| Title |
Excerpt |
Author |
Date |
| Senior-ciitizens group plans Sat. Nov. 21 rally on health-care reform |
Local organization Buncombe Seniors for Health Care Reform and volunteers for Organizing for America will host a public rally and demonstration for health care reform. The event will be held Saturday, Nov. 21, at 2:30 p.m. at Pack Place in downtown Asheville. “As seniors, we have a special duty to… |
Margaret Williams |
11/21/09 |
| EPA’s emergency hotline failed residents in CTS incident, report concludes |
A press release from Rep. Shuler's office: An emergency hotline set up for citizens to report chemical and hazardous substance spills failed residents who live near the former CTS site in Skyland, according to a government report that was requested by Congressman Heath Shuler. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) utilizes… |
Margaret Williams |
11/21/09 |
| Feds approve aid request for I-40 rockslide cleanup |
From Gov. Perdue’s office on Nov. 20: The Federal Highway Administration approved the request for federal emergency funds to clean up and repair Interstate 40 from the massive rock slide that closed the highway in late October, Congressman Heath Shuler announced Friday. “I want to thank the congressional delegation for… |
Margaret Williams |
11/20/09 |
| Firefighter pleads guilty to shooting at cyclist |
Charles Alexander Diez pleaded guilty to shooting at bicyclst Alan Simons on July 26 on Tunnel Road. The shot struck Simons’ helmet, narrowly missing his skull. Diez, who left the Asheville Fire Department after the shooting, was sentenced to 120 days in jail. |
Margaret Williams |
11/19/09 |
| Kilwin’s skates away as judges’ fave downtown Asheville holiday display |
Neither rain nor bribes of fudge kept the judges from dutifully evaluating 27 holiday window displays in downtown Asheville on a chilly, rainy Wednesday, Nov. 18. Did we say “bribes”? It’s true that Kilwin’s Chocolates enticed the six-member panel into the warm shop, where co-owner Marcy Gallagher offered each judge… |
Margaret Williams |
11/19/09 |
| Asheville GreenWorks enviro winners tonight at Village Wayside |
Asheville GreenWorks is celebrating Environmental Excellence Awards winners tonight at the Village Wayside Bar & Grille (the old Biltmore Village Depot, from 6-9 p.m.). A Hall of Famer is Pat Smith, who helped establish the Pigeon River Fund and many other initiatives. Other award winners include the Organic Mechanic in… |
Margaret Williams |
11/18/09 |
| Sign up now for Dec. 12 NEW BALANCE GIRLS ON THE RUN 5K |
WHAT: Girls on the Run of Western North Carolina celebrates the end of their 12-week session with the annual Winter 5K, featuring free BMI and blood pressure screenings, New Balance Girls on the Run gear and more. Open to runners of all ages. WHEN: Saturday, December 12, noon. WHERE: UNC-Asheville… |
Margaret Williams |
11/18/09 |
| Passive aggressive |
Green-building consultant Ken Huck has been playing with energy since he was 12 years old. The Canadian native helped wire his family's farmhouse more than 30 years ago, then toyed with radio kits in high school and studied the history of science and technology in college. By the time he… |
Margaret Williams |
11/18/09 |
| Copenhagen or bust |
This December, world leaders will convene in Copenhagen, Denmark, to continue what they started with the Kyoto Protocol in 1997: fleshing out the framework for an international agreement aimed at combating climate change. Several Asheville residents will be there, reporting what happens, providing technical expertise and trying to convince world… |
Margaret Williams |
11/18/09 |
| The Green Scene |
As one local energy-conservation expert observed, "green" has become the latest fashion and the coolest trend. Businesses and governments want to make sure their customers and constituents know they're being green, even when their efforts don't add up to much when you look more closely. Ditto for "sustainability," another concept… |
Margaret Williams |
11/18/09 |
| Green Race pix from Anthony Bellemare |
Xpress photographer Jonathan Welch mentions this bit (and great pix) from Asheville-based Anthony Bellemare: “On the first weekend of every November paddlers gather near Asheville, North Carolina for the Green Race on the Class V narrows of the Green River. This grassroots creek race with whitewater rapids like Frankenstein, Go… |
Margaret Williams |
11/17/09 |
| Great Smokies elk poaching suspect confesses; arrest imminent |
From yoursmokies.com/blogspot: This Friday, Nov. 13, bull elk #21 was shot and killed in the Cataloochee section of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park near Maggie Valley, N.C.. A Granville county man has confessed. Bull elk #21 was 13 years old and one of the first elk moved into Cataloochee… |
Margaret Williams |
11/16/09 |
| Mental-healthcare provider Alpha Omega Health pulls out of WNC counties |
Mental-healthcare provider Alpha Omega Health pulls out of Madison, MItchell, Yancey counties, the Asheville Citizen-Times reports, noting that more shakeups may be on the way in North Carolina due to “dramatic budget cuts” and “the latest round of state changes.” |
Margaret Williams |
11/16/09 |
| Shooting suspect dies; update on Applebee’s tragedy |
From the Hendersonville Times-News: "The man responsible for a shooting in front of Applebee's on Friday night died Saturday, according to the Hendersonville Police Department. Joseph Gaydish, 30, was pronounced dead at Mission Hospital on Saturday morning." The Times-News report gives a detailed account of the Friday, Nov. 13, shooting,… |
Margaret Williams |
11/15/09 |
| Residents question Shuler’s vote against health care reform |
WNC residents continue to question U.S. Rep. Heath Shuler’s recent vote against health-care reform: From the Asheville Citizen-Times: When Shuler “spoke to students at Western Carolina University last week, a group of Macon County residents lined the back of the theater holding signs that read, ‘Yes to public option’ and… |
Margaret Williams |
11/15/09 |
| Treasured Tree calendars now available |
Asheville GreenWorks 2010 “Treasured Tree” calendars feature 12 of the most beautiful trees around town in a postcard format: After enjoying the month’s “calendar girl” tree, you can tear it off and send it to a friend. That’s a nifty way to recycle. The $12 calendar was designed and photographed… |
Margaret Williams |
11/15/09 |
| Celebrate America Recycles Day with Asheville GreenWorks & Art Stroll |
Bring your kids and your recycling spirit: During the River Arts District Studio Stroll on Saturday, Nov. 14, and Sunday, Nov. 15, Asheville GreenWorks will be sharing the art of making recycled craft projects. Sunday is the national America Recycles Day, after all. Consider this: The lifecycle energy savings of… |
Margaret Williams |
11/14/09 |
| North Carolina 13-highest fossil-fuel CO2 emissions |
In North Carolina, carbon-dioxide emissions related to fossil-fuel sources have increased 39 percent since 1990, ranking the state the 13th-highest in the U.S. in such increases, according to a report recently released by the advocacy group Environment America Research and Policy Center. About half the CO2 emissions come from electricity… |
Margaret Williams |
11/14/09 |
| RiverLink hosting info sessions on Wilma Dykeman RiverWay Plan |
"Our environment is our economy," said Wilma Dykeman. If you want to learn about the Wilma Dykeman RiverWay Plan, drop by Warehouse Studios (170 Lyman Street) starting at 3 p.m. on any of the following Fridays: Nov. 20, Dec. 4 or Dec. 11. The plan calls for a 17-mile greenway… |
Margaret Williams |
11/12/09 |
| The Green Scene |
It's beneficial to protect natural systems as our region develops. That's the simple thought behind Linking Lands and Communities, a project that takes a big-picture look at the regional landscape to better understand where our most valuable natural resources are, what condition they are in, and how we can be… |
Margaret Williams |
11/11/09 |
| Buncombe, WNC under flood advisory, warnings |
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED AN AREA OF MODERATE TO HEAVY RAINFALL ACROSS THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN MOUNTAINS OF NORTH CAROLINA. RAINFALL RATES UP TO ONE HALF INCH PER HOUR WERE OCCURRING, AND THESE RATES WERE AFFECTING LOCATIONS THAT HAVE ALREADY RECEIVED BETWEEN ONE AND TWO INCHES OF RAIN… |
Margaret Williams |
11/10/09 |
| Water issues focus of Green Monday Nov. 9 |
National Climatic Data Center scientists have projected a high probability drought will return to our region, and they’ve stated that future rainfall is more apt to occur in high volumes but in limited areas. Combined with ongoing development practices that favor rapid channeling of rainwater, this could lead to further… |
Margaret Williams |
11/07/09 |
| EPA taking applications for environmental-justice grants |
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is accepting grant applications for projects aimed at addressing environmental and public-health issues in communities. EPA expects to award approximately 40 grants, up to $25,000 each, totaling $1 million. The application deadline is Jan. 8, 2010. Local governments and non-profit organizations are eligible. The Environmental… |
Margaret Williams |
11/06/09 |
| Anglers alert: Increased weekday flows on Nantahala |
The N. C. Wildlife Resources Commission is alerting trout anglers of increased flows in the Nantahala River in Macon-Swain counties. Major generator repairs required Duke Energy to take the Nantahala Hydro Station out of service in October. And after unusually high rainfall in September and October, Duke Energy has had… |
Margaret Williams |
11/06/09 |
| Black Mountain-based nursery Useful Plants helps Old Fort Elementary |
Useful Plants Nursery, based in Black Mountain, will help students and teachers at Old Fort Elementary plant edible gardens on Friday, Nov. 6. They'll plant figs, raspberries, juneberries, blueberries, muscadine grapes and bush cherries. "There’s a great need now for children — everyone, really — to become informed about and… |
Margaret Williams |
11/05/09 |
| Fly-fishing expo for WNC on Nov. 7 & 8 at Ag Center |
Southeastern fly fishers will get a specialized expo geared towards the region’s fly-fishing opportunities. The Hunter Banks Co and other area fly-fishing shops are putting on an expo Saturday, Nov. 7, and Sunday, Nov. 8 at the WNC Ag Center just south of Asheville. The expo will be held in… |
Margaret Williams |
11/04/09 |
| Linking lands and communities |
Land-of-Sky Regional Council is hosting an open-house series for “Linking Lands & Communities” — a big-picture project that looks at the regional landscape to better understand where our most valuable natural resources are; what condition they are in; and how we can be more proactive about maintaining a network of… |
Margaret Williams |
11/04/09 |
| The Green Scene |
What would it be like to have a "smart meter" that could tell you when it's cheapest to run the clothes dryer, automatically signal the utility company if your power goes out, help you save money, and reduce your carbon footprint? Soon 160,000 Progress Energy customers in the Carolinas and… |
Margaret Williams |
11/04/09 |
| Get bagged with Sky High winner, Diamond Brand |
To celebrate winning the Asheville Chamber of Commerce’s 2009 Sky High Growth Awards, local outfitter company Diamond Brand is hosting Customer Appreciation Day on Saturday, Nov. 7. That day, customers will receive a Diamond Brand tote bag made by Eagles Nest Outfitters as a free gift with any purchase. Sky… |
Margaret Williams |
11/03/09 |
| Chimney Rock elevator closed; park open & rates reduced |
The elevator at Chimney Rock State Park is closed for maintenance, but visitors can still reach the top of 315-foot Chimney Rock by taking the Outcroppings Trail from the upper parking lot to the top in about a half mile. Rates will be reduced to $9 for adults and $5… |
Margaret Williams |
11/03/09 |
| Chimney Rock elevator gets the fix; park still open |
The elevator at Chimney Rock State Park is closed for maintenance, but visitors can still reach the top of 315-foot Chimney Rock by taking the half-mile Outcroppings Trail from the upper parking lot to the top. Rates will be reduced to $9 for adults and $5 for youth (ages 6-15).… |
Margaret Williams |
11/03/09 |
| Appalachian Voices earns recognition |
According to Google Earth and Good Magazine, newspaper/enviro nonprofit Appalachian Voices is both a resource and a hero when it comes to the fight to end mountaintop-removal coal mining. AppVoices, based in Boone, N.C., received a double honor this month when its work on the issue was featured as part… |
Margaret Williams |
11/02/09 |
| Pollution, politics and gender |
The civil-justice system has its own grinding, seesaw pace, as Buncombe resident Melanie Pitrolo has discovered. In the space of four years, she has lost her case, won an appeal and prevailed before a jury — only to lose again when the judge overruled. She has filed her second and… |
Margaret Williams |
10/28/09 |
| The Green Scene |
Builders are always happy to construct million-dollar "green" mansions for the wealthy, and the government is already helping low-income families with weatherization projects, but what are middle-class homeowners and renters to do if they want to go green? Let the caulking begin? The middle-class needs some help with weatherization and… |
Margaret Williams |
10/28/09 |
| U.S. Forest Service closes Tellico River to off-road-vehicles |
In a move to reverse muddy runoff and other environmental problems, the U.S. Forest Service will close most trails in Tellico River watershed — located in the Nantahala National Forest in Tennessee and North Carolina. Off-road vehicles will no longer be allowed in the area, and ORV trails will be… |
Margaret Williams |
10/23/09 |
| Asheville’s Anne Lundblad wins “24 Hours of Boulder” race |
Anne Lundblad, 43, a counselor at Warren Wilson College, ran 121 miles in one day, beating out even the men in the 24 Hours of Boulder race, held recently in Colorado. Check out Karen Chavez’ interview with the long-distancer runner at the Citizen-Times link. Also, Lundblad will be speaking at… |
Margaret Williams |
10/23/09 |
| Local clergyman visits Congress to urge climate legislation |
An Asheville clergyman, Joe Hoffman, was one of four representatives of the North Carolina Council of Churches visiting Capitol Hill on Wednesday, Oct. 21. Hoffman and other clergymen are urging Congress to pass climate legislation being deliberated in the senate; they planned to meet Sen. Kay Hagan and deliver 600… |
Margaret Williams |
10/21/09 |
| The Green Scene |
Hamming it up for plastic Did you know that every second, 100 plastic bottles are thrown away in North Carolina? And that one in five plastic bottles doesn't get recycled? Those are just two reasons state legislators passed a bill that bans plastic bottles from landfills. The law took affect… |
Margaret Williams |
10/21/09 |
| Outdoors |
Bike Ride: Mountain 1. Bent Creek While Bent Creek was established in 1925 for conducting research on silvicultural practices (forestry stuff), it boasts a mix of old logging roads, single-track routes, gardens and a lake. And it’s close to town. What more could you want? 2. DuPont State Forest… |
Margaret Williams |
10/21/09 |
| Tour the French Broad with ECO on Sunday, Oct. 25 |
The Henderson-based Environmental and Conservation Organization has rescheduled its French Broad River eco-tour for Sunday, Oct. 25, due to inclement weather. The Oct. 25 excursion features author Harrison Metzger and photographer Chris Clevenger; it will be a two-hour canoe trip on the Henderson County section of the river, starting at… |
Margaret Williams |
10/19/09 |
| Brevard College hosts pro mountain bikers on Thursday, Oct. 15 |
Top pro mountain-bike riders will descend on Brevard College on Thursday, Oct. 15, when the school hosts the time trials for The Pisgah Mountain Bike Stage Race, a four-day event that winds and climbs through the Pisgah National Forest. Brevard's cycling team is sponsoring the race prologue, from 2 to… |
Margaret Williams |
10/14/09 |
| E-waste day on Saturday, Oct. 24 |
Buncombe County Solid Waste and the Arden Wal-Mart are sponsoring a FREE Electronic Waste Recycling Event, on Saturday, Oct. 24 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Arden Wal-Mart parking lot (60 Airport Road). E-Waste items accepted include TVs, monitors, computers and components, wiring, and more. (Sorry, we cannot… |
Margaret Williams |
10/14/09 |
| The Green Scene |
UNC-Asheville senior Ellie Johnston wonders what her world will be like in the year 2050. That's the target date currently bandied about by world leaders for halving greenhouse-gas emissions. By that time, most of those world leaders will be, well, dead and gone. Johnston, on the other hand, will be… |
Margaret Williams |
10/14/09 |
| Outdoors: Forty years exploring the Smokies |
The book cover got my attention when 3,000 Miles in the Great Smokies landed in my in-box: a black-and-white photo in which author and Weaverville native William Hart leans against the Siler Bald trail sign. It's a scene from 1967, not long after the then-young man set out to explore… |
Margaret Williams |
10/14/09 |
| Mountains of mums at Arboretum, Oct. 17-18 |
The North Carolina Arboretum is ablaze with color in fall, and the North Carolina Chrysanthemum Society’s Annual Show, held October 17 and 18, is a perfect occasion to celebrate the fall foliage season. This year will be very special, as the local chapter hosts the National Chrysanthemum Society Annual Show.… |
Margaret Williams |
10/12/09 |
| House passes bill for better public access at Catawba Falls |
Backed by Rep. Heath Shuler, D-Waynesville, a recently passed federal bill (H.R. 1002) will allow the U.S. Forest Service to buy 88 private acres for better public access to Catawba Falls in McDowell County. With the purchase, the Forest Service can expand the trailhead to the falls and possibly create… |
Margaret Williams |
10/12/09 |
| Better public access to Catawba Falls in federal bill |
Backed by Rep. Heath Shuler, D-Waynesville, a recently passed federal bill (H.R. 1002) will allow the U.S. Forest Service to buy 88 private acres for better public access to Catawba Falls in McDowell County. With the purchase, the Forest Service can expand the trailhead to the falls and possibly create… |
Margaret Williams |
10/12/09 |
| Solar and green-home tour today 11am to 4pm |
Rain or shine, the WNC Green Building Council is sponsoring a Solar- and Green-Home Tour today, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The tour features 18 homes, from an historic farmhouse near Franklin to modern eco-homes under construction in the heart of Asheville. For a brochure and directions, visit http://www.wncgbc.org. |
Margaret Williams |
10/10/09 |
| Franklin Graham gives up retirement contributions |
From The (Raleigh) News & Observer: “Concerns about his rising financial compensation during tough economic times have prompted evangelist Franklin Graham to temporarily give up future contributions to his retirement plans at the two charities he leads.” Graham heads two nonprofits, the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association in Charlotte and Samaritan’s… |
Margaret Williams |
10/09/09 |
| Land-of-Sky developing plan for conservation/development |
Land of Sky Regional Council (LOSRC) is working with individuals, local governments, and organizations across a four-county region to develop a strategic, regional plan for conservation and development. First info meeting and open house scheduled for Monday, Oct. 26, from 6 to 9 p.m., with presentations at 6:30 and 7:30… |
Margaret Williams |
10/07/09 |
