Local news in brief from our issue of Aug. 15, 2018

TOYS ON WHEELS: Erica Denmark, left, and Susan Dobroski, Toybrary of Asheville founder, with the Toybrary’s new bus. The organization will hold a ribbon-cutting on Saturday, Aug. 25 at 175 Clingman Ave., Asheville, at 4:30 p.m. Photo courtesy of Toybrary

Toybrary to launch toy-sharing bus

Toys lost their zing? Looking for something new to play with?

The Toybrary of Asheville will cut the ribbon on its ToyZazzle bus on Saturday, Aug. 25, 4-6 p.m., in the parking lot of All Souls Pizza at 175 Clingman Ave. in Asheville. The subscription-based service will travel to various Asheville neighborhoods, where families can check out and return toys. The organization will also provide underserved families with limited economic resources access to toys.

More information at www.toy-lending.com.

Leadership Asheville hosts summer’s final Buzz Breakfast

“Racial Equity: How do we embrace it?” is the theme of Leadership Asheville’s final Buzz Breakfast of the summer on Wednesday, Aug. 22. Kimberlee Archie, the city of Asheville’s equity and inclusion manager, and Darin Waters, UNC Asheville associate professor of history and executive director for community engagement, will be the presenters.

The breakfast is open to the public and provides a chance to network with alumni of Leadership Asheville and other community leaders. This event takes place at the Crowne Plaza Resort Expo Center at 1 Resort Drive, Asheville. Breakfast begins at 7:30 a.m., the program begins at 8 a.m., and the cost is $20.

State to hold hearing on Duke Energy wastewater permit for Lake Julian plant

The N.C. Division of Water Resources will hold a public hearing on a draft wastewater permit and draft special order by consent for Duke Energy’s Asheville electric plant. The draft wastewater permit is a modification to the plant’s existing permit, while the special order by consent has been requested by Duke Energy to address issues related to seeps from coal ash basins at the Lake Julian facility.

Speaker registration for the hearing will begin at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 22, at the Skyland/South Buncombe Library, 260 Overlook Road, Asheville. The hearing will begin at 6 p.m. and will close after all comments are received but no earlier than 7 p.m.

Public comments on the draft permit modification and draft special order by consent may also be submitted to DWR-Wastewater Permitting, Attn: Asheville Facility, 1617 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, N.C., 27699-1617. Public comments may be submitted by email to publiccomments@ncdenr.gov. Please include “Asheville Permit” or “Asheville SOC” in the email’s subject line. All comments received by Thursday, Aug. 23, will be considered in the final determinations regarding the draft permit and draft special order by consent.

The draft wastewater permit and related documents are available at goo.gl/3WtzMF. The draft order is available at bit.ly/2LkIF4K. Printed copies of the draft permit, draft order and related documents may be reviewed at the department’s Asheville Regional Office. To make an appointment to review the documents, please call 828-296-4500.

Questions regarding the draft permit, draft order or public hearing may be sent to the attention of Bob Sledge, NCDWR, 1617 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, N.C. 27699-1617. Sledge may also be reached at 919-807-6398 or bob.sledge@ncdenr.gov.

YWCA of Asheville opens new early childhood education classrooms

Two new classrooms for Buncombe’s youngest students will open at the YWCA of Asheville on Monday, Aug. 27, allowing the nonprofit to serve 36 additional children.

One room will be funded by the state as an NC Pre-K site. Locally administered by Buncombe Partnership for Children, NC Pre-K qualifying families earn at or below 75 percent of the state median income, with priority given to 4-year-olds who are not already enrolled in care.  Other factors that contribute to a child’s eligibility, regardless of family income, included identified disabilities, chronic health conditions, or developmental or educational needs such as speaking limited or no English.

“NC Pre-K removes a barrier to low-income working families by providing six hours of free high-quality care from 8:30 a.m.-3:00 p.m., with additional wrap-around hours available at a reasonable cost,” Maczka says.

The YWCA’s Early Learning Program accepts state child care subsidy vouchers and serves 50 percent voucher families in its program. In 2016, YWCA also opened two Early Head Start classrooms in partnership with Verner Center for Early Learning to provide child care, education, resources and services for families with the lowest incomes in the local community.

Applications are available at the YWCA located at 185 S. French Broad Ave., Asheville or online at avl.mx/57l.

 

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About Virginia Daffron
Managing editor, lover of mountains, native of WNC. Follow me @virginiadaffron

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