January 27, 2022

Hello Sunday.

February 06 2022

The 411 on the Climate Justice Initiative

During its Jan. 25 meeting, Asheville City Council heard an update on the Climate Justice Initiative, which was launched in response to the City’s passage of a climate emergency resolution in January 2020. Today, we’re bringing you an update on climate justice in the 828.

What is climate justice?

Broadly speaking, climate justice is defined as the recognition that climate change can have adverse impacts on underprivileged populations. Local BIPOC community members define climate justice as access to information, relationships, land, and resources needed to adequately respond to climate crisis events for marginalized communities.

A look at the timeline

The Climate Emergency Resolution, passed in January 2020, committed the city to “an equitable and just citywide mobilization effort to reverse global warming” and set 2030 as a target for eliminating all greenhouse gas emissions within city limits.

Since then, the city has also been working on creating a Climate Justice Plan as part of that resolution. Another goal of the plan? To consolidate all of the city’s existing sustainability plans.

The planning process has prioritized public input, especially from marginalized communities who are more susceptible to climate-related incidents like extreme temps + flash flooding.

The highlights of the current plan

The creation of a Climate Justice Data Map to help the public to visualize and understand climate impacts. It also lets folks assess their neighborhood’s ability to navigate the effects of climate change.
The creation of a Climate Justice Guide + Screening Tool, which follows local guidance about climate justice and supports staff in planning, implementation, and equitable decision-making.

What’s next

The City says it will determine next steps with local BIPOC communities and will include community members engaging in collaborative discussions in four neighborhoods, although it’s not clear what the timeline for this is. We’ll be sure to update you when we know.

Share this newsletter and spark conversations about climate justice with your friends + family.

EVENTS

Today

Take a Chance with Toybox | Thurs., Jan. 27 | 9-10 p.m. | Virtual | $12 | Join Keith Shubert, a renowned professional puppeteer, in this hilarious + interactive virtual game show.
The Basics of Wine: Understanding Red, White & Rosé | Thurs., Jan. 27 | 6 p.m. | North Carolina Wine Academy, 58 Wall St. | $80 | Sample eight different wines + enjoy hors d’oeuvres while getting a deeper understanding of where the taste of wine comes from.
Heaven Sent + Divination of the Three + Young Goodman Brown | Thurs., Jan. 27 | 7-8 p.m. | Virtual | $12 | Enjoy three online Fringe Fest shows that range from a witchy tale about the moon to an adaptation of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s “Young Goodman Brown” to a poignant reflection on the band “Brand New.”
Short Film Showcase | Thurs., Jan. 27 | 8-9 p.m. | Virtual | $12 | Watch five short “Fringe-themed” films, including a video poem about the concept of familiarity and a puppeteer’s take on King Kong vs. Godzilla.
Your Time to Shine: Work Smarter | Thurs., Jan. 27 | 1 p.m. | Virtual | Free | Learn how to tap into AARP resources for work and jobs.

Friday

Swing Dance with Swing Asheville | Fri., Jan. 28 | 6-10:30 p.m. | Weinhaus, 86 Patton Ave. | $10+ | Learn how to swing dance in the post-COVID era.
Supersized Comedy | Fri., Jan. 28 | 9-10 p.m. | Virtual | $12 | Stand-up comedy and feel-good songs from a collection of female comics, including Mary Dimino, Jess Miller, Roz Browne + Tracy Rosenberg.

Saturday

Ward Davis | Sat., Jan. 29 | 8 p.m. | The Grey Eagle, 185 Clingman Ave. | $25 | Country music show by an American singer-songwriter.
Supatight w/ Random Animals | Sat., Jan. 29 | 9 p.m. | Asheville Music Hall, 31 Patton Ave. | $10+ | Tight, snappy funk tunes with a dose of reggae, plus indie soul music from Random Animals. 🎵
Public Tour: Stained with Glass and A Hand in Studio Craft | Sat., Jan 29 | 1-2 p.m. | Asheville Art Museum, 2 South Pack Sq. | Admission | Learn from touring docent Megan Pyle about the museum’s stained glass collection.
Saturday Meows with MPR AVL | Sat., Jan 29 | 6-8 p.m. | PetSmart, 150 Bleachery Blvd. | Free | Come adopt a new furry friend. 🐱

We have a monthly guide filled with events + activities you can plan for in advance. Click the button below to bookmark ideas for upcoming date nights, family outings, and time with friends.

LAST DAYS OF JANUARY FUN

JOB

Harrah’s is hiring 📢

Chef Gordon Ramsay | Courtesy of FOX

New year, new you… new job?

Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort is hosting a Food & Beverage Job Fair at Harrah’s Cherokee Event Center (777 Casino Drive, Cherokee) on Feb. 17 from 12-4 p.m.

Hiring will be focused on opportunities in the Gordon Ramsay Food Market (opening in April), which will house 7 different food concepts with starting rates of $15-$21 for non-tipped positions + $3,000 hiring bonuses.

Benefits for Harrah’s employees include:

Medical
Dental
401 (k) plan + more

Can’t make the job fair? Browse open positions + apply online.*

SEE OPEN POSITIONS

NEWS NOTES

Weather

47º | Mostly sunny | 4% chance of rain

Coming Soon

The North Carolina Wine Academy (58 Wall St.) is expanding + bringing its Florida tasting room, Luisa’s Cellar, to the mountains. Luisa’s Cellar AVL is slated to open Fri., Feb. 11 and will offer wine flights, a rotating sommelier-curated wine list, and small bites. Follow the business on social media for updates. 🍷

Development

Asheville City Council has approved amendments to 103-room Extended Stay Hotel project coming to 324 Biltmore Ave near the Mission Hospital campus. Amendments to the project include a restaurant + bar for the second-floor lobby and outdoor patio area, as well as changes to the exterior façade. 🏗️ (Asheville Citizen-Times)

Number

1.42 million. The number of total passengers the Asheville Regional Airport reported for 2021. This marks the second-highest annual total for the airport and comes as the airport continues to expand its services + facilities, as well as create a 10-20 year master plan. ✈️ (Asheville Citizen-Times)

Arts

The Asheville Fringe Arts Festival kicks off virtually today and runs through Sun., Jan. 30. Check the schedule for all types of experimental, out-of-the-box performances. Want a peek into its history? Dig in here. 🎭
Did you know scholarships are available year-round for weekend and week-long classes at the John C. Campbell Folk School? Students can explore the rural, 270-acre campus and have tuition, housing, and meals covered. Learn more + apply.*

The Buy

Do you or your sweetheart love baking? Score major points this Valentine’s Day with four bouquets of flours from local mill Carolina Ground Flour. Choose from a bouquet of high extraction, Wren’s Abruzzi rye, bread, or pastry flours. Order by Feb. 4 for local delivery by Valentine’s Day. 🍞

Giveaway

The Asheville Museum of Science and Harrah’s Cherokee Center – Asheville are offering county middle + high school students free tickets to see Neil deGrasse Tyson on Feb. 7 at 7:30 p.m. Nab tix at the HCCA Box Office from 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Tuesday-Friday.

Eat

Want to kick things up in the kitchen? Chef Katie Button’s recipe for sofrito could be the ticket. The Spanish cousin of the classic French mirepox, Katie’s favorite version features deeply caramelized tomato, onion, and garlic for a versatile base that will elevate everything you pair with it. 🍽️

Wellness

Corinna Wood, former director of the Southeast Wise Women Herbal Conference, has launched a new yearlong online program focused on healing + inner growth. The Year’s Spiral features short videos and hands-on activities designed for women across the globe to study from home. Enroll from Jan. 31-Feb. 5. (Smoky Mountain News)

DYK

The 21st annual African American Cultural Celebration kicks off Sat., Jan. 29 from 10:30 a.m.-4 p.m. The free, online event features workshops + presentations relating to its theme, Black People, Green Planet: Environmental Justice. The event also serves as the statewide launch of Black History Month. Register.

Asked

We need to be up in the gym working on our fitness, but we’re not interested in our regular routines and spots. That’s why we’re asking you, our dear readers: what new local workouts + workout spots are you loving? Holler and tell us, and we’ll share your answers in an upcoming piece. 💪

Job

Aeroflow Healthcare is currently hiring + offering benefits like paid parental leave, company-matched 401k plans, an on-site gym and fitness classes, and more. See openings + apply.*

*This paid content, brought to you by our advertising partners, helps make this newsletter free.

POST OF THE DAY

Talk about brownie points

📸 @spicewalla

Is your love language chocolate? Regardless of your preferred form of expressing and experiencing love, we think these hot chocolate brownies from local spice purveyor Spicewalla will likely elicit some l’amour.

Whether you’re whipping them up or for Valentine’s Day or a regular day ending in “y,” we want to remind y’all that we offer our taste-testing services to the community, free of charge. We’re very magnanimous like that.

#DYK that your photos and quotes could be featured in our newsletter?

Just use #AVLtoday on social media.

REWARDS

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THE WRAP

Editor’s pick: Did those adorable flour bouquets from Carolina Ground Flour remind you of that adorably romantic scene from Stranger Than Fiction? Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m gonna go jam and work on learning my guitar chords so I can one day play this classic jam.

Missed yesterday’s newsletter? Get the scoop on chef Ashleigh Shanti’s culinary ascension all the way to the upcoming season of Top Chef.