The Pack Library Book Club is a book discussion group that meets the second Wednesday of each month at 10:30AM  at the library. We read and discuss a variety of book genres. The book for January 2024 is “Solito” by Javier Zamora.

Newcomers are always welcome! If you have any questions about book club, you can email [email protected] .

Join us to celebrate the birthdays of our resident animals with games, contests, crafts and surprises. The park’s wildlife habitat staff hosts a fun-filled afternoon for guests, as well as programs to celebrate the park’s furry and feathered inhabitants. Millie the Bear, the mountain’s mascot, will make special appearances throughout the day. Events begin at 11 a.m. and continue until 3:30 p.m. Join for one event or all. Included with admission.

Also participate in our ongoing daily programs. See the full list.

May 3 – June 26, 2024 MON – SAT 11 – 6SUN 11 – 5

Artists: Caleb Clark, Bryant Holsenbeck, Bill Killebrew, Inigo Navarro, Isaac Payne, Amy Putansu, Daniel Robbins, Peggy Root, and Deborah Squier.

This group exhibition features paintings, collages, and sculptures that embody the alluring ambiance between sunrise and sunset. Plein air paintings capture the scattered, sleepy light of Dawn; Collaged drawings depict sidewalks blanketed by moonlight; Mixed-media sculptures portray nocturnal animals. Each artist reminds us of the recurrent and striking period of time when the atmosphere is neither totally dark, nor completely lit.

In the early 1900s, travel by train and automobile became more accessible in the United States, leading to an increase in tourism and a revitalized interest in landscape painting. The relative ease of transportation, as well as the creation of National Parks, allowed people to experience the breathtaking landscapes of the United States in new ways. Artists traveled along popular routes, recording the terrain they encountered.

This exhibition explores the sublime natural landscapes of the Smokey Mountains of Western North Carolina and Tennessee. While there were several regional schools of painting around this time, this group is largely from the Midwest and many of the artists trained at the Art Institute of Chicago or in New York City. Through their travels, they captured waterfalls, sunsets, thunderstorms, autumn foliage, lush green summers, and snow-covered mountains—elements that were novel for viewers from cities and rural areas. Though some of these paintings include people, they are usually used for scale and painted with little to no detail, highlighting the magnificence of nature.

Rudolph F. Ingerle, Mirrored Mountain, not dated, oil on canvas, 28 × 32 inches. Courtesy of Allen & Barry Huffman, Asheville Art Museum.

Robert Turner (1913-2005) arrived at Black Mountain College in 1949 to establish the first studio pottery program at the College. He worked with student architect Paul Williams to design the Potshop and stayed until 1951 as a teacher and potter. There he formed lifelong friendships with M.C. Richards, Joe Fiore, and Natasha Goldowski Renner, and was part of the lively mix of art and ideas generated by Clement Greenberg, Katherine Litz, Kenneth Noland, Theodoros Stamos, and many others. Turner’s education prior to his arrival at Black Mountain included Swarthmore College, Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, The Barnes Foundation, Penland School of Crafts, and Alfred University.

After Black Mountain, Turner and his family moved to Alfred Station, NY where they bought a farm, and he established a successful studio pottery practice and actively exhibited his work in galleries across the U.S. In 1958 he began teaching pottery and sculpture at Alfred University where he would lead the ceramics program until his retirement in 1979. In addition to his influential teaching position at Alfred, Turner taught at Penland, Haystack, and Anderson Ranch helping a new generation of artists and potters develop their work and establishing his own reputation as a gifted teacher.

Robert Turner’s travels to Africa and to the American Southwest proved to be important life experiences and important to his growth as an artist. Over his lifetime he received many awards for his work, but his humble, gentle demeanor and Quaker background helped keep him centered while also remaining open to exploration and discovery in nature and life.

The exhibition will include work by some of Turner’s students and colleagues at BMC, Alfred University, and Penland as well as work by contemporary ceramic artists whose work fits within the context of the show. Artists include: Meredith Brickell, Cynthia Bringle, Marjorie Dial, Cynthia Homire, Bill C. Jones, Bobby Kaddis, Karen Karnes, Eric Knoche, Jeannine Marchand, Neil Noland, Daniel Rhodes, M.C. Richards, Gay Smith, Tom Spleth, Adele Suska, Lydia C. Thompson, Xavier Toubes, Jerilyn Virden, Peter Voulkos, David Weinrib, and Kensuke Yamáda.

I wanted to work with clay so that the way it moved, the vitality of clay, is not meeting something that’s been on the drawing board. It’s using clay with abstraction to start with and then seeing what it’s going to do, how it will move and change, and always surprise you.

Curated by Alice Sebrell, Director of Preservation

Bender Gallery Artists Featured in Asheville Art Museum Exhibition The New Salon: A Contemporary View The Asheville Art Museum will be opening their exhibit, The New Salon: A Contemporary View, on March 8 and it will run until August 19, 2024. The New Salon offers a modern take on the prestigious tradition of the Parisian Salon with the diversity and innovation of today’s art world. Guest-curated by Gabriel Shaffer, the show will include works from Pop Surrealism, Outsider Art, Street Art, and Graffiti genres.   Bender Gallery has been collaborating with the Asheville Art Museum to loan four paintings from three of our artists. The artists are Laine Bachman, Kukula, and Yui Sakamoto. Be sure to check out this special exhibition in downtown Asheville. Learn More Kukula, Impossible Voyage, oil on board, 48 x 24 inches Kukula (b. 1980, Israel) Nataly Abramovitch, better known in the art world as, Kukula, paints imagined worlds filled with elaborately dressed women in fanciful settings. The artist does extensive research on the layouts of paintings from the Renaissance and Rococo periods. Kukula subverts these images by depicting women characters in place of traditionally male positions and settings. Her characters are powerful, commanding, and have an air of indifference. Available Work Yui Sakamoto, Self Portrait, oil on canvas, 63 x 63 inches Yui Sakamoto (b. 1981, Japan) Our surrealist artist, Yui Sakamoto, will have two paintings featured including My Soul and Self Portrait. Self Portrait is still available from his recent solo exhibition at Bender Gallery. Standing in front of Self Portrait, one is immersed in the dual-worlds of Sakamoto’s Japanese and Mexican cultures. There is a sense of calm reflected in the repeating rose pattern, mixed with the uneasy realization that the coral, fungi, and otherworldly forms are what makeup the figure. Available Work Laine Bachman, Night Bloomers, acrylic on canvas, 18 x 24 inches Laine Bachman (b. 1974, USA) Our prolific Magical Realism artist, Laine Bachman, makes a feature in the exhibition with her painting, Night Bloomers. She has been hard at work making 17 new pieces for her solo exhibition at the Canton Art Museum in Canton, Ohio. The Canton show opens on April 28 and continues through to July 28, 2024. Available Work

When one thinks of the necessities of life, one element immediately comes to mind: water. When one thinks of modern abstraction, the dynamic realm of contemporary art where boundaries are blurred and creativity knows no limits, one name shines brightly: Patricia Hargrove.

The Asheville Gallery of Art proudly presents its June exhibit of Hargove’s series that depicts the powers of water to energize, refresh and heal the soul and body. This masterful exhibit runs June 1-30, with an opening reception on Friday, June 7 from 5-7:30pm. Everyone is welcome.

Buncombe County Public Library is thrilled to announce The Hop Ice Cream as a proud supporting partner of this year’s Summer Reading Program to encourage youth literacy in our community. The Hop will provide free ice cream at the Summer Library Fest on Saturday, June 8 from 10 a.m.-noon at East Asheville Library. For added fun, The Hop owner Greg Garrison will collaborate with Secret Agent 23 Skidoo to provide a special dance performance to families in attendance.

Any kid or teen who visits a Buncombe County library to pick up their summer reading activity sheet will also receive a 10 percent off coupon redeemable at any Hop location or at Pop Bubble Tea. Return your completed activity sheet to any branch and receive a bookmark for a free kiddie scoop of ice cream at any Hop location. You must complete 10 or more activities on your sheet to be eligible for ice cream – and you can also select a free book of your choice!

Summer Reading runs from June 1 to  August 31 and is open to anyone from birth to age 18.  If you have any questions, just contact your friendly neighborhood library.

Register now for NC Recycling Day at the Capitol!  We must educate our lawmakers about the positive impact of recycling and waste reduction in North Carolina, and how they can support our industry in new and better ways.  Recyclers will meet at NC DEQ Headquarters briefly before heading over together to the NC General Assembly portico, where we will enjoy a sweet cold treat and meeting our lawmakers as they head into their sessions and offices.  Participants are also encouraged to schedule appointments with their legislators in their offices during the event. Please register for this event ahead of time; there is a cap on the number of participants.

Sponsorships:

• Sponsorships are available, please reach out to directly to [email protected] or directly to Mary at 336-972-3565

Preparation:

• A preparatory Webinar will be held on Thursday June 6th at 1:00-1:30pm; registrants will receive webinar information via email.

Tentative Agenda for June 12, 2024:

1:00pm – Meet at the DEQ Conference Room

NC DEQ Headquarters 217 W Jones St, Raleigh, NC 27603  Directions: 

• Intros around the room
• Distribute materials
• Questions?

1:45pm – Walk to Legislature for Ice Cream Social 

2-3:30pm- Ice Cream Social & Meet with Legislators

16 W Jones St, Raleigh, NC 27601

• This is an outdoor event with little shade.
• Bring a hat, sunscreen, or other things to keep you comfortable outdoors in summer heat.
• Bring a camping chair if desired, and prepare for sun, heat and/or rain.
• Participants can also visit legislative offices with our information and materials, we encourage you to make appointments with your district’s representatives and senators anytime that day.
• No stationary signage is allowed, only hand-held signs are permitted
• You can meet the group at the General Assembly but you still need to register for the event.
• The portico is located in the rear of the building facing the square
• Dress is business casual and comfortable for outdoors.

Click Here for Google Maps Directions

Find Your Legislators

Join us for a relaxing ride through quiet countryside on your way to small-town life in Western North Carolina on the Tuckasegee River Excursion. Departing from Bryson City, this 4-hour excursion travels 32 miles round-trip to Dillsboro and back to the Bryson City Depot. Pass by the famous movie set of The Fugitive starring Harrison Ford!

The Tuckasegee (tuck-uh-SEE-jee) River Excursion includes an 1 hour and 20 minute layover in the historic town of Dillsboro, where you’ll find more than 50 shops, restaurants, a brewery, and country inns. There is time to shop, snack, and visit the many unique shops before returning to Bryson City. Please refer to the map below for a layout of Dillsboro.

Itinerary

Below is an outline of this train’s excursion. Please refer to this train’s schedule for exact departure times.

Given the nature of railroading, durations are approximate and subject to change with

Join us for postcard writing to get out the vote! We are fun people, joining together for all Democrats.

This is an easy way to help elect Democrats! Cards, names, and pens provided. We would gladly accept postcard stamps, but not required.

Who should attend: Precinct 45.1 Dems and any Democrat interested in helping elect more Democrats.

Etowah Lions Club Farmers Market, 3-6pm, On Wednesdays through October, check out the Etowah Lions Club Farmers Market,
which showcases local farmers, vendors and artisans and the delicious produce the area is known for, all items sold here are
made by or grown by the vendor

This year’s election will be won by mobilizing voters who want to preserve our democracy and protect the rights of our citizens. Our phone bankers will be reaching out to likely supporters in your precincts who don’t vote on a regular basis. We will also be making separate calls in your precincts to recruit more volunteers for our efforts.

IF YOU HAVE A LAPTOP, PLEASE BE SURE TO BRING IT TO THE PHONE BANK. If you don’t have one, just be sure you bring your personal email login information (User ID & password) and you can use one of our Chromebooks. If you’ve canvassed or phone banked for Democrats in the past, you likely have an Action ID account, so please be sure to bring that login information as well. Of course, you will also need your cell phone.

Phone banking remains one of the best practices for winning elections and our phone banks are designed to reach those voters who rarely pick up their calls. We’ll leave a message on their voice mail, then also text them the same message. When someone does pick up their call, you’ll possibly have a lively conversation because we are targeting supporters!

The Asheville Downtown Association is thrilled to announce the return of the beloved Pritchard Park Arts and Culture Series, made possible through a generous partnership with the Trina Mullen Foundation, City of Asheville Parks and Recreation, ArtsAVL, and Explore Asheville. This summer series will run from May 28 through August 30, featuring exciting activations every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday from 5:30 PM to 8:00 PM.

Wednesdays: Asheville Museum of Science

Dive into a world of discovery with interactive science activities, including bubbles and noise machines. This family-friendly event promises to engage and entertain all ages with hands-on experiments and demonstrations.

Gear up for our monthly socials, where networking takes center stage. Join other Young Professionals under 40, for connections, exchange of ideas, and occasional guest speakers. Enjoy a complimentary beverage on us, as you mingle in style. Bring your energy, business cards and elevate your professional circle!

An upcoming exhibit provides a local vignette of national history in the making. Ten years ago, a federal lawsuit in Buncombe County ended a ban on same-sex marriage in North Carolina. Buncombe County’s Register of Deeds office is commemorating the occasion with a photography display honoring couples who protested for their equal protections under the law. “Leading up to that ruling, I’d had the awful duty of upholding the state’s bigoted law, knowing it was immoral and unjust,” recalls Register of Deed Drew Reisinger. However, as soon as news of the ruling was announced, Drew kept his office open late for the crowd of people that had gathered in the lobby. “We quickly earned the reputation as a welcoming, friendly place where same-sex couples could obtain their marriage license. The love and joy evident in that lobby was one of the most beautiful scenes no one in that room will ever forget.”

During this momentous occasion, photographer Max Cooper had been covering protests and his amazing photography documents the emotional moment when the law changed. You can view this exhibit will be on display in the hallway of the Register of Deeds office through the end of 2024. There will be a public reception for the exhibit’s opening on Wednesday, June 12 at 5:15 p.m. at the Register of Deeds’ office (205 College St., Asheville).

Q&A with Drew and Max
The Register of Deeds holds an elected office, and the views expressed in this are Q&A personal. 

We asked Drew and Max a few questions about their experience witnessing this historical event.

Looking back, what was your reaction to the end of the same-sex marriage ban 10 years ago? How did people looking for same-sex marriage certificates react? 
Drew Reisinger: Leading up to that ruling, I’d had the awful duty of upholding the state’s bigoted law, knowing it was immoral and unjust. A little after 5 p.m. on Friday, October 10, Jasmine Beach-Ferrara was telling the large crowd who had gathered that day that there would likely not be a ruling until the following week. I had the distinct pleasure of interrupting my friend to announce to the crowd that Judge Cogburn had made a ruling and the whole lobby erupted into tears of joy that so many in that room had waited a lifetime to shed. We kept the office open late that night and quickly earned the reputation as a welcoming, friendly place where same sex couples could obtain their marriage license. The love and joy evident in that lobby was one of the most beautiful scenes no one in that room will ever forget.

Why is hosting this exhibit important for you and the public? 
Max Cooper: The 10th anniversary of this event is a time to remember that this landmark decision happened in downtown Asheville, in Buncombe County offices. A federal judge in Asheville made the ruling. The plaintiffs in the case were based in a church next door to the Register of Deeds’ office and went on to be couples and officiants in history-making weddings performed on that office’s steps.

In the 10 years since this happened, what do you see that has changed and what still needs to change?  
Max Cooper: As a wedding photographer, I’m glad to say that Asheville’s wedding scene was quick to embrace marriage equality, and an inclusive and affirming attitude is universal among the venues and vendors with whom I work. Unfortunately, this is not the case in society at-large. Many of the proponents of Amendment One still hold office and political influence. One of our major political parties is running an openly bigoted candidate for North Carolina governor. These attitudes in public office are unacceptable after the courts have repeatedly affirmed marriage equality.

Would you like to say anything else about this exhibit?
Drew Reisinger: We are excited to host Max Cooper’s beautiful documentary photographs that captured the tension leading up to the law being overturned as well as the historic moments when the law was struck down. In celebration of Pride Month, we welcome all residents to come visit the gallery at 205 College St.

Dogwood Health Trust and Affiliated Monitors, Inc. (Affiliated Monitors) announce the schedule for six independent monitor community meetings to be held in June. The
newly selected Independent Monitor (IM) is responsible for overseeing HCA Healthcare’s compliance with its commitments set forth in the purchase agreement for Mission Health
System.

The upcoming community meetings are part of the expanded scope of work for the IM, with increased community engagement and education. The updated Independent Monitor
website and registration information will be available on June 3.

During the community meetings, Affiliated Monitors will introduce their team to the community,
review HCA’s remaining commitments under the APA, provide an overview of how independent
monitoring works within the constraints of the established APA, and update the communities
about the steps Affiliated Monitors has taken to date. In addition, the public meetings will
provide attendees an opportunity to share information with the new IM and ask questions about
the process. Concerns which fall outside of the role of the IM will be referred by Affiliated
Monitors to an appropriate party.

The format for each meeting is designed to both educate community members on the monitoring
process and to gather input pertaining to each HCA facility within their community. As room
capacities will be limited; Affiliated Monitors has requested that attendees pre-register for their
selected location beginning June 3, using the updated Independent Monitor website. Details
about virtual viewing options will also be made available at that time to those who are unable to
attend.
Attendees, and those who are unable to attend, will be able to submit questions in advance via
the website, beginning June 3. Answers will be grouped by topic and prioritized based on

All meetings begin at 5:30p.m. and doors will open 30 minutes before the scheduled meeting.

Locations, dates, and times of the public meetings are listed below:

McDowell County Meeting (Mission Hospital McDowell)
Monday, June 10 (5:30 – 7:00 p.m.)
Marion Community Building, 191 N Main St, Marion, NC

Mitchell/Yancey Counties Meeting (Blue Ridge Regional Hospital)
Tuesday, June 11 (5:30 – 7:00 p.m.)Cross Street Commerce Center, 31 Cross St #215, Spruce Pine, NC

Buncombe County Meeting (Mission Hospital)
Wednesday, June 12 (5:30 – 7:00 p.m.)

Ferguson Auditorium at A-B Tech, Fernihurst Dr, Asheville, NC

Transylvania County Meeting (Transylvania Regional Hospital)
Monday, June 17 (5:30 – 7:00 p.m.)
Transylvania County Library, 212 Gaston St. Brevard, NC

Highlands/Cashiers Meeting (Highlands-Cashiers Hospital)
Tuesday, June 18 (5:30 – 7:00 p.m.)
Final location coming soon.

Macon County Meeting (Angel Medical Center)
Thursday, June 20 (5:30 – 7:00 p.m.)
Robert C. Carpenter Room, Macon County Community Facilities Building
1288 Georgia Rd, Franklin, NC

Affiliated Monitors, Inc. is a Boston-based company with 20 years of independent monitoring
experience in healthcare, with an emphasis in health care regulation, consumer protection, antitrust, and fraud and abuse.

The independent monitor was selected in April 2024 by Dogwood Health Trust to monitor HCA Healthcare, Inc.’s remaining obligations under the Asset Purchase
Agreement.

Dogwood Health Trust is a private foundation based in Asheville, North Carolina with the sole
purpose of dramatically improving the health and wellbeing of all people and communities of 18
counties and the Qualla Boundary in Western North Carolina. Dogwood Health Trust focuses on
innovative and equitable ways to address the many factors that contribute to overall health and
wellbeing, with a focus on housing, education, economic opportunity, and health and wellness.
Dogwood Health Trust works to create a Western North Carolina where every generation can
live, learn, earn and thrive, with dignity and opportunity for all, no exceptions. To learn more,
please visit www.dht.org.

Election Day is getting close and the pace of Get Out The Vote is ramping up. Let’s get prepared now and create a well-organized plan of action. Don’t wait until September. Start now to plan, design, and map the next 4 months.

Led by professional trainer Barrie Barton, this “facilitated work-session” leads you through Map Your Year, a step-by-step approach to plan months ahead. To receive the greatest benefit from this 1.5-hr. workshop, we encourage county leadership teams or the 3 precinct officers and key volunteers from your precinct to attend. By the end of this facilitated work session, your team will leave with goals, strategies and actions to make 2024 a successful year.

Explore hands on activities and experiments while we learn about the Science of Bubbles or the Science of Sound. Every other week we will play and learn together using a variety of tools, instruments, and toys. AMOS has a plethora of science to intrigue the zeal of every learner!

Sing songs that celebrate Peace & Community, with Resident Teaching Artist Melissa McKinney. Sing, play, drum, and dance while learning songs from the Justice Choir Songbook.

Wednesdays at 6 p.m.
$15 drop-in class
All ages welcome.

Bingo w/ Alivia Wednesday, June 12th- 6:30pm-8:30pm Wednesday, June 26th – 6:30pm-8:30pm

Karaoke Night at Hickory Tavern

Greenville Drive vs. Asheville Tourists

“‘A La Sala,’ I used to scream it around my house when I was a little girl, to get everybody in the living room; to get my family together. That’s kind of what recording the new album felt like. Emotionally there was a desire to get back to square-one between the three of us, to where we came from–in sonics and in feeling. Let’s get back there.”  – Laura Lee Ochoa

The title makes it clear. A La Sala (“To the Room” in Spanish), the fourth studio album by Khruangbin, is an exercise in returning in order to go further, and do so on your own terms. It extends the air of mystery and sanctity that’s key to how bassist Laura Lee Ochoa, drummer Donald “DJ” Johnson, Jr. and guitarist Mark “Marko” Speer approach music. Yet if 2020’s Mordechai, the last studio album Khruangbin made without collaborators, was a party record whose ensuing post-lockdown tour enhanced the band’s musical reputation far and wide, A La Sala is the measured morning after. It’s a gorgeously airy album made only in the company of the group’s longtime engineer Steve Christensen, with minimal overdubs. It is a porthole onto the bounties powering Khruangbin’s vision, a reimagining and refueling for the long haul ahead. A La Sala scales Khruangbin down to scale up, a creative strategy with the future in mind.