Community News

• It’s Thursday – and you can Join Jerri & Christopher every Thursday @6pm for country music, line dancing, and beginner 2 step! At Banks Ave Bar for Butts and Boots every Thursday* No Partner needed Also on the 1st and 3rd Sundays of the month 

• Thursday, September 18th from 7-10pm (and every 3rd Thursday) DJ Tamagotchi hosts Haus of Kiki, a new monthly queer social at Potential New Boyfriend, here in West Asheville. 

• Friday, September 19 at 6 – 9 pm Queer Networking: A Special Pride Edition at The Radical Rooftop. Join us for a vibrant evening of queer business entworking at the stunning rooftop bar of the Radical Hotel. Hosted by WNC Queer Professionals and sponsored by Blue Ridge Pride and Bill Casey with The Blood Connection. Connect with like-minded professionals, build meaningful relationships, and expand your network in a welcoming and inclusive space. Gain fresh perspectives, exchange ideas, and discover opportunities for collaboration and growth. Click here to learn more.

• Friday, September 19 at 8 pm Drag Karaoke – Divine’s Karaoke Kiki! At Dalton Distillery. DIVINE’s Karaoke Kiki! Is a singing with a twist, hosted by a comedy drag queen. Enjoy the interaction-packed show as she toasts and roasts the singers.

• • This SATURDAY,September 20th, 8-10pm, check out “Date my Queer Friend” event at Daytrip! 5 wingpeople present a queer pal who has been lookin’ for love in allllll the wrong places. PowerPoint presentation-style pitching, followed by a cheeky mixer. Everyone is welcome to come enjoy the first installment of this interactive dating show! 💛Free! Just show up

• Saturday, September 20 at 1 pm Hendersonville Pride presents Buck Wild at Honeysuckle Holler, a bar with country dancing. Event starts at 1 pm. Doors at 12 pm. Event is for ages 21 and over. Standard admission is $10 presale, and $15 at the door. Get tickets and information here.

• Saturday, September 20 at 8 pm Queer Line Dancing at Hi-Wire Brewing (Knowxville). We will be boogying to Shania Twain, Bad Bunny, Cowboy Carter, Chappell Roan, etc! Bring your boot-scootin’ shoes – and come make friends! Tickets are $10. Click here for more information.

• Recurring every Sunday of the month and third Saturday of every month PFLAG Connect Groups. Monthly connect groups are a more intimate way to connect with the parents, families, and allies of LGBTQIA+ folks. Registration is required – RSVP via the link. First Sunday of every month at 10 am at Firestorm Books. Third Saturday of every month at 10 am at EMOTE. 

• Ongoing until September 21: Our Living Record – Highlighting LGBTQ+ Resilience in the Face of Erasure. The exhibit features artwork from Southern LGBTQ+ community members and allies who aim to preserve queer memory. In full, the exhibition will include photography, sculpture, protection, ephemera and participatory archival interactive installations. Each piece will ultimately work to showcase the broader story of LGBTQ+ resilience, resistance, and joy. Beginning July 10 through September 1, the exhibition will be live at the Revolve Gallery in Asheville. Click here for more information.

Looking ahead to next week

• Saturday, September 27 Blue Ridge Pride Festival 2025 located at Pack Square Park in Asheville. Keep up with updates by clicking here.

• Saturday, September 27 at 10 pm Beer City Bears Dance at OHenry’s, a kiki for beras, cubs, chubs, and their admirers – a fundraiser event. Click here for more information.

• Saturday, September 27 at 7:30 pm Pride Open Mic Night at Shakedown Lounge in Hendersonville, NC. Whether you’re a seasoned performer or just looking to share your voice, our Open Mic Night is the perfect place to showcase your talent! Come enjoy a night filled with music, poetry, comedy, and more. Bring your friends, your talent, and your enthusiasm.

• Saturday, September 27 at 8 pm Miss Vee’s Freakshow at Devil’s Foot (131 Sweeten Creek Rd). This September’s special is Neon Fetish: a Kinky Burlesque and Variety Show featuring Von Infinity. Sound bath at 8 pm. Show at 9 pm. Show is ages for 21 and up. Don’t forget to bring cash tips! The DJ will be Spirit Animal and burlesque by Medusa, Sweetie, November Rain, and Mandi Frufru. Click here to view event details.

• Sunday, September 28 at 1:30 pm Just announced: The Orange Peel is excited to host the official Blue Ridge Pride Closing Party with Nicole Paige Brooks of RuPaul’s Drag Race! Tea Dance and Drag Show + music by DJ @danym3d3. Featuring The Legendary House of Brooks with Beulah Land, Indica Gemini, Josie Glamoure, Leo Scott, and the newly crowned Mx. Blue Ridge Pride. Doors at 1:30 pm. Show at 2 pm. Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 at the door. $30 for meet and greet. 

• Sunday, September 28 at 4 pm Beer City Bears Social @Shakeys – A kiki for bears, cubs, chubs, and their admirers. Attention furry mens! A fundraiser event! 

• Friday, October 3 at 6:30 pm Blue Ridge Drag Bingo at the Hilltop Event Center (21 Restaurant Ct, 28805). It’s time to daub, dance, and donate with hilarious drag queens at Blue Ridge Bingo, the Asheville Drag Bingo show. Asheville’s most whimsical way to give back. Tickets start at $20 and include bingo cards. This event is for ages 21 and up. Click here for more information.

• Saturday, October 4 at 6 pm LGBTQ Silent Disco hosted at the WagWorld Pub and Event Center in Fletcher, NC. LGBTQ Silent Disco – a night to remember! Tickets are $25 (includes headset) – advanced purchase only. Non-refundable. Three different music channels. Full bar/cash bar – grab a drink, strike a pose, and hydrate responsibly. Not much of a dance? That’s okay! Catch up with friends, make new ones, soak in the patio vibes and fresh air. 

• Friday, October 10 at 5:30 pm Drag Queen One WoMAN Cabaret Show – I Am What I Am, a Fundraiser located at New Belgium Brewing. Show rating is ages 21+. Cash bar! “I Am What I Am” offers audiences the chance to witness a fusion of live singing, enchanting narrative, and a truly unique exploration of Divine’s origin story. With a perfect blend of raw emotion, heartwarming moments, and dazzling entertainment, the show promises an unforgettable journey.  Click here to buy tickets and for more information.

• Saturday, October 18 at 8 pm Miss Vee’s Freakshow at Devil’s Foot (131 Sweeten Creek Rd). Click here to stay tuned.

• Saturday, October 18 11 am and 1 pm Katarina’s Saturday Cabaret Fundraiser at Banks Ave Bar. The stage is set for glamour, music, and Southern flavor as Katarina’s Saturday Cabaret Drag Brunch returns to Banks Ave Bar on Saturday, October 18 with two dazzling shows at 11 am and 1 pm. This vibrant event, produced by Bearded Lady Productions (a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit), will raise funds for Cornbread and Roses, a local grassroots organization. Guests can expect standout performances, crowd interaction, and delicious biscuit-forward brunch fare – all while contributing to a good cause. Click here for more information.

• Sunday, October 19 at 12:30 pm Served by Sev Drag Brunch at The Mule/Devil’s Foot (131 Sweeten Creek Rd). Doors at 12 pm. Show at 1 pm. $10 in advance and $15 at the door. Served by Sev Drag Brunch once a month, all year long! Sev’s show brings Asheville talent to the stage for an afternoon of clapping, snapping and jaw-dropping performances. Brunch food truck, build your own blood and mimosa bar, and more! Click here for more information.

• Monday, October 20 at 4 pm 2025 LGBTQIA Mental Health Resource Fair at the Love and Respect Community for Recovery and Wellness (350 Chadwick Ave, Suite 300. Hendersonville, NC). Join us for a day in the cool October breeze during Mental Health Awareness Week. Come together with your community to celebrate diversity, support mental wellness, and connect with affirming resources in a safe, welcoming space. What to expect: Cactus Rainbow Food Truck, music, LGBTQ Mental Health Providers on site, free mental health infosessions, raffle prizes. Sponsored by Hendersonville Pride and PFLAG. 

• Saturday, October 25 at 7:30 pm Pride Open Mic Night at Shakedown Lounge in Hendersonville, NC. Whether you’re a seasoned performer or just looking to share your voice, our Open Mic Night is the perfect place to showcase your talent! Come enjoy a night filled with music, poetry, comedy, and more. Bring your friends, your talent, and your enthusiasm.

• Friday, October 31 at 7 pm LGBTQIA2S+ Music Bingo Halloween Party at Southern Appalachian Brewery! Costume contest, food truck, music bingo, beer and wine. Event hosted by Hendersonville Pride. 

• Sunday, November 2 at 1 pm Asheville Drag Brunch at New Belgium Brewing. Show rating: all ages. Cash bar (wine and beer). Join Asheville Drag Brunch for a community give-back free drag show at New Belgium Brewing in Asheville. Tickets are FREE but required. All proceeds will benefit a local non-profit organization. Suggested donation $5 to $10. Click here for information and tickets.

• Friday, November 14 at 6:30 pm Asheville Drag Bingo at the Hilltop Event Center. Show rating is 21+. It’s time to daub, dance, and donate with a hilarious queen at Blue Ridge Bingo, the Asheville Drag Bingo Show. Asheville’s mots whimsical way to give back! The first ball drops at 7 pm, the first Friday of the month at the Hilltop Events Center. Tickets start at $20, which includes bingo cards, and are available at BeardedLadyProductions.org. Expect six rounds of spellbinding bingo, prizes, and upbeat tunes. Attendees are encouraged to dress to impress based on each month’s theme! Click here for more information.

• Saturday, November 15 at 7 pm The Brunch of Oz at Banks Ave Bar. All ages are invited. Full bar. Table sharing seating tickets at www.AshevilleDragBrunch.com. “There’s no place like home…” Because home is where our community shines the brightest.

• Friday, November 21 at 7 pm Asheville Drag Dinner: Wizard of Oz Themed Fundraiser at Highland Brewing Event Center. Show rating is for all ages. Cash bar includes wine and beer. Tickets are non-refundable. Click here for more information.

• December 1st through December 13th from 9 AM to 6 PM at Revolve Gallery on Riverside Drive, this year for World AIDS Day, Western North Carolina AIDS Project (WNCAP), the National AIDS Memorial, Campaign for Southern Equality, and Revolve Gallery are partnering together to bring 6 panels of the AIDS Memorial Quilt to Asheville as part of the Community Display Program.The exhibit, “A Tapestry of Love: Echoes of Loss, Voices of Hope,” will be on display The display is free to the public, with any donations received supporting the mission and work of Western North Carolina AIDS Project.

• Thursday, December 4 at 7 pm Make the Yuletide Gay at Grey Eagle Music Hall. It’s your newest holiday tradition! Don your gay apparel and cozy up next to three award-winning songwriters for a night of holiday classics, original music, storytelling 2025 International Folk Music Artist of the Year aware Crys Matthews is joined by genre-defying artist/activist Heather Mae and shame-slaying singer-songwriter drag queen Flamy Grant for a winter show like no other. We’re making merry and celebrating the resilience of the LGBTQ+ community in a time when so many are trying to silence our voices. Click here for more information.
• Sunday, December 7 Asheville Drag Brunch Fundraiser at the Ella Event Venue at the Hideaway (49 Broadway Street). Show rating is all ages. Cash bar includes wine and beer. Tickets are non-refundable. There are different ticket levels, a handful which are only for ages 21+. Click here for more information.

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MOAC (Musicians Organizing Activist Committee) hosted the first, of what they hope to be many, Resist Dance! KP Whaley sat down with Alan and AG of the organization to learn more.

With backgrounds in civil rights law, activism, constitutional law, and music, the founders of new coalition MOAC began the project because they wanted to use music to bring attention to what they saw as an obvious trampling of civil rights. The government is “going after” a lot of vulnerable groups and MOAC wants to involve these groups in resisting “a lot of repeat history going on.” They will use the power of music to protect the constitution and bill of rights. Alan sees MOAC following in the civil discourse of Bob Dylan, John Lennon, and Joan Baez. He wants to inspire musicians to not be afraid.

AG shared MOAC’s mission: MOAC exists to utilize music to better our communities. MOAC raises awareness about guaranteed freedoms. MOAC inspires resistance against harm to all humans. MOAC lifts up those whose voices have been silenced. 

One World West hosts the first Resist Dance with three bands, two speakers, and numerous tables of activists this Saturday. MOAC hopes to throw more Resist Dances all over town to use music to bring people together. If you are a venue interested in hosting a Resist Dance, or you just want to learn more about the organization, visit moac-avl.org. And be sure to visit One World West on Saturday night!

More Posts for Show: Asheville FM News Hour

 

RALEIGH, NC – March 4, 2025 – More than one year ago, on December 1, 2023, North Carolina officially became the 40^th state to expand Medicaid, the federal program for health insurance for low-resource individuals. A state Medicaid expansion (ME) bill was passed by the General Assembly and signed by Governor Roy Cooper in March_. ME was in the Affordable Care Act of 2010 and left to each state to decide in a subsequent Supreme Court ruling. ME increases health care access to eligible North Carolinians ages 19-64 and their families by relaxing the program’s strict eligibility requirements.

The latest update of the NC Medicaid Expansion Enrollment Dashboard was on March 4^th. There have been almost 640 thousand people in North Carolina who have been enrolled since the law took effect including more than 15.5 thousand residents of Buncombe County. It was estimated that 600 thousand North Carolinians were eligible for ME, with 15.5 thousand from Buncombe County. The state had predicted that it would take 2 years (24 months) to achieve their enrollment. After only 15 months of accepting applications, the state and Buncombe County have already exceeded their estimates to enrolling eligible persons.

North Carolina has been thrust into the national spotlight through the passing and implementation of Medicaid expansion. Its success was due to the strong grassroots support by many organizations and the efforts of Governor Cooper and both houses of the General Assembly.

It has been estimated that expanding Medicaid will bring the state 8 billion federal dollars annually, almost 2 billion dollars to support behavioral health, public safety, and rural health care, and 2 billion dollars for starting the program in 2023.

In an interview with North Carolina Health News, Governor Cooper, who spearheaded expanding Medicaid in North Carolina, said, “When I ran for governor, one of my top priorities was creating a North Carolina where people were healthier and could get the care that they need to have lives of purpose and abundance.” He added, “We knew that Medicaid expansion was an important way of making that happen, because there were a lot of hardworking people in North Carolina who were making too much money to qualify for Medicaid, but not enough money to qualify for subsidies under the Affordable Care Act.”

There are many ways to apply for NC Medicaid for eligible persons. Those who have not yet applied should visit Medicaid.nc.gov to see if they qualify. Buncombe County residents can apply for Medicaid online and at any time at ePASS.NC.gov. Applications can be done in-person at the HHS Building on 40 Coxe Avenue, by calling 828-250-5500, or by mail.

 

Listen to the full report below:

 

 

Contact: Dr. Dick Needleman, Health reporter, 103.3 AshevilleFM, [email protected]

More Posts for Show: Asheville FM News Hour

 

ASHEVILLE, NC – March 12, 2025 – The CDC’s COVID Dashboard for the week ending on March 1^st shows:  

• Less than 2% of the deaths in North Carolina were due to COVID, the 2^nd lowest level of 6 groups.
• Emergency department visits for COVID-19 are minimal in North Carolina, representing 1% of all visits, a moderate decrease since last week.

Wastewater monitoring can be used to provide early warning for COVID, flu and RSV outbreaks. For the week ending on March 1^st, the COVID-19 wastewater viral activity level for the state is moderate. The Buncombe & Henderson counties COVID wastewater data for the week ending on February 26^th shows:

• The number of viral gene copies in each water sample is at a yellow level representing the 3^rd highest level of 5 groups, currently between the 40^th and 60^th percentile relative to the past peak level measured at the same site.
• The 15-day rate of change of the number of viral gene copies in each water sample has increased from the previous week, at 10% to 99%, the 2^nd highest level of 3 groups for a positive rate of change.

During the week ending on March 1^st, viral activity levels in the North Carolina wastewater were moderate for influenza A and very low for RSV, and viral activity levels in the Buncombe County wastewater were moderate for influenza A, and low for RSV.

The CDC’s weekly flu surveillance report for the week ending on February 22^nd (16 days ago) indicates that levels are either high or very high in 40 of 47 continental states (with Vermont not reporting). The Mountain West and northern plains states have moderate levels. North Carolina is at a high level.

The CDC reports that the weekly percent of positive tests for RSV for the week ending on March 1^st is below 5% for Region 4 (which are the states in the southeast U.S. including North Carolina).

The weekly North Carolina Respiratory Virus Summary Dashboard for the week ending on March 1^st shows:

• Less than 12% of all emergency room patients had symptoms of a respiratory viral illness, about a 20% decrease from last week.
• Influenza-like symptoms represented about 40% of these patients
• There were about 2 thousand hospital admissions from the emergency department in North Carolina for people who had a diagnosis, or symptoms, of respiratory viral infection, a 7% decrease since last week. More patients were admitted with the flu than any other respiratory disease.

 

Listen to the full report below:

 

 

Contact: Dr. Dick Needleman, Health reporter, 103.3 AshevilleFM, [email protected]

More Posts for Show: Asheville FM News Hour

 

UNITED STATES – February 19, 2025 – A vaccine for pancreatic cancer! What a breakthrough for the treatment one of the most devastating cancers where fewer than 13% of people live more than five years after diagnosis. The cancer is very advanced by the time someone has any symptoms. It has spread much earlier than most cancers by the time the diagnosis is made. There are very few effective treatments. Surgery is indicated only about 20% of the time due to the quick spread of this cancer. There is no routine screening test for cancer of the pancreas.

In a recent article published in Nature, researchers from the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City performed a phase 1 trial on 16 patients with pancreatic cancer that was treatable with surgery. A novel approach to treatment included the standard regimen of surgery, chemotherapy and an immunotherapy drug with the addition of a personalized mRNA vaccine based on the genetic make-up specific to the person’s tumor. Patients were followed for an average of 4 years. One-half of the patients had a longer recurrence-free survival time compared to patients who did not respond. These responders produced specialized white blood cells to fight the cancer. The median increase in survival time was more than 1 year. The study showed that the addition of the vaccine was safe and effective.

The vaccine teaches the body’s immune system to produce large numbers of specialized white blood cells to recognize, destroy and prevent the spread of cancer cells. These ‘killer’ white blood cells were not present before administration of the vaccine and were found to be present for up to 3 years after vaccination.

Precision medicine is a new non-traditional health care approach that uses a person’s unique genetic, lifestyle and environmental factors for a personalized prevention, diagnosis and treatment of disease. It is also known as “personalized medicine”. The U.S. Food & Drug Administration says that “the goal of precision medicine is to target the right treatments to the right patients at the right time.” Knowing a tumor’s genetic make-up may allow physicians to choose specific treatments that may extend a person’s life, improve their chances of survival and reduce the risk of side-effects from treatment.

The results of this study are encouraging, although it is an early trial. Larger trials are planned. Similar vaccines are being tested for treating people with melanoma, a deadly skin cancer, and the increasingly prevalent colorectal cancer.

 

Listen to the full report below:

 

 

Contact: Dr. Dick Needleman, Health reporter, 103.3 AshevilleFM, [email protected]

More Posts for Show: Asheville FM News Hour