Cops for Kids success

The Cops for Kids Toy Drive organized by the Weaverville Police Department raised a record-high this year, more than $16,000. The department helped out roughly 130 area families.

CodeRed alerts were sent in Weaverville

Two CodeRed alerts were sent out in Weaverville this weekend.

The first came Saturday when the water plant lost power. Public Works Director Larry Sprinkle said the plant has water reserves that can supply customers with water for several days with no power, but the town issued an alert asking residents to conserve water.

The second came Monday when the town alerted residents there would be no trash pickup this week because of the snow and the holidays.

Weaverville Town Manager Mike Morgan said Saturday's CodeRed alert had a 48 percent connection rate, while Monday's alert had an 80 percent connection rate.

He had hoped for a higher percentage Monday because many in the area had the power restored by then.

For more on how to sign up and recieve CodeRed alerts from the town, go to http://www.weavervillenc.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3&Itemid=18

Local seller of "Sixty Slices.."

Weaverville resident Fred Flaxman, who recently released on tounge-in-cheek memoir called "Sixty Slices of Life... on Wry," announced that Accent Books, located at 854 Merrimon Avenue near The Fresh Market, is carrying his book.

Tribune holiday print schedule

Christmas will again augment our printing schedule in the coming weeks.

The next issue will print Dec. 23 and begin hitting stands. Some stands may not see new issues until the morning of Dec. 24. Deadlines for submissions for this week's issue is at 5 pm on Monday, Dec. 21.

Our annual year-in-review issue will be on stands by Dec. 31, but again, some stands may see the year-in-review issue a day earlier.

Our print schedule will resume to normal with the Jan. 7 issue.

Weather reports from North Buncombe

Moderate snow this morning has changed into a more freezing rain/rain event. But more icy weather is expected for today. Have any weather reports or cancellations in the area? Post them in the comment section here.

Nutcracker tickets to help WNCAP

Special tickets to the Moscow Ballet's The Great Russian Nutcracker will help the Western North Carolina AIDS Project. Fundraiser tickets are 300 of the 'best seats in the house' that Moscow Ballet has set aside for the benefit of WNCAP. These tickets can only be purchased via the WNCAP Web site through Saturday night. Six dancers from Weaverville Dance Academy will perform in the show Tuesday, Dec. 22, at Thomas Wolfe Audiotorium.

Barnardsville food drive

From the Barnardsville Elementary School Web site....

Barnardsville Elementary and Barbara Ruehl's third-grade class are sponsoring a White Christmas Food Drive here at the school. The school will be collecting non-perishable food for needy families from now until Dec. 18. The food will go back to families in Barnardsville. Send in any non-perishable food items to Mrs. Ruehl's classroom.

This week at NBHS

Tuesday

4 pm - Girls' junior varsity basketball vs. Enka High School
5 pm - Boys' junior varsity basketball vs. Enka High School
6:30 pm - Girls' varsity basketball vs. Enka High School
7 pm - Varsity wrestling @ Enka High School
8 pm - Boys' varsity basketball vs. Enka High School

Friday
4 pm - Girls' junior varsity basketball @ McDowell High School
5 pm - Boys' junior varsity basketball @ McDowell High School
5 pm - Varsity wrestling - Walhalla Classic @ Walhalla, SC
6:30 pm - Girls' varsity basketball @ McDowell High School
8 pm - Boys' varsity basketball @ McDowell High School

Saturday
5 pm - Coed varsity swimming vs. West Henderson High School

Door decorating contest at Mars Hill Retirement Community

Mars Hill Retirement Community is “calling all kids” to enter the door-decorating contest being held at the senior living community from noon to 5 pm on Saturday (Dec. 12). Elementary school-aged children are invited to find an adult and form a team to create an attractive holiday-themed door, which will be judged between 2 pm and 2:30 pm. Winners will receive Toys-R-Us gift cards and lunch will be provided at no charge.


“We thought the local community would enjoy sharing the holiday season with some of our senior residents while competing for some great prizes,” said Teresa Hammack, marketing director for the Mars Hill Retirement Community. “There’s even been a report that Santa Claus himself will make a visit. I am happy to confirm that report.”

Besides fun with Santa, great food and exciting prizes, the children and their adult team leaders will also enjoy visits from the Sugar Plum Fairies, elves, and a princess.

As an added bonus for taking part, kids and their parents will receive a free photo of themselves taken with Santa as a gift from Mars Hill Retirement Community. There will also be plenty of hot cocoa and cookies on hand throughout the afternoon.

Local business news

Some of the area's local business news..

* Main Street Flooring is close to opening its new space at the Village at Monticello in Weaverville.

* U.S. Cellular has a new location at Northridge Commons next to Weaverville ABC.

* Dry Ridge Family Medicine will be opening at the first of January on Main Street in Weaverville.

* New salon Shear Delite has opened on Weaverville Road in Woodfin.

* Asheville Rental has moved into Sam's Radiator old location on Riverside Drive in Woodfin.

Know of any other North Buncombe businesses moving or opening up in the coming weeks?

Arts for Life tree

WNC Magazine sponsors a tree in the Holiday Tree Decorating Contest at the Asheville Regional Airport for charity. For the third year in a row, we have sponsored a tree for Arts For Life, a Weaverville-based non-profit dedicated to providing art classes to children with very serious, often terminal illnesses. We have always used ornaments that the kids make specifically for the tree. It all comes down to online voting, so please vote, vote often, and help spread the word. To vote, go to http://www.flyavl.com/announcements/2009-11-23-annc-holiday-contest.html. Voting ends Dec. 11 and winners are announced Dec. 16.

This week at NBHS

Tuesday

4 pm - Girls' junior varsity basketball - Polk County
5 pm - Boys' junior varsity basketball - Polk County
6:30 pm - Girls' varsity basketball - Polk County
8 pm - Boys' varsity basketball - Polk County

Thursday
4 pm - Girls' junior varsity basketball - Unicoi County, TN
6:30 pm - Girls' varsity basketball - Unicoi County, TN

Friday
TBA- Varsity wrestling - Indian Classic @ Dobyns-Bennett, TN

Saturday
TBA- Varsity wrestling - Indian Classic @ Dobyns-Bennett, TN
9 am - Coed varsity swimming - Hendersonville & Owen

Solution to woolly adelgid mystery?

Ever seen a batch of hemlock trees and thought there was light snow on its needles? Unfortunately, it was likely sacs of the woolly adelgid, an insect that will infest and eventually kill hemlock trees. The Woodfin Watershed at the end of Blackberry Inn Road is one of many areas that have had problems with the woolly adelgid picking away at its hemlocks. The Smoky Mountain National Park has seen some promising results results in their efforts to curtail the problem. Here is an article from the Knoxville News-Sentinel.

SAHC receives several grants

A release from the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy...

The SAHC has been awarded grants from the Janirve Foundation and the Pigeon River Fund of The Community Foundation of Western North Carolina to support its efforts to preserve local working farms and protect water quality.

The Janirve Foundation awarded SAHC an $18,000 grant to support its Farmland Preservation Initiative. Through this initiative, SAHC has already protected over 3,000 acres of working farms in Buncombe, Madison, and Haywood counties. The Janirve grant will enable SAHC to reach out to additional farmers in agricultural communities such as Sandy Mush, Fairview, and Spring Creek, and complete conservation easements on farms in those communities.

A conservation easement is a voluntary agreement a landowner can enter with an organization such as SAHC, in which the landowner agrees not to convert the property to a real estate development, but continues to own and use the land as they have been doing. Landowners who enter conservation easement agreements can potentially qualify for federal and state income tax benefits. This makes conservation easements a powerful tool for preserving farms in the mountains.

The Janirve Foundation is a private grant-making foundation established by the late Irving J. Reuter, an executive in the automobile industry. Janirve has a strong commitment to land and water conservation and has supported SAHC in the past in its efforts to preserve clean drinking water, wildlife habitat, farms and scenic landscapes in the Southern Blue Ridge Mountains.

The Pigeon River Fund has awarded SAHC a $25,000 grant to support the organization working with farmers in the Spring Creek community in Madison County. The objective of this focused effort is to secure conservation easements that protect and improve water quality in Spring Creek and its tributaries.

The Pigeon River Fund of The Community Foundation of Western North Carolina was created by the State of North Carolina and Progress Energy to improve water quality in the streams and rivers of Haywood, Buncombe and Madison counties. The fund provides grants to nonprofit and public agencies that improve surface water quality, enhance fish and wildlife habitat, expand public access and increase awareness about protecting these resources.

This week at NBHS

Tuesday

4 pm - Girls' junior varsity basketball vs. Mountain Heritage High School
5 pm - Boys' junior varsity basketball vs. Mountain Heritage High School
6:30 pm - Girls' varsity basketball vs. Mountain Heritage High School
8 pm - Boys' varsity basketball vs. Mountain Heritage High School

Wednesday
4 pm - Girls' junior varsity basketball vs. Tuscola High School
5 pm - Boys' junior varsity basketball vs. Tuscola High School
6:30 pm - Girls' varsity basketball vs. Tuscola High School
8 pm - Boys' varsity basketball vs. Tuscola High School

Friday
TBA - Varsity wrestling - Falcon Frenzy @ West Henderson
4:00 pm - Girls' junior varsity basketball @ Madison High School
4:40 pm - Coed varsity swimming @ Hendersonville High School
5 pm - Boys' junior varsity basketball @ Madison High School
6:30 pm - Girls' varsity basketball @ Madison High School
8 pm - Boys' varsity basketball @ Madison High School

Saturday
TBA - Varsity Wrestling - Falcon Frenzy @ West Henderson

Getting water to Woodfin's new land

The owners of the 138 acres that were voluntary annexed into Woodfin last week said they currently have no plans to develop the property, in part due to the economy. But should fortunes change and the property be developed in the near or even not-so-near future, will it interfere with the current morotorium the Woodfin Water District has in place?

The water district put the morotorium in effect in 2008 to control the amount of new customers accepted into the system. Conservation was cited as a concern as was the district's ability to adequately serve a growing community. The morotorium has not been strictly adhered to as several developers (one proposal is for two properties, the other a multi-family housing community) have been granted tenative approval for water service in the vicinity of the newly annexed area in the recent months.

The two new members on the board as well as holdover Keith Snyder may well decide in the future that the morotorium has outlived its usefulness, making the whole notion a largely moot point anyway. But if the board maintains a hard line on new development, it may pose an interesting discussion somewhere down the road.

Fall sports banquet

The North Buncombe High School fall sports banquet will be held at 7 pm tonight in the school's audiotorium. Here's a look at this week's abbreviated sports schedule as basketball season gets under way.

Tuesday
4 pm - Girls' junior varsity basketball @ Mountain Heritage High School
5 pm - Boys' junior varsity basketball @ Mountain Heritage High School
5:30 pm - Varsity wrestling @ West Henderson High School
6:30 pm - Girls' varsity basketball @ Mountain Heritage High School
8 pm - Boys' varsity basketball @ Mountain Heritage High School

Saturday
4 pm - Girls' junior varsity basketball @ Tuscola High School
5 pm - Boys' junior varsity basketball @ Tuscola High School
6:30 pm - Girls' varsity basketball @ Tuscola High School
8 pm - Boys' varsity basketball @ Tuscola High School

AIDS Memorial Quilt

The Western North Carolina AIDS Project (WNCAP) announced that sections of the AIDS Memorial Quilt will be on exhibit as part of planned World AIDS Day activities beginning today and continuing through Dec. 2.

This year WNCAP reached out to the WNC community, providing an opportunity for residents to request specific panels of the quilt. The response was overwhelming – mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters, sons and daughters, partners and friends sent in requests for quilt panels that memorialize their loved ones. Many of those will be included in the display.

Several new panels created for local residents will also be inducted as part of this year’s activities.
The AIDS Memorial Quilt, a “National Treasure,” is now made up of more than 44,000 panels. The Asheville exhibit is entitled “A Tapestry of Lives” and will be comprised of 160 panels. The exhibit will be at Pack Place in downtown Asheville, open to the public Monday - Saturday from 10:00-7:00, and from 10:00-5:00 on Sundays (closed for Thanksgiving). There is no charge for admission.

For more information and a complete schedule of events associated with the Quilt exhibit, go to www.WNCAP.org or call 828-252-7489.

Darfur fundraiser in Mars Hill

As the academic year began, author Daoud Hari challenged the students of Mars Hill College to make a difference for the suffering people of Darfur. Now, students have taken up that challenge -- but they need your help.


Hari visited the campus as the speaker for Opening Convocation to discuss his memoir, “The Translator.” The book, chosen by faculty as the summer reading selection, gives a first person account of the horrors of widespread genocide against the tribal people of Hari’s native Sudan. Since 2003, hundreds of thousands of African Sudanese have been killed in Darfur, largely by the Sudanese government. Another 2.2 million people -- mostly women and children -- are crowded into camps surrounded by a barren landscape.

In response to Hari’s call to action, Mars Hill’s Student Government Association has organized a campus-wide project to sell Berkeley Darfur Stoves. These high-efficiency stoves make it easier and safer for families to prepare food as they live in the refugee camps of Darfur.

According to Mars Hill senior Kasey Boston, the Darfur Stove project was chosen by the student government association as a way to get the various campus organizations involved in one large campus-wide volunteer project. While the tribespeople of Darfur are the main beneficiaries, the SGA has made the project fun for students by encouraging a competition between organizations. The target goal for the campus is at least 50 stoves.

“The idea came from Daoud Hari's book.” Boston said. “We knew that so many students read the book and were deeply touched by it and yet the students had no outlet to do something about the terrible things they had read.” Boston said the project gives everyone who purchases a stove a tangible way to have a direct impact in the lives of Darfur’s people.

The Berkeley Darfur ultra high-efficiency cook stove uses up to 75% less fuel than a standard cooking fire or other stoves. This minimizes the time that refugees, often women and girls, have to venture outside the safety of the camps in search of fuel. These trips to search for fuel can take individuals miles from their camps and they often end in violence.

In addition to its efficiency, the Berkeley Stove can be built in Sudan by locals, enabling them to earn extra income. Other advantages of the stove are that it emits less smoke than other stoves, minimizing smoke inhalation for families in close quarters; it is suited to local high-temperature and high-wind outdoor cooking methods and helps the denuded environment recover from severe overharvesting.

According to SGA president Grace Kim, the Darfur Stove Project shows Mars Hill College students and community participants that awareness of a problem is insufficient to make a positive impact.

“Knowledge without action has no power,” Kim said. “It is part of a well-rounded education to be aware of difficult and dangerous situations throughout the world. That knowledge is important, but by adopting this project, we wanted to say that knowledge alone isn’t enough. Our SGA wanted to be an example to our fellow students and to our community that, unless you move from knowledge to action, you cannot help those who are suffering.”

When participants “buy” a stove from a student at Mars Hill College, they are actually subsidizing $20 of the stove’s $30 total production cost. To ensure that stove recipients will use and value their stove, and not merely re-sell the metal for scrap, refugee families in most cases are asked to contribute $10 themselves.

In addition to selling stoves, students at Mars Hill are selling t-shirts for $12, and profits will go toward stove purchases. Community participants will also be able to purchase stoves as Christmas gifts in honor of a loved one on Dec. 1st at a "Gifts that Give Back" sale in the Bentley Fellowship Hall.

For general information, go to thehungersite.com; and for information on purchasing a stove, contact any Mars Hill student, or contact Kasey Boston ats000141908@mhc.edu or 727-455-1023.

Getting into his new role

Al Root, the Town of Weaverville's first new mayor in 16 years, got the ball rolling early in his new role. He took an active discussion in issues and raised the question about the town's recycling service and whether it was adequately meeting the needs of the residents. Not seeing Bett Stroud with the gavel was certainly different, by Root, a veteran of the council, has proven he plans to pick up right where Stroud left off.

Woodfin predicts bad outcome for Weaverville ABC store

Woodfin Town Administrator Jason Young said the town's ABC store is seeing its sales return to normalcy after a dip following the opening of the county's new ABC store four miles to the north in Weaverville.

Young believes the Weaverville store will not be able to sustain because of debt service payments.

"I am of the opinion that Weaverville overbought in land," he said. "If debt exceeds income, you can't stay in business."

The Weaverville store is located at the Northridge Commons shopping center.

The Weaverville ABC Board is anticipating $1.8 million in sales this fiscal year. The store had $71,000 in sales in the month of October after opening Oct. 21. More can be found on the financial status of ABC stores across the state here.

Alzheimer meeting at Weaverville Town Hall

The Western Carolina Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association and the Land-of-Sky Area Agency on Aging are offering a meeting for anyone concerned with memory loss in themselves or a loved one. The meeting will be held at the Weaverville Town Hall on Thursday, November 19, from 9:30 am – 12:30 pm. The session will include:


*Sense and Nonsense About Memory Loss

* What Do We Do Now?

* Community Resources

To register for the workshop, contact Larry Reeves at (828) 254-7363, or Pat Hilgendorf at (828) 645-9189, pat@landofsky.org

Plans are in progress for on going group classes in early 2010.

This week at NBHS

Monday

6 pm - *Scrimmage* Boys' varsity bBasketball vs. Freedom High School

Tuesday
6 pm - *Scrimmage* Girls' varsity basketball vs. Pisgah High School

Wednesday
6 pm - *Scrimmage* Boys' varsity basketball @ East Henderson High School

Thursday
7:15 pm - Coed varsity swimming vs. A C Reynolds High School

Friday
4 pm - Girls' junior varsity basketball vs. Madison High School
5 pm - Boys' junior varsity basketball vs. Madison High School
6:30 pm - Girls' varsity basketball vs. Madison High School
8 pm - Boys' varsity basketball vs. Madison High School

Several Barnardsville tidbits

* Yoga classes are taught at the Barnardsville Post Office every Tuesday. Classes begin at 6 pm and cost $10 per session. Call Kate at 626-3100 for more information.

* Resident Melinda Stuart has a cookbook with sweet sorghum syrup recipies for $2. Proceeds will go toward the Big Ivy Historical Society and Big Ivy Community Club. Email bicc@barnardsville.com for more information.

Gem Hunter at Wick and Greene

Going on today at Wick and Greene Jewelers...

Are you concerned about the fate of our country? Would you like to be more knowledgeable and informed about those who have the potential to impact our nation? If so, come and learn from an inside source about the Afghani and Pakistani people and politics. Gary Bowersox, a world-renowned gem-hunter, author and explorer will be hosting an exhibit of his recently acquired, rare and beautiful gems of Afghanistan at Wick and Greene Jewelers on Nov. 13th from 10:00AM to 4:00PM. Individual interviews and photo opportunities are available upon request.


Bowersox, author of The Gem Hunter, True Adventures of an American in Afghanistan, has traveled to Afghanistan for 32 years to discover precious gems and to explore the Afghani culture and customs. He served as a consultant to the U.S. Department of Defense shortly after September 11, 2001, giving details of the terrain and the ins and outs of Afghanistan like few others can.

He was described as a “modern-day Indiana Jones” by Diane Sawyer on Good Morning, America. He will not only be presenting precious jewels that are native to Afghanistan, but will be available to give real-life examples of his adventures and misadventures in that mysterious land.

In response to Ms. Sawyer’s labeling of him as a “modern-day Indiana Jones” Bowersox replies, “…except ‘Indiana Jones’ never had LIVE rounds fired over his head!”

Bowersox has traveled to more than 80 countries in search of the world’s rarest gemstones and minerals. He has worked with miners not only in Afghanistan, but also in Brazil, Burma, Madagascar, Sri Lanka and Thailand. He has chaired eight symposiums on gems in Afghanistan and was presenter/consultant on “The Gem Hunter in Afghanistan 2001, a 50-minute television documentary.

Foster/adopt fair in Asheville

The Foster/Adopt Fall Festival will be held from 2 pm to 5 pm on Nov. 14. The event is free and open to the public and is intended to raise awareness for the need for foster and or adoptive homes for children in the community. It will be held at the Coleman Place on the 3rd floor of the Chamber of Commerce located at 36 Montford Ave. in Asheville. For more, email terryk@lifegains.org or call 255-8845.

Wind turbine in Hot Springs

Release from Progess Energy

The winds blowing through the mountains of North Carolina are moving more than leaves this fall, as Progress Energy unveiled a new wind turbine at Hot Springs Elementary School in Hot Springs, N.C. The demonstration wind turbine was installed as part of the Madison County Wind for Schools project, the first rural wind power education program east of the Mississippi River.


The 2-kilowatt wind turbine and a new K-12 alternative-energy curriculum are part of an effort to introduce wind power to rural communities and initiate community discussions around the benefits and challenges of alternative energy resources. Two additional demonstration wind turbines have been installed at Madison High School and the Madison County Cooperative Extension Office.

“Progress Energy is pursuing renewable energy as part of a balanced strategy for meeting the region's growing energy needs reliably, affordably and in an environmentally responsible fashion,” said John Smith, vice president of Progress Energy Carolinas’ western N.C. region. “We are committed to working with our communities to secure the region’s energy future. Today’s students are tomorrow’s decision makers and we will need their knowledge and innovation to expand the role of renewable energy in the years ahead.”

The Hot Springs wind turbine is equipped with the ability to monitor its energy production via the Internet and provides teachers and students a physical example of how wind power works and allows hands-on educational opportunities. The wind turbine inauguration event Oct. 29 also included a renewable energy fair for Hot Springs Elementary students. The fair provided information about solar, wind and other renewable energy resources.

The Madison County Wind for Schools project is one of Progress Energy’s investments in renewable and alternative energy education. The company recently announced that three Western N.C. schools are among the finalists for its SunSenseSM schools program, which will install solar photovoltaic (PV) equipment at five schools in the Carolinas through a partnership with the Carolina Hurricanes Kids 'N Community Foundation.

In addition, the Progress Energy Foundation will invest more than $600,000 in the Carolinas this year to support K-12 energy education and workforce development in public schools. For more information about Progress Energy’s renewable and alternative energy initiatives, please visit www.progress-energy.com/environment.

The Madison County Wind for Schools project is modeled after the U.S. Department of Energy’s Wind for Schools initiative. The partnership includes the Appalachian Regional Commission, Mountain Valleys Resource Conservation and Development, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, Progress Energy Carolinas, French Broad EMC, the Madison County School System, the Madison County Cooperative Extension Service, Appalachian State University, Sundance Power and Southwest Wind Power. Each of the project partners is supporting the project financially or through in-kind donations

This week at NBHS

Tuesday
7:15 pm - *Scrimmage* Coed Varsity Swimming vs. Faculty

Wednesday - TBA - *Scrimmage* Boys Varsity Wrestling @ Charles D Owen High School

Thursday
6 pm - *Scrimmage* Girls Varsity Basketball @ East Henderson High School

Saturday
TBA - *Scrimmage* Coed Varsity Swimming @ - Relay Scrimmage

Two upcoming meetings

The Big Ivy Community Development Board will hold a community forum and an election for this year's board members during a meeting beginning at 7 pm on Monday (Nov. 9) at the Big Ivy Community Center on Dillingham Road in Barnardsville.

Dr. Alicia Hulse will discuss the wildlife habitat project during the next meeting of the Weaverville Garden Club, beginning at 10 am on Tuesday (Nov. 10) at Weaverville Town Hall.

Launch of Asheville arts Web site

This evening at 6 pm, the Buncombe County performing arts community will gather to celebrate two years of work in creating www.livewireasheville.com and to launch this new portal Web site for all the arts organizations and events in our area. Beginning tonight, the Web site will be available to consumers both in and out of town, making knowledge of and access to Asheville’s myriad of event opportunities a one-stop, convenient activity.

This week at NBHS

Fall sports are winding down at North Buncombe High School. Last week of football and the cross country and soccer teams dig into their state playoff matches.

Wednesday
TBA- Boys' varsity soccer vs. TBA opponent - NCHSAA first round playoffs

Thursday
7 pm - Junior varsity football vs. A.C. Reynolds High School

Friday
7:30 pm - Varsity football @ A.C. Reynolds High School

Saturday
TBA - Coed varsity cross country - NCHSAA State Meet @ Tanglewood Park, Winston-Salem

Jolley to be featured on PBS tonight

A release from Mars Hill College...

Dr. Harley Jolley, professor emeritus of history at Mars Hill College, will be one of the featured interviewees in a PBS documentary set to air on November 2 about the Civilian Conservation Corps. The documentary is part of a five-part series on PBS’ American Experience series, called “The 1930s.”


Jolley, who served as a Mars Hill College professor of history from 1949 until 1991, is the author of 11books and publications, including his most recent book, “The Civilian Conservation Corps: That Magnificent Army of Youth and Peace.” In addition to his scholarly research about the corps, Jolley is a veteran of the program, having served in camps in Lexington, Yellowstone National Park and Death Valley, California.

The CCC was a public work relief program for unemployed young men, and was one of the major initiatives of the New Deal under President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The program existed from 1933 until 1942, and provided an estimated 3 million young men with economic relief, rehabilitation and training.

In addition to his research about the Conservation Corps, Jolley is considered one of the nation’s foremost authorities on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Jolley has long been known as a friend and historian of the Parkway and most of his books catalog the history, landscaping and details of the world’s longest and thinnest national park. One of Jolley’s classic books, “The Blue Ridge Parkway,” is a volume which continues to be a favorite among both scholars and casual readers. His dedication to the Parkway is further demonstrated by his service as a seasonal ranger from 1958 through 1984.

In addition to his service in the CCC, Jolley’s life has been marked by some of the most significant events of the 20th century. He is a survivor of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and a World War II veteran who served in both the South Pacific and the European theatres.

For his work with the Blue Ridge Parkway, Jolley last year was presented with membership in The Order of the Long Leaf Pine, the highest civilian honor in North Carolina.

Jolley is the honoree of a multiple-thousand-dollar endowment establishing a history scholarship to Mars Hill College; he is a past president of the Historical Society of North Carolina; and in 2001, he received the Edward H. Abbuehl Environmental Education Award. In 2008, he was presented with the Western North Carolina Association Lifetime Historical Achievement Award with his late wife, Dr. Betty Jolley.

Movie Gallery news

As MyWeaverville pointed out, Movie Gallery in Weaverville has appearently closed up shop which seems to be a theme lately for the nation's second-largest movie rental company. Empty storefronts can be seen in Leicester, Hendersonville and other Western North Carolina towns as well. Here's a link to a Bloomberg article with information about the chain's decision to continue to close stores across the nation. Movie Gallery appears to have many of the same ailments facing Blockbuster as they both had late reactions to the online/Netflix movement as well as the $1 Redbox kiosks

Detour traffic

The rockslide that's making a mess out of I-40 near the North Carolina/Tennessee border may cause issues here in North Buncombe as well. The detour route takes passengers on the future I-26 to and from I-81 in Tennessee. Outside of the increase in traffic - especially around the holiday season - will be the large loads that reguarly use I-40. The North Buncombe bridges - Aiken Road and Flat Creek bridges for instance - have a low ceiling. The detour to the detour route for these large loads is up N. Buncombe School Road and down Monticello to New Stock. Of course, loads have been known to bottom out at the N. Buncombe School/N. Main/Dula Springs/Monticello intersection and causing a congested mess.

Have you noticed anything yet since the detour route went into effect last weekend?

Release of 'Dixie Salvage' by Asheville author

PublishAmerica is proud to present "Dixie Salvage" by Asheville resident Gary Isringhaus.

"Dixie Salvage" is a story about a dysfunctional Southern family who owns an auto wrecking yard in Asheville. The matriarch of the family dies, leaving secrets, and the patriarch then follows her to the grave. The two surviving sons get into a conflict about what’s to become of the salvage yard. One son, Sonny, who’s been living in California, comes back a day after the funeral and wants to sell it. The other son, Floyd, the homebody, refuses to sell. Earlene, their cousin, is caught in the middle with her love for both of them. An insurance adjuster shows up and refuses to honor the life insurance policy of the father because he believes the old man drank himself to death.

"Dixie Salvage" is a farcical story dealing with death, the occult, the resurrection of the dead, transgender metamorphosis, stock car racing and a utopian search for paradise.

Isringhaus is an author an award-winning artist and photographer.

PublishAmerica is the home of 40,000 talented authors. PublishAmerica is a traditional publishing company whose primary goal is to encourage and promote the works of new, previously undiscovered writers.

This week at NBHS

Monday

TBA- Girls' varsity golf - State Tournament
5 pm - Boys' junior varsity soccer @ Asheville High School
7 pm - Boys' varsity soccer @ Asheville High School

Tuesday
TBA- Girls' varsity golf - State Tournament

Wednesday
5 pm - Boys' junior varsity soccer vs. A C Reynolds High School
7 pm - Boys' varsity soccer vs. A C Reynolds High School

Thursday
7 pm - Junior varsity football @ Asheville High School

Friday
7:30 pm - Varsity football vs. Asheville High School

Saturday
TBA- Coed varsity cross country - NCHSAA Regionals

Send us Halloween pictures

Have any good Halloween pictures? Send them to wteditor@weavervilletribune.com so we can publish them in our paper. Also include the names, age and hometowns of those in the pictures.

News from Big Ivy

A release from the Big Ivy Community Center....

"The Buncombe County Extension Service Awards Program was Monday night and BICC did well. We received $850 ($50 of the total is for Ivy Hill Baptist Church Mission Minds group as they won the Merit Youth Award) and several plaques/certificates. Jared Dillingham was the Young Man of the Year and and Whitney Evans was the Young Woman of the Year!! Congratulations to you both!!!"

This week at NBHS

Monday
TBA - Girls' golf regional tournament
5 pm - Girls' junior varsity volleyball vs. North Henderson High School
6 pm - Girls' varsity volleyball vs. North Henderson High School

Tuesday
TBA - Girls' varsity tennis - NCHSAA playoffs-1st Round
5 pm - Girls' junior varsity volleyball vs. A C Reynolds High School
6 pm - Girls' varsity volleyball vsA C Reynolds High School

Wednesday
5 pm -Boys' junior varsity soccer vs. Clyde A Erwin High School
7 pm - Boys' varsity soccer vs. Clyde A Erwin High School

Thursday
TBA - Coed varsity cross country - MAC Championship
7 pm - Boys' junior varsity football vs. Clyde A Erwin High School

Friday
7:30 pm - Varsity football @ Clyde A Erwin High School

Saturday
TBA - Girls' varsity volleyball - First rRound of NCHSAA playoffs

Gingerbread time is coming soon

It's almost that time of year again for the national gingerbread house competition at the Grove Park Inn & Spa. The past two holiday seasons, we have profiled stories of North Buncombe residents having great successes in the competiton. They can be found here on page 6 and here on pages 18 & 19. Below is a schedule for this year's competition.


SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
Sunday, November 15
2-8 p.m. The 2009 National Gingerbread House Competition & Display begins with INTAKE.
- Vanderbilt Atrium, Level 7

Monday, November 16
7-8:30 a.m. IN-TAKE continues. - Vanderbilt Atrium, Level 7
9:30 a.m. JUDGING BEGINS, open to the public - Grand Ballroom, Level 8
12 p.m. JUDGING CONTINUES, closed to the public - Grand Ballroom, Level 8
4:30 p.m. Doors open for Awards Ceremony. - Grand Ballroom, Level 8
5 p.m. AWARDS CEREMONY, open to the public - Grand Ballroom, Level 8

Wednesday, November 18, 2009-Sunday, January 3, 2010
Take a moment to view the 17th Annual National Gingerbread House Competition & Display
entries throughout The Grove Park Inn Resort & Spa, beginning on Wednesday, November 18,
2009, and concluding on Sunday, January 3, 2010. Non-Resort guests may view the display on
Monday through Thursdays only.
“Stories of Gingerbread” guided tours are available at 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., Mondays through
Saturdays, throughout the display dates. $10 per adult; $5 per child (12 & under). For more
information, please call 282-252-2711, ext. #4094.
Please be aware the Grand Prize entry along with other winning entries may be removed from the National Gingerbread House Display during the resort’s holiday season for publicity purposes.
Past publicity dates have included the seven days prior to Christmas and the seven (7) days following Christmas. Publicity dates for the 2009 holiday season have not been set at this time.

Mars Hill rider makes nationals

A release from Mars Hill College....

"Mars Hill College cyclist Paul Webb has qualified for the Collegiate Mountain Bike National Championships, which takes place in Truckee, California, near Lake Tahoe, October 16-18. Webb will compete for Mars Hill College in two endurance events: Cross Country and Short Track Cross Country today and Saturday in Lake Tahoe.

"Qualification for nationals wrapped up a consistently strong regular season for Webb, according to coach Hugh Moran. He had one win at Georgia Tech and two top ten finishes at the Southeastern Conference Championships, a conference that Moran calls 'arguably the most competitive and difficult conference in the country.'

"Webb hails from Omaha, Neb., where, last year, he won four mountain bike races and two road races and culminated the year with a win at the Nebraska State Criterium Championships (Cat. 3).

"The Mars Hill Cycling Team is still relatively new, having just completed its first full season of conference competition. The addition of Webb to the team meant that it was able to extend competition into the fall mountain biking season."

End of the road for Asheville Transit route

Route 54, where are you?
Appearently, no longer headed toward Weaverville.
The official end for Asheville Transit's route through North Buncombe will be Nov. 1. The route was costing to the town about $10,000 a year, and it was clear the rider participation was just not there to justify that expense.
Still, the route served a purpose and for some, it will be missed. Let's hope the North Buncombe Trailblazer takes hold and continues to offer affordable transportation to Asheville.

Here's the release..

"The City of Asheville will hold a public hearing from 5:30 – 7 pm on Thursday, Oct. 22 concerning the discontinuation of Route 54 to Weaverville and changes to Route 28 to Black Mountain. The meeting will take place in the Public Works Building at 161 S. Charlotte St.

"Route 54 to Weaverville will be discontinued Nov. 1 based on an assessment completed by the North Carolina Department of Transportation which found lack of compliance with federal guidelines concerning intercity routes and local participation. Route 28 has been redesigned and will continue to serve Porter Cove Rd., Swannanoa, and the Town of Black Mountain. The redesign includes fare increases as well as changes to routing and scheduling.

Asheville to Swannanoa route
Regular fare $1.50 Discount fare 75 cents
Asheville to Black Mountain route
Regular fare $1.75 Discount fare $1.00

"Monthly passes are $55.00 with a $27.50 discount price. Discount fares include all seniors age 65 and over, individuals with disabilities, Medicare recipients and students in elementary, middle and high school. Monthly passes are valid system wide.

"For more information, contact Mariate Echeverry at (828) 232-4528."

Helping out kids' hunger with MANNA

A release from MANNA....

"The end of the spring school term last June was a welcome break to many school children, but for an estimated 28,000 kids across our mountain region, the summer break meant no more school breakfast or lunch until fall. Except in Madison County, that is, where the Rev. Tommy Justice; a volunteer steering committee; members of the congregation; and many other volunteers from Beech Glen Baptist Church and Forks Ivey Baptist Church stepped in to make a difference.

"Taking advantage of the USDA’s Summer Food Service Program (SFSP), which allows local organizations to sponsor feeding programs, MANNA has been a strong advocate for SFSP for several years but became an SFSP Sponsor for the first time this summer.As a participating organization, MANNA FoodBank was reimbursed for start-up costs and a portion of the cost of meals served to eligible children. There were 11 such summer food sites for kids in Madison County, but nowhere near enough to meet the need.

Hunger Doesn’t Take a Summer Break

“ 'It was a no-brainer,' said Rev. Justice of the collaboration with MANNA FoodBank and the Summer Food Service Program. 'We knew we had hungry children, and we knew MANNA could help us get organized and get food to these kids.'

"Beth Stahl, MANNA’s youth programs coordinator, noted that while the Mars Hill Summer Food Service Program took some effort to get up and running, it was worth every bit of effort. “I couldn’t have dreamed of a more enthusiastic and determined community of volunteers unwilling to let kids go hungry over the summer,” Stahl said. The first-year program resulted in 5451 meals being served to 564 children over the summer until school began again in late August.

“ 'This was just one community in just one county in Western North Carolina,' notes Kitty Schaller, executive director of MANNA FoodBank. 'While the good folks from Mars Hill did an exemplary job, many more children throughout Western North Carolina are going hungry during the summer months, and the resources are there to feed more kids with the help of more community organizations.' MANNA FoodBank helps to provide food to agencies in 16 Western North Carolina counties and needs help from folks in each one of them.

"To that end, MANNA is recruiting volunteers now to sponsor Summer Food Service Program sites next summer, in an effort to help kids who are food insecure bridge the summer gap. Meals can be prepared on-site if the kitchen is adequately equipped, or sponsors may contract with a vendor to purchase prepared box meals.

“ 'More than $7.6 million of SFSP funding statewide – and more than $1 million in WNC alone - is lost because of lack of participation -- just left on the table in Washington, so to speak,' Schaller notes. 'It is imperative that more people and organizations become involved in the Summer Food Service Program to help provide much needed food to children during the long summer months.'

What You Can Do

"Organize. Sponsor a Summer Food Service Program in your community. Churches, civic and school clubs can adopt a school. Contact Beth Stahl at 828-299-FOOD (3663), x231 to learn how.

"Volunteer. Help MANNA Packs for Kids by volunteering to drive your van, SUV, or MANNA's van or small truck and deliver the food to school sites – or ride along to help a driver unload the MANNA Packs. Contact Beth Stahl at 828-299-FOOD (3663), x231 to learn more.

"Unite. Join MANNA FoodBank and Feeding America in taking action nationally to help stop hunger. Sign up at hungeraction.org. Urge full funding for the Childhood Nutrition Reauthorization Act, which provides essential funding for WIC (Women, Infants and Children), school breakfast and lunch programs, and other child nutrition programs which are being re-authorized for the next 5 years.

"Lobby. Contact federal and state lawmakers and ask them to make the SFSP application and reporting process smoother for those who want to organize a summer food service site. For a list of contacts, go to MANNAFoodBank.org."

This week at NBHS

Monday
5 pm - Boys' junior varsity soccer vs. McDowell High School
5 pm - Girls' junior varsity volleyball - Polk County
6 pm - Girls' varsity volleyball - Polk County
7 pm - Boys' varsity soccer vs. McDowell High School

Tuesday
5 pm - Girls' junior varsity volleyball vs. Clyde A Erwin High School
6 pm - Girls' varsity volleyball vs. Clyde A Erwin High School

Wednesday
TBA - Coed varsity cross country - United Way Invitational @ Southside Park, Newton
TBA - Girls' varsity tennis - MAC Championships @ TCR
5 pm - Boys' junior varsity soccer @ T C Roberson High School
7 pm - Boys' varsity soccer @ T C Roberson High School

Thursday
TBA - Girls' varsity tennis - MAC Championships @ TCR
5 pm - Girls' junior varsity volleyball @ Asheville High School
6 pm - Girls' varsity volleyball @ Asheville High School

Photo contest

Art Accents in Weaverville is sponsoring a "Day in the Life of Weaverville" photo contest--a 24-hour photo shoot to take place on Oct 23rd and 24th. The organizers are hoping to be able to get a lot of photos from locals that capture the "spirit" of our town. There is a $5 entry fee for the contest. This will be a fundraiser for the NBHS Odyssey of the Mind teams.

Prizes include a $25 Weaverville Merchant Gift Certificates.

Here is a link for more information - art-accents.com/photocontest

Joys of being a senior citizen

A release from Land of Sky Regional Council

"Some people dread getting old. Others don’t know what they’re missing! Old age is a gift – one that can be shared with others, especially the younger generation.

"Did you know that Ronald Reagan turned 70 just seventeen days after entering the office of President of the United Sates. In 1840, Henry Harrison was elected president at age 68. Toscanini was 87 and still directing a symphony orchestra. Thomas Edison was busy in his lab at 83. Winston Churchill led Great Britain at 76. Albert Schweitzer was still practicing missionary medicine at 90. Jomo Kenyata made Kenya the outstanding African nation when he was president at 80. Laura Ingalls Wilder wrote most of the stories which became TV’s Little House on the Prairie during her 70s, 80s, and 90s. Cecil B. deMille produced the movie Ten Commandments at age 75. Anna Mary Moses decided at 76 that she was bored with knitting and she took up painting. After that time “Grandma Moses” produced more than a thousand paintings. Michelangelo created St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome after he was 70.

"Becoming a 'senior citizen' is not something to be dreaded; instead it is an opportunity to make a difference. The Foster Grandparent Program sponsored by Land-of-Sky Regional Council gives seniors the opportunity to change the world – one child at a time.

"The Foster Grandparent Program enriches the lives of children and senior adults by building one-to-one relationships between them. With the intervention of the Foster Grandparents, young people improve their school readiness skills, their reading levels, their grades; they exhibit better behavior in the classroom, more self esteem and have less stress. The program enables the Foster Grandparents to share the experiences gained over a lifetime and to continue to play a vital role in the community.

"Foster Grandparents must be 55 years of age and older, have limited incomes, but most importantly, love working with children in day care centers or schools. Foster Grandparents receive a tax-free stipend of over $200 per month; three weeks paid vacation, and sick and holiday time off.

"If you’re interested in seeing that light bulb go off in a young child’s mind or helping a three year old learn colors and shapes, please call Stacy Friesland at the Land-of-Sky Regional Council, 251-6622. You’re never too old to make a difference, especially in the eyes of a child."

This week at NBHS

Monday
5 pm - Boys' junior varsity soccer @ A C Reynolds High School

5 pm - Girls' junior varsity volleyball - Rosman

6 pm - Girls' varsity volleyball - Rosman

7 pm - Boys' varsity soccer @ A C Reynolds High School

Tuesday
4 pm - Girls' varsity tennis @ Asheville High School

5 pm - Girls' junior varsity volleyball @ T C Roberson High School

6 pm - Girls' varsity volleyball @ T C Roberson High School

Wednesday
5 pm - Boys' junior varsity soccer @ Enka High School

7 pm - Boys' varsity soccer @ Enka High School

Thursday
3 pm - Girls' varsity golf - Buncombe County

4 pm - Girls' varsity tennis vs. A C Reynolds High School

7 pm - Boys' junior varsity football @ T C Roberson High School

Friday
7:30 pm - Boys' varsity football vs. T C Roberson High School

Concrete plant gets a leg up

In tomorrow's edition of the Weaverville Tribune, read more about the Superior Court's decision to require county officials to give permits for the construction of a concrete plant in Flat Creek. What are your feelings on the decision? Do you think the area will become a hazard or more dangerous if a concrete plant goes in on Murphy Hill Road? Or will it not have the impact many in the neighborhood fear?

Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy hike

What: Guided Hike in the Spring Creek Community
Who: Maxine and Jack Dalton, Hike Leaders and Landowners Kristina Tarasan, PR and Outreach Americorps Member, Co-leader
Where: Spring Creek Community, Madison County, NC
When: October 3, 2009 at 10:00 am
Cost: FREE to SAHC Members; $10.00 Non-Members
Description: Join members and friends of SAHC on October 3 for a challenging hike in the Spring Creek Community. The hike will begin at the home of Maxine and Jack Dalton at 10:00 am. The Dalton's place (75 acres), formerly the Spring Creek Tomato Company, has been in a conservation easement with SAHC since 1999. We will walk along the ridge top between the valleys of Spring Creek and Meadow Fork and enjoy beautiful views of Bluff Mountain and Max Patch. This a 4 to 5 hour strenuous hike on both private as well as national forest service land. The hike will end at the Dalton home at the top edge of their conservation easement.
Please Bring: Warm clothes (it gets chilly on the ridges), hiking shoes, rain gear, water bottle, backpack lunch, and a camera plus a hiking stick as it is very steep in places. Hikers should NOT bring their dogs to this trail.
Please RSVP: By October 1 to SAHC at kristina@appalachian.org or 828-253-0095 x 205. When you RSVP please include your telephone number so that you can be contacted in case the hike must be canceled due to inclement weather. Group size is limited to 10 people.
Directions: Will be sent upon RSVP.

Trail ride and hike benefit

This trail ride and hike in Dupont Forest on Saturday (Oct. 3) is to benefit 3-year-old and Asheville resident Kali Holderfield who is suffering from seizures. Her father works at Accu-Care in North Asheville and another benefit was held at Weaverville Community Center this summer. You can read her story here

More on this Saturday's ride and hike
Guion Farms in Dupont State Forest
Ride and hike begins at 10 am
$25 suggested donation for rider; $10 suggested donation for individual hiker and $25 for family
Hamburger or hot dog lunch served at 3 pm for $5 donation
Music by Sons of Ralph from 2 pm to 5 pm

Woodland Hills annexation

The Weaverville Town Council will hold a public hearing on the town's bid to annex portion of the Woodland Hills neighborhood Oct. 8. A vote may come at the council's regular monthly meeting in October.

Where do you come down on the town's latest annexation bid? Good idea or bad idea?

UNCA meeting tonight

Appalachian State University proposes to offer a master of arts degree in geography with a concentration in planning beginning August 2010 on the UNC-Asheville campus. An informational meeting about the proposed program will be held at 6 pm on Monday, Sept. 28 in Karpen Hall’s Laurel Forum Room on the UNCA campus. For directions, go to unca.edu/campusmap. This degree program offers those with a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution the opportunity to attend Appalachian classes at UNCA.

This week in sports at NBHS

Monday
3 pm: Girls' varsity golf - Reems Creek
5 pm: Boys' junior varsity soccer @ Clyde A Erwin High School
7 pm: Boys' varsity soccer @ Clyde A Erwin High School

Tuesday
5 pm: Girls' junior varsity volleyball @ Enka High School
6 pm: Girls' varsity volleyball @ Enka High School

Wednesday
4 pm: Girls' varsity tennis @ Clyde A Erwin High School
5 pm: Boys' junior varsity soccer vs. Asheville High School
7 pm: Boys' varsity soccer vs. Asheville High School

Thursday
3 pm: Girls' varsity golf - Reems Creek
4 pm: Girls' varsity tennis vs. Clyde A Erwin High School
5 pm: Girls' junior varsity volleyball vs. McDowell High School
6 pm: Girls' varsity volleyball vs. McDowell High School
7 pm: Boys' junior varsity football vs. McDowell High School

Friday
7:30 pm: Boys' varsity football @ McDowell High School

Saturday
9 am: Coed varsity cross country - Wendy's Invitational @ McAlpine Park, Charlotte

MAHEC Health Careers

A release from MAHEC...

"MAHEC, in partnership with the Boy Scouts of America, Mission Hospitals and the Health Adventure, has formed a new Explorer Post focusing on health careers.
“ 'We plan to provide exposure and hands-on opportunities for young adults in our area,' states Bob Henderson, MD. 'Careers in health- related fields have been some of the fastest growing in the past decade and will continue to boom as our population ages.'
"An informational meeting will be held from 6:30 pm to 7:30 pm on Oct. 8 at MAHEC, 501 Biltmore Ave. in classroom 4. The group will meet monthly in various healthcare settings. Young adults aged 14-20 are welcome to attend. For more information, call Amy Heller at 254-6186 ext. 26 or Carolyn Crook at 771-4227."

New shopping center brings in commerce, crime

Weaverville Police Chief Greg Stephens said last night at the council meeting that his department has seen an uptick in crime since Northridge Commons officially opened for business earlier this summer. While he declined to give specifics, Weaverville Town Manager Mike Morgan did say the town's decision to hire additional police officers several years ago when the project was approved has helped with the increase in activity.

What do you think? Are a few more arrests (and accidents as well) worth bringing shoppers and larger retail stores into Weaverville?

News from Big Ivy

The first annual Big Ivy Bluegrass Festival, held in August, pulled in about 400 guests during the daylong event, pleasing the organizers of this first-time event. More than a half-dozen bluegrass bands took the stage outside the Big Ivy Community Center.

This week's schedule at NBHS

Monday
4:30 pm - Girls' junior varsity volleyball @ East Burke High School

5 pm - Boys' junior varsity soccer vs. T C Roberson High School

5:30 pm - Girls' varsity volleyball @ East Burke High School

7 pm - Boys' varsity soccer vs. T C Roberson High School

Tuesday
4 pm - Girls' varsity tennis vs. McDowell High School

5 pm - Girls' junior varsity volleyball vs. Asheville High School

6 pm - Girls' varsity volleyball vs. Asheville High School

Thursday
TBA - Coed varsity cross country - ATC Fall Classic @ Carrier Park

4 pm - Girls' varsity tennis @ T C Roberson High School

5 pm - Girls' junior varsity volleyball @ A C Reynolds High School

6 pm - Girls' varsity volleyball @ A C Reynolds High School

7 pm - Boys' junior varsity football @ Enka High School

Friday
7:30 pm - Varsity football vs. Enka High School

ABC sales in Woodfin hold strong

Woodfin Town Administrator Jason Young said sales at the town's ABC store dipped .8 percent last month, although sales at Asheville area stores dipped by more than 5 percent. A late Labor Day in September contributed to the only slightly sluggish August sales, he said.

Art in Autumn

Rain or shine, Art in Autumn kicks off tomorrow in downtown Weaverville. Got images, reports, stories? Send them to us at wteditor@weavervilletribune.com or give us a call at 645-8911.

Woodfin water board meeting moved

The monthly meeting of the Woodfin Water Board will be held at 4 pm on Sept. 28 at the district offices, moved from its traditional date of the third Monday of every month.

Volunteer at NBHS game tonight

Hawk Club is looking for volunteers to help out with needs at tonight's NBHS football game. Kickoff is still scheduled for 7:30 pm

This week's NBHS athletic schedule

Monday
5 pm - Boys Junior Varsity Soccer vs. Enka High School

5 pm - Girls Junior Varsity Volleyball @ Pisgah High School

6 pm - Girls Varsity Volleyball @ Pisgah High School

7 pm - Boys Varsity Soccer vs. Enka High School

Tuesday
4 pm - Girls Varsity Tennis @ A C Reynolds High School

Wednesday
5 pm - Boys Junior Varsity Soccer @ McDowell High School

5 pm - Coed Varsity Cross Country - Owen Invitational @ Black Mountain Park

7 pm - Boys Varsity Soccer @ McDowell High School

Thursday
4 pm - Girls Varsity Tennis @ Enka High School

5 pm - Girls Junior Varsity Volleyball @ Clyde A Erwin High School

6 pm - Girls Varsity Volleyball @ Clyde A Erwin High School

7 pm - Boys Junior Varsity Football @ Mitchell High School

Friday
7:30 pm - Boys Varsity Football vs. Mitchell High School

Local farms, federal nutrition

A release from One Tray...

"One Tray, the national campaign to improve child nutrition by encouraging a more direct connection between local farms and federal nutrition, today launched two short videos depicting the cafeteria tray as the centerpiece for a reformed school food system that supports healthy children, local farms and smart schools.

" 'Lunch Encounters,' a spoof of Close Encounters of the Third Kind, and 'Priceless,' a MasterCard parody, were created by three of the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy’s Food and Society Fellows, Shalini Kantayya, Nicole Betancourt and Debra Eschmeyer, to raise awareness of Farm to School programs for the upcoming reauthorization of the Child Nutrition Act.

"The Child Nutrition Act, which expires Sept. 30, determines what more than 30 million children eat at school five days a week, 180 days a year, making school meals a critical entry point for improving children’s health. The Priceless video communicates that more than 30 percent of these children are overweight or obese, and for some low-income children, school food accounts for more than half of their daily calories. The videos explain the significance school food has in their diets and seek to ensure that those calories consumed are healthy ones."

"The One Tray campaign advocates for that future tray of Farm to School policy solutions that support:

Mandatory Funding for Farm to School Programs
Increased Reimbursement Rates
Strengthened Nutrition Standards for School Meal Programs and Competitive Foods

To show support, sign on to the petition at onetray.org."

Two bits of info from Barnardsville

Bee Keeping and Honey Making.
Monday, Sept. 14, 7:00 pm,Big Ivy Community Club 540 Dillingham Rd, Barnardsville

Have you noticed that the vegetable and fruit crops are doing poorly this year? One of the reasons could be the lack of local honey bees to pollinate these crops. Learn about keeping bees on your property and how to safely harvest honey.

Here are some things you can do to prepare.

1.Visit the Buncombe County Beekeeper's booth at the Mountain State Fair starting this weekend. We are located in the "new" Expo/Educational Building.
2. Buncombe County Beekeeper's meet the first Monday of each month at Groce United Methodist Church in East Asheville, 7pm-9pm. At 6:30pm, come with questions and talk to experienced beekeepers.
3. Please check out our AWESOME website- www.wncbees.org The website gives details about our meetings, upcoming events, publications on keeping and managing your bees, videos, etc.
4. Buncombe County Beekeepers are sponsoring "An Introduction to Beekeeping" at the Folk Art Center in November. Details and registration on our website, www.wncbees.org or call the Extension Office, 255-5522. 5. Buncombe County Beekeepers are sponsoring "Intermediate Beekeeping School" at Warren Wilson College in Jan-Feb 2010. Details and registration on our website, www.wncbees.org or call the Extension Office, 255-5522.


Annual Chef's Dinner to raise funds for 2010 Big Ivy Tailgate Market

The Big Ivy Tailgate Market's 2009 season is winding down (the market will be open through October) and we are starting to make plans for next year. To help improve and expand the market in 2010, we are applying for a matching grant through ASAP (Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project). To raise our half of the grant, we are offering a Chef's Dinner fund raiser. Chef Matt Adams will prepare applewood-smoked chicken kabobs and grilled veggies, using local Big Ivy foods. Chef Joseph Lamarca will prepare a scrumptious dessert. Plus, there will be an Auction of wonderful Big Ivy specialty food products, crafts, and other items.

Please join us! Saturday September 19 in the picnic shed on the grounds of the Big Ivy Community Center at 540 Dillingham Road in Barnardsville. 5:00-6:00 pm is social time. Dinner will be served at 6:00 pm. Tickets are $15/person or $25/couple; $5/child under 12.
To reserve your place(s), send a check payable to "Big Ivy Tailgate Market" and mail to Chef's Dinner, P.O. Box 189, Barnardsville, NC 28709. Or call 828-626-3101 to make a reservation. Reservation deadline is September 16.

Breaking news on Woodfin annexation

Go to our Web site for more on Woodfin's upcoming decision to suspend the Leicester annexation proposal...

http://www.weavervilletribune.com/breakingnews.html

Ethical society meeting

A release from the Ethical Society of Asheville...

" 'Nickel and Dimed - on (not) getting by in America' will be presented by Ethical Society member, Jane W. White with updates and hope at the September 20th meeting of the Ethical Society of Asheville, 2:00-3:30 at the Botanical Gardens Visitor Center, 151 W.T. Weaver Blvd.

"The presentation is based on a book of the same title written by Barbara Ehrenreich in 2001. Mrs. White feels deeply about the subject of "not getting by" on minimum wage salaries and believes it is even more difficult now than it was ten years ago. Solutions to alleviate this problem will be explored. There will be a discussion period following Mrs. White's presentation and, following the meeting, there will be time for informal conversation. All are welcome! For more information contact: asheville@aeu.org, www.aeu.org or 687-7759."

Juggling your money

Here's a release from Edward Jones...

"A new study by financial services firm Edward Jones found that nearly a third of parents (29 percent) have it covered and are saving equally for retirement and their child's college education. About another third (31 percent) are favoring one over the other and 26 percent aren't saving for either.

"The survey, which reports on parents-savings strategies, showed that younger parents ages 35 to 44 are more likely to save equally for retirement and college education (37 percent), than older parents ages 55 to 64 (23 percent).The study of 1,497 parents, which was conducted by Opinion Research Corporation on behalf of Edward Jones, revealed men are slightly more likely than women to save equally for both retirement and college (31 percent and 27 percent respectively), while a higher percentage of women (29 percent) revealed they are not saving at all for retirement or their child's education, compared with 23 percent of men.

"More respondents are choosing to only save for retirement (22 percent) rather than just their child's college education (9 percent). The survey also showed 37 percent of parents ages 18-34 are not saving for retirement or college at all.Differences in household income also had an impact on responses. Higher earners are primarily saving for retirement (33 percent) over saving for their child's college education (10 percent).

"Not surprisingly, higher earners are more likely to save equally for both retirement and college than lower earners. Nearly half (44 percent) of respondents who make less than $35,000 annually are not saving at all.Based on educational history, college graduates are more likely to save equally for both retirement and their child's college education than high school graduates (40 percent and 24 percent respectively).

"Forty percent of high school graduate parents are not saving at all, compared with only 12 percent of college graduate parents.Edward Jones provides financial services for individual investors in the United States and, through its affiliates, in Canada and the United Kingdom. Every aspect of the firm's business, from the types of investment options offered to the location of branch offices, is designed to cater to individual investors in the communities in which they live and work.

"The firm's 12,000-plus financial advisors work directly with more than 8 million clients to understand their personal goals -- from college savings to retirement -- and create long-term investment solutions that emphasize a well-balanced portfolio and a buy-and-hold strategy. "

NBHS atheltic schedule this week

Cross Country: Tuesday @ Home 5:00

Football Varsity: Friday @ Pisgah 7:30
JV: Thursday @ Home 7:00

Soccer Boys: Wednesday @ Home 7:00
JV: Wednesday @ Home 5:00

Tennis Girls: Tuesday @ Home 4:00

Volleyball: Wednesday @ Home 6:00; Thursday @ Home 6:00
JV: Wednesday @ Home 5:00; Thursday @ Home 5:00

Girls Golf: Tuesday @ Forest City 3:00

Solar panels going in at Mars Hill College

News for Mars Hill College....

"The project involves installation of 75 solar thermal collectors to serve three important college facilities: Pittman Dining Hall, Gibson Residence Hall and Brown Residence Hall. Panels are already in place on Brown Residence Hall, and today’s work will center on Gibson.

"The solar thermal systems are designed to generate energy to provide more than 3,000 gallons of hot water per day to meet the domestic hot water requirements for these facilities.

"The solar project at Mars Hill will be one of the largest in the state and will generate more energy than any solar project yet developed for a college, school or university in western North Carolina. That results in considerable environmental benefits. The project will prevent the release of more than 44 tons of carbon dioxide pollution into the atmosphere each year. This is the equivalent of taking 20 cars off the highway or planting 43 acres of trees.

"During the academic year, the three facilities involved use approximately 3,400 gallons of hot water per day. Beginning immediately after its installation, the project is expected to reduce the costs for the college to heat this water by 10%. Over a ten year period, Mars Hill is expecting a total reduction in costs of between 20% and 28% compared with using natural gas, a fossil fuel."

Concert this weekend in Burnsville

Knoxville “newgrassers” Wild Blue Yonder will perform at 7:30 pm on Friday (Sept. 4) at the Burnsville Town Center. Tickets are $10 and are now available at the Town Center. Burnsville audiences have enjoyed the rousing yet soulful brand of acoustic music this East Tennessee ensemble delivers for the past three years.

At this Friday’s show, Wild Blue Yonder will serve up old time fiddle favorites, a dash of bluegrass and plenty of traditional gospel numbers. A little clogging might even break out in the second set, as sometimes happens when the feisty foursome takes the Town Center stage.

Wild Blue Yonder has released two CDs, “Bolt Out Of The Blue” (2002) and “Above & Beyond” (2004), both of which are available at CDBaby.com. In describing their sound, the band often uses the term “Appalachian Americana,” which they say conveys a respect for tradition combined with more progressive leanings. For more information, go to wildblueyonderband.com and burnsvilletowncenter.com or phone 828-682-7209.

School supply donations

Teachers at Barnardsville Elementary School is asking anyone who is attending this weekend's Big Ivy Bluegrass Festival to bring along school supply donations to help with the school's reduced budget.

Volunteer opportunity tonight

Announcement from BlackHawk Club

"We have a volunteer opportunity this week for about 3 people to sell programs at the JV football game beginning at 6 tonight. We will need volunteers at the gates and in the stands until the kickoff.

"We also need 2 people to help with Hawk Club sign ups from 6:00 until the kickoff."

I-26 connector news

Weaverville Councilman Don Hallingse brought up a good point recently that North Buncombe has had little, if any, input in the I-26 connector talk that has been filtering throughout Asheville for years now.
Even though it may not be planning to alter the landscape of North Buncombe, it would represent a major shift in daily commutes for many in this area. We hope when, or better yet if, the connector comes to fruition that North Buncombe's voice will be heard.
In the meantime, here is news from the Montford Neighborhood Association, a group adamantly opposed to the current plans of bringing the connector through a portion of downtown Asheville.

"The Montford Neighborhood Association (MNA) recently issued a detailed and scathing position statement in response to the NC Department of Transportation’s (NCDOT) current plans for bringing the I-26 Connector through the center of downtown Asheville, a project that they say 'threatens the quality of life in Asheville.'
"According to Lael Gray, coordinator of the MNA’s I-26 Connector Working Group, the Montford position addresses not only the negative impacts of the four proposed alternates on the Montford neighborhood, but also raises concerns about quality of life and environmental impacts for Asheville as a whole.
"The Montford position presents a comprehensive statement of support for existing community development guidelines and goals, particularly those expressed in the Community Coordinating Committee report of 2000, which the Montford neighborhood insists are not fully met by any of the current proposals.
“ 'It’s important for Montford to weigh in on this issue since all of the plans will have a direct impact on our neighborhood,' said Gray. 'We want the community to know that the Department of Transportation has made changes to alternate 4B that we believe will have a devastating impact on the river and on the Montford neighborhood, including two large flyovers and an extensive six -lane double-decker highway immediately adjacent to the historic Riverside Cemetery. But we are equally concerned about the detrimental impacts of alternates 2, 3, and 4 on Asheville neighborhoods.'
“ 'This is not a ‘NIMBY’ response by Montford residents, advocating for the plan that has the least negative impact on us, but a statement of advocacy for the preservation of the quality of life in Asheville as a whole,' added Gray. 'We cannot endorse any of the alternates because ALL of the plans violate adopted community standards and put someone’s neighborhood at risk. The citizens of Asheville must stand together in unity and demand that all of our neighborhoods are protected.'
"In its report, the Montford Neighborhood Association demands compliance from the NCDOT with the Community Coordinating Committee’s project design goals for the I-26 connector project, adopted in 2000 with widespread community backing and support. The MNA wants assurance that the final plan for I-26 will meet the provisions of the Asheville City Development Plan 2025 and the NCDOT’s own 'Complete Streets' policy, and that it will not compromise or in any way interfere with implementation of the Wilma Dykeman Riverway Plan, which calls for creation of a comprehensive greenway network in Asheville.
"The MNA also wants action from City of Asheville staff, City Council members, and Buncombe County Commissioners.
“ 'Unfortunately, the Asheville City Council and Buncombe County Commissioners have yet to take adequate steps to ensure DOT compliance with community standards and projects, which they themselves endorsed and supported,' said Karen Kellow, an MNA officer. 'We are calling on City officials to take action immediately to protect the quality of life in Asheville that continues to be threatened by the I-26 connector project.' "

More on Slow Food Asheville

Slow Food Asheville with a release....

It’s Time for Lunch: Slow Food Asheville invites the community to join a potluck to find out about getting more Real Food into our Schools.

Asheville will be one of more than 200 communities hosting "Eat-Ins" on Labor Day, Sept. 7, 2009. Asheville’s Eat-In will be at Carrier Park Picnic Shelter, from 5:00 to 7:30 pm.

This is a grassroots effort to provide area citizens with information about school lunches – the progress being made by programs like Farm to School and what is needed to provide our community’s children with Real Food: food that tastes good, is good for them, is good for the people who grow and prepare it, and is good for the planet.

Everyone is asked to bring a dish to share (it’s a pot-luck), plates and forks for you and your family if you can (a limited number of compostable plates and utensils will be available) and maybe a picnic blanket on which to enjoy the event. There will be music, activities for children and lots of information on getting involved.

Eat-Ins are being planned all over the country to draw attention to the need for real, healthy food for the more than 30 million children who participate in the National School Lunch Program, part of the Child Nutrition Act that Congress will reauthorize later this year. Interest in healthy foods has been growing since Michelle Obama has started the White House garden.

Even if you can’t have a home garden this effort is a way to increase healthy foods in the community. The whole community is invited to come, enjoy a potluck, get information, and get involved in improving the food served to our community’s children.

ABC talk

The Woodfin ABC store reported record earnings for the month of July and expects another record for the month of August. Meanwhile, the construction on the Weaverville ABC store indicates it may be ready for business before the end of October. How will competition affect the two stores? We'll see...

Benefit trail ride for Kali Holderfield

A benefit trail ride/hike and cookout will be held Oct. 3 in Dupont Forest for Kali Holderfield, a 3-year-old Asheville girl whose family needs to cover medical costs to diagnose and treat her seizure attacks. A benefit was held last month at Weaverville Community Center for her family. For more information, call 828-206-7151 or 828-667-2001.

Need a job?

Looks promising... Here's the release

Liberty National to Sponsor “We’re Hiring” Event
August 19, Asheville, NC
Liberty National Life Insurance Company, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Torchmark Corporation (NYSE: TMK), headquartered in McKinney, Texas, announced it will hold a “We’re Hiring” event on Wednesday, August 19 in the Asheville area. Liberty National is in the most aggressive growth mode in the Company’s 109-year history and plans to hire more than 50 Agents in the Asheville area. This event is part of 125 events as Liberty National seeks to hire more than 2,500 Agents across the U.S. in one day.

When: Wednesday, August 19

Time: Interviews at 9 a.m., Noon, 3 p.m., 6 p.m.
Where: Quality Inn, 1 Skyline Dr., Arden, NC, 28704
Hotel phone number: 828-684-6688
Why: Liberty National is seeking to appoint 50+ Sales Agents and Sales Management positions initially, with the possibility of additional growth in the future. The Company provides complete training and the opportunity for rapid advancement at every level.
More information: www.lnlcareers.com or call 828-645-9742

Keep on running

Just saw Weaverville resident Josey Weaver out for a morning jog. He recently came in first at the Sourwood 5K in Black Mountain, besting the field by more than 90 seconds. Results can be found here

Beginning banjo, fiddle classes

Classes by local player Wayne Erbsen...

Classes for total beginners in bluegrass banjo, clawhammer banjo, fiddle and mandolin will be offered at the Log Cabin Cooking & Music Center in Asheville starting Sept. 1. These first-timer classes will be taught by Wayne Erbsen, who has been teaching for over 40 years and guarantees he can teach anyone to play banjo, fiddle or mandolin.

Erbsen has authored 26 books on playing various musical instruments, is a music professor at Warren Wilson College, and is host of Asheville's Public Radio WCQS "Country Roots" radio program on Sunday evenings at 88.1 FM from 7 - 9 pm.

For registration, fees, instrument rental and additional information, call (828) 299-7031, or go to nativegroundmusic.com , or email banjo@nativeground.com.

The Log Cabin Cooking & Music Center is located in the Haw Creek area of East Asheville at 111 Bell Road, Asheville NC 28805.

Farm to school

Release from the Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project...

"The Child Nutrition Reauthorization Act—important legislation regarding Farm to School programs that make local food, school gardens, and farm field trips available to children—is coming before Congress. Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project (ASAP), the Southeast Regional Lead Agency for Farm to School, is urging the public to advocate for mandatory funding for a Farm to School grant program.

"Farm to School programs are good for kids and their health. The programs are also good for schools, creating educational opportunities and increasing the number of children who buy school lunches. Furthermore, Farm to School benefits farmers and the community as a whole, providing farmers with new markets, and keeping dollars in the local economy. Find talking points, more reasons to support Farm to School, and links for contacting your legislators on ASAP’s blog, http://www.getlocalasap.blogspot.com/

"On Sept. 30, Congress will vote on funding for Farm to School programs. Farm to School has been authorized for, but never received, national funding. ASAP supports the allocation of $50 million over five years in mandatory funding for a Farm to School grant program (Section 122), administered by the USDA.

"Check www.growing-minds.org for updates, or contact Brook Thompson in the ASAP office at brook@asapconnections.org or 828-236-1282."

ASAP is a group dedicated to increasing access to fresh, healthy foods.

Newly formed Big Ivy committee

Release from Big Ivy Community Center...

"The monthly BICC meeting at 7 pm on Monday (Aug. 10) will be a discussion about the newly formed Big Ivy Rural Preservation Society. The BICC group that has been discussing a vision for Big Ivy's future for the past 10 months is now officially the Big Ivy Rural Preservation Society. Our mission statement is 'to promote the preservation of farmland and other natural resources and enhance the quality of rural life in the Big Ivy community.' "

Health care discussion

"Health System Reform - What are the options?" will be presented by Karl Katterjohn, PA at the Aug. 16 meeting of the Ethical Society of Asheville, 2:00-3:30 at the Botanical Gardens Visitor Center, 151 W.T. Weaver Blvd. Mr. Katterjohn has over 35 years in healthcare education and delivery and has been involved on the federal level regarding maldistribution of health care services and reimbursement for healthcare. The discussion period following Mr. Katterjohn's presentation will be lead by Kathryn Liss. Following the meeting, there will be time for informal conversation. All are welcome! For more information contact: asheville@aeu.org, www.aeu.org or 687-7759.

The Ethical Society of Asheville states it "is a humanist, educational, philosophical, non-theistic alternative to traditional religions. It is affiliated with the American Ethical Union, which is affiliated with the American Humanist Association and the International Humanist and Ethical Union. Members are inspired by the ideal that the supreme aim of human life is working to create a more humane society."

Mayor, town recognized by state

The Town of Weaverville and its mayor Bett Stroud have been recognized by the N.C. Division of Forest Resources. The town was given the Tree City of the Year award and the mayor was awarded the lifetime acheivement award. You can read more about here at the NCDFR Web site.

Local nature events

Release of events from Wild Birds Unlimited

Sat August 8 - Jackson Park Birdwalk, Jackson Park, Hendersonville, 8 am, No charge
Sat August 8 - Butterflying at Harmon's Den with Carolina Field Birders; Leaders: Gail Lankford and Janie Owens; Meet at 9 am at Pilot Gas Station, Exit 24 off I-40; car-pooling from there
Sat. August 8 - "Meet the Artists" at the Asheville WBU”- Join painter Lisa Walraven and photographer Todd Arcos and learn about their skills in painting and photography. 3 pm
Sat August 8 - Introduction to fishing on the Rocky Broad River in Chimney Rock Park 3pm
Sat August 8 -Know your trees guided hike at Chimney Rock Park 9-11 am; Learn how to recognize trees and shrubs at a glance. Participants will see at least 30 different trees amid this easy 2-hour woodland excursion.
Tues August 11 - Coffee Morning at Asheville Wild Birds Unlimited: 9 -11 am; Come and taste our bird –friendly shade-grown coffees plus enjoy some of Chris’s home made cookies.
Thursday August 13 - Transylvania County Butterfly Count; Meet in front of the Bi- Lo Grocery Store at the intersection of US 64, 276, and NC 280 (Forest Gate Shopping Center) in Brevard at 9 am.
Fri August 14 - Habitat for the Birds- Program at Infinity Investment in Arden 10:30 am; Providing homes and water are sure ways to bring birds to your property.
Sat August 15 - Birdwalk at The Orchard, Altapass, Mitchell County 8 am; Meet at the Loops Overlook, Milepost 328 on BRP
Sat August 15 - Beaver Lake Work Day 8 am -12 (rain date is August 16)
Tues August 18 - “Birding- Near and Far” - Arboretum Bird Lecture Series with Simon Thompson
Sat August 22 - Birds of Prey Soar at WBU: 11 am at the store; Join Raptor specialist Doris Mager for a spectacular insight into birds of prey, including live birds.
Sat August 22 - Birdwalk at The Orchard, Altapass, Mitchell County 8 am
Tues August 25 - Coffee Morning at Asheville Wild Birds Unlimited: 9 -11 am; Come and taste our bird –friendly shade-grown coffees plus enjoy some of Chris’s home made cookies.
Sat August 29 - Birdwalk at The Orchard, Altapass, Mitchell County; 8 am

To get to the Asheville Wild Birds Unlimited: From downtown Asheville and north:
Head south through town on US 25, continue south past Biltmore Village, continue past Skyland PO on left. We are on right side of road- opposite Don Papa’s Mexican Restaurant, 2 blocks north of Long Shoals Road - #1997

For more information on any of the above activities, please call Wild Birds Unlimted at 687-9433 for details or check out the Web site asheville.wbu.com

Let it begin

With so many North Buncombe political candidates running un-opposed this year (Woodfin mayor, Weaverville mayor, Woodfin aldermen), the 2009 race has gotten off to a rather slow start.
Candidate for the Weaverville Town Council Doug Dearth has unveiled a Web site to kick start the election season.
It can be found here

Runoff

These pictures were sent in by Hartwell Carson of RiverLink. A recent July rain sent waters rushing through Little Ivy Creek, so impactful that some of the fish were unable to breathe and washed up on shore. Monday's rain turned the Little Ivy Creek a familiar color, brown. Taylor Barnhill has noticed the river brown after each rain storm this summer, but this time a host of dead fish washed up along the stream bank next to his property. The mud runoff was so great the fish could no longer breath in the water.

Since mud in thestreams in the number one polluter in the French Broad Watershed, RiverLink has been diligently training volunteers to monitor such incidents. Taylor Barnhill, who witnessed the waters, graduated from RiverLink's Muddy Water Watch training in 2008 and upon seeing the muddy stream was prepared to notify the appropriate regulators.

RiverLink has ongoing Muddy Water Watch trainings. For more information contact the French Broad Riverkeeper at 828-252-8474 or at riverkeeper@riverlink.org.

RiverLink is a regional non-profit spearheading the economic and environmental revitilzation of the French Broad River Watershed. Go to http://www.riverlink.org/ for more information.

Info on adult studies

Press release from Montreat College...

Montreat College School of Professional and Adult Studies will host an information session / application workshop at the Asheville Arts Center on Tuesday, August 4th from 6:30 until 7:30 p.m. The information session will give parents the opportunity to learn more about Montreat's adult-focused degree programs in Asheville, while at the same time allowing them to view Asheville Arts Center's facilities and offerings. Montreat College's School of Professional and Adult Studies in Asheville has been offering Master's, Bachelor's and Associate's degree programs to fit the busy schedules of adults for over a decade with its unique, one night per week format.

The Asheville Arts Center is a school based on unlimited opportunities for students of all ages to explore their interests in music, dance, and drama. The school fosters a love and appreciation for the arts through student-teacher relationships, which encourage and help their students excel at doing what they dream of doing. They offer high-quality instruction and educational experiences because they are committed to the art of teaching and the teaching of the arts. It is their hope to build art and awareness in the community and provide a "home" for families to pursue their dreams.

Please join Montreat College at the Asheville Arts Center located at 308 Merrimon Avenue to learn more about both of these educational opportunities. Space at the Arts Center is limited so please RSVP today to reserve your seat. Light refreshments will be provided. For more information and to RSVP, please contact Sarah Yerkey at (828) 667-5044 or syerkey@montreat.edu or Michael Wilson at (828) 253-4000 or michael@ashevilleartscenter.com.

Crafts fair in Burnsville

A release about the Mt. Mitchell Crafts Fair...

The town square of Burnsville will again serve as the picturesque setting for one of the largest crafts fairs in the Blue Ridge Mountains.

The 53rd annual Mt. Mitchell Crafts Fair takes place Aug. 7-8, offering nearly every kind of handmade craft imaginable. The popularity of the fair is such that it draws tens of thousands of people and has been named one of the Southeast’s Top 20 “must do” events for summer 2009 by the Southeast Tourism Society.

More than 200 juried crafters will showcase their wares, allowing visitors to choose from a selection that includes handmade quilts, jewelry from local gemstones, hand-turned wooden bowls, pottery of every design, traditional mountain instruments, jewelry, soaps & lotions, and stained glass art. Many of the artisans will be working their craft throughout both days.

In addition to the variety of exhibitors, the Mt. Mitchell Crafts Fair includes live entertainment and a food court showcasing such Southern staples as barbecue and homemade ice cream.

Entertainment on the bandstand includes such traditional mountain music as bluegrass, folk and gospel, as well as local dance and clogging groups.

“Not only is this one of the most iconic events in the Blue Ridge, it is also free,” says Peggy Rogers of the Yancey County Chamber of Commerce. “And where else can you find such unique items like hand-hewn rhododendron chairs, intricate candelabras, quilts from some of the best quilters since Betsy Ross, and jams and jellies as good as Aunt Bea used to make!”

Burnsville is located in Yancey County, which is home to Mt. Mitchell, the highest peak east of the Mississippi at an elevation of 6,684 feet. Burnsville is about 20 miles from the Blue Ridge Parkway and 35 miles northeast of Asheville.

For information on the 53rd annual Mt. Mitchell Crafts Fair, call (828) 682-7413, or visit www.mtmitchellcraftsfair.com.

What is the value?

Weaverville Councilman Gene Knoefel made a good point at the council meeting Monday (July 20) about the deed restrictions the council voted to place on the sale of the old fire station might have devalued the building.
Weaverville Town Manager Mike Morgan said two interested parties dropped out of the bidding process after reading the deed restrictions, although he added there are two more interested parties that might enter an upset bid.
The lone current bid is $350,000.
With the restrictions, the economy, and the repairs the building will need just to get to an operational state, what is the value of the old fire station?