Actually, they want to be. Two women, two separate races. Both for superior court judge.

by Jess McCuan . photos by Laurie Johnson and Byron Gasque

Heather Goldstein

The executive director of Asheville’s Jewish Community Center talks about fairness. And Skittles. 

Heather Goldstein admits she has a candy problem (the habit started in law school.) But the 39-year-old New Jersey native grew up in Fairview, and she’s quick to point out that her family of six eats plenty of organic vegetables too. In fact, her first job was on a Fairview sprout farm. Goldstein has degrees from Duke University and George Washington University Law School. She’s running against Asheville attorney Diane K. McDonald (who declined an interview with VERVE) and current district court judge Marvin Pope after longtime superior court judge Dennis Winner retired in June.

Growing up, did you want to make movies? Oh gosh, no. Growing up, I was interested in politics. But I really got this bug in college for film…My senior year I made a film, which was a great experience. By virtue of trying something, you discover it’s not what you should be doing.

Why do you think you would make a good judge? I think for the judge races, people need to think about what makes a good judge. In my view, it’s three things: knowledge of the law and excellence in scholarship. Another factor is community engagement. The third is character and temperament.

Do you think you’re an unknown? How would people know if you’d treat them fairly? I don’t know that you get to be successful as a manager of any organization if you can’t do that. If I am not personally known, I do think the JCC (Jewish Community Center) and its work is known. I would hope that that’s a reflection of me as a leader and the team of people we have here.

What would our readers be surprised to learn about you? Do you have quirky habits or only eat yellow Skittles? That’s funny. I was eating Skittles when you called.

Kate Dreher

In 2000, Rolling Stone called Dreher, the Buncombe County Assistant D.A., a “fierce little biscuit.” She still takes it as a compliment.

She’s been assistant district attorney for 20 years, trying high-profile homicide, child abuse and armed robbery cases. What scares Kate Dreher? “Nothing,” she says matter-of-factly, and then pauses for the next question. Dreher was born in tiny Frackville, Pennsylvania, and attended University of Pennsylvania. After a law degree at Washington, D.C.’s Columbus School of Law at Catholic University of America and a short stint in civil law in Pennsylvania, she moved to Asheville in 1989. Dreher eats pizza every day of her life. No kidding. “I’m probably gonna lose the doctors’ votes,” she jokes.

Why did you stop riding motorcycles? I like to ride on the back of my husband’s. I took a course just in case something happened…My riding was really questionable.

What do you say when people call you things like “fierce little biscuit”? I say to myself: Who would have thought I’d be 52 and somebody would be calling me something like “fierce little biscuit.” I think it’s cute. It’s a compliment.

Is it better for Asheville to keep putting its efforts behind nuisance court, prosecuting quality-of-life type crimes? I think nuisance court has netted the city what they hoped it would net them—we’ve gotten people downtown engaged in cleaning up graffiti, and they seem more interested in cleaning up their own city.

How do you feel about the recent report that Missouri judges are being told how much sentences will cost taxpayers? Judges in North Carolina are bound by sentencing guidelines set by the legislature. Judges need to be concerned with the laws that come from the legislature. I’m big on upholding the law, regardless of what I might think of it. When [judges] go to far afield on the law, they turn the whole government into a rubik’s cube.