilt and a couple of smaller secondary bridges that need to be looked at again to see if we need to change them. So the infrastructure alone is going to be a multiple-year, multiple-million-dollar project. The saving of several of the buildings was a multimillion-dollar project. Getting 2 feet of muck and mud out of a 1,000-person dining hall was expensive and time-consuming. So we know that while we were targeting and

able to reopen partially this summer, we are still multiple years away from full operational recovery.

What’s been your involvement in the rebuild?

One of our founding principles is, “There is dignity in any labor that serves your fellow man.” And so the last 11 months have found me doing everything from painting walls to cleaning out the arts and crafts studio from the physical mud. I have given tours to elected officials. I have met with community leaders like the Rotary Club and others. I have also planted grass seed to help one of our athletic fields recover. We’ve done anything and everything lately to make sure that we inch closer to reopening.

Have you felt a stronger sense of community during this process?

The YMCA Blue Ridge Assembly serves an international marketplace, and I, along with others here, have been really impressed with the distance people have traveled to come and do physical work for us. We’ve received donations from all across the country and from other countries. We had a group of AmeriCorps folks here for four months, living in one of our dorms but working out in the community, helping homeowners recover.

To see those volunteers from San Jose, Calif., Phoenix, Ariz., and Kansas City come here, stay for months and go out in the community each and every day just to help those folks has been amazing. The same is true for the Rotarians we housed from Georgia, Florida, South Carolina and North Carolina, who all came here and spent weekend after weekend helping us build footbridges for trails.

What agencies have helped with your recovery?

FEMA [the Federal Emergency Management Agency] has been less than helpful. Most of the funds that we have received thus far have been private individuals, private foundations and connections to our philanthropic work. Public funds to help our organization have been minimal. As with most folks in Western North Carolina, flood insurance or insurance in general has been lacking compared to the amount of devastation done, and Blue Ridge is no different. Our insurance coverage fell far below what we sustained.

INTERNATIONAL AID: “The YMCA Blue Ridge Assembly serves an international marketplace, and I, along with others here, have been really impressed with the distance people have traveled to come and do physical work for us,” says Greg Hall, vice president of the organization's Mission Impact program. Photo by Francis Murphy

Since relaunching, you’re at 40% capacity. What does that mean in terms of service?

Serving 1,000 people a week is a phenomenal feeling. Currently, we’re serving 400 people in that same week, a year later. It feels a little bit like we’re not living up to our potential. But we’re serving those 400 in a great way. We’re very pleased to be

able to be open and to have our mission impact teenagers that are able to come here or adults that are able to come here. We’re very grateful to serve the groups that we’re serving.

What’s the overall mood of the assembly?

To use a weather-related reply, we have sunny days and rainy days here. There are any number of days when we struggle with the enormity of our recovery. We look at the site where the old gym and the swimming pool used to be and miss it. But then there are other days when we’re on the alpine tower and 15 teenagers are gaining confidence and learning to communicate with each other, and those days are bright and sunny. We are coping and finding the joys and at some points still accepting the pain.

Are there any other experiences you’d like to share about Blue Ridge’s recovery from Helene?

Our particular pain last September was heightened because many of our staff temporarily came to live here from other countries. We took on the burden of caring for those international folks who came here to work for three to six months to be a part of our culture and our society and had their entire worlds ripped out from underneath them. We took on a big responsibility just to help them either connect with ways to get back to their native countries or to find a place that could house them and give them work and give them an experience. That was very difficult. I would also share that Blue Ridge was able to get up and running so quickly, and instead of looking at ways to make money with our lodging facilities, I was very proud of the fact that we looked at ways to get people into our lodging that could come and do work for Western North Carolina. We were very happy to host the Fuller Center here for three months as they helped rebuild houses. We were very happy to host AmeriCorps. We were very happy to host any number of small church groups that were coming up to help people with their houses. We looked to help the region with our housing. That was intentional, and we were very proud of that. As did many other conference centers, The Cove and Ridgecrest and Montreat all were giving up their housing to people that were coming in to do work. And so I’m proud that we’re a part of it. X

Joy and connection

BY BROOKE RANDLE

Moving to a new city can be exhilarating: an opportunity to reset, explore new interests, meet new people and grow as a person.

But being new in town also has its challenges. Leaving behind familiar faces and networks can be disorienting, and making new friends as an adult can be tricky, especially if you are introverted or don’t know where to start. Some communities can feel so tight-knit that they can make newcomers feel as if they don’t quite fit in — at least not at first.

Julia Loughran knows what it’s like to be a newbie after moving to Asheville from Washington, D.C., in 2016. She said her husband, Wiley, had traveled to Asheville on a business trip and knew it was their next home.

“[My husband] called me from the plane and said, ‘Julia, I think I’ve found the place we’re going to retire.’ He was right,” she recalls. “Asheville gave us both the beauty and lifestyle we wanted.”

Even before she moved to the area, Loughran — a self-described people person — knew she wanted to start exploring and making friends. That’s what drew her to the Asheville Newcomers Club, which invites its members to participate in a variety of weekly events and meetups aimed at getting to know each other and the community.

A friend of mine belonged to the group and said, “You could go hiking, play mahjong, go to Thirsty Thursdays, etc.” And I’m like, “Deal, I’m in,” says Loughran. “It was very fun.”

Newcomers and longtime residents alike are welcome to join the club (more information at avl.mx/ezm). Earlier this year, the Asheville Newcomers Club asked Loughran if she would lead the organization as its president, an opportunity that she embraced.

“I’m like, of course,” says Loughran with a laugh. “I think it’s the best thing ever.”

Xpress sat down with Loughran to learn about the club, the power of connection and how to both welcome — and be — a newcomer to Asheville.

This interview has been condensed for length and edited for clarity.

What was the inspiration for the Newcomers Club?

It was started in 2008 by a woman named Donna Crumlish belonged to a newcomers club in Annapolis, Md., and when she came here, she found out there wasn’t one. She started it because she enjoyed the one in Maryland so much. I think it started in her living room. It began with small, humble beginnings. And now, fast-forward, we’re having our 17th anniversary this September, and we have 438 members and are looking to add many, many more.

The perks of joining the Asheville Newcomers Club

GET TOGETHER: Julia Loughran, right, president of the Asheville Newcomers Club, invites residents to participate in a variety of weekly events and meetups aimed at getting to know each other and the community. She is joined here by fellow members. Photo by Caleb Johnson

There are people in our club that have been here since it started in 2008. You may think, “Why do they call it the Newcomers Club then?” Because newcomers, of course, are welcome, but now we also have members who can tell them about Asheville — where to go and share the best hikes and the best restaurants. If everyone was brandnew, it wouldn’t be as helpful. So, we don’t limit it to anyone new. Anyone

What kind of events does the club hold? What are its members like?

As a women’s organization, we have 38 different special interest groups, so there is something for everyone — whether you’re into crafts like knitting or making crafts or exercise and being in nature. There are four different hiking clubs that hike at different paces and different distances. We have theater groups. We have couples dining. I just started a thing called Fun + One, which is a potluck happy hour that goes from 4-6 p.m., so you can come with any friend that you want and bring whatever you want to drink and an appetizer or dessert to share. And although it is a women’s organization, we do have events for significant others [too].

We have a monthly meeting that anyone who wants to visit can attend. It’s the second Monday of every month at Trinity Episcopal Church. We have a coffee half-hour from 9:30-10 a.m., and

then a program. This month, we’re doing something on Asheville architecture with a woman who’s an expert in all the cool buildings in town. After Tropical Storm Helene, we did a six-month series on how Asheville is being rebuilt and the geology of the storm. We have really interesting speakers. We also do two coffees a month, and visitors are welcome at those, too.

A lot of our activities are during the day, so we do get more heavily into the newly retired age category. But we have some people that still work who are in the Newcomers as well.

Why is connecting with others valuable?

One of the things I do on the side is teaching at UNC Asheville’s College for Seniors, the OLLI [Osher Lifelong Learning Institute]. And one of my most famous and well-attended classes is my Science of Happiness class. There is nothing that can bring you more happiness than connections with people. In fact, a lack of social connections is the same as smoking a pack of cigarettes a day or being an alcoholic. So what better way than to have 438 new friends to combat that?

What makes Asheville uniquely challenging or rewarding for newcomers?

Asheville has a very special energy. For me, every time I came back, it spoke more and more to my heart. I love the people here — everyone is so

warm, friendly and open. I always say, “Everyone in Asheville is your friend,” from the barista to the server to the person next to you in yoga class. But the truth is, microconnections aren’t enough. To build real friendships, you need time — it takes 75 hours to form a casual friendship and 200 hours for a close one. That’s why things like travel or shared activities really accelerate connection. We even have a travel group, Globetrotter Gals, that just did a 14-day trip to Portugal and Spain. One woman came back saying, “Four of these women are now my new best friends.” That’s the magic.

You’ve been part of the club for a long time. How has it evolved over the years?

It’s probably twice the size it was when I first joined. What’s really changed is the number of interest groups. We used to have maybe 12 or 15, and now we have 36-plus. It’s become incredibly tailored. For example, someone recently joined who’s passionate about genealogy, so she started a genealogy group. If someone has a passion, we help them turn it into a group.

Another example is our monthly “Fun Lunch” potlucks. They were getting so popular there were always waiting lists. One member had the brilliant idea to use multiple homes each month — and now everyone gets to attend.

What would you say to someone who’s nervous or hesitant to join?

Try it, you just might like it! Making new friends is hard, especially as we get older, but it’s also critical to your health. Studies show that social connection is more important than diet, exercise, or even sleep. People literally die of loneliness.

If someone is shy or introverted, don’t worry. We have a team of volunteer “connectors” who will meet you

at events, sit with you, introduce you to others and even follow up after to make sure you felt welcome. You’re not going to be left alone at a table.

We also have a “Caring Crew.” If you need a ride to a doctor’s appointment or a procedure like a colonoscopy, you can put in a request, and someone will take you and bring you home. I’ve done that for members myself. It’s not just social: it’s support, it’s community.

If you could dream big, what’s one thing you’d love to see the club do in the next five years?

I’d love for us to grow even more. I believe in abundance; there’s enough joy and connection for everyone. I want more people to know about us, especially since so many still haven’t heard of us. I actually Googled “best newcomers club in the country” the other day, and while there are many good ones, Asheville Newcomers always shows up at the top.

We get so many people who’ve belonged to similar groups in Florida, Texas or other places, and they all say ours is the very best. That’s something special. I’d love to keep building on that.

How has being part of this club changed your life personally?

I’ve met so many different people, and I’m constantly touched by how willing everyone is to help. You’re not dragging people to things or begging them to participate; these women want to contribute. They want to build something meaningful together.

It gives me so much hope for humanity. I feel lucky, as president, that I don’t have to do everything alone. The board is incredible. They’re hardworking, enthusiastic and fun. And that’s my motto: If it’s not fun, I’m not doing it. Every part of my involvement with Newcomers has been joyful and meaningful. I wouldn’t trade it for anything. X

SEPT. 24 - OCT. 2, 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 41

WELLNESS

Community Yoga & Mindfulness

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

WE (9/24), 10:30am, AmeriHealth Caritas, 216 Asheland Ave

Tai Chi Fan

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

WE (9/24, 10/1), 1pm, Dragon Phoenix, 51 N Merrimon Ave, Ste 109

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 (9/24, 10/1), 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 (9/24, 10/1), 11:30am, Dragon Phoenix, 51 N Merrimon Ave, Ste 109

Nia Dance

A sensory-based movement practice that draws from martial arts, dance arts and healing arts.

TH (9/25, 10/2), TU (9/30), 10:30am, 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 (9/25, 10/2), 11:30am, Dragon Phoenix, 51 N Merrimon Ave, Ste 109

Chen Tai Chi

It is considered a very high level of Tai Chi.

TH (9/25, 10/1), 1pm, Dragon Phoenix, 51 N Merrimon Ave, Ste 109

Thursday Evening Sound Baths

These sound bath sessions focus on nervous system regulation, energetic balance, and seasonal, lunar, and solar alignment.

TH (9/25), 7pm, Ritual Skin and Wellness, 802 Fairview Rd building 3000 Ste 11

Free Community Zumba Gold

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

FR (9/26), 10am, YWCA of Asheville, 185 S French Broad Ave

Intermediate Tai Chi

Yang 24

Slow, gentle movements that promote

COMMUNITY CALENDAR

REMEMBERING, REBUILDING, REIMAGINING: UNC Asheville’s S. Tucker Cooke Gallery hosts Looking Back to Move Forward, an exhibition by art students, faculty and alumni, which tells the story of Tropical Storm Helene and highlights the broader impacts of climate change. The exhibition is open daily at 9 a.m. and will run through Oct. 5. Photo courtesy of Caleb Johnson

good health.

FR (9/26), 10:30am, Dragon Phoenix, 51 N Merrimon Ave, Ste 109 Teen Fitness Group workouts are fun and challenging, with modifications available for different levels to maximize workouts safely.

FR (9/26), 6pm, Linwood Crump Shiloh Community Center, 121 Shiloh Rd

Self-care Sound Healing

In these sound healing sessions, you will be guided through a peaceful meditation using frosted crystal quartz bowls.

FR (9/26), 6:30pm, The Well, 3 Louisiana Ave

The Professor's Tai Chi

This class is a step up from the beginners class and is a great

class for those who have studied Yang 37.

SA (9/27), 8:30am, 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.

SA (9/27), 9am,

Bearwallow Mountain Trail, 4899 Bearwallow Mountain Rd, Hendersonville

Family Bootcamp

This fun, energetic event is a great way to build healthy habits as a family in a safe and supportive environment. Children ages 5 and up are welcome.

SA (9/27), 9:30am, Reuter YMCA, 3 Town Center Blvd

Yoga in the Park

All-level friendly yoga classes based on Hatha & Vinyasa traditions. SA (9/27), SU (9/28) 11am, W Asheville Park, 198 Vermont Ave

Wild Souls Authentic Movement

An expressive movement class designed to help you get unstuck, enjoy cardio movement, boost immune health, dissolve anxiety and stress while celebrating community. SU (9/28), 9:30am, Dunn's Rock Community Center, 461 Connestee Rd, Brevard Sunday Morning Meditation Group

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

SU (9/28), 10am, The Lodge at Quietude, 1130 Montreat Rd, Black Mountain Sunday Sound Bath Meditation

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

SU (9/28), 11am, Somatic Sounds, 157 S Lexington Ave B1

Free Community Athletic Conditioning

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

MO (9/29), 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 (9/29), 10am, Dragon Phoenix, 51 N Merrimon Ave, Ste 109

Free Community Yoga (Level 2)

This practice will help you tune in mindfully and wake up your body.

TU (9/30), 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 (9/30), 9am, Dragon Phoenix, 51 N Merrimon Ave, Ste 109

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 (9/30), 9:30am, Cooperative Coffee Shop, 210 Haywood Rd Chair Aerobics Workout

A well rounded workout that helps reduce the risk of falling, alleviates joint pain, increases flexibility and range of motion.

TU (9/30), noon, Linwood Crump Shiloh Community Center, 121 Shiloh Rd

Baguazhang Level 1

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

TU (9/30), 1pm, Dragon Phoenix, 51 N Merrimon Ave, Ste 109

Training w/Tre for Teens

This teen exercise program will help you begin your fitness journey. Pushups, burpees and sit ups are part of the fun.

TU (9/30), 6:15pm,

Stephens-Lee Recreation Center, 30

George Washington Carver 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 (9/24, 10/1), 6pm, Online

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 (9/25, 10/2), 6pm, 12 Baskets Cafe, 610 Haywood Rd

Nicotine Anonymous

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

TH (9/25, 10/2), 4:30pm, Asheville 12-Step Recovery Club, 1 Kenilworth Knolls Unit 4

Marijuana Anonymous

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

TH (9/25, 10/2), 6:30pm, American Legion Post #2, 851 Haywood Rd

TEAM Fertility Monthly Community Night

These monthly gatherings offering education, healing modalities, and a chance to connect with others walking a similar path on a Fertility Journey.

TH (9/25), 6:30pm, South Slope Acupuncture & Wellness, 261 Asheland Ave, Ste 102

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 (9/27), 2pm, First Congregational UCC of Asheville, 20 Oak St Atheist Meetup

This little Atheist group invites anyone who doesn’t believe in religions to come chat with like-minded people.

SU (9/28), 10am, Earth Fare, 66 Westgate Parkway

The Men’s Nest

Learn to facilitate meaningful human connection to strengthen social health, cultivate

compassion, and equip people with the power to give and receive authentic support.

TU (9/30), 5:15pm, SeekHealing, 50 S. French Broad Ave, Ste 138

Stroke Support Group w/Stronger Together

Wellness

Stronger Together

Wellness empowers stroke survivors and their caregivers through shared experiences, fostering a vibrant community that inspires healing, resilience, and hope on the journey to recovery.

TH (10/2), 3pm, AmeriHealth Caritas, 216 Asheland Ave

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 (10/2), 6pm, AmeriHealth Caritas, 216 Asheland Ave

DANCE

Country Line Dancing w/Kristey

Featuring beginner and advanced classes that’s open to everyone. This event is hosted by Kristey.

WE (9/24), 6pm, Eda’s Hide-a-Way, 1098 New Stock Rd, Weaverville 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 (9/24, 19/1), 8pm, One World Brewing West, 520 Haywood Rd

Open-Level Adult Contemporary Dance (Ages 16+)

Rediscover your love of movement in this drop-in Adult Contemporary class. Blend modern, lyrical, and jazz elements in a supportive, body-positive environment.

WE (9/24, 10/1), 5:30pm, Black Mountain Center for the Arts, 225 W State St, Black Mountain Open-Level Adult Ballet Class (Ages 16+)

Whether you’re a first-timer or returning to the barre, this class offers physical and emotional benefits through timeless technique.

WE (9/24, 10/1), 6:30pm, Black Mountain Center for the Arts, 225 W State St, Black Mountain Free Bellydance Class

This class is meant to give attendees a taste of this beautiful art form in a supportive judgement-free class taught by Melanya

Zerpa.

TH (9/25), noon, World Dance Asheville, 1269 Tunnel Rd, Ste F BMCA Dance: Kids in Motion 2

This class focuses on growing the foundations needed for many dance techniques, including contemporary, ballet, jazz, and lyrical.

TH (9/25, 10/2), 3:45pm, Black Mountain Center for the Arts, 225 W. State St, Black Mountain BMCA Dance: Contemporary 3 (Ages 13 - 16)

This class fuses contemporary, modern, lyrical, and jazz styles for diverse dance knowledge. Designed for experienced teens to refine artistry, technique, and performance.

TH (9/25, 10/2), 6:45pm, 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 (9/29), 7:30pm, A-B Tech, 9 Genevieve Circle

ART

Elizabeth Alexander: From the Book of Time

Alexander recontextualizes objects traditionally associated with domesticity such as wallpaper, upholstered furniture, and porcelain ware, probing at the societal, historical, and personal meanings embedded within. Gallery open Wednesday through Saturday, 11am. Exhibition through Sept. 27.

Tracey Morgan Gallery, 22 London Rd

Modern Bestiary: Creatures from the Collection

This exhibition explores the artistic legacy of the medieval bestiary through a selection of animals and fantastic beasts from the Museum’s Collection. Gallery open Wednesday through Sunday, 11am. Exhibition through March 15, 2026. Asheville Art Museum, 2 S Pack Square

Jillian Marie Browning: Catch & Release

Warren Wilson’s Art and Craft Department is excited to host an exhibition featuring larger than life cyanotypes and installations by interdisciplinary artist, Jillian Marie Browning. Gallery open Monday through Friday, 10am and Sat-

The Heart of the Mountains

An evening of stories and conversations about how we’ve helped one another, what we’ve lost, and what we’ve learned as our region continues to recover from Hurricane Helene.

WE (9/24), 5:30pm, UNC Asheville Highsmith Student Union, 1 University Heights

Food For All: Free Groceries Distribution

MANNA FoodBank and its partners will be distributing boxes of great food that will include items like produce, meat, eggs and dry food as we approach the one-year anniversary of Hurricane Helene.

TH (9/25), 11:30am, WNC Agricultural Center, 1301 Fanning Bridge Rd

From Helene to Here

A celebration of the growth, grit and generosity that took root after Hurricane Helene. The evening will feature live music from the Saylor Brothers, craft cocktails, community storytelling, and opportunities to support Root Cause Farm.

TH (9/25), 5pm, Cultivated Cocktails Distillery and Tavern, 161 Charlotte Hwy Marquee Take II: Grand Reopening Celebration

More than 250 local artists will take part in a symbolic procession returning their work to the renewed space post-Helene.

TH (9/25), 6pm, Marquee Asheville, 36 Foundy St Swannanoa Valley Museum & Echoes of the Forest Presentation on Helene Recovery

Discover how salvaged Helene-fallen trees are being transformed by local artists and woodworkers into unique works of art.

TH (9/25), 6pm, Givens Highland Farms, 200 Tabernacle Rd, Black Mountain Helene Healing Gathering

A time to gather, share stories and collect the sacred memories of our experiences in the wake of Hurricane Helene. This will also be an opportunity to share grief and honor all of the support the community provided during Helene. It will

Helene Events

include food, music, storytelling, an altar space and more.

FR (9/26), 6pm, BeLoved Asheville, 32 Old Charlotte Hwy

Helene Remembrance Ceremony

An evening of weaving ritual and reflection, story and song. All are welcome, there will be a fire outside as well as a space for children to reflect and express through art.

FR (9/26), 6:30pm, Warren Wilson Presbyterian Church, 101 Chapel Ln, Swannanoa

Rise & Brunch: It’s a New Day for WNC

A morning of reflection and connection as we mark the anniversary of Helene and honor the incredible spirit of this region. It will feature hearty breakfast bowls, mimosa flights and more.

SA (9/27), 7am, 135 Coxe Ave, 135 Coxe Ave

Still Strong: Fairview

United

A memorial and celebration of the strength, spirit, and unity that carried us through Hurricane Helene. Afterward, enjoy a vendor market, spoken words, music from Zoe & Cloyd, food trucks, raffles and more.

SA (9/27), 9:30am, Fairview Community Center, 1357 Old Charlotte Hwy, Fairview

Forest Bathing Retreat: Healing After The Storm

Kelly Bruce will lead you on a gentle journey through the recovering forest, weaving mindfulness, breathwork, forest bathing, and nature therapy together for a restorative afternoon.

SA (9/27), 10am, NC Arboretum, 100 Frederick Law Olmsted Way

Hurricane Helene: One Year of Remembrance in Haywood

This gathering will reflect on those we lost, the hardships endure and honor the work done to rebuild and to recognize the strength and unity of Haywood county over the past year.

SA (9/27), 9am, Haywood County Courthouse, 285 N Main St

Helene: One Year of Healing

One year after Hurricane Helene, our community comes together to remem -

ber, heal, and look forward, stronger and more connected than ever. This free, county-wide gathering will feature live music, storytelling circles, resilience workshops, youth activities and more.

SA (9/27), 10am, Brevard Music Center, 349 Andante Ln, Brevard 1-Year Milestone

This event will mark one year since Helene—honoring resilience, celebrating connection, and finding comfort in the community we’ve built together. A ceremonial fire will begin on 9/26 at sunset and will continue until sunset on 9/27.

SA (9/27), noon, Downtown Marshall, Marshall

Helene 1 Year Community Cookout

Hearth Glass, Birdfoot, Hot Mess, and the Beacon Network are hosting a community cookout with a resource fair, glassblowing demonstrations, poetry, and live music to mark one year since Hurricane Helene shook our community.

SA (9/27), noon, 410 W Main St, 410 W Main St, Burnsville Creative Resilience: Honoring the OneYear Anniversary of Hurricane Helene Through The Healing Arts Through reflection, artmaking, workshops and shared connection, we will celebrate the resilience of our community and the many forms of healing that continue to unfold post-Helene. See full schedule of activities here avl.mx/f3f.

SA (9/27), 1pm, Open Hearts Art Center, 217 Coxe Ave

The Gathering: Commemorating WNC’s Resilience

A day of community, creativity, and celebration as we honor the resilience of WNC. The Gathering brings together music, art, storytelling, and local flavor in a way only our mountain community can.

SA (9/27), 1pm, The Mule, 131 Sweeten Creek Rd Ste 10

Climate Change & Social Justice in the Wake of Helene This event marks the first anniversary of Tropical Storm Helene’s impact on

WNC and will focus on the intersection of climate change, extreme weather, and social justice.

SA (9/27), 3pm, Black Mountain Presbyterian, 117 Montreat Rd, Black Mountain

Post-Helene: Remembering, Rebuilding, Reimagining Through music, we reflect on the impact of Hurricane Helene, one year later. Featuring works by Phillip Rhodes, Jay Sanders, and more. SA (9/27), 3pm, Warren Wilson Presbyterian Church, 701 Warren Wilson Rd, Swannanoa Helene Anniversary Community Day

Come honor this day with a an old school potluck and listen to some great local music. Bring a dish, share some tie with people in this town and appreciate your community.

SA (9/27), 5pm, Lookout Brewing Co., 103 S Ridgeway Ave, Black Mountain Helene Anniversary Concert & Community Meal

Enjoy a free, heart-warming community concert as our community prepares to mark the anniversary of Hurricane Helene. Prior to the concert, there will be a free BBQ meal.

SA (9/27), 7pm, First Baptist Church, 5 Oak St Reunion Benefit Concert

This concert marks the one-year anniversary of Hurricane Helene, bringing our community together to honor those we lost, celebrate our collective resilience, and continue supporting ongoing recovery efforts.

SA (9/27), 6pm, Harrah’s Cherokee Center, 87 Haywood St

Stronger than the Storm: A MountainTrue Gathering

It’s been nearly a year since Helene, and we’re still here and stronger than ever. To mark the one-year anniversary, we decided to focus on what matters most: coming together to honor people like you.

TH (10/2), 5:30pm, Asheville Yards, 75 Coxe Ave

Home Delivery

urday, 1pm. Exhibition through Oct. 3.

Warren Wilson College, 701 Warren Wilson Rd, Swannanoa 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

Lasting Legacies: Architecture in Asheville by Richard Sharp Smith, Albert Heath Carrier & Douglas D. Ellington

Lasting Legacies shines a spotlight on the contributions of two of the city’s most prominent architectural firms to Asheville’s built environment and artistic spirit in the early decades of the 20th century. Gallery open Wednesday through Sunday, 11am. Exhibition through Jan. 18, 2026.

Asheville Art Museum, 2 S Pack Square

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

Points in Space: Performance

This exhibition will feature visual and time-based artworks that echo BMC’s innovative spirit from 1933 to 1957. BMC was a nexus of avant-garde activity, fostering innovation through collaboration and experiential learning. Gallery open Tuesday through Saturday, 11am. Exhibition through Jan. 10, 2026. Black Mountain College Museum & Arts Center, 120 College St

Returning to the Ridge: Blue Ridge Craft Trails Invitational

The exhibit brings together the exceptional talents of 33 artists featured on

the Blue Ridge Craft Trails, showcasing the vibrant artistic landscape of Western North Carolina. Gallery open Wednesday through Sunday, 10am. Exhibition through Sept. 28.

Mars Landing Galleries, 37 Library St, Mars Hill

Looking Back to Move Forward

In response to Hurricane Helene, many art students, faculty, and alumni created work addressing both the devastation and the ongoing recovery—compelled to investigate, reflect, mourn, and raise awareness of the many issues the storm revealed. Gallery open daily, 9am. Exhibition through Oct. 5.

S Tucker Cooke Gallery, Owen Hall, 1 University Heights

Bad Art Bonanza

Bad Art Bonanza allows adults 50+ to leave inner critics at home for an evening of artistic exploration.

FR (9/26), 6:30pm, Tempie Avery Montford Community Center, 34 Pearson Avee

Adult Studio: Figure

Drawing

Learn the basic steps to draw a figure and improve your ability to create good compositions, sketching from a live model and artworks in the Museum's Collection.

SA (9/27), 1pm, Asheville Art Museum, 2 S Pack Square

COMMUNITY MUSIC Cello Mania

The program includes exciting and passionate works by Paganini, Martinu, Piatti, and Chopin with South African cellist Jacques-Pierre Malan and pianist Daniel Weiser.

TH (9/25), 6:30pm, Asheville Art Museum, 2 S Pack Square

WNC Harp: Mountain Laurel

An exquisite harp ensemble concert of regionally inspired music performed by members of the American Harp Society and The Mountain Harpers.

SU (9/28), 3pm, First Baptist Church, 5 Oak St

WNC Pagan Choir: Fall Season

The WNC Pagan Choir is a community choir open to all voices in which everyone sings together to celebrate the magic of the natural world, inspired by folk and pagan traditions of Northwestern Europe.

SU (9/28), 3pm, Weaverville Yoga, 3 Florida Ave, Weaverville

Steve Lapointe

Sunday live performance by Steve Lapointe in the Windgate Foundation Atrium.

SU (9/28), 4pm, Asheville Art Museum, 2 S Pack Square

The Music of Jerry Garcia's & David Grisman's Not For Kids Only

An All-Star cast featuring some of the areas finest players join forces to perform the music from Jerry Garcia’s and David Grisman’s timeless Not For Kids Only album

SU (9/28), 4pm, The Grey Eagle, 185 Clingman Ave

COMMUNITY WORKSHOPS

Intro to Archery for Adults

Archers learn the basics such as range safety and proper shooting using techniques according to the USA Archery.

TH (9/25), 10:30am, Tempie Avery Montford Community Center, 34 Pearson Ave

Access to Capital

Whether you’re a startup or interested in growing your business, this workshop is here to guide you through the process to secure a business loan. Register at avl.mx/f3a.

TH (9/25), 11am, Online

Fall Flames: A Soda Candle Making Series

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

TH (9/25), 4pm, The Mule, 131 Sweeten Creek Rd Ste 10

Cooking the Mediterranean Way for Brain Health

Over four weeks, you’ll learn how to prepare quick, healthy meals—everything from hearty stews and vibrant veggie dishes to nutritious desserts.

TH (9/25), 5:30pm, Madison County Cooperative Extension Office, 258 Carolina Ln Marshall

Tarot w/Cats

This 1-hour workshop will include a brief history of the tarot, and how to incorporate a one- and three-card pull for daily guidance.

FR (9/26), 5:30pm, House of Black Cat Magic, Co., 841 Haywood Rd

Fly Fishing Series

Learn different methods and techniques, basic gear needed to get started, how to cast with a fly rod, good places to go in the area, and rules and regulations in NC.

MO (9/29), 4:30pm, Malvern Hills Park, 75 Rumbough Pl

Simply Charmed: Drop In Workshop

Choose from more than 60 styles of metal stamps and a variety of jewelers hammers to complete your charm. After a quick demo by the instructor you will have time to complete your masterpiece.

TU (9/30), 11am, Ignite Jewelry Studios, 84 Walnut St Unit A

Learn to Ride the Bus

Featuring three different options to learn how to use the Asheville bus system.

WE (10/1), ART Transit Station, 49 Coxe Ave

YouTube Academy for Small Business Owners

Full Day In Person YouTube and video training for Small Business Owners who will receive a certificate of completion at the end of the training.

WE (10/1), 9am, A-B Tech Small Business Center, 1465 Sand Hill Rd, Candler

Intro to Golf

Whether you’re a beginner or looking to improve your swing, this is a great opportunity for all ages to learn the game at the most beautiful golf courses in the area.

WE (10/1), 1pm, Multiple Locations, Citywide

Introduction to Ads on Facebook & Google

Discover where to start with Facebook and Google ads while spending the least amount of money.

TH (10/2), 9am, A-B Tech Small Business Center, 1465 Sand Hill Rd, Candler

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 (10/2), noon, AmeriHealth Caritas, 216 Asheland Ave

LITERARY

Poetry Open Mic

This open mic welcomes any form of artistic expression from poetry to improv theatre to music to

dance.

WE (9/24, 10/1), 8:30pm, Sovereign Kava, 268 Biltmore Ave

Edward Knapp

Presents Living With Heart: Journey To Heart Transplant

Edward Knapp will visit City Lights to share his memoir, Living with Heart: Journey to Heart Transplant. TH (9/25), 6pm, City Lights Bookstore, 3 E Jackson St, Sylva

Skeletons in the Closet: Queer Horror Book Club

This queer horror book club explores queerness from the magic to the truly macabre. Commemorating the anniversary of Helene with Trang Thanh Tran's hurricane horror, They Bloom at Night.

SA (9/27), 11am, Firestorm Books, 1022 Haywood Rd

Poetry Slam

Share your work in a supportive community dedicated to celebrating poets and poetry.

SU (9/28), 7pm, Elevated Kava Lounge Downtown, 122 College St

THEATER & FILM

Community Improv Jam

Misfit Improv group leads a jam where everybody gets a chance to play. All are welcome from newbies to vets.

TH (9/25), 7pm, Dr Wesley Grant Sr. Southside Community Center, 285 Livingston St

The Times of Our Lives: Personal Stories from the Heart

Four local storytellers share their personal experiences that will make you both laugh and cry, just like life.

TH (9/25), 7pm, Weaverville Community Center, 60 Lakeshore Dr, Weaverville

King Lear

After attempting to divide his kingdom amongst his three daughters, Lear embarks on a ruinous and regenerative path that leads through political strife, familial tempests, and the nature of human condition, eventually plumbing the depths of madness, cruelty, and unassailable loyalty.

FR (9/26), SA (9/27), 7:30pm, Hazel Robinson Amphitheatre, 92 Gay St

Movie Night: The Peanut Butter Falcon

This award-winning film follows a man with Down syndrome who escapes a nursing home to chase his dream of becoming a pro wrestler.

FR (9/26), 5pm, Center for Spiritual Living Asheville, 2 Science Mind Way Parlour in the Palm w/Magician Doc Docherty & Guests Asheville Magic Company is conjuring up a night of illusions and impossibilities featuring three magicians including the incomparable Doc Docherty.

FR (9/26), 7pm, Fitz and the Wolfe, 1 Battery Park Ave, Asheville

Improvised Jane Austen

A completely improvised 90-minute play in the style of a Jane Austen novel. Each night is a show that has never been seen before, and will never be seen again.

FR (9/26), SA (9/27), TH (10/2), 7pm, SU (9/28), 3pm, The Tina McGuire Theatre, 18 Biltmore Ave

The Marvelous Wonderettes

A musical trip down memory lane to the 1958 Springfield High School prom where we meet The Wonderettes: four girls with hopes and dreams as big as their crinoline skirts.

FR (9/26), SA (9/27), SU (9/28), 7:30pm, Tryon Little Theater, 516 S Trade St, Tryon

Murmuration Presents: The Swan & the Loon

A multimedia performance that was born in the wake of Hurricane Helene. The story is told through stunning art, puppetry and music, and centers around holding together the griefs too big to hold on our own.

SA (9/27), 6pm, Rare Bird Farm, 91 Duckett Top Tower Rd, Hot Springs

Flux in Time: A Heterotpic Theater from the Aborted Future

An immersive theater of mixed means that weaves a metaphorical and metaphysical network through history, art, and life, paying homage to the legacy of BMC.

SA (9/27), 8pm, Black Mountain College Museum & Arts Center, 120 College St

Reel Obscura Mondays

A free weekly movie night that will be serving up a curated mix of cult classics, hidden indie gems and unforgettable films. MO (9/29), 7pm, Eda's Hide-a-Way, 1098 New Stock Rd, Weaverville

WEDNESDAYS 7:00PM

Fire & Flood

This October, on the anniversary of Helene, The Sublime Theater presents the world premiere of a double feature of short plays by Travis Lowe, one of Western North Carolina’s most-produced playwrights. See p41

TH (10/2), 7:30pm, BeBe Theatre, 20 Commerce St

MEETINGS & PROGRAMS

Docent Led Tours

See beautiful and interesting plants, delicious vegetables, native plants for beauty and pollinator interest.

WE (9/24), 10am, Buncombe County Cooperative Extension Center, 49 Mount Carmel Rd, Ste 102

Mindful Stretching

Reconnect with your body through this program designed to gently release tension, improve flexibility, and calm the nervous system through guided sessions.

WE (9/24, 10/1), 6:15pm, Stephens-Lee Recreation Center, 30 George Washington Carver Ave

IBN Biz Lunch: West Asheville

All are invited to attend and promote their business, products, and services, and meet new referral contacts.

WE (9/24), noon, Yao, 153 Smoky Park Hwy

RSAA's Lunch N' Learn Series

This event explores the power of Black resilience, self-determination, and care in the ongoing fight for equity and liberation.

WE (9/24), 12:30pm, AmeriHealth Caritas, 216 Asheland Ave

Land Recovery Series: Invasive Species Management Post-Helene

Learn what to look for, how to game plan, and how to utilize IPM for holistic invasive plant management.

WE (9/24), 6pm, Buncombe County Cooperative Extension Center, 49 Mount Carmel Rd, Ste 102

MBSR Fall Course Info Session

A systematic and rigorous 8-week course designed to help you take better care of yourself by understanding the mind-body connection.

WE (9/24), 6pm, Trinity Episcopal Church, 60 Church St

Tarot Community Circle

Bring a deck based on the system of the Rider Waite Smith tarot.

WE (9/24), 6pm, House of Black Cat Magic, Co., 841 Haywood Rd

NSA-WNC Meeting

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

TH (9/25), 10am, AmeriHealth Caritas, 216 Asheland Ave

Listen & Reconnect: Helene Anniversary

Virtual opportunity for community and connection on the anniversary of Helene, facilitated by a licensed mental health provider. Register at avl.mx/f3e.

FR (9/26), 11am, Online

Simple Self-Defense

Learn self-defense using body mechanics to outsmart bigger attackers with leverage, balance, and movement.

SA (9/27), 1pm, Alliance Kinetics Martial Arts, 8 Glenn Willow Dr Unit 26, Arden Swannanoa Valley Museum's Downtown Black Mountain Walking Tour Museum staff will lead attendees through historic State Street, Cherry Street and Black Mountain Ave, relaying the history of several buildings and discussing various topics.

SA (9/27), 2pm, Swannanoa Valley Museum & History Center, 223 West State St, Black Mountain

Youth Mental Health First Aid For Adults

This program is designed to teach adults how to help an adolescent who is experiencing a mental health or addictions challenge or is in crisis.

MO (9/29), TU (9/30), 10am, AmeriHealth Caritas, 216 Asheland Ave

City of Asheville Pool Design Chats

Attendees will be able to view the design for the new pool and renovated bathhouse and provide input directly to the project team.

TU (9/30), 3:30pm, W Asheville Tailgate Market, 718 Haywood Rd

Asheville Public Transit Forum

Right now, Asheville is undergoing a redesign of our bus service and our city has an important choice to make about how we want this system to work.

TU (9/30), 4:30pm, Central United Methodist Church, 27 Church St

IBN Breakfast Club: Mills River

All are invited to attend and promote their business, products, and services, and meet new referral contacts.

WE (10/1), 8am, Mills River Restaurant, 4467 Boylston Hwy, Mills River

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 (10/1), 6pm, The Mule, 131 Sweeten Creek Rd Ste 10

Southside Cyber Wednesday

Dive into the exciting world of e-sports and gaming with friends and neighbors with two powerful PlayStation 5 consoles.

WE (10/1), 6pm, Dr Wesley Grant Sr. Southside Community Center, 285 Livingston St

IBN Biz Lunch: Hendersonville

All are invited to attend and promote their business, products, and services, and meet new referral contacts.

TH (10/2), noon, Thai Spice, 220 South King St, Hendersonville

GAMES & CLUBS

Asheville Board Game Club Meet-Up

Featuring a wide variety of tabletop games—from light party games to deep strategy favorites.

WE (9/24, 10/1), 5:30pm, Well Played, 162 Coxe Ave, Ste 101

Neighborhood Strollers Walking Club

Meet at Crump Shiloh Center and head to local neighborhoods to connect with each other while walking and enjoying a change of scenery.

WE (9/24, 10/1), 10am, Linwood Crump Shiloh Community Center, 121 Shiloh Rd

Neighborhood Strollers Walking Club

Socialize and get moving on the paved outdoor loop around the park at Crump Shiloh Center.

TU (9/30), 6pm, Linwood Crump Shiloh Community Center, 121 Shiloh Rd

Bid Whist Make bids, call trumps, and win the tricks every Saturday with your community.

SA (9/27), 1pm, Dr Wesley Grant Sr. Southside Community Center, 285 Livingston St

Dungeons & Drafts

A 3-4 hour campaign with games for players of all experience levels.

SU (9/28), 1pm, The Mule, 131 Sweeten Creek Rd Ste 10

Weekly Sunday Scrabble!

If you like Wordle, Boggle, Words with

Friends or Scrabble online, this club may be a good fit for you.

SU (9/28), 1:30pm, Stephens Lee Recreation Center, 30 George Washington Carver Ave

Afternoon Bocce League Players of all ages can compete with friends and family to roll, learn, and claim victory in this new league.

MO (9/29), 2pm, Tempie Avery Montford Community Center, 34 Pearson 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 (9/29), 6pm, Sovereign Kava, 268 Biltmore Ave

Pool Night Pool night, every Monday night with a $5 buy in. Must be signed up by 7 p.m.

MO (9/29), 6:30pm, Eda’s Hide-a-Way, 1098 New Stock Rd, Weaverville Music Bingo w/ Spencer

Bring your friends to Taproom Tuesdays featuring Music Bingo with Spencer and rotating food trucks.

TH (9/25, 10/2), 6pm, Highland Brewing Co., 12 Old Charlotte Hwy, Ste 200

Senior Games Track & Field Club

Practice sprints, starts, and jumps or just get some exercise around the city’s brand new track.

TH (10/2), 1pm, Memorial Stadium, 32 Buchanan Pl

KID-FRIENDLY PROGRAMS

Family Story Time

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

WE (9/24, 10/1), 10:30am, Black Mountain Library, Black Mountain

Tiny Tykes Play Dates Open play for toddlers to explore bikes, balls, inflatables, and climbing structures.

WE (9/24, 10/1), 10am, Stephens-Lee Recreation Center, 30 George Washington Carver Ave

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

TH (9/25, 10/2), TU (9/30), 4pm, Dragon Phoenix, 51 N Merrimon Ave, Ste 109

Baby Storytime

A lively language enrichment story time designed for children

ages 4 to 18 months.

TH (9/25, 10/2), 10:30am, Black Mountain Library, Black Mountain

Toddler Takeover

Bring your toddler out to local parks on Thursday mornings in September for fun themed activities to stimulate creativity and motor skills.

TH (9/25), 10:30am, W Asheville Park, 198 Vermont Ave

APR Afterschool

Discovery Den

Featuring mix of cooking, pottery, music, digital arts, STEM, and more for kids to explore their creativity, learn new skills, and make friends in a lively and engaging environment.

TH (9/25), 2:30pm, Grove St Community Center, 36 Grove St

Tiny Tykes

Offering a variety of activities during playtime for toddlers to explore different aspects of learning while having fun.

FR (9/26), 10am, Dr Wesley Grant Sr. Southside Community Center, 285 Livingston St

Parents Night Out

Would you like to go to dinner, see a movie, or just have some time to yourself? Drop the kids off to enjoy goofy games, crafts, snacks, and science projects.

FR (9/26), 6pm, Dr Wesley Grant Sr. Southside Community Center, 285 Livingston St

Petite Picassos

Designed to spark imagination and foster a love of art in young children through engaging activities, toddlers explore different art techniques and materials.

MO (9/29), 10am, Dr Wesley Grant Sr. Southside Community Center, 285 Livingston St

Dr. Grant Gym Rats

A fun and active P.E. program specifically for homeschooled students. Offering a variety of physical activities, games, and sports to help your child stay healthy, fit and have fun.

MO (9/29), 11:45am, Dr Wesley Grant Sr. Southside Community Center, 285 Livingston St

LOCAL MARKETS

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 (9/24, 10/1), 3pm, Leicester Community Center, 2979 New Leicester Hwy, Leicester

RAD Farmers Market

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

WE (9/24, 10/1), 3pm, AB Tech, 24 Fernihurst Dr 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 (9/24, 10/1), 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 (9/25, 10/2), 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 (9/25), 9am, Bloom WNC Flower Farm, 806 N 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 (9/25, 10/2), 3pm, Biltmore Park Town Square, 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 (9/26), 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 (9/27), 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 (9/27), 8am, 275 Edgewood Rd

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 (9/27), 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 (9/27), 9am, 130 Montreat Rd, Black Mountain

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

9/25: Reader: Violet 1:20-6

9/26: Reader: Krysta 12-6

9/27: Reader: Melissa 11-3 Reader: Ed 12-6

9/28: Reader: Andrea 12-4

Book Launch: The Healer’s Healer by Grace Gilday-Kennedy 3-5 Tarot Collage w/Mariah

more. Every Saturday through Oct. 26.

SA (9/27), 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 Vintage Market

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

SU (9/28), 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 (9/28), 1pm, The Meadow at Highland Brewing Co., 12 Old Charlotte Hwy, Ste 20 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 (9/30), 3:30pm, 718 Haywood Rd

FESTIVALS & SPECIAL EVENTS

Healing Arts Festival

This festival will feature how music, film, storytelling, and the healing arts initiates recovery, resilience, and renewal. Visit avl.mx/f38 for the full list of programs.

TH (9/25), 8:30am, White Horse Black Mountain, 105C Montreat Rd, Black Mountain

2025 WNC Seed & Plant Swap

Find seeds, plants, and related products for swap or purchase, and enjoy demonstrations and workshops, inspiring story shares, and plenty of opportunities to learn.

TH (9/25), 3pm, Stephen's Lee Community Center, 30 George Washington Carver Ave

No Water, No Beer

Learn more about the value of clean water and some of the amazing things local

utilities and non-profit organizations are doing to ensure water quality is maintained.

TH (9/25), 5pm, Burial Beer Co. Forestry Camp Taproom, 10 Shady Oak Dr

ReVIEWING Black Mountain College

The ReVIEWING Black Mountain College conference is a forum for scholars and artists to contribute original work on topics related to Black Mountain College and its place in cultural history. Visit avl.mx/f3t for event schedule and details.

FR (9/26), SA (9/27), SU (9/28), OLLI/Reuter Center, UNCA, 300 Campus View Rd

Black Mountain Blues Festival

Get ready for three unforgettable days of soul-stirring blues, deep-rooted culture, and vibrant community in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Visit avl.mx/f3u for the full lineup and times. See p41

FR (9/26), SA (9/27), SU (9/28), Black Mountain Downtown Historic District, Black Mountain Downtown Historic District, Black Mountain

Asheville Greek Festival 2025

The Asheville Greek Festival is back for another spirited celebration of Greek culture, history and food. It will also feature plenty of music, local vendors, dancing and a marketplace. See p41 FR (9/26), SA (9/27), 11am, Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, 227 Cumberland Ave

SA (9/27), 10am, SU (9/28), 11am, A-B Tech Campus, 16 Fernihurst Dr

National Public Lands

Day

National Public Lands Day is the nation’s largest single-day volunteer event for public lands. Come explore the exhibit hall, film, gift shop and over 3 miles of paved hiking trails.

SA (9/27), 10am, The Cradle of Forestry, 11250 Pisgah Hwy, Pisgah Forest Oktoberfest

This celebration will feature a festive playground with cold beer, good eats, a local vendor market, food trucks, Fall fest-style games and activities for all ages, face paintings and more.

SA (9/27), 1pm, Hi-Wire Brewing RAD Beer Garden, 284 Lyman St Oktoberfest w/ Lagerhosen Celebrate Oktoberfest with two weekends of live music, German beer specials, and festive food offerings. Raise a stein and enjoy classic Oktoberfest flavors.

SA (9/27), 2pm, Wicked Weed Brewing, 91 Biltmore Ave Oktoberfest w/Reedy River String Band From September through October, enjoy steins, pretzels, and plenty of polka-inspired fun while the bands keep the party going.

SA (9/27), 2pm, The Funkatorium, 147 Coxe Ave

What's Shaking? Music

Happy Fall Y’all

Celebrate the autumn spirit with a vibrant fall market featuring cheerful shoppers, lively vendors, pumpkins, gourds, delicious food, refreshing drinks, and fantastic arts and crafts, all set against the backdrop of fabulous fall weather.

Presents: Summer Music & Dance Series

A summer series of music, dance, poetry, and more. It will feature special guests, instruments to play along, food options, and tasty beverages.

SA (9/27), 3pm, Sweeten Creek Brewing, 1127 Sweeten Creek Rd

Haus Party Come on over for a one-night-only extravaganza celebrating this year’s collaboration festbier, Oktoberfest. It will feature special drinks, authentic German cuisine and music.

SA (9/27), 5pm, Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., 100 Sierra Nevada Way, Mills River

End of Summer Pickiun' Party w/Suns of Stars & Coyote Rodeo

An afternoon of pickin’ and grinnin’ with Suns of Stars, Coyote Rodeo, the Miller Sisters and porch jams by Curious Strange to celebrate the end of summer.

SU (9/28), 2pm, One World Brewing W 520 Haywood Rd

Asheville Recyclery Open House

The Asheville Recyclery provides low-cost or no-cost bicycles to anyone who needs one, and empowers people to learn their own bicycle maintenance.

TH (10/2), 4pm, Sly Grog Lounge, 271 Haywood St

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 (9/25), 9am, House of Black Cat Magic, Co., 841 Haywood Rd

AVL Strong Weekend

The evening features music, local food, tributes and community connection. $1 from every pour or bottle sold of AVL Strong will be donated to the Always Asheville Fund.

TH (9/25), 4pm, The Meadow at Highland Brewing Co., 12 Old Charlotte Hwy, Ste 200

WILD

Social

This social will feature special guest appearance from local meadowscape business, Patchwork Meadows. Plus, a portion of food and drink sales will support our Swannanoa Valley WILD.

TH (9/25), 6pm, Terra Nova Beer Co, 204 Whitson Ave, Swannanoa World Bridge Foundation Benefit & Community Gathering A powerful evening of music and community in support of World Bridge Foundation. World Bridge Foundation is dedicated to creating cross-cultural experiences through music, dance, and the arts.

FR (9/26), 6pm, One World Brewing West, 520 Haywood Rd

Max Patch Workday

This is your chance to help care for one of WNC’s most iconic balds while enjoying a day of community, stewardship, and mountain views.

SA (9/27), 9am, Max Patch, Max Patch Rd, Hot Springs Pinkish Floyd: Helene Benefit Concert Pinkish Floyd brings their immersive Pink Floyd tribute to Homeplace and Hog Hollow. In lieu of a cover charge there will be a $5 suggested donation, of which 100% will be donated to Reconciliation House. SA (9/27), 7pm, Homeplace Beer Co., 321 West Main St, Burnsville

Cat Trivia: A Fundraiser for Binx's Home for Black Cats

Assemble your team and come out to cat trivia night that will benefit Binx's Home for Black Cats. It will feature a variety of feline-centric trivia questions to test your knowledge for a chance to win prizes.

SU (9/28), 4pm, House of Black Cat Magic, Co., 841 Haywood Rd

A little heat, a little sweet

Homemade fire cider and elderberry syrup can help fight seasonal illnesses

BY ASHLEY ENGLISH

It’s back-to-school season, and whether you have a child in school or perhaps teach at or attend a school yourself, the return of lots of people to enclosed, indoor spaces means the increased spread of germs and viruses. That said, the old adage proves evergreen: An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. While you can’t fully shield yourself from the world at large, you can definitely do a good deal to fortify your body and home apothecary to be ready for whatever illness might make its way to you.

To that end, I’m sharing my recipes for elderberry and honey syrup and fire cider, two home remedies I make at the start of each cold and flu/back-to-school season. Used both preventively, well before illness strikes, or acutely, right when they are needed, these remedies have long been employed in folk and traditional practices to help keep illness at bay and lessen symptoms once ill. Rich in antioxidants (substances that can protect and fortify cells from daily damage within the body), elderberries work toward keeping our immune systems strong and thriving. They’re also high in antiviral compounds, helping to curtail the spread of viruses internally. This syrup also combines the antibacterial and antiviral properties found in cinnamon, the digestive benefits of ginger, the anti-inflammatory and antibacterial nature of cloves and the nutritive and antioxidant benefits of honey.

Fire cider was created and named in the 1980s by renowned herbalist Rosemary Gladstar. At its most basic, it is a pungent and spicy infusion of apple cider vinegar and warming herbs, including garlic, horseradish and ginger.

Variations (including mine) might include turmeric, ginseng and hot peppers. The ingredients work in concert to provide antibacterial, antiviral and anti-inflammatory protection, moving out congestion and phlegm in the process. The mixture does take several weeks to infuse, so I encourage you to make a jar in early fall to have in your wellness arsenal, ready to go at the first sign of congestion. So, gather up your ingredients, spend a bit of time in your kitchen and come away with remedies that’ll

FRIENDLY FIRE: Ashley English’s variation on herbalist Rosemary Gladstar’s original fire cider recipe includes turmeric, hot peppers and ginseng root. Photo by Glenn English

help you be prepared for whatever the season sends your way.

Elderberry and honey syrup

Yield: About 2 cups.

Frequency of use:

• Ages 12 and older, take 1 tablespoon daily during cold and flu season as a preventive. If you’re sick, take 1 tablespoon twice daily (once every six hours).

• Ages 2-11, take 1 teaspoon preventively, or 1 teaspoon every six hours acutely.

• Ages 2 and younger, ask your doctor.

Storage: Store in the refrigerator; use within three to four months.

You will need:

• 2 cups cold water

• ½ cup dried elderberries

• 1 cinnamon stick

• 1 knob fresh ginger, peeled (about a 1-inch piece)

• 1 teaspoon whole cloves

• 1 cup raw honey

• One 16-ounce glass bottle

To prepare:

• Combine the water, elderberries and spices in a medium-size saucepan. Bring to a boil.

• Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot with a lid, and simmer for 20-25 minutes, until the syrup reduces by about half.

• Remove the saucepan from the heat. Set aside.

• Fill a bottle with the honey and place a funnel over the bottle. Using a sieve placed over the funnel, strain the syrup into the honey. Use a spoon to press the berries against the sieve, extracting as much of their juice as possible. Discard or compost the solids.

• Place a lid on the bottle. Shake vigorously to fully combine the syrup with the honey. Label the bottle with the date and place it in the refrigerator

Fire cider

Yield: 1 quart.

Frequency of use: Take 1-2 tablespoons daily as a preventive during cold and flu or allergy seasons, or 1-2 tablespoons every three to four hours up to four times daily when phlegm and congestion are present.

Storage: Store in a cool, dry location out of direct sunlight. Use within six months.

You will need:

• ½ cup freshly grated horseradish

• ½ cup freshly grated ginger

• ¼ cup freshly grated turmeric

• 4 large garlic cloves, minced

• 2 fresh hot peppers (jalapeño, cayenne or habanero are easy to come by)

• ¼ cup chopped ginseng root, fresh or dried (optional)

• 3 cups apple cider vinegar

• Honey and lemon, to serve

• One 32-ounce glass container

To prepare:

• Place the horseradish, ginger, turmeric, garlic, peppers and ginseng (if using) in a 32-ounce glass container. Pour in the vinegar to cover the ingredients. Cover with a lid and place in a cool, dark area such as a pantry or cabinet, to infuse for four weeks. Remember to label the container before storing.

• Using a fine-mesh sieve, strain the solids. Return the infused vinegar to the glass container and store as before. Discard or compost the solids. Alternatively, you can leave the herbs in, where they’ll continue infusing the vinegar, and then strain off the solids upon use.

• To use, take the fire cider in 1-2 tablespoon doses as needed. Serve sweetened with hot water. I typically put 2 tablespoons in a mug, top with 1 cup of boiling water, sweeten with several teaspoons of raw honey and finish with a squeeze of lemon juice. X

WITH CAYLA CLARK

BY CAYLA CLARK

Oh, how I’ve missed you these past few months! I was away, squeezing an entire human boy from one dainty orifice. It was pretty intense. The aftermath has been even more intense — now I have this adorable little freeloader to look after day and night, to feed and change and bathe and soothe and swaddle.

I know what you must be wondering: The answer is yes. He’s a hurricane baby, conceived out of trauma and darkness. Literal darkness. And I couldn’t love him more.

Saturday, Sept. 27, marks the oneyear anniversary of Tropical Storm Helene, which devastated Western North Carolina and many other regions throughout the Southeast. Asheville, like countless other communities, has been struggling to return to some semblance of normalcy. Parts of the city are working to rebuild, while others grow increasingly desperate for tourism. Since the storm, countless businesses have shuttered.

For this special edition of Best Medicine, I’ve gathered three local business owners to weigh in on how Helene and its aftermath have reshaped their industries — for better or for worse.

First up, we have Modelface Comedy’s Melissa Lauren, returning to speak on the state of Asheville’s stand-up scene.

Next is Danny Herrera of Asheville Threads, a local clothing company

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The healing power of community and hot dogs

FUNNY BUSINESS: Pictured clockwise from top left, comedian Cayla Clark reflects on fam, glizzies and Asheville’s journey in the year since Tropical Storm Helene with fellow comedian Melissa Lauren, DayTrip bar co-owner Brandon Davis and Asheville Threads co-owner Danny Herrera. Photo of Clark by Don Rex Bishop; all other photos courtesy of the comedian and business owners

that has hosted several comedy shows in its storefront. A longtime comedy fan, Danny also happens to have a hilarious online presence and a generally goofy demeanor.

And finally, we hear from Brandon Davis of DayTrip, a 1970s-themed bar that was destroyed by Helene and has since risen from the soaking-wet ashes like a funky phoenix.

Cayla: How has your business been impacted by Tropical Storm Helene? Where were you in the immediate aftermath of the storm, and where are you today?

Brandon: Because DayTrip was originally sandwiched between a creek on one side and the river on the other, we started flooding on Wednesday, the 25th. With a hurricane headed our way, we prepped with dozens of sandbags, stacking them all around the building. Those dumbass little sandbags didn’t stand a chance — by the end, they were on the roof, in the trees and miles down the road.

Our bar ended up taking on about 28 feet of water over the next 40 hours. We had only been open for a month, so watching it get washed away that quickly was nothing short of shocking. But in the aftermath, the

gays around the world did what gays do best — they talked. Word spread, and the outpouring of support was overwhelming. Thanks to that, we were able to revive our small business and come back bigger than ever.

We count ourselves among the lucky ones, and we’re deeply grateful. Our new location just hit the four-month mark, and we couldn’t be prouder.

Cayla: I produced a comedy show at the first iteration of DayTrip, the one that got demolished, and it was magical. I’m so excited to bring more shows to the new DayTrip, like Date My Queer Friend, which will be happening there every other month. Brandon, what you did with the space is truly incredible. If readers haven’t been yet … WHAT ARE YOU EVEN DOING!?!

But yes, I too dabble in comedy production. Melissa and I collaborated on the Comedy Roast of Hurricane Helene at Eulogy last October.

Melissa: The Helene roast was one of the best shows of 2024 and deeply cathartic for both the comics and the audience. It is now live on my website (avl.mx/f3v) for anyone who wants to watch.

Cayla: It was a blast, and yeah — people came out in droves to laugh through the lingering pain. But without tourism, we’re living in this kind of closed loop of economic collapse. Local businesses hire locals, and locals go out to support local businesses. But now locals are running out of money to support local businesses, so the businesses are running out of revenue, and soon we’ll all have to move to Austin, Texas.

Melissa: I had the joy of flying home from a comedy festival straight into the hurricane as it hit Asheville. Zero out of 10 — do not recommend. Like so many others, my business took a massive hit. When shows finally started to come back, the audiences were much smaller. I’ve been calling it the Summer of Locals — basically, what you said, Cayla, but in a much more succinct and less confusing way. Many of our previous venues were either lost in the storm or shut down from the financial fallout. It forced me to scout out new rooms and businesses to collaborate with — and while that’s been stressful, it’s also

opened the door to some excellent new opportunities.

Danny: After the storm, we had to remain closed for several months while the city was shut down. Everything came to a standstill, and at the time, we weren’t sure what the future of Asheville — or even our store — would look like. There were moments when we truly doubted whether we had a future at all.

Now, though, we’re beginning to see signs of normalcy again. There are days when downtown feels alive and packed with events. Things are still a bit slower than before, but we’re deeply appreciative of everyone who comes through our doors.

We’ve started releasing new designs again and are getting back to our expansion plans. For us, and for so many in this city, resilience has become the defining word in the year since the storm.

Cayla: Have you noticed anything positive that’s come from Helene?

Brandon: By far the most positive thing to come out of the aftermath was my realization of the true power of community. In the days and weeks following the disaster, I witnessed countless people helping one another — strangers helping strangers. And somehow, in that chaos, it felt like we all knew each other.

The postflood WNC love was incredibly heartwarming. I didn’t think that in my lightning Crocs, my Rosetta’s T-shirt and my camo hat I could get any more “Asheville.” But I came out on the other side even more deeply rooted in this city.

Danny: I agree with Brandon. This was one of the first things I felt following the storm. So many people were saying the community feeling was the thing that was keeping them positive, that we had each other's backs. If there was any doubt or thing in the

public world that may have divided people, none of it existed after the storm. We were all just people helping each other out.

Another positive I saw was the revival of so many local events. There was a big push to get it all back, this time with even more determination — music, art, comedy and so much more. We knew we needed it. Something to connect us toward the future of healing.

Melissa: As some know, my storage unit washed away with all of my equipment, a lifetime’s collection of folding chairs, sound and lighting gear, and so much more. While deeply devastating, it was wonderful to see the comedy community come together. We had friends and venues in other cities send new speakers, chairs, everything.

I also ate more hot dogs in the months after the storm than I have in my life, and that ruled!

Cayla: The healing power of community and hot dogs. Or as the kids say, fam and glizzies.All three of you are connected to comedy in one way or another. Melissa, you’re the queen of local stand-up production. Danny and Brandon, you both host comedy shows in your spaces. What’s on the horizon for comedy in Asheville?

Brandon: I see the comedic itch needing to be scratched more than ever after the year we’ve had. And like nails on a chalkboard, we’re going to scratch it until it reverberates in our bones. At DayTrip, we’ve leaned into our own awkwardness, and that translates into a kind of humor people can (hopefully) relate to.

We plan to keep pushing forward with all kinds of silly, offbeat and niche comedy events — whatever wild ideas we can dream up. It almost feels like there’s more room for experimentation poststorm. The

unimaginable has already happened to this community, and we’re ready to play. And honestly, we can’t wait to see what’s next.

Melissa: The way I’m booking has shifted, and the next year is shaping up to be filled with bigger, better shows.

Over the past year, our audiences have been mostly local. I love bringing joy to Asheville when we need it most, but sometimes the PTSD really shows in the dark of the venues. Cayla, have you seen those glazedover faces in the crowd? The local comics are working harder than ever onstage, sometimes met with nothing more than awkward chuckles — only for audience members to line up afterward to tell us how much fun they had.

We just have to be patient with each other as we recover together.

Cayla: I have noticed the glazedover faces. I figured I was just real-

ly bad at stand-up; it’s reassuring to know everyone is just deeply traumatized!

Danny: I’ve really loved seeing so many comedy shows popping up lately — especially more open mics. Just like Melissa mentioned, I’ve noticed a lot more local support. We’ve even hosted a few shows right here in the clothing store. At first, people think, “Comedy … in a clothing store?” But the feedback has been amazing. Audiences tell us it feels intimate and unique, a completely different way to experience a performance. It feels like the word is spreading that Asheville’s comedy scene is on the rise. More shows, more performers, more people coming out to support. In a way, the storm may have wiped the slate clean, but what’s emerging feels less like a rebuild and more like a rebirth. A new beginning, with laughter leading the way. X

REFLECTIONS ON HELENE

With love and care

Everywhere you looked beginning at 11:37 a.m. on Friday, Sept. 27, 2024, involved neighbors helping neighbors — sawing, dragging, cleaning up and rebuilding. Pharmacies were getting open sooner so neighbors and friends could help those with medical needs get their medications.

Grocery stores were opening up without power to distribute food to customers and people in need.

Townspeople were taking in families who needed places to stay because their homes were washed away.

Family and friends were driving miles to get gas for family, friends and neighbors. Water was being distributed and shared by the bottles, multipacks and gallons. Our rescue workers, EMTs, firefighters and law enforcement officers were working more than overtime rescuing people and doing safety and medical checks. Neighbors on the other side of holes in roads, broken culverts and floodwaters ran errands for people whose exits were blocked — and getting them to their jobs and businesses to check for damages.

Companies and businesses donated work gloves, socks, boots, tools, saws. Western North Carolina came together with the absolute best preparation which has constant and powerful potential: love and caring.

— Joel Brickner, Fletcher X

‘Tired

of the mud and the flood’

River Arts District artists celebrate gains along the road to recovery

BY EDWIN ARNAUDIN

Over the past year, Jeffrey Burroughs has noticed something interesting when he and his fellow River Arts District (RAD) artists talk with other Asheville-area residents about Tropical Storm Helene.

“In the RAD, we refer to it as ‘the flood.’ And when we talked to other people in Western North Carolina that had more tree damage, they refer to it as ‘the storm,’” says the fine jeweler and president of the River Arts District Artists. “People talk about it based on their personal connection to what they experienced.”

Whether mourning the lives and livelihoods that were lost or celebrating and building on the strong sense of open-hearted community fostered in its aftermath, no one in the RAD expects to forget about Helene anytime soon. But that memorial mindset doesn’t mean the traumatic events have to be discussed ad nauseam or that photos and videos of the destruction have to dominate the narrative.

“We’re just honestly all emotionally exhausted,” Burroughs says. “This has been our lives for a year, and we're just tired of the mud and the flood.”

Instead, as the one-year anniversary of Helene arrives in the final days of September, those who work and/ or live in the RAD are focusing on the future and toasting the significant recovery that has taken place over the past 12 months. But as the district returns to “normal” — or at the very least, a new normal — plenty of work remains to make the most of this second chance.

BACK IN BUSINESS: The grand reopening of Marquee on Sept. 25 will bring 350 vendors back into the River Arts District building. Photo courtesy of Marquee

STEP BY STEP

“There were over 750 artists in the span of a mile and a half that is the River Arts District prior to the flood,” Burroughs says. “As of right now, we have over 380 of those artists back up and exhibiting or working. And by the one-year milestone at the end of September, we'll have approximately 500 back up.”

Burroughs praises Explore Asheville for trying to drive as much tourism back into the city as possible and letting visitors know that the RAD is open — something he says still comes as a surprise to many patrons who visit art-

ist studios. Along with keeping regular operating hours, RAD artists have seen needed boosts from regular happenings like the weekly Saturday Art Market and such special events as the Sip Stroll food and art extravaganza in August and RAD Renaissance: A Celebration of Art, Resilience & Renewal in May.

“People forget sometimes that we are small businesses. This is how we feed our families,” Burroughs says. “The district was 80% down [financially]. Come spring, we've had 30% growth, but on average, the district is still 50% down. These festivals are just economic infusions to help people continue to pay their staff and pay their

rent. So there’s no time like now to support the community.”

This slow but steady uptick is a welcome change from the first few post-Helene months. Burroughs recalls a stressful time with no moratorium on rent despite not having power or water for a few weeks.

“There was no forgiveness, so you’re like, ‘Well, sh*t, we've got to be open,’” he says. “I remember the first week or two weeks, I was operating out of my store, helping with build-back and recovery, but I had to be open in case somebody came by.”

Motivated by the need to pay rent — and without the resources to hire outside help — the RAD artists didn’t waste time cleaning up the district. And that grit and determination have proved key in getting things where they are today.

“Right after the flood, we showed up for each other,” he says. “Nobody waited. We didn’t wait for permits, we didn’t wait for PPE — we just showed up and started digging each other out of the mud.”

THE BIG INFUSION

Boosting the number of RAD artists who have returned to the district is Marquee, which will hold its grand reopening on Thursday, Sept. 25.

Home to 350 vendors, antique dealers and artists, the Foundy Street space was overwhelmed by 15 feet of water in the wake of Helene when the neighboring French Broad River breached its banks across Lyman Street. In addition, flood debris crashed into the building, knocked down the back walls and tore through the entrance, compromising over 100,000 items in Marquee’s inventory.

Though co-founder/owner Robert Nicholas initially hesitated to rebuild on the site of his business’s destruction, many of his previous clients promised to return if he would give Marquee another go. A year later, the property is looking nearly like its former self thanks to significant cleanup and landscaping. And neighboring enterprises such as Wedge Brewing Co.’s Foundation location, Foundation Woodworks and Cultivate Climbing are working to open at the same time.

“It’s just going to keep growing,” says Nicholas. “I think we’ll have a pretty big impact just because of the scale that we offer. Us coming in here is going to help [the district] pull together — being the first place opened on this side of the tracks, closest to the river. It's looking fantastic, but there are still places that aren't recovered yet.”

In addition to restoring the livelihood of 350 small businesses and Nicholas’ 12 staffers, Marquee 2.0 has two restaurant spaces as well as a bar called The Lounge. Nicholas hopes that the new additions make for an even more welcoming experience — once it’s all ready.

“We won’t have everything done [by the grand reopening] that we would maybe want to do,” he says. “But it took us three years to get to where we were and, starting back, we’re way ahead of the game this time around. We’re full — we’ve rented out all the spaces, so that’s exciting.”

ONE RAD

To encourage sustained growth and recovery in the district — and receive sufficient financial aid to make that happen — Burroughs and a handful of others formed Unified RAD in January ahead of the City of Asheville announcing its request for Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBGDR) funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

“Whatever happens to our district is dictated by the city. We don’t really get a say, technically,” Burroughs says. “So we determined that it was really important for all of the stakeholders of the RAD to come together. That included artists, businesses, developers, building owners and residents.”

What started as a handful of people has grown to over 80 members. In its first two months, Unified RAD created a request book that laid out initial vision and mapping projects that the group would like to see in the mid- and long-term recovery of the district. The group submitted it to Mayor Esther Manheimer and City Council the day before their spring leadership retreat.

“We need more guarantees and we need more people coming to us to ensure that we are putting plans in place from a policy perspective that are going to protect the district long term,” Burroughs says.

“What I would really love to see is when new development comes into the RAD, 80% of retail spaces are preferentially subsidized for local artists. That’s something that can be voted on and allocated.”

Burroughs was also part of a group of Asheville leaders who visited New Orleans in mid-September for the opening of A Tale of Two Cities, an exhibition featuring arts and crafts from both New Orleans and Asheville artists. The groundwork for that collaboration was laid this spring when arts leaders from New Orleans visited Asheville and began an ongoing relationship of sharing insights about what has and hasn’t worked with recovery over the 20 years since Hurricane Katrina decimated their city. Burroughs feels that this information will be invaluable for the RAD as it rebuilds.

“Especially as residences are being developed in the RAD, we need to really continue to think about how we structure the live/work/play environment, which will only enhance and create continued success for the artists in general,” he says.

To learn more, visit avl.mx/f3c. X

REFLECTIONS ON HELENE

Plant more trees

I live one block away from Swannanoa River Road in Asheville. I lived here in 2004 when we had double flooding from hurricanes Francis and Ivan. I have been thinking about the best way to use this area to mitigate the damage seen both here and downstream from these storms.

I think the only thing that can be done with the devastated properties on Swannanoa River Road is to repurpose them into a land that can absorb some of the water in a minor flood and help long term with reducing carbon. That leads to two ideas: planting trees or having gardens there. I think buying out the still closed devastated businesses and then removing the debris and planting trees is the best way to go.

— Susan Oehler, Asheville X

The origin story

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 trip to the newly reopened Zillicoah, visit avl.mx/eyh. What we thought was going to be our end turned out to be our beginning.

Loyal readers, it’s time for the Year in Beer origin story. Picture this: It’s the summer of 2021, a year into the pandemic. President Joe Biden had just signed legislation making Juneteenth a federal holiday, Jeff Bezos was about to go into space and the Olympics — delayed from the summer before — were getting underway in Tokyo. Meanwhile, five semiresponsible adults in Asheville decided the time had come to get out of the house and meet

for a beer at the Wedge at Foundation, known for its gloriously spacious outdoor seating — perfect for social distancing. Soon we were basking in the sunshine, debriefing on quarantine and sipping on Iron Rail, Wedge’s flagship IPA.

Beer had never tasted so good. Friendship had never felt so important. After a couple of hours and more than a couple of rounds, someone in our group — no one remembers who — took a photo of us. Someone else said, “Same time next week?”

Everyone agreed, so we met again. Then the Wednesday after that. Then again. And again. What started as a one-off became a standing date with more staying power than most of our gym memberships.

We continued for more than three years with new people joining periodically. Our number of regular attendees rose to around 10 and occasional attendees to over 30. For that first

END OF AN ERA: Pictured from left, Christopher Arbor, Jim Swan Tuite, Arch Montgomery, Burke Rogers and Brad Herling captured this photo on Sept. 25, 2024 at Wedge at Foundation shortly before it was flooded by Tropical Storm Helene. The end of their weekly meetup at the brewery proved to be the beginning of A Year in Beer. Photo by Arbor

calendar year, we stayed outside even in the face of pouring rain and temperatures in the teens. Did we get soaked? Yes. Did we shiver? Also yes. Did we go inside? Only to refill pitchers.

Those were tumultuous years globally and — for many of us — personally. Some people contended with major health issues; some went through divorces; some lost loved ones. Through the long night of the pandemic, Wedge Wednesday (as we came to call it) was our campfire.

Until it wasn’t.

On Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2024, we were there at the Wedge at Foundation, watching the beginning of what would be the most devastating storm our community had ever seen and wondering if this was going to be the end. In the days that followed, as news of Helene’s devastation rolled in, it seemed a certainty: This was the end.

But the following Wednesday, we gathered at one of our houses and began making plans for what would come next. Someone asked, “What brewery can we go to instead?” Someone else said, “How about all of them?”

And so our silly Year in Beer endeavor was born — a way to highlight our local businesses, bring people together and drink some mighty fine beer. Wedge Wednesday had carried us through the pandemic, and our Year in Beer has carried us through the aftermath of Helene.

Here’s to good ideas coming from bad situations. Raise a glass.

Come join us if you can. We gather at 5:30 p.m. Wednesdays. You can email me at yearinbeerasheville@gmail.com or just show up.

• Sept. 24: The Bier Garden Brewery

• Oct. 1: The River Arts District Brewing Co. X

SMART BETS

by Edwin Arnaudin | earnaudin@mountainx.com

‘Fire & Flood’

Numerous musicians, poets and other artists are commemorating the one-year anniversary of Tropical Storm Helene with creative projects, and at least one theater company is, too. On Thursday, Oct. 2, The Sublime Theater presents the world premieres of two compassionate and humorous short plays by Travis Lowe

Directed by Steven Samuels, Nightlight takes place in the aftermath of a catastrophic storm and follows a lone rescue worker (Erin McCarson) who’s tasked with guarding a body through the night — a long, odd vigil full of introspection, humor and eerie, seemingly supernatural events. And 55 Mount Lee Drive follows a cowboy, a falafel vendor and, naturally, a mermaid entangled in life’s absurdities amid the burning Los Angeles hills. It stars Glenna Grant, Jon Stockdale and Olivia Stuller, and is directed by Dakota Mann

“This play is a tribute to our rescue workers as more heroic extensions of ourselves, as people who went through

the experience of this terrible storm both together and alone,” Lowe says about Nightlight in a press release.

Performances run ThursdaysSaturdays, Oct. 2-18, at 7:30 p.m., at the BeBe Theatre. Tickets are $20. To learn more, visit avl.mx/f3n. X

Black Mountain Blues Festival

The Swannanoa Valley was hit particularly hard by floodwaters from Tropical Storm Helene, and to celebrate this community’s resilience, the latest edition of the Black Mountain Blues Festival will coincide with the one-year milestone of the natural disaster. Friday-Sunday, Sept. 26-28, headliners Robert Randolph, Nik West, Eric Gales, Ra’Shad The Blues Kid, Chambers DesLauriers and Mac Arnold, plus numerous regional blues artists will play at such venues as White Horse Black Mountain, Foothills

Grange, Old Town District and Black Mountain Center for the Arts.

Also on the schedule are educational workshops and special programming that recognizes local residents’ strength following Helene. Fifty percent of net proceeds from the festival will be donated to support Helene recovery efforts, doubling down on the event’s mission to uplift and serve the community through music. One- to three-day passes are available; Black Mountain Blues Society members save 10%. To learn more, visit avl.mx/f3o. X

Asheville Greek Festival

A perennial favorite that began 38 years ago, the Asheville Greek Festival is back for another spirited celebration of Greek culture, history and food. In addition to numerous culinary delights available from local vendors, there will also be plenty of music and dancing, plus a marketplace and cultural exhibits. Proceeds will benefit local charities and support the ongoing outreach efforts of the host church. In turn, attendees help fund food drives, shelter programs, educational scholarships and emergency relief for those in need.

This year’s festival runs FridaySaturday, Sept. 26-27, 11 a.m.-9 p.m., at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, 227 Cumberland Ave. Tickets are $5 for adults; kids ages 12 and younger get in for free. To learn more, visit avl.mx/f3p  X

Asheville Zine Fest

Will zines ever not be cool? It seems unlikely — the literary equivalent of punk rock continues to attract some of the most creative independent artists, and in this increasingly corporate world, their voices are more important than ever.

The Asheville Zine Fest celebrates these indie publishers, small presses and creators of zines, comics, book art, chapbooks, anthologies, pamphlets and other ephemera on Saturday, Sept. 27, noon-5 p.m., at the Center for Craft’s Ideation Lab. In addition to a lineup of over 40 local, regional and national

vendors, offerings at the fest include a zine reading, printing and zine-making workshops, a film screening and a gallery show and reception.

Plus, Little Animals Gallery will have an exhibit of original artwork and photography from a collaborative zine memorializing Tropical Storm Helene — with a reception that night — and local partner Print House will offer monoprinting and book-making workshops throughout the event. All materials for the workshops will be provided. Free to attend. To learn more, visit avl.mx/f3s  X

Photo of Erin McCarson in Nightlife courtesy of The Sublime Theater

Photo of Robert Randolph courtesy of Black Mountain Blues Festival

Photo courtesy of Asheville Zine Fest

Photo courtesy of Asheville Greek Festival

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 24

12 BONES

SMOKEHOUSE & BREWING

Trivia w/King Trivia, 7pm

ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL

Disclaimer Comedy Weekly Showcase, 8pm

ASHEVILLE PIZZA & BREWING CO. Wednesday Trivia, 6:30pm

CAMDEN'S COFFEE HOUSE

Open Mic Night, 7pm

ELUVIUM BREWERY

The Candleers (country), 5:30pm

EULOGY

River Shook w/She Returns from War (country), 8pm

FOOTHILLS GRANGE Trivia Night, 6:30pm

FRENCH BROAD RIVER BREWERY

Saylor Brothers Jamgrass Wednesdays, 6:30pm

GALACTIC PIZZA

Fast Eddie's Trivia, 6:30pm

JACK OF THE WOOD PUB

Old Time Jam, 5pm

PISGAH BREWING CO.

Life Like Water (folk, Americana), 6pm

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

SLY GROG LOUNGE

Weird Wednesday Open Jam, 7pm

THE JOINT NEXT DOOR

Lefty Carmean & Friends (Americana, folk), 7pm

THE MEADOW AT HIGHLAND BREWING CO.

Well-Crafted Music Series: Steve Okonski w/Kevin Williams & Evan Martin (multi-genre), 6pm

CLUBLAND

THE MULE Jazz Trio & Wine Wednesdays, 6pm

THE ODD Terraoke Karaoke Takeover, 9pm

THE ONE STOP AT ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL

• Trivia Night, 7pm

• John Colby Elswick & Friends (multi-genre), 10pm

THE ORANGE PEEL

Brooks Nielsen (alt-indie), 8pm

THIRD ROOM

Disclaimer Stand-Up

Comedy Open Mic, 9:30pm

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 Jam, 7:30pm

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 25

CROW & QUILL

Drayton & The Dreamboats (jazz, rock'n'roll), 8:30pm

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

He is Legend w/Eyes Set to Kill, Downswing & Teeth (rock, metal, post-hardcore), 7pm FITZ AND THE WOLFE

Meschiya Lake (Gypsy-jazz), 6:30pm FRENCH BROAD

RIVER BREWERY

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

GUITAR-PICKING VIRTUOSO: On Saturday, Sept. 27, Grammy-award winner, vocalist, songwriter and guitarist Molly Tuttle plays at The Orange Peel, starting at 7:30 p.m. She is best known for her guitar picking, but also the way she seamlessly meanders into the realms of country, folk and pop. Photo courtesy of Ebru Yildizn

GREEN MAN

BREWERY

Thursday Night Trivia, 7pm

JACK OF THE WOOD PUB

Bluegrass Jam w/Drew Matulich, 7pm

OKLAWAHA

BREWING CO.

Kid Billy (funk, soul, Americana), 7pm

ONE WORLD BREWING Curious Strange (folk), 8pm

ONE WORLD BREWING WEST

Fee Fi Phaux Fish (Phish tribute), 8pm

PISGAH BREWING CO.

Atomic Crumb (rock), 7:30pm

SHAKEY'S Karaoke w/Franco Nino, 9pm

SOVEREIGN KAVA Stand Up Comedy for Your Health, 8pm

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

THE GREY EAGLE Patio: Jack Marion & Kai Crowe-Getty (country, rock), 5:30pm THE ONE STOP AT ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL Big Little Quintent (soul, funk), 9pm

THE RAD BREW CO. RAD Comedy w/Matt Cobos, 7pm

TWIN WILLOWS The Candleers (country), 6pm WICKED WEED BREWING Owen Walsh (acoustic), 5pm

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 26

27 CLUB Hellfire 76, No More People & FireNest (rock'n'roll), 8pm

ALL DAY DARLING

Dinah's Daydream (jazz), 6pm

ASHEVILLE MUSIC

HALL

Runaway Gin (Phish tribute), 9pm

COFFEE, ART, MUSIC

TYPE PLACE

Open Mic, 6pm

CORK & KEG

Zydeco Ya Ya (cajun), 8pm

CROW & QUILL

Meschiya Lake & The Moodswingers (jazz), 8pm

EDA'S HIDE-A-WAY

Sufferin' Fools (country, soul, power-pop), 8pm

EULOGY

Supatight w/Jesse

Velvet (funk), 7pm

FITZ AND THE WOLFE

Sparrow & her Wingmen (jazz, blues, rag-time), 7:30pm

FRENCH BROAD

RIVER BREWERY

Rober Thomas Band (multi-genre), 6pm

GINGER'S REVENGE

CRAFT BREWERY & TASTING ROOM

Austin Miller & Eposito (Americana), 6pm

JACK OF THE WOOD

PUB

Alma Russ (country, Apppalachian), 8:30pm

MAD CO. BREW

HOUSE

Wayne Buckner (country), 6pm

NOBLE CIDER & MEAD TAPROOM AND PRODUCTION

FACILITY

Crisp Comedy w/Piere Guyton, 7pm

OKLAWAHA

BREWING CO.

The Abbey Elmore Band (alt-pop, rock), 8pm

ONE WORLD BREWING

Prickly Pear (acoustic), 7pm

SHAKEY'S

2000s Karaoke w/DJ Franco Nino, 10pm

SHILOH & GAINES

Free Flow Band (funk), 9pm

STATIC AGE

RECORDS

Dion Lunadon, The Darts & Designer (garage-punk, rock, new-wave), 9pm

THE GREY EAGLE

The Heavy Heavy (rock'n'roll), 8pm

THE MEADOW AT HIGHLAND BREWING

CO.

• AVL Strong Weekend, 12am

• Chikomo Marimba (Shona music), 5pm Life Like Water (folk, Americana), 7pm

THE ODD

Drawn Bow (Circle Takes The Square), Shining Abyss & Hellir (folk-doom, black-metal, punk), 8pm

THE ONE STOP AT ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL

• Lenny Pettinelli (multigenre), 6pm

• Council Ring (multigenre), 10pm

THE ORANGE PEEL

Drew Holcomb & The Neighbors (Americana, alt-rock), 8pm

THE STATION BLACK MOUNTAIN

Mr Jimmy (blues), 5pm

THIRD ROOM

Thesaurus Rex w/ Seismic Sutra, Paprika & Alla Prima (indie, rock), 9pm

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 27

ALL DAY DARLING

Adam Rose (jazz), 6pm

ASHEVILLE CLUB

Mr Jimmy (blues), 6pm

ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL

Machine Funk (Widespread Panic tribute), 9pm

ASHEVILLE YARDS

Rilo Kiley (indie-rock), 7pm

CROW & QUILL

Firecracker Jazz Band (jazz), 8pm

EDA'S HIDE-A-WAY

Petunia & The Vipers (alt-country), 8pm

EULOGY

As IF!: 90's Drag & DJ Show, 9pm

FITZ AND THE WOLFE

• Adrian Bundy & His Honky Tonk Hearts (country), 7:30pm

• Hayley & Miguel (jazz, pop), 9pm

FRENCH BROAD RIVER BREWERY

Don't Tell Comedy, 7:30pm

GINGER'S REVENGE Modelface Comedy Presents: Blake Wexler, 7pm

JACK OF THE WOOD PUB

• Nobody’s Darling String Band, 4pm

• The OId Chevrolette Set (country), 8:30pm

MAD CO. BREW

HOUSE

Ryan Furstenberg (Americana), 4pm

OKLAWAHA BREWING CO.

Doss Church & the Unholy Noise (folk-rock, Americana), 8pm

ONE WORLD

BREWING

Elizabeth & Her Band (roots, Americana), 8pm

ONE WORLD

BREWING WEST

• Quickchester (multigenre), 4pm

• Stimulate 3 (jungle, DNB, dub), 7pm

PILLAR ROOFTOP BAR

Sunsets: Rooftop Day Parties w/DJ Audio, 6pm

PISGAH BREWING CO.

Rising Appalachia

Hurricane Helene Anniversary Show (folk), 7pm

STATIC AGE RECORDS

Ninth Realm, Soured, Normal American & Mean Mugg'd (death, metal, thrash), 9pm

THE GREY EAGLE

• Patio: Stephen Evans & The True Grits (folk rock), 3pm

• Blue Dragons (Americana, funk), 8pm

THE MEADOW AT HIGHLAND BREWING CO.

• Pierce Edens & Matt Smith (Americana, Appalachian), 2pm

• Ashley Heath and Her Heathens (Americana, blues, rock), 6pm

THE MULE

Miss Vee’s Freakshow: September: Neon Fetish, 8pm

THE ODD Party Foul Drag, 8pm

THE ONE STOP AT ASHEVILLE MUSIC

HALL

• Jes & Sky (blues, rock, folk), 6pm

• Strictly Liquid (funk, jazz, rock'n'roll), 10pm

THE ORANGE PEEL

Molly Tuttle w/Joshua

Ray Walker & Cecilia Castleman (bluegrass, pop, country), 8pm

THE STATION

Rod Sphere (soul, rock, reggae), 5pm

THIRD ROOM

Earthcry w/Mike Healy, Numatik & Will Franke (electronical, experimental), 9pm

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 28

CORK & KEG

Milonga Del Barrio (Argentine-tango), 3pm

EDA'S HIDE-A-WAY

Open Mic Night, 7pm

EULOGY

Modelface Comedy Presents: Greg Warren, 7pm

FLEETWOOD'S

Rod Hamdallah, Glue Sniffing Squish Heads & Cadavernous (rock, Southern-blues, gothic-surf), 8pm

FRENCH BROAD

RIVER BREWERY

Reggae Sunday w/ Chalwa, 3pm

GINGER'S REVENGE CRAFT BREWERY & TASTING ROOM

Sunday Jazz Jam, 2:30pm

WHERE YOUR DRINK SUPPORTS THE ARTS

JACK OF THE WOOD PUB

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

• Traditional Irish Music Session, 3:30pm

OKLAWAHA BREWING CO.

Kayla Mckinney (country), 3pm

ONE WORLD BREWING WEST

Suns of Stars Sunday Residency (bluegrass), 2pm

PISGAH BREWING CO.

Rising Appalachia Hurricane Helene Anniversary Show (folk), 3pm

SIERRA NEVADA

BREWING CO.

Mana Meter (video game-covers), 2pm

SLY GROG LOUNGE

Open Mic w/Mike Andersen, 6:30pm

STATIC AGE RECORDS

Porcelain Parrot, Blankstate, Puppy Chain & Tanner York (alternative, indie-rock, psych), 8:45pm

THE MEADOW AT HIGHLAND BREWING CO.

Ska City (ska), 2pm

THE ODD

Die Sexual, Beta Virus & DJ Baronovva (dark-wave, industrial, electro-pop), 9pm

THE ONE STOP AT ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL

Shakedown Sunday's, 8pm

THE ORANGE PEEL

Blue Ridge Pride's Official Closing Party w/ Nicole Paige Brooks, 2pm

VOWL Freshen Up Comedy Open Mic, 7pm

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 29

27 CLUB

27 Club Karaoke, 10pm

EULOGY

Dancing Plague w/ Dildox, Cold Choir & More is not Enough (electro-industrial, darkwave, post-punk), 7pm

FLEETWOOD'S Best Ever Karaoke, 9pm

FRENCH BROAD RIVER BREWERY

Alex Bazemore & Friends (bluegrass), 6pm

HIGHLAND BREWING CO.

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

HIGHLAND DOWNTOWN TAPROOM

WNC Nature Center Trivia Takeover!, 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

STATIC AGE RECORDS

Stress Positions, Mockery, Falling Behind & Non Applicable (punk, hardcore, fast-core), 8:45pm

THE GREY EAGLE

Sextile & Automatic (post-punk, electronic), 8pm

THE JOINT NEXT DOOR

Mr. Jimmy & Friends (Blues), 7pm

THIRD ROOM

Grateful Dead Mondaze w/Clouds of Delusion, 7pm

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 30

ARCHETYPE BREWING Trivia Tuesdays w/Party Grampa, 6:30pm

ASHEVILLE YARDS

Djo w/ Post Animal (indie-rock, psych-rock), 7pm

EDA'S HIDE-A-WAY

Bluegrass Jam at Eda's Hide-A-Way, 6:30pm

EULOGY

Spanish Love Songs w/ Bike Routes & World’s Greatest Dad (punk), 8pm

FRENCH BROAD

RIVER BREWERY

Robert's Totally Rad Trivia, 7pm

LOOKOUT BREWING CO.

Team Trivia, 6:30pm

ONE WORLD BREWING WEST

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

SHAKEY'S Booty Tuesday: Queer Dance Party, 10pm

SOVEREIGN KAVA Open jam, 8pm

THE GREY EAGLE

That1Guy (alt-indie, experimental), 8pm

THE JOINT NEXT DOOR

The Lads AVL (rock, blues), 6pm

THE ONE STOP AT

ASHEVILLE MUSIC

HALL

• Early Tuesday Jam, 7pm

• Uncle Lenny's Krazy Karaoke, 10pm

THIRD ROOM

Open Decks, 8pm

WHITE HORSE BLACK MOUNTAIN

White Horse's Open Mic, 7pm

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 1

12 BONES

SMOKEHOUSE & BREWING

Trivia w/King Trivia, 7pm

ASHEVILLE MUSIC

HALL

Everything Yes (jazz), 8pm

ASHEVILLE PIZZA & BREWING CO.

Wednesday Trivia, 6:30pm

ASHEVILLE YARDS

Lake Street Dive w/ Trousdale (pop, jazz, indie-folk), 7pm

CAMDEN'S COFFEE HOUSE

Open Mic Night, 7pm EULOGY

•Castle Rat w/Bask & Howling Giant (doom, metal), 8pm

FOOTHILLS GRANGE Trivia Night, 6:30pm

FRENCH BROAD RIVER BREWERY

Saylor Brothers Jamgrass Wednesdays, 6:30pm

GALACTIC PIZZA

Fast Eddie's Trivia, 6:30pm

HIGHLAND BREWING DOWNTOWN

TAPROOM

Well-Crafted Music Series: Amanda Anne Platt and The Honeycutters, 6pm

JACK OF THE WOOD PUB

Old Time Jam, 5pm

PISGAH BREWING CO. Alex Bazemore & Friends (bluegrass), 6pm

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

SLY GROG LOUNGE

Weird Wednesday Open Jam, 7pm

STATIC AGE RECORDS

Little Mazarn, Lemon Balm & Nawal (indierock, folk, pop), 8:45pm

THE GREY EAGLE Glare w/Cloakroom, Jivebomb & Destiny Bond (alt-rock, shoegaze), 7pm

THE JOINT NEXT DOOR

Circus Mutt (folk, Americana), 7pm

THE MULE Jazz Trio & Wine Wednesdays, 6pm THE ODD Terraoke Karaoke Takeover, 9pm

THE ONE STOP AT ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL

JCE & The End (Americana), 10pm

THIRD ROOM

Disclaimer Stand-Up

Comedy Open Mic, 9:30pm

TWIN LEAF BREWERY Open Mic Night, 6pm

URBAN ORCHARD Wayward Trivia, 6:30pm

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 2

ANTIDOTE COCKTAIL LOUNGE AT CHEMIST Antidote Comedy w/ Will Abeles, 7pm

CROW & QUILL Russ Wilson & The Kings of Jazz (jazz, swing), 8pm

EDA'S HIDE-A-WAY Bless Your Heart Trivia w/Harmon, 7pm EULOGY Gimme Dimme Disco, 8pm

GREEN MAN

BREWERY

Thursday Night Trivia, 7pm

JACK OF THE WOOD PUB

Bluegrass Jam w/Drew Matulich, 7pm

LEVELLER BREWING CO. Old Time Jam, 6pm

OKLAWAHA BREWING CO. Julianna Jade (indiesoul), 7pm

ONE WORLD BREWING Emeline Scales (folk, bluegrass, pop), 8pm

ONE WORLD

BREWING WEST Fee Fi Phaux Fish (Phish tribute), 8pm

PISGAH BREWING CO. Blackwater Voodoo (rock, blues, country), 7pm

SHAKEY'S Karaoke w/DJ Franco Nino, 9pm

SIERRA NEVADA BREWING CO. Leftover Salmon (folk, rock), 5:30pm

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

STATIC AGE RECORDS Virginia Creeper, Sofia Pace, Nathanael Jordan & Trust Blinks (sludge, alt-country, indie-pop), 8:45pm

THE GREY EAGLE Wheatus (acoustic), 8pm

THE JOINT NEXT DOOR

Laura Thurston (Americana, folk), 7pm THE MEADOW AT HIGHLAND BREWING CO.

Heavenly Vipers (jazz, honky-tonk, rock), 6pm THE ONE STOP AT ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL 65 North Pickers (bluegrass), 9pm WICKED WEED BREWING Andy Ferrell (folk, country, Appalachian), 5pm

SEPT. 24: SEPT. 25: OCT. 1: OCT. 2: OCT. 3: OCT. 8: OCT. 9:

FREEWILL ASTROLOGY BY ROB BREZSNY

ARIES (March 21-April 19): In Tonglen, a Tibetan Buddhist meditation, you visualize yourself breathing in the suffering, pain, or negativity of other people, then imagine breathing out relief, healing, or compassion toward them. The practice can also be done on your own behalf. The goal is to transform tension and stress into courage, vitality, and healing. I recommend this practice, Aries. Can you turn your scars into interesting tattoos? Can you find mysterious opportunities lurking in the dilemmas? Can you provide grace for others as you feed your own fire?

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): In a YouTube video, I watched Korean artisans make *hanji* paper in the same way their predecessors have for 1,300 years. It was complicated and meditative. They peeled off the inner bark of mulberry trees, then soaked it, cooked it, and pounded it into pulp. After mixing the mash with the aibika plant, they spread it out on screens and let it dry. I learned that this gorgeous, luminous paper can endure for a thousand years. I hope you draw inspiration from this process, Taurus. Experiment with softening what has felt unyielding. Treat what’s tough or inflexible with steady, artful effort. Be imaginative and persistent as you shape raw materials into beautiful things you can use for a long time.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Legendary jazz musician Sun Ra was a Gemini who claimed to be from the planet Saturn. He aspired to live in a state of “cosmic discipline”—not just in his musical training but in his devotion to self-improvement, aesthetic exploration, and a connection to transcendent realities. He fused outrageous style with sacred order, chaos with clarity. I invite you to draw inspiration from him. Put your personal flair in service to noble ideas. Align your exuberant self-expression with your higher purpose. Show off if it helps wake people up.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): In Inuit tradition, *qarrtsiluni* means “waiting in the darkness for something to burst forth.” It refers to the sacred pause before creativity erupts, before the quest begins, before the light returns. This is an apt description of your current state, Cancerian. Tend your inner stillness like a fire about to ignite. Don’t rush it. Honor the hush. The energies you store up will find their proper shape in a few weeks. Trust that the silence is not absence but incubation. Luminosity will bloom from this pregnant pause.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): You’re feeling the stirrings of a desire that’s at least half-wild. A surprising vision or opportunity has begun to roar softly within you. But here's key advice: Don't chase it recklessly. Practice strategic boldness. Choose where and how you shine. Your radiance is potent, but it will be most effective when offered deliberately, with conscious artistry. You're being asked to embody the kind of leadership that inspires, not dominates. Be the sun that warms but doesn’t scorch! PS: People are observing you to learn how to shine.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): If humans ever perfect time-travel, I’m going to the Library of Alexandria in ancient Egypt. It was crammed with papyrus scrolls by authors from all over the world. It was also a gathering point for smart people who loved to compare notes across disciplines. Poets argued amiably with mathematicians. Astronomers discussed inspirations with physicians. Breakthroughs flowed feely because ideas were allowed to migrate, hybridize, and be challenged without rancor. Consider emulating that rich mélange, Virgo. Convene unlike minds, cross-pollinate, and entertain unprecedented questions. The influences you need next will arrive via unexpected connections.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): The ancient Mesopotamians believed each person had a personal god called an *ilu* who acted as a protector, guide, and intercessor with the greater gods. You’re in a phase when your own *ilu* is

extra active and ready to undergo an evolutionary transformation. So assume that you will be able to call on potent help, Libra. Be alert for how your instincts and intuitions are becoming more acute and specific. If you feel an odd nudge or a dream insists on being remembered, take it seriously. You're being steered toward deeper nourishment.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): In Venice, Italy, floods periodically damage books at libraries and bookstores. Trained volunteers restore them with meticulous, hands-on methods. They use absorbent paper and towels to separate and dry the pages, working page by page. I offer this vignette as a useful metaphor, Scorpio. Why? Because I suspect that a rich part of your story needs repair. It’s at risk of becoming irrelevant, even irretrievable. Your assignment is to nurse it back to full health and coherence. Give it your tender attention as you rehabilitate its meaning. Rediscover and revive its lessons and wisdom.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): In classical Indian music, a raga is not a fixed composition but a flexible framework. It's defined by a specific scale, characteristic melodic phrases, and a traditional time of day for performance. Musicians improvise and express emotion within that expansive set of constraints. Unlike Western compositions, which are written out and repeated verbatim, a raga has different notes each time it's played. I think this beautiful art form can be inspirational for you, Sagittarius. Choose the right time and tone for what you’re creating. Dedicate yourself to a high-minded intention and then play around with flair and delight. Define three non-negotiable elements and let everything else breathe.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): In medieval European monasteries, scribes left blank pages in certain texts. This was not done by accident, but to allow for future revelations. Later readers and scribes might fill these spaces with additional text, marginalia, and personal notes. Books were seen as living documents. I recommend a metaphorical version of this practice to you, Capricorn. You will thrive by keeping spaces empty and allowing for the unknown to ripen. You may sometimes feel an urge to define, control, and fortify, but acting on that impulse could interfere with the gifts that life wants to bring you. Honor what is as-yet unwritten.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): In West African Vodún cosmology, the deity named Lêgba guards the crossroads. He is the mediator and gatekeeper between the human world and spirit realm. He speaks all languages and serves as the first point of contact for communication with other spirits. In the weeks ahead, Aquarius, you may find yourself in Lêgba’s domain: between past and future, fact and fantasy, solitude and communion. You may also become a channel for others, intuiting or translating what they can’t articulate. I won’t be surprised if you know things your rational mind doesn’t fully understand. I bet a long-locked door will swing open and a long-denied connection will finally coalesce. You’re not just passing through the crossroads. You *are* the crossroads.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): In 1977, NASA launched two Voyager spacecraft into the abyss. Both carried a message in the form of a golden record to any extraterrestrial who might find it. There were greetings in 55 languages, natural sounds like whale songs and thunderstorms, music by Chuck Berry and others, plus over 100 images and diagrams explaining how to find Earth. It was science as a love letter, realism with a dash of audacity. I invite you to craft your own version of a golden record, Pisces. Distill a message that says who you are and what you are seeking: clear enough to be decoded by strangers, warm enough to be welcomed by friends you haven’t met. Put it where the desired audience can hear it: portfolio, outreach note, manifesto, demo. Send signals that will make the right replies inevitable.

BIRTH

ANNOUNCEMENT

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ACROSS

1 Tycoon

6 “Famously friendly” pooch, per the American Kennel Club

9 Mystery author Josephine

12 Moody hip-hop subgenre

14 Electronic setting on a floor model

16 Switch to a newsperson on the scene, say

17 Common sushi go-with

18 Hair goop

19 Marijuana component, for short

21 Like many a coffee order

22 Only U.S. prez born in Kentucky

23 Letters for a sellout

24 Whistle blower

25 “I had something come up,” maybe

28 Square root

30 2003 Will Ferrell film

31 Org. that prohibits Magic 8 Balls and baseball bats

32 Custom in Japanese food service

34 Went letter by letter, to Brits

36 Brief verse from Japan / With seventeen syllables / Illustrated here

39 Item seen rolling through this puzzle

54 T. rex fossil named after its discoverer

55 Distinctive feature of the durian fruit

57 The Big Apple’s ___ Drive

58 Singer DiFranco

59 Frenemy of Betty in comics

62 Classic Asimov collection

65 Boosted

66 Five Nations tribe

67 ___ Marino

68 Patty melt bread

69 Start of many emoticons

DOWN

1 Change seeker

2 Shape-shifting organism

15 Flavoring in some fast food, for short 20 January and November have the most federal ones 23 “No lie!” 24 Adjusted the rankings of, as a tournament

Michigan’s ___ Royale National Park

Cave dwellers

Tats (up) 33 What every “O” in this grid represents 35 Ramones’ genre 36 Material in some ecofriendly clothing 37 Liberal arts college in Michigan

38 Remark accompanied by a facepalm

43 Actor Lamorne of Fox’s “New Girl” 46 Sameness 48 Writer Allende 49 Gas brand that sponsors NASCAR

50 Wheat-based meat alternative

56 Benedictine’s title

It’s all the rage

Air Force Two passengers, in brief

“Fearless” or “1989,” for Taylor Swift

Middling grade

Lead-in to center or

Musician Yoko

40 Fixes, as a piano

41 Freddy Krueger’s locale: Abbr.

42 Evolutionary “missing link”

44 U.F.C. fighting style

45 Mole, e.g.

47 Slobbery smooch

51 First receptionist on “The Office”

52 Delivers, as a baby

53 Before, poetically

3 Like some oats

4 “... ___ quit!”

5 Sat ___ (GPS, to Brits)

6 Perishable bit of apparel

7 Dutch bier

8 Expel with jeers

9 More than one would like

10 Collegiate domain?

11 “Uh-huh”

13 Scabbers, to Ron Weasley in the Harry Potter books

14 Hip-hop’s Run-___