Warren Wilson College Spotlight Series begins with activists who took down Confederate flag

Press release from Warren Wilson College: The Warren Wilson College 2015-16 Spotlight Series begins Wednesday, Sept. 16, at 7 p.m. in Kittredge Theatre with speakers James Tyson, a 2007 graduate, and activist Bree Newsome. On June 27, 2015, Tyson and Newsome were arrested after participating in one of the most visible acts of civil disobedience […]

Organic Growers School results to survey on barriers to farming in WNC

Press release from Organic Grower’s School: Organic Growers School recently released the results of a months-long survey of local farmers to ascertain the barriers to farming in Western NC. The survey Barriers to Farming in Western North Carolina, was conducted by the Farmer Programs staff of Organic Growers School (OGS) from April through July 2015 and is comprised […]

ASAP cancels popular farm tour due to bird flu concerns

The popular window into the world of farming in Western North Carolina, the Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project’s Farm Tour has been cancelled for 2015. ASAP is an Asheville based organization, the stated mission of which is to “help local farms thrive, link farmers to markets and supporters, and build healthy communities through connections to local […]

FernLeaf Charter School gearing up to open in Henderson County

A new K-8 grade charter school is set to open in August 2016, in the northern part of Henderson County. They have announced three community information sessions. Announcement from FernLeaf Charter School: FernLeaf Community Charter School is pleased to announce that it will host a series of public information sessions over the next few months. […]

Grandfather Mountain celebrates John Muir Day

Announcement from Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation: Renowned conservationist and naturalist John Muir once described Grandfather Mountain as “the face of all Heaven come to Earth.” Muir, founder of the Sierra Club, celebrated Grandfather’s natural splendor during his Sept. 25, 1898, visit. Now, Grandfather Mountain is returning the favor. John Muir Day will take place Friday, […]

Air quality forecast for Saturday, September 5: Moderate (YELLOW)

Saturday, September 5th, 2015, is a code YELLOW air quality forecast day for the valleys and the ridge tops of Asheville.  This means that unusually sensitive people should consider limiting prolonged outdoor exertion. Please call WNC Regional Air Quality office if you have any questions. WNC Regional Air Quality Agency 49 Mt. Carmel Road Asheville, NC 28806 828-250-6777 […]

ART to operate partial holiday bus service Labor Day, Sept. 7

Press release from City of Asheville: Asheville Regional Transit service routes and facilities will operate on a partial holiday schedule on Monday, Sept. 7. The Labor Day holiday is one of six holidays throughout the calendar year that ART offers service. Please visit the ART Station on Coxe Avenue or go to www.ridetheart.com to obtain […]

Air quality forecast for Friday, September 4: Moderate (YELLOW)

Friday, September 4th, 2015, is a code YELLOW air quality forecast day for the valleys of Asheville.  This means that unusually sensitive people should consider limiting prolonged outdoor exertion. For the ridge tops, it is a code GREEN (although borderline) air quality forecast day.  No health impacts are expected when air quality is in this range. Please call WNC Regional Air […]

Hendersonville water shortage continues, but conservation efforts pay off

Press release from the City of Hendersonville: The City of Hendersonville and Henderson County continue to experience lower than normal amounts of rainfall, resulting in lower than normal levels in the Mills River watershed, our water supply due to the on-going drought conditions affecting most of North Carolina.  On August 5, 2015 in accordance with […]

Air quality forecast for Thursday, September 3: Moderate (YELLOW)

Thursday, September 3rd, 2015, is a code YELLOW air quality forecast day for the valleys and ridge tops of Asheville.  This means that unusually sensitive people should consider limiting prolonged outdoor exertion. Please call WNC Regional Air Quality office if you have any questions. WNC Regional Air Quality Agency 49 Mt. Carmel Road Asheville, NC 28806 828-250-6777 Air Quality […]

Air quality forecast for Sunday, August 30: Moderate (YELLOW)

Sunday, August 30th, 2015, is a code YELLOW air quality forecast day for the valleys of Asheville.  This means that unusually sensitive people should consider limiting prolonged outdoor exertion. For the ridge tops, it is a code GREEN (although borderline) air quality forecast day.  No health impacts are expected when air quality is in this range. Please call WNC Regional […]

Warren Wilson College support for Pine Ridge Indian Reservation featured in new book

Press release from Warren Wilson College: Warren Wilson College psychology professor Kathryn Burleson, Ph.D., is a featured author, among others from institutions such as Elon University, Michigan State University and the University of Notre Dame, in an influential new book that heralds the merits of taking students off-campus to learn with culturally diverse communities in […]

Our Planet in Balance: Bees, Fungi and Man forum to be held by Center for Honeybee Research

A special single day forum looking at facets of the threats to Earth’s ecological systems will be hosted in Clyde, NC by the Asheville based Center for Honeybee Research on Saturday, September 26. Five researchers and activists will speak on their areas of expertise in the science of food supply and pollinators, Paul Stamets, Melanie […]

Duke Energy tests show contaminated groundwater leeching into French Broad River

Contaminated water is leaving the coal ash ponds at the Duke Energy plant in South Asheville, but the company says it is not a threat the environment or the community. Duke Energy announced earlier this year that it would be retiring the coal-burning part of their Lake Julian power plant within the next half-decade in favor […]

Air quality forecast of Friday, August 28: Moderate (YELLOW)

Friday, August 28th, 2015, is a code YELLOW air quality forecast day for the valleys of Asheville.  This means that unusually sensitive people should consider limiting prolonged outdoor exertion. For the ridge tops, it is a code GREEN (although borderline) air quality forecast day.  No health impacts are expected when air quality is in this range. Please call WNC Regional […]

City of Asheville earns AAA bond rating from Standard and Poor’s

Standard and Poor’s Financial Services, an independent rating agency that consists of financial and business experts, advises investors on how safe an investment in an organization will be. They gave investors a green light for investment in Asheville by assigning the city a AAA rating, the highest possible. Upgrading the rating from AA+ to AAA is meant to indicate that […]

US Representative McHenry pens opposition letter to Duke Energy on behalf of Polk County constituents

U.S. Rep. Patrick McHenry sent two similar letters to the president of Duke Energy and to the Chairman of the North Carolina Utilities Commission. The letters, dated August 26th, informed both parties that McHenry’s constituents in Polk County had contacted him “about their concerns regarding the proposed Duke Energy Western Carolinas Modernization route options that would result […]

Preliminary success in the treatment of bats with White Nose Syndrome

[White nose syndrome] has killed at least 5.7 million bats since it arrived in North America in 2006. Some winter colonies have seen 100% fatality. The impact of this disease is unprecedented. Since bats are the primary predators of night-flying insects, we can expect to see significant ecosystem changes in the coming years. The little brown […]

Disability leads to American-only products e-commerce site

Announcement from Wild American Gear: Stevin Westcott, former spokesman for the four national forests in North Carolina, today unveiled a new online store that features only American made outdoor recreation products. WILD AMERICAN GEAR TM , found online at www.wildamericangear.com, offers quality clothing and gear for hikers, bikers, joggers, anglers, golfers and other outdoor recreationists. […]

Buncombe county property sales of note August 4-14, 2015

The biggest sale of the period was 421 Airport Road, an undeveloped piece of land across from the large shopping center near the Asheville Airport. Mr. Leon Lance sold the property for $3,204,000 (approximately twice its taxed value) to MPG Kernersville LLC, a business entity that has been linked to Walgreen’s. A likely outcome could […]