Dear Friend: Today, I announce my intention to seek the office of State Superintendent of Public Instruction. As your next State Superintendent of Public Instruction, I start with a simple proposition: the quality of life in our state is directly tied to the quality of education. This is not a time to silently rest on […]
News Bulletins
UNC Board approves tuition and fee increase across the UNC system
From the News & Observer: A UNC Board of Governors committee today approved tuition and fee increases for 2012-13 and tuition increases for in-state undergraduates in 2013-14. If the full board passed the plan tomorrow, tuition and fees would rise on average 8.8 percent next academic year for North Carolina undergraduates across the UNC system. […]
PARC: Tell elected officials not to sell city land near Basilica to developer
Here’s the message from the People Advocating Real Conservancy group via its email newsletter: If the McKibbon Group gets its way, this view of the Basilica of St. Lawrence might soon be your best way to see it. McKibbon wants to buy several City-owned properties in front of the Basilica to build a high-rise hotel, […]
New Asheville police chief made fiery exit from Greenville
Here’s an excerpt from the Asheville Citizen-Times article: In one of his last acts as Greenville police chief, Asheville’s new top cop sent a pointed email to that eastern city’s elected officials, saying they were doing too little to help police control downtown violence, including two shooting deaths in 2009 and a fight involving a […]
Local band Silver Machine only a few dollars shy of their Kickstarter Goal
Local “Space Rock” band Silver Machine are no longer lightyears away from their $1,500 goal to release their album. In relative terms, they’re now within lunar distance, less than $200 from hitting their target. Just to give them a little boost as they approach their zero hour on March 3, here’s the pitch. Greetings friends, […]
North Carolina’s disposal rate drops to historic low
From the full release from the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources: RALEIGH – North Carolinians threw away less per capita in 2010-2011 than at any time in nearly 20 years, according to the state’s latest report and analysis of solid waste management. The 2010-2011 North Carolina Solid Waste and Materials Management Report […]
Bothwell: My campaign scared Shuler out of race; Rogers a DC insider
Here’s the press release from the Cecil Bothwell campaign: Frontrunner Bothwell challenged by Washington insider in NC 11 Eleventh District congressional candidate Cecil Bothwell now faces an electoral challenge from retiring Rep. Heath Shuler’s chief of staff. Bothwell has waged a grassroots campaign against Shuler over the past 10 months which culminated in the withdrawal […]
Mission Hospital, Inc. announces release of Market Conduct Examination Report
From the press release: Ronald A. Paulus, MD, President and CEO of Mission Health announced today the release of the North Carolina Department of Insurance Market Conduct Examination Report evaluating Mission Hospital’s self-insured, self administered workers’ compensation claims operation. The Market Conduct Examination uncovered no evidence of a pattern and practice of stubborn litigiousness, bad […]
Cherokee tribal council votes to give community more say about alcohol sales
From the Smoky Mountain News: Cherokee tribal council last week decided to change the format for an upcoming vote on alcohol sales, a move that will give individual communities more autonomy on the controversial issue. When members of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians go to the polls in April, each of the six communities […]
NC’s only female K-9 trainer serves in Hendersonville
From the Times-News: Hendersonville Police Department Officer Jennifer Drake is breaking boundaries by being the only female officer in North Carolina to obtain the title of trainer in K-9 work. Drake, 40, of Hendersonville, achieved the status in November 2010. “I thoroughly enjoy my job and helping people,” she said. “It’s a great accomplishment and […]
Asheville Anesthesia Associates receives MGMA certificate of superior performance
From the press release: The Medical Group Management Association (MGMA) has recognized Asheville Anesthesia Associates for its “Superior Performance” compared with similar medical groups nationwide. The MGMA award is given to medical practices that have demonstrated superior performance in cost management, productivity, capacity and staffing, and accounts receivable and collections. MGMA member medical practices represent […]
New program available for young local parents
From the press release: Asheville Buncombe Community Christian Ministry (ABCCM) has begun a new program aimed at helping local young parents find their way out of poverty. “We’re working with a grant from the U.S. Department of Labor,” says ABCCM Executive Director Rev. Scott Rogers “that will compare success rates for young parents who are […]
Hospice of McDowell County tables sale of 6 acres near Airport Road
From the McDowell News: Last month, the board of directors for Hospice of McDowell County voted unanimously to put the sale of approximately 6 acres of land located near Airport Road on hold pending further review. The board’s decision effectively puts on hold Western N.C. Housing Partnership Inc.’s request to option the land and build […]
Major restaurant group potentially bringing business to S&W building
Yesterday, Xpress reporter Bill Rhodes discovered that Asheville’s iconic S&W Cafeteria building and the Windsor Hotel had been purchased: “A Miami Beach, Fla. gynecologist and his business partners — doing business as MRK Patton, LLC and MRK Broadway LLC — have purchased the former S&W Cafeteria building and the former Windsor Hotel recently, according to […]
Asheville murder suspect apprehended in Cincinatti
Full announcement from the Asheville Police Department: On Wednesday, 02-08-12, at approx. 11:45 pm; Detectives from the Asheville Police Department, in conjunction with the Cincinnati, OH P.D. and the U.S. Marshal’s Fugitive Task Force; located and arrested the listed suspect in this matter, Devon Armond Gayles, in Cincinnati, OH. The capture of Mr. Gayles required […]
Occupy Asheville drafts demands for vacating City Hall camp
From the Occupy Asheville General Assembly: Dear Asheville City Council and Buncombe County Commission, The City Council is preparing to demand that we, Occupy Asheville, remove our occupation from in front of Asheville’s City Hall. Our terms for the peaceful and cooperative dissolution of the current occupation are as follows: Safe haven for the houseless […]
Mark Meadows wins congressional candidate poll of teenage Republicans
Here’s the press release from the Buncombe County GOP: RESULTS OF NC-11 GOP CONGRESSIONAL POLL RELEASED BY TEENAGE REPUBLICANS Contest shows Mark Meadows and his enthusiastic supporters leading the pack of the eight announced candidates The members of the Asheville-Buncombe Teenage Republicans (ABTAR) are excited to announce the results of the NC-11 web poll that […]
Buncombe County now accepting nominations for Environmental Leadership Award
Buncombe County is now accepting nominations for their Environmental Leadership Award. The award criteria can be found here. Below is the online announcement: From Buncombe County’s full online announcement: Buncombe County, through the Environmental Advisory Board, is accepting nominations for the BELA or the Buncombe Environmental Leadership Award. This award honors men, women, kids or […]
West Asheville meeting on political action
Out of Control NC is an umbrella group of organizations and citizens who believe there is a right-wing agenda underway in NC politics. As part of their state-wide tour, they will have a meeting Wednesday, February 8th at 7p.m. at the West Asheville library.
Sunburst Trout Farms receives working capital grant from USDA Rural Development
From a press release: CEO of Sunburst Trout Farms, Sally Eason, announced today that Sunburst is the recipient of a highly competitive USDA Value Added Producers Grant. The grant will enable Sunburst to increase sales and revenue in the winter by developing its market in the Southeast United States. The project is based on a […]
N.C. State University’s Value-Added Cost Share program funds eight N.C. agricultural producers
N.C. State University’s North Carolina Value-Added Cost Share program provided more than $100,000 in matching funds to help eight N.C. agricultural producers secure nearly $1.2 million in U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) grants. The recipients were announced last week, including Sunburst Trout Co. in Canton, N.C. The press release is below: Agricultural businesses receiving VAPG […]