Follow Asheville’s ongoing responses to the Haiti disaster via this continuously updated blog post (via Twitter).

For Western North Carolina, it was bigger than when Eric Rudolph was caught Dumpster diving in Murphy. After 67 years, the North Shore Road controversy was over.
Saturday, Feb. 6 — the day after the Swain County commissioners voted to accept the $52 million agreement — was wet, cold and icy.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on Monday announced a plan to create a new Climate Service to meet an ever-increasing demand for information about climate change, and officials tapped Thomas R. Karl, the director of NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center in Asheville, to work as “transitional director” of the new Climate Service.

Videographer Jesse Hamm captures the band and the crowd on night two of YMSB’s Orange Peel run.

The perennial bus-rider’s question, “Where’s my bus?” might finally yield an easy answer if the Asheville Transit Commission gives the go-ahead to a group of citizens proposing a real-time GPS bus-tracking system that can be accessed via Internet-connected computers and smart-phones.

I’m going to offer you a deal. I’ll tell you about a bunch of inexpensive and kids-eat-free restaurant options locally, so you can save money while feeding your children. But you have to promise me that you’ll send any cash you save to Haitian relief programs.

Today the state education lottery announced that a ticket-buyer in Asheville won the third Powerball jackpot, valued at $141 million. Who’s got the ticket?

Here’s some of what Xpress Forum “boarders” have been up to this week: hosting a cross-platform discussion with Shad Marsh’s Sunday night radio show; debating whether Asheville’s burlesque movement has evolved since The Rebelles disbanded, and; of course, discussing their own priorities.

Friday night, Tammy Jones was trapped in the basement of her home after a 90-foot-wide mudslide tore down 3,000 feet of mountainside land on Rich Cove Road in Maggie Valley. Jones was rescued, and no other residents were injured, but about 40 people have been evacuated because the danger for more slides remains, say state geologists.

A slushy start to the day on Friday, Feb. 5, culminated in a wind storm around 1:30 p.m. in north Asheville that downed a number of trees. Several falling trees damaged homes on Mt. Vernon Place, Kimberley Ave., and Chatham Road. High winds and heavily saturated earth combined to make the area dangerous for a few hours. There were no injuries reported. City crews are working to remove the trees and clean up the debris today.

A report on Asheville FM, a look at irritainer Cookie LaRue, a sample from the Found Footage Festival, a taste of what’s needed in Jewish Asheville, and a listen to “Don’t Stop Loving Me Now,” as performed by Floating Action — all in this week’s Video round-up.

Help Haiti Heal Benefit, a two-day concert in Black Mountain, starts Saturday, Feb. 6 and continues on Sunday and will showcase a wide range of local talent. Xpress hopes to carry a live video feed of the concert for those who can’t attend.

Maybe it’s because the Oscars got it so very right last year—so far as I was concerned—but I find it hard to work up any great enthusiasm for this year’s awards.

Know of an event that’s on or off, or got a question? Post it below.