Freestyle: 23 Skidoo launches rhyme-writing series for kids
Volume
31
/ Issue 24
Cover Design Credit:
Scott SouthwickCover Photography Credit:
Courtesy of Secret Agent 23 Skidoo
With his new youth rhyme-writ- ing program, Imaginarium: Flip the Script!, Asheville-based, Grammy Award-winning children’s hip-hop artist Secret Agent 23 Skidoo will use classic rite-of-passage elements as a framework for both learning and healing. Playfulness, silliness and, of course, music, are all part of the process.
arts
Terry Roberts visits 1924 Asheville in new novel
The Asheville-based author continues Stephen Robbins' saga in "The Devil Hath a Pleasing Shape," which was published on Oct. 1.Secret Agent 23 Skidoo’s Imaginarium carries rhymes from the page to the stage
The new youth hip-hop writing program incorporates playfulness, performance and the classic rite-of-passage journey with a focus on healing.Smart Bets: An Arctic Soiree
Local DJs will spin the soundtrack for the debut of winter-inspired works from Mark Bettis, Victoria Pinney and Jeffrey Burroughs.Smart Bets: 31 days of post-Helene art
Artist Kira Bursky's collection of 31 drawings reflects themes and images familiar to many local residents who experienced the disaster.Smart Bets: Moth StorySLAM
Sign up to tell a story or just enjoy the show on Jan. 16 at The Grey Eagle.
food
A Year in Beer: Kicking off a 52-week brewery crawl
One intrepid local beer lover and his friends have committed to visiting one brewery a week for all of 2025.What’s new in food: Rosetta’s Kitchen reopens with commitment to inclusivity
The once all-vegan restaurant stirred up controversy when it began serving meat dishes to feed the community after Tropical Storm Helene. Also in this week's food news: Rollup Herbal Bar's…
news
Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians assumes greater leadership role
A symbolic gathering on ancestral lands fortifies collaboration between the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and the U.S. Forest Service.Helene will have long-lasting effect on animal-adoption agencies
From a decrease in adoptions to an increased need for emergency veterinary care, Tropical Storm Helene's impact will continue in 2025 for animal shelters.Draft report: School districts shouldn’t consolidate
Mandated by the N.C. General Assembly in 2023, Buncombe County hired Charlotte-based Prismatic Services in March to analyze the feasibility of merging the county’s two public school districts based on…New county commissioner sworn in
Drew Ball was elected by the Buncombe County Democratic Party to fill the board vacancy left by Amanda Edwards, who was elected chair in November.More than 100 days after Helene, state releases its long-awaited list of storm deaths, but Watchdog finds inconsistencies
On Monday, the DHHS sent a list to the media. But it contained names only — no ages, circumstances or causes of death, or even a county where each person…
opinion
Letter: School consolidation study lacks accountability
"Community members deserve detailed findings, transparent discussions and opportunities for meaningful input."Reflections: A conversation lasting 30 years
Reflections on the life of Asheville native and longtime Xpress columnist Jerry Sternberg.Sternberg’s ‘Gospel’ told a colorful history of Asheville
"It also seems fitting to remember — in his own words — the man who started writing 'The Gospel According to Jerry' for this newspaper three decades ago."Artful decision
Letter: Parks and athletic facilities belong in floodplains
"Provide more greenways and parks within the floodplain. Aside from natural areas, it’s the only responsible thing to do."Cold season