Dog Day Afternoon celebrates local animal-rescue organizations Saturday, Aug. 18

FULL PRESS RELEASE On Saturday, Aug. 18, the 1st Dog Day Afternoon festival will take place at the East Green of Carrier Park in West Asheville to celebrate all things canine and support local dog rescue organizations. Three of Asheville’s most prominent animal rescue organizations — Animal Compassion Network, the Asheville Humane Society and Brother […]

Two Progress Energy reps resign from merged Duke Energy board

After the controversial and reportedly forced resignation of Progress Energy CEO Bill Johnson earlier this year, shakeup and dissent continue in the company’s merger with Duke Energy. from the Raleigh News&Observer Two former Progress Energy directors resigned from the Duke Energy board Friday and recommended that Duke start looking for a new CEO. The departures […]

North Carolina plans to move mentally ill patients from adult-care homes

from the Associated Press via the Asheville Citizen-Times: North Carolina’s state health agency is moving ahead with the first step of a multiyear plan to help move potentially thousands of mentally ill residents from adult care homes to affordable housing and less restrictive living conditions. The state Department of Health and Human Services publicized Thursday […]

From the blogosphere: Wild-mushroom foraging with the Southern Highland Conservancy

It was the perfect storm for finding mushrooms last weekend in gorgeous Yancey County. In recent days, thunderstorms had soaked the ground, paving the way for an explosion of boletes, chanterelles, little brown mushrooms, and many others. On July 22nd, SAHC & guests were led on an intriguing excursion by Asheville myco-hunter and expert, Charlotte […]

Former Xpress, WNC Magazine ad man James Fisher moves to the Asheville Citizen-Times

Earlier today, July 26, former Mountain Xpress ad man James Fisher announced via Twitter and Facebook that he’s been hired by the Asheville Citizen-Times, a Gannett publication: I’m advertising manager at new [C-Times] weekly, Asheville Scene! Start next week, can’t wait! . Fisher, who most recently worked for WNC Magazine, is the second longtime Xpress […]

Evenings at PARI: The earth’s crust, gravity and aeromagnetics,  Friday, Aug. 10

The public is invited to a special presentation about the study of the Earth’s crust at the Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute (PARI) Friday, August 10. The evening’s activities will include a tour of the PARI campus and celestial observations using PARI’s optical or radio telescopes. The event is part of PARI’s monthly Evening at PARI […]

A-B Tech recognized for “exceptional performance” by N.C. Community College System

PRESS RELEASE A-B Tech Community College earns exceptional rating A-B Tech Community College is one of 16 community colleges in the state to be recognized for exceptional performance for the 2010-11 school year by the North Carolina Community College System. “We’re very proud to be among an elite group of colleges earning an exceptional rating […]

Regional mental-health service Western Highlands Network is $3 million in the hole

“Western Highlands Network, which covers eight counties including Buncombe and Rutherford,” The Raleigh News&Observer reports, “has gotten off to a bad start with the first local mental health office to become a managed-care agency falling into a $3 million financial hole in its first six months of operation.” The agency “is working with the state […]

N.C. Wildlife Federation: $20,000 reward for info on recent elk killings

PRESS RELEASE: The North Carolina Wildlife Federation has raised the stakes in the recent killing of three elk near the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in the Mount Sterling area of Haywood County. Last month the group offered a $5,000 reward. That amount has been bumped significantly to $20,000. The conservation organization has pledged up […]

Rep. Shuler congratulates ABCCM on $360,000 grant for veterans families program

PRESS RELEASE from Rep. Heath Shuler’s office Today U.S. Representative Heath Shuler (D-NC) released the following statement on the award of $360,000 in grant funding from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to the Asheville Buncombe Community Christian Ministry’s (ABCCM) Supportive Services for Veteran Families Program: “The Asheville Buncombe Community Christian Ministry has a proven […]

Democrat Hayden Rogers releases statement on GOPs 11th Congressional District runoff results

Earlier tonight, Republican Mark Meadows won the runoff battle to face Democrat Hayden Rogers for the 11th Congressional District seat. Here’s what Rogers’ campaign released to the press: Hayden Rogers, Democratic candidate for Congress in North Carolina’s 11th District, released the following statement tonight regarding the results of the July 17th Republican runoff election in […]