Update on Reynolds Village development

If you are a regular visitor to the Neighborhood YMCA in Woodfin or see the construction from the future Interstate 26, you know that the new additions to the Reynolds Village development are progressing along. The first apartment building is currently scheduled to open in June. A mixed-use building should open in July with additional buildings opening in the following months.

Spaces still left in fundraiser 5K

Last-minute registrations needed for the 5K run and fun walk fundraiser for North Buncombe-based ministry Carpenters Heart. Plan on joining as we run for a reason Saturday morning (March 26) at Carrier Park in Asheville. Registration for both events is still open online until 5 pm on Friday (March 25). Register now as we only have 50 gift bags left and spots are filling fast. The 5K registration is $25 with proceeds going to aid in the building of an orphanage in Honduras. Up to 125 t-shirts and gift bags will be awarded to those who register first. Race starts at 9:45am with race day registration open from 8-9:30 on race day.

If you want to help but cant quite make a 5k come out and do the funwalk. $10 online registration or from 8-8:45 on race day. Your donations will help give a home to the homeless. Register at carpentersheart.org.

Praise for the public works, police department

Several at Monday's (March 21) Weaverville Town Council meeting gave kudos to town departments.

Ron Sussex praised the town's public works department for picking up his leaves and assorted brush recently.

Mayor Al Root also said the town's police department deserves recognition for some of the work its officers that may go under the radar. Root recently spotted a potentially diseased raccoon near his home and before he could make any phone calls about it, a Weaverville officer was on the scene, keeping the animal cornered until animal services could arrive.

Win a LEAF for Sundance Power Systems

Sundance Power Systems in Weaverville is working to win a Nissan LEAF, a 100 percent electric car. They are asking for community help.

I am excited to be working on this educational campaign for Electric Vehicles and the potential for them to be powered with solar energy, hence the name PV-EV campaign.

Watch our PV-EV Video!

Please support this effort by watching the video and vote for "us" to win a Nissan LEAF. I say us because it will be a community win. As the outreach coordinator for Sundance Power Systems I will use this car to be out in the community and it will be a VE... Vehicle for Education.

The voting opportunity ends on April 13, so please act now and help spread the word.

Asheville Idol Karaoke

Buncombe County Sheriff Van Duncan has agreed to be a “Hero for the American Red Cross” as part of the ongoing Red Cross fundraising campaign.

The Heroes Campaign is the largest annual fund-raising campaign conducted by the local Red Cross and funds donated are used to provide services to the local community.

As part of his fundraising effort Sheriff Duncan is organizing an “Asheville Idol Karaoke” contest. This is a great opportunity to show off your singing voice, win a $500 cash prize and help the American Red Cross at the same time. Join us for this exciting event and support the Asheville Area Red Cross. All proceeds will go the Asheville Area Red Cross and refreshments will be available for purchase during the event. Visit Sheriff Duncan’s Heroes site at:

http://american.redcross.org/site/TR/Heroes/Heroes2011?px=8776358&pg=personal&fr_id=1313

What: Asheville Idol Fundraiser $500 Grand Prize

Where: AB Tech Simpson Auditorium- Preliminary Auditions
AB Tech Ferguson Auditorium- Contest Finals

When: Saturday March 26, 2011
Preliminary Audition- Doors Open 1:00 pm
Finals- 7:00 pm

Cost: Spectators/Friends $5 cover(all proceeds go to the American Red Cross)
Singers $20.00 entry fee(non-refundable)

The contest will be run by Sound Extreme Entertainment.

Sound Extreme Entertainment contest rules are as follows:
• Persons who entertain are allowed to compete as long as it is part-time income and that person does not belong to any professional organization connected with the entertainment industry that would cause Sound Extreme Entertainment or any of Sound Extreme Entertainment's representatives' to pay such contestant a fee or any other benefit for taking part in any the contest.
• Any person may enter the contest that belongs to an Organized Labor Union connected with the entertainment industry, as long as that person is not disqualified by rule number 2.
• Contestants MAY NOT utilize live props.
• Contestants are not allowed to leave the stage or stage area during their performance. This includes singing or performing within the audience.
• Song time limit is 5 minutes.
• Contestants may sing the same song as another contestant.
• Songs containing vulgar or explicit sexual lyrics will not be allowed. • Contestants will sing one judged song.
• Contestants, their family or associates are not allowed to have contact with a contest judge before or during any contest connected with Sound Extreme Entertainment.
• Contestants, their family or associates who exhibit offensive behavior during any portion of the contest will disqualify that contestant from further competition.
• Contestants will be scored using a 60 point system:
• Vocal Ability (rhythm/pitch/phrasing) 1-30 points
• Stage Presence (movement/confidence/command) 1-20 points
• Appearance (costume/attire) 1-10 points
• Decisions of the judges are final.
• Clubs/Venues shall post in a conspicuous place, the final scores of all contestants of a semi final competition. Scores during the preliminary portion of a contest may or may not be posted and is left to the discretion of the club/venue. • Complaints may be directed in a dignified manner to the contest host.
• No KJ/KJ assistant/Club owner/Venue owner/Venue lessee/their family connected directly with Sound Extreme Entertainment may enter.

REI Garage Sale to benefit Manna

From REI...

REI Asheville is striving to donate 1,000 pounds of canned food to MANNA FoodBank at its next Garage Sale and Food Drive on Saturday (March 19). REI’s Garage Sale is known for its great deals on used outdoor items - from gear to clothing to footwear. Typically, REI Asheville’s Garage Sale is opened to all REI members who can find used and returned gear 40 percent - 60 percnet off. This upcoming Garage Sale will be slightly different since it is also a food drive: all REI members must bring two cans of food to be able to shop the Garage Sale. Doors open at 10 AM, but due to its popularity a long line does form beforehand. This is a wonderful opportunity for outdoor enthusiasts to give back to our local community and support an incredible organization like MANNA FoodBank. REI is located in Biltmore Park Town Square.

Retirement planning workshop at UNCA

Many pre-retirees are likely to put off making important decisions on the complex subject of retirement planning, according to a recent study by the MetLife Mature Market Institute. Only 35 percent of 45- to 49-year-olds felt prepared to retire compared with 64 percent of 60- to 64-year-olds. Learn how to plan your early retirement by attending the Retirement Planning Today workshop conducted at UNC-Asheville on March 17 and March 19. For more details call Kim at 828-651-9617 or go to http://www.wallco.com/documents/RPTMar11UNCA.pdf.

March is Eggtastic

Fun puns abound in this release from the Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project. Check out the news about farms in Alexander and Barnardsville.

Local eggs get eggstra special attention this month in Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project’s (ASAP) Get Local campaign—a year-round initiative that brings together farmers, chefs, and community members in celebration of a featured local food. And it’s not just area producers who are eggstatic about the nod. Their chickens, ducks, and quails are also on board, laying even more eggstraordinary eggs for us to enjoy as spring nears.

Local chefs and bakers are excited, too. Many source local eggs year-round for their menus but see this as a chance to make eggs the star of the show. “We plan to make some fantastic March specials,” shares Cathy Cleary, co-owner of West End Bakery in Asheville, a Get Local participating restaurant that sources their eggs from Farside Farms in Alexander. “On the savory side, we’ll be making fresh egg salads with spring herbs and our famous egg sandwiches on homemade biscuits and bagels. If dessert is what you want, look for our banana pudding, lemon custard pie, or chocolate chip meringue cookies!”

Want to scramble, poach, or fry at home? Local eggs are widely available now at area grocery stores and farm stands. You can also buy direct from the farm. Headwaters of Poverty Farm defies eggspectations by selling duck eggs direct to customers from their farm in Barnardsville. While eggs will be out of the Get Local spotlight when markets begin opening for the season next month, they’ll certainly be available at tailgates as well—you may even find vendors with quail eggs.

Browse the more than 350 regional farms and businesses offering up local eggs, including those mentioned above, in ASAP’s Local Food Guide at buyappalachian.org. Find the 2011 calendar of featured foods, as well as a list of Get Local restaurants, at asapconnections.org/getlocal.html. There, you can also download a Get Local school calendar, where this month the focus is on apples.

Montford Park Players seek volunteers

The Montford Park Players have officially exceeded their goal in pledged donations to renovate Asheville’s beloved Hazel Robinson Amphitheatre, ensuring a fine run of free Shakespearean shows in the park this summer.

The project funding will help bring the current performance space back to life, with new materials for safety, aesthetics and durability. There will also be changes allowing for improved sightlines, lighting and acoustics. The Montford Park Players, an all volunteer non-profit theatre company, are mostly relying on support from their members and the greater Asheville community to help rebuild. Volunteers can swing a hammer or a paintbrush on Saturdays throughout March and April to help keep this 38 year old Asheville tradition alive.

Contact the theater at 254-5146 to volunteer.

Grading near I-26/Barnardsville Highway

Some people have been asking about the construction work going on near exit 15 off the future Interstate 26 just north of Weaverville.

The 80-acre site is owned by Volvo and it was planned as a training and demonstration center for the company's heavy construction division, although that proposal was put on hold several years ago when the economy stalled.

Beatrice Cardon, vice president for corporate communication, said Friday (March 4) that she was not aware of any immediate plans to move forward with the training and demonstration center.

News from the Girl Scouts

A release from the Girl Scouts Peaks2Piedmont

Former and current Girl Scouts of any age are invited to mark Girl Scouting's 99th birthday on Saturday, March 12 at the Asheville Girl Scout Service Center located at 64 W.T. Weaver Boulevard.

The festivities, which will include craft and service opportunities, will begin at 1 pm. At 1:30 pm, everyone will gather together for a massive recitation of the Girl Scout Promise and the singing of “Girl Scouts Together.” Refreshments will follow.

Also, join Girl Scouts Carolinas Peaks to Piedmont for the inaugural Thin Mint Sprint run/walk fundraiser, in partnership with BB&T, on Saturday, April 9 at 9 am around the University of North Carolina-Asheville neighborhood and campus. Girls and families, as well as runners from across the state are welcome to register for the event.

The event will open with a flag ceremony at 9 am and will be followed by the 5K at 9:20 am and Daisy Dash (1 mile fun run) beginning at 9:25 am.

Participants may register for the Thin Mint Sprint 5K or Daisy Dash (1 mile fun run) online at www.thinmintsprint5k.com or on race day beginning at 7:30 a.m. The cost for the Daisy Dash is $10 for all participants. The cost for the 5K is $20 for Girl Scouts and $25 for non-Girl Scouts. Participants will receive a box of Thin Mint cookies and a T-shirt. The run is open to all ages with prizes given to participants in each age category.

All proceeds from the 2011 Thin Mint Sprint support programs and financial assistance for more than 18,000 Girl Scouts in central and western North Carolina.

Fundraisers this weekend

The youth from Barnardsville Baptist Church will be having a 30-hour fast Friday (March 4) and Saturday (March 5). They will also be involved in a service project as well as two fundraisers for missions. On Saturday morning, there will be two car washes held to raise money for missions.

The first will be located at KFC in River Ridge shopping center and the second at Rodney's Automotive on Main Street in Weaverville. They will also be serving a spaghetti dinner from 6 pm - 8 pm in the fellowship hall at the church.

Local to release new CD

Ashvegas is reporting that Weaverville native Sallie Ford and her band The Sound Outside will release their debut album this spring. The band is based in Portland, Ore. Read more about the release here. Ford returned to the area last New Year's when she opened for The Avett Brothers in their annual Asheville New Year's performances.