Since public interest skyrocketed in 2022 after the launch of OpenAI’s chatbot, ChatGPT, area college officials have have been scrambling to educate themselves about a technology that could dramatically transform higher education over the next few years.
New Stories
New book examines WNC’s violent past
“Violence spins in vicious cycles, and if you want to fully understand why these events in Morganton occurred, then you have to examine root causes that predate 1927,” says author and historian Kevin W. Young.
Community members fight for the future of Southside’s urban farm
A March 27 proposal to the board of commissioners of the Housing Authority of the City of Asheville called for the demolition of Southside Community Farm to make way for a $200,000 outdoor youth play area. Hundreds of community members showed up to the April board meeting to voice their dissent.
What’s new in food: Old Fort welcomes a new winery
Euda Wine debuts with its own vintages, tasting room, patio and food options. Also in this week’s food news: New Moon Donuts, a Swannanoa home for Zella’s Deli, fresh-made tailgate market crêpes, an afternoon tea fundraiser and more.
Around town: City invites applicants for new public art installation
City replaces art in front of S&W, Webster unveils pavilion for May Day, Folkmoot hosts Latin American music celebration, Cherokee create remembrance archive and more!
Letter: Check the source for ‘extremist’ label
“The Moms for Liberty group, by today’s definitions, is certainly conservative in trying to protect young children from sex-related matters (many quite extreme) until they are more mature in their abilities to sort out reasonable choices, and they deal with those questions responsibly.”
Letter: Pick leaders who choose safety over ideology
“Let’s prioritize candidates who propose practical policies to ensure our city remains a safe, thriving place.”
Letter: Where is our land ethic?
“Let’s contact our elected officials and let them know that you value our natural resources, wish they would think more about habitat and consider these plans.”
Letter: More input needed on school library book bans
“Are educators the best people to decide what books to ban for student libraries? Absolutely not.”
Sustaining community: A conversation with Asheville City Council member Kim Roney
“There are lots of things we can’t do, but are we doing what we can?” asks Council member Kim Roney, who is up for reelection this year.
Local artist’s new website breaks down barriers to dance
Melvin AC Howell’s HASdance.com seeks to make the art form more accessible to beginners.
TDA approves about $10 million for community projects but not affordable housing
The big question heading into the April 24 meeting of the Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority was whether affordable housing projects would qualify for financing from the agency’s new $10 million grant fund. The answer was “not really.”
Sustaining community: A conversation with Asheville City Council candidate Kevan Frazier
“We often study an issue as if we are the first city to consider it. More often we are the last,” says Kevan Frazier, who is one of six candidates vying for three open seats on Asheville City Council.
WNC is ground zero for wilderness skills education
In February, Mountain BizWorks’ MADE X MTNS partnership, which seeks to expand WNC’s outdoor industry, released a study that noted outdoor activities such as backpacking, day hiking and vehicle camping generated an economic output of $4.9 billion per year for the region and resulted in 48,000 full-time jobs.