Worst of the gas crunch appears over

The Tribune has been following the past two weeks how the gas crunch is affecting the North Buncombe area. Thankfully, the long lines of desperate drivers that frequented the few North Buncombe stations with gas last week are gone. While shortages will still be an issue now (gas stations in the Woodland Hills area were dry as of Tuesday afternoon) and in the coming weeks, more and more stations in the area are currently selling at least one grade of gasoline. The Hot Spot is Woodfin is selling regular at 3.759 on Tuesday afternoon.

Gas trickling back in, pumps still running dry

As of noon, The Corner Store in Weaverville was among one of the select stations in North Buncombe with gas. The Ingles gas station along Weaver Boulevard ran out earlier this morning. Emergency personnel from area departments are working to keep traffic moving in stack areas.

"Everybody just needs to remember to stay calm," Weaverville Police Chief Greg Stephens said.

Tanker truck spotted

A tanker truck was spotted at the Shell gas station in the Roses parking lot along Weaver Boulevard in Weaverville. Lines were already forming as of 5:45 pm.

No gas along Reems Creek, Barnardsville roads

The Exxon station along Reems Creek Road outside of Weaverville reportedly had gas this morning. But even holding patrons to $25 purchases, the tanks appeared to run dry sometime before 12:45 pm. No gas stations along Barnardsville Highway had gas this morning. Tribune graphic designer Bob Leary is currently looking for gas and just called the office to report he could not find any gas in Weaverville, although he did see lines backed up on the future Interstate 26 south of town. Again, stay tuned and we'll keep posting throughout the day.

Where's the gas?

That's the question on minds everywhere in North Buncombe. This morning, lines were stretching up onto the Exit 23 off-ramps of the future Interstate 26 to get gas at The Hot Spot along Weaverville Road in Woodfin. A gas tanker was filling up the tanks as lines of cars were waiting to empty them. So far this morning, that is the only station the Tribune has seen with gas. If we hear of any more, we'll post them here.

Art in Autumn pics

If you attend the Art in Autumn festival this Saturday in Weaverville, be sure to email a pic to the newspaper. Include all relevant information along with the photographs. Email pics to reporter@weavervilletribune.com.

Update on 245 Weaverville Road

Town of Woodfin Mayor Jerry VeHaun said he was fed up with the number of emergency response calls (more than 230 since April 2, 2003) dispatched to a Woodfin trailer park at 245 Weaverville Road. He told Woodfin Town Administrator Jason Young to start cleaning up the area at the August meeting of the Woodfin Board of Aldermen . The process has begun.

Young said he and his staff has already completed external inspections of each residence and plans to do internal inspections soon. The reason for the inspections is to determine which, if any, town codes are being disobeyed.

Woodfin police has also been walking through the area at various times at night in an effort to make the town's presence known.

Sales still booming at Woodfin ABC

Woodfin Town Administrator Jason Young said at the Woodfin Board of Aldermen meeting Tuesday night (Sept. 16) that Aug. 2008 sales at the town's ABC store are up 23.4 percent over Aug. 2007. That's an increase of more than $50,000. It is still early, but that puts the store on pace for a yearly sales mark of $3 million.

The Town of Weaverville announced its ABC Board at the town council meeting Monday night (Sept. 15). Smart move, because as evidenced in Woodfin, there is money to be had in North Buncombe liquor sales.

Cooler weather, more events

Fall is creeping around the corner, which is usually a big time for events in the North Buncombe area. Art in Autumn kicks off for the second year Sept. 20 in Weaverville. Big Ivy will be hosting an event at its community center Oct. 4. More on surely scheduled. The Weaverville Tribune will do its best to cover all of them, but feel free to snap pics from your events and email them with information to reporter@weavervilletribune.com.

Back to normal?

Did anybody Tuesday morning ride by Ingles Gas Station on Weaver Boulevard and notice the price? It was $3.61.9 per gallon. By the afternoon, it had soared to $3.85.9? What caused the surge? Due to late tankers refilling their pumps, Ingles gas stations in the area ran out of some grades of gas late Tuesday. The Weaver Boulevard station closed for a brief period of time before reopening Wednesday morning once tanks had been replenished. The price returned to $3.61.9 per gallon.

Area college student receives scholarship

Appalachian State University senior Catherine P. Chakales, daughter of Pete and Patty Chakales of Brank Insurance in Weaverville, has been awarded the John P. Young III Memorial Scholarship for the 2008-2009 academic year. Catherine is majoring in risk management and insurance in the Walker College of Business.

More on this achievement will be in a future edition of The Weaverville Tribune.

Scene secure on Indian Lane

A burning pile was the source of smoke Friday off Indian Lane in Weaverville. Emergency personnel responded to the scene around 12:30 pm to make sure the scene was secure.

School Spirit Business of the Week

One area business has already taken the opportunity to be featured in our North Buncombe School Spirit Business of the Week feature. To be profiled, give us a call at the office (645-8911) and tells us about your company's support of North Buncombe. Check out this Thursday's edition for an example.

Mars Hill College going green

An excerpt from a recent press release from Mars Hill College:

One of the most innovative aspects of the newest building at Mars Hill College hides deep underground, and will never be seen. Almost 300 feet below the surface, 96 closed loops of water gurgle upward to flow into the ducts of the Ferguson Math and Science Center, then through the building and down again in an endless cycle.

This continuous circulation of the same water may seem at first like an exercise in futility. In reality, it is part of a cutting-edge method of heating and cooling called geothermal engineering.
Depending on latitude, the temperature underground remains stable year-round at around 52 to 56 degrees. A geothermal system sends water in endless loops underground, then through the heating and cooling system of the building. The system uses the stable temperature underground to reduce the amount of energy needed to heat and cool the building. That in turn means less negative impact on the environment from the use of fossil fuels, with the added bonus of saving money over the long-term.

"It's really just a fancy heat pump," said Mars Hill College Director of Facilities Management Bill Lovins. "In the summer, when it's 80 degrees outside, instead of using 80 degree air to transfer heat, our system is using 52 degree water, and when it is 30 degrees outside we are still using the 52 degree water. This constant supply of 52 degree water makes this system much more efficient than a conventional one."

The geothermal heating and cooling system in Ferguson Math and Science Center is one of the more ground-breaking steps taken at Mars HillCollege recently to move toward more environmentally-friendly materials and practices. But according to Dr. Dan Lunsford, president of the college, it is only one of several ways in which the college has tackled the issue of moving toward a "greener" campus.

"We have done a number of things on campus over the past year or two designed to use energy more efficiently, to decrease our overall energy consumption, to reduce waste, and to reduce our effect on the green spaces on campus. And we have done this while increasing the square footage of space devoted to education," Lunsford said.