Six years of Blue Mountain Pizza

Six years of Blue Mountain Pizza in Weaverville. Here's some info from owner Matt Danford about how it is being celebrated.

"Please join Blue Mountain Pizza on Tuesday March 2nd from 5 pm until 9 pm for our Sixth Anniversary Celebration.

"As in years past we will be celebrating with a All You Can Eat Pizza buffet. We will also offer a limited menu that evening of salads and sandwiches. Our delivery will not be affected.

"With the purchase of a regular priced drink the All You Can Eat Pizza buffet will be $12.99. If you are one of our Newsletter Subscribers and have a coupon the price is reduced to a remarkable $6.

"You will also notice as we prepare for our anniversary we are doing a bit of remodeling and have now doubled the number of draft beers we are able to offer. While we will be changing our selection on a regular bases currently we have added a Pisgah India Ale with a gravity of 7.5 percent, a Duck Rabbit Brown Ale from Farmville NC and a Bell's Oberon Ale which is an American wheat ale, spicy and fruity."

NBACC yard sale

Reminder about this Saturday's yard sale for the N. Buncombe Assoc. of Concerned Citizens from Karen Launier.

"This is a reminder about our NBACC Yard Sale this Saturday 2/27 at the Flick Video Plaza parking lot, (Tri-City Plaza) between 8:30 and 3:00 pm. I have heard from some people, but we really need EVERYBODY’S support to make this a successful event. Your participation is so important--and there is still time.

"The Young Life Camp is letting us use 8 big tables, which we will tag for different categories such as kitchen stuff, games/kids stuff, women’s clothes, men’s clothes, shop/tools, etc. Please bring your donations Saturday any time between 7:00 to 8:30 AM if possible, already priced, and sort them out onto the tables as marked. If you can’t make it on Saturday morning with your donations, we would be happy to pick them up. Just email me at greenweaver10@gmail.com or call me at 658-9987, and we will arrange a good time.

"One more request—Does anyone have a clothes rack with extra hangers we could borrow for the day? Please let me know. As of today, it looks like it will be cold on Saturday, but only a 10-20% chance of precipitation—so the YARD SALE is a GO! I hope you are putting a pile of stuff together. And if you don’t have items to donate, please come and shop. A lot of flyers have been put in mailboxes and in stores, and we have some Yard Sale signs we will put out also—so we are expecting a good turnout."

Farmers conference this weekend

A release from the Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project

Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project’s seventh annual Marketing Opportunities for Farmers Conference will be held on Feb. 27 at Warren Wilson College in Swannanoa. The conference supports farmers’ efforts to tap into the growing interest in local food.

In the new global economy, it’s hard for local family farmers to stay in business if they only sell to wholesale markets. Each year, more farmers try new strategies such as vending at farmers markets, selling to local chefs and grocers, and working with distributors and institutional buyers such as schools and hospitals in their own communities. Farmers who have succeeded in these diverse markets, as well chefs, grocers, and distributors interested in local purchasing, will share their knowledge and network at the conference.

“The local food market is very promising for family farmers, but it’s a complex business enterprise,” says Peter Marks of Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project (ASAP). “ASAP offers this conference to help farmers think like entrepreneurs.” Workshops will address topics such as farm business planning, Quickbooks accounting software, and promotional strategies.

Farmers, those seriously interested in farming, food buyers, and high school age FFA students are invited to attend the full day of networking and training. Potential buyers of locally-grown goods are also invited to attend the full conference, or come to network at lunch for no charge. Opportunities for farmer/buyer meetings are planned.

For more, go to asapconnections.org

Guns in national parks

Not particular to North Buncombe but worth mentioning nonetheless because of the dearth of national parks and sites in our area (Blue Ridge Parkway, Smoky Mountains, Carl Sandburg, Andrew Johnson). Loaded guns are now permissible in parks provided owners adhere to the local gun laws in effect. Read more about it here. Where do you come down on this?

This week at NBHS

Baseball and softball scrimmages start this weekend.

Monday
6:30 pm - Girls' varsity basketball - Sectional tournament @ NBHS
8 pm - Boys' varsity basketball - Sectional tournament @ NBHS

Friday
TBA - Varsity wrestling - State championships @ Greensboro

Saturday
TBA - Varsity wrestling - State championships @ Greensboro
TBA - *Scrimmage* Varsity softball @ Tuscola High School
Noon - *Scrimmage* Boys' junior varsity baseball @ Patton High School
Noon - *Scrimmage* Boys' varsity baseball @ Patton High School

Protecting the area's land

Release from Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy

Over the past year development has slowed in the mountains giving the mountain land trusts an opportunity to ensure that some of the most significant places in the region are protected forever. Despite the challenges posed by the current economic climate, the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy (SAHC) protected 1,882 acres in 2009 in North Carolina’s Buncombe, Madison and Avery counties - the equivalent of 1,426 football fields.

In 2009 alone SAHC has helped to protected over 1,230 acres of farmland including the 509-acre Bee Branch Farm and the 76-acre Myrtle Duckett Farm, both in Buncombe County’s Sandy Mush farming community.

SAHC is one of 10 partners in Blue Ridge Forever coalition, which announced it is on track to meet its five-year goal to protect 50,000 acres by the end of 2010. As they head into the final year of the campaign, the coalition members have protected 329 properties, to total 45,046 acres.

Land trusts permanently protect land with high conservation values, such as clean drinking water, wildlife, scenic vistas and working local farms. They work with willing landowners, public agencies, and private and public funders either to negotiate conservation agreements or to buy land in order to protect it forever.

Update on MAC Tournament

The Mountain Athletic Confeence Tournament has been split into 3-A and 4-A regions because of the snow delays. All 3-A games will be at North Buncombe and all 4-A games will be at McDowell. North Buncombe boys' won a share of the 3-A regular-season MAC crown.

Schedule - to be finalized when Erwin finishes its season

Thursday

3:30 - Erwin or NB(girls) vs. Enka

6:00 - Erwin or NB(girls) vs. Asheville

5:00 - Enka vs. Erwin (boys)

8:00 - NB vs. Asheville (boys)
 
Friday night's championship games begin at 6:30 pm. Asheville is only one of two opponents to have defeated the North Buncombe boys in 2010.

MAC Tournament up in the air

Plans for this week's Mountain Athletic Conference basketball tournament are still up in the air. North Buncombe is scheduled to host the tournament and games were to begin tonight, but will not start tonight because the regular season is not yet finished.

Schools are cancelled today because of weather, but tonight's North Buncombe/Reynolds game is still scheduled. It is the BlackHawks' senior night. Erwin is set to finish up the MAC regular season Tuesday night (Feb. 16) against McDowell.

We will update the schedule as soon as we receive notification.

UPDATE: NBHS/Reynolds to play at 1 pm Monday at NBHS. Varsity only. Decision on MAC Tournament to come Tuesday.

SAHC hike

What: Guided Walhalla Trail Hike

Who: Judy Coker- Hike Leader, Co-owner of Cataloochee Ranch, SAHC Board Trustee
Kristina Tarasan, PR and Outreach Americorps Member, Hike Co-leader

Where: Cataloochee Ranch in Maggie Valley, NC

When: Wednesday, February 24 at 10:00 am

Cost: FREE to SAHC Members; $10.00 Non-Members

Description: Join members and friends of SAHC on Wednesday, February 24th for our first hike of the year! The Walhalla Trail is an easy to moderate 4 mile hike at Cataloochee Ranch. The trail winds through rhododendron tunnels, cove hardwood forests and contains superb vistas of the Plott Balsam range and the Waynesville watershed.

Please Bring: Warm clothes, hiking shoes, rain gear, water bottle, backpack lunch, and a camera. Hikers may bring well-behaved, leashed dogs to this trail.

Please RSVP by February 19th 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.

In case of inclement weather the hike will be rescheduled for Wednesday, March 10th.

For more on SAHC, go to appalachian.org.

Homeward Bound play production

Nearly 100 actors and performers have volunteered their time and talents to create a community play to benefit Homeward Bound of Asheville. The extravaganza, called "Always Expect Miracles," is the first production of Homeward Bound’s newly-formed community performance project, Just Home in the Mountains (http://www.justhome.org/)

The production will be performed on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings, plus Saturday matinees, from Feb. 11 until March 6, at the First Congregational United Church of Christ, 20 Oak Street in Asheville. Tickets are on sale now at the Pack Place Education, Arts, and Science Center (828-257-4500), with 100 percent of the proceeds going to benefit Homeward Bound of Asheville.

"Always Expect Miracles," written by award-winning playwright Jules Corriere, is a mixture of stories gathered from residents of WNC and artfully woven into a compelling chronicle.

The mission of Homeward Bound is to end the cycle of homelessness.

New book from former area educator

Former Buncombe County educator Annie Callahan (Pitts) will launch her first book "You'll Never Believe What God Was Wearing When Times Got Tough and the Mall Closed," at an event from 7 pm to 9 pm on Thursday (Feb. 11) at Barnes & Noble at the Asheville Mall. The book is geared toward adolescent girls. With purchase of the book, free four-week journaling sessions will be included. There will be drawings for a free book, and souvenir back-pack pins for the first 25 participants.

Old fire station development

The old Weaverville fire station on South Main Street is beginning to look a little different, including the bay doors that are now covered. The owner and developer of the building, Lou Accornero, said last fall when he purchased it from the town he hoped to develop it within a year after making the necessary repairs and house several different spaces, including possibly a new restaurant. What would you like to see at the redeveloped fire station?

This week at NBHS

Tuesday
TBA - Varsity wrestling - State Duals
4 pm - Girls' junior varsity basketball @ Asheville High School
5 pm - Boys' junior varsity basketball @ Asheville High School
6:30 pm - Girls' varsity basketball @ Asheville High School
8 pm - Boys' varsity basketball @ Asheville High School

Thursday
TBA - Varsity wrestling - State Duals

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

Saturday
TBA - Varsity wrestling - State Duals
TBA - Coed varsity swimming - NCHSAA

NBMS girls come up short in title game

The North Buncombe Middle School girls' basketball team dropped a heartbreaker to Valley Springs on Wednesday (Feb. 3) in the French Broad Conference Tournament championship. After trailing by as many as 12 in the second half, the BlackHawks staged a furious comeback, only to come up short. Haley Higgins led the BlackHawks with 12 points. Coach Sarah Baldwin's first season at the helm was a success, finishing 13-4, with three of the losses coming against Valley Springs.

Book appearence for Flight 1549 survivors

US Airways Flight 1549, which plunged into the Hudson River one year ago, served as a shakeup and a wake-up for two of the surviving passengers who will speak in Asheville on Sunday (Feb. 7).

Debbie Ramsey of Knoxville and Beth McHugh of Charlotte will head the special event “Brace for Impact: Life Lessons from Survivors of the Miracle on the Hudson” from 6:00-7:30 p.m. at Jubilee Community, 46 Wall Street. They will be joined by Kevin Quirk, co-author of the new book “Brace For Impact: Miracle on the Hudson Survivors Share Their Stories of Near Death and Hope for New Life” (HCI Books). Ramsey and McHugh are two of the book’s 25 passengers and first responders who detail their experiences with the notorious Miracle on the Hudson on Jan. 15, 2009.

One of the crew members on the flight, Shelia Dail, lives in Woodland Hills.

Ramsey lost her job while suffering from post-traumatic st ress syndrome and still fears flying, but discovered that the trauma prompted her to slow down, appreciate family and faith, and “has made me a much stronger person.” McHugh’s gratitude at surviving the crash and rescue spurred her to hug everyone she meets because “they are a gift I never expected to have. Many people tell me that when they hug me, they feel like they are hugging a miracle. ” McHugh recently chose early retirement to spend more time with her daughters and grandchildren, while Ramsey looks for forums to share her message that “no matter how hard life may be at any time, there is always hope. I prepared myself to die three times that day.”

Admission is on a donation basis, and a book signing sponsored by Malaprop’s Bookstore/Cafe will follow the talk. At 2 pm on Sunday, Ramsey, McHugh, and Quirk also will hold a talk and book signing at Barnes and Noble, Asheville Mall. Part of the royalties earned from their book will be donated to the American Red Cross and other first responder groups.

For more information, go to braceforimpact.hcibooks.com.

This week at NBHS

Wednesday
4 pm - Girls' junior varsity basketball at T.C. Roberson
5 pm - Boys' junior varsity basketball at T.C. Roberson
6:30 pm - Girls' varsity basketball at T.C. Roberson
8 pm - Boys' varsity basketball at T.C. Roberson

Friday4 pm - Girls' junior varsity basketball vs. Erwin

5 pm - Boys' junior varsity basketball vs. Erwin
6:30 pm - Girls' varsity basketball vs. Erwin
8 pm - Boys' varsity basketball vs. Erwin

Saturday
TBA - Varsity wrestling - MAC Tournament at Roberson
TBA - Coed swimming - NCHSAA regionals