With the second vote on allowing food trucks in downtown Asheville, City Council members have a full agenda for today’s Sept. 13 meeting. For live dispatches from Senior News Reporter David Forbes, look here, or follow #davidforbes or #avlgov on Twitter.
Two storms visit the city. An early twilight drenches the city. No brief summer storm, this one is settling in.
State Sen. James Forrester, a sponsor of a proposed amendment to the North Carolina constitution that would ban gay marriage, civil unions and domestic partner benefits, called Asheville a “cesspool of sin” in remarks at a Gaston church last night, according to a report in the Gaston Gazette.
Disenchanted Asheville artist Max Cooper points his camera at the street: “Everybody lies, but some people lie more than others. Some people claim not to lie at all. We call those people journalists.”
A quick introduction to (and roundup of) the Twitter hashtags Xpress — and Ashevilleans from all walks of life — use as community forums, bulletin boards and spaces for local news. Updated, thanks to suggestions from our readers.
Jobs numbers worsened across the state in July, according to data from the state’s Employment Security Commission, and the Asheville area was no exception, losing a total of 2,900 jobs, mostly from the public sector. While unemployment in the area declined slightly, combined with the net job losses, this indicates some unemployed have stopped looking for work.
Food trucks are in — almost. At their Aug. 23 meeting today, Asheville City Council members voted 4-3 to allow the mobile kitchens in the downtown business district. The split vote means that Council must take a second vote on Sept. 13 in order to enact the ruling.
It’s National Honeybee Day this Saturday, Aug. 20, and in spite of the threats facing honeybee populations in many areas, the Asheville-based Friends of Honeybees wants to celebrate. Taking its name from the familiar quote from Mahatma Gandhi, FOHB’s new “Bee the Change” campaign plans to donate a portion of its income to other non-profit causes, whether or not they relate directly to honey bees.
At their Aug. 9 meeting, Asheville City Council members approved a $2 million economic-development incentive for Canadian manufacturer Linamar. If the company fulfills construction and job-creation targets, it will get a 90 percent waiver on city taxes for the next five years. Council voted 5-1 to approve the deal, with Council member Cecil Bothwell voting against it and Council member Esther Manheimer absent.
WALK is short for West Asheville Lounge and Kitchen and will be located at 401 Haywood Road, where the Rocket Club used to be.
Sunday, Aug. 8, marked the debut of VegFest, Asheville’s first all-vegetarian festival. Vendors started setting up their booths as early as 10 a.m., and by 10:30 a.m., folks were already wandering toward Battery Park for the festivities. The event began officially at noon and lasted until 7 p.m. that night. Festival organizers estimate that more than 1,500 people attended.
Brother Wolf Animal Rescue is up for a $100,000 prize from the ASPCA. All it needs to do now is to find homes for hundreds of animals. To kick off the three-month adoption frenzy, BWAR is hosting an adoption event that lasts all day and all night on Monday. When else can you bring home a new pet at 11 p.m. on a school night?
Follow our Xpress live coverge of the July 26 Asheville City Council meeting here beginning at 5 p.m. On Twitter, follow #avlgov or @ChrisDGeorge. To see the Asheville City Council preview and agenda, click here.
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Weather Channel junkies, you are not alone. People have been obsessed with weather — and recording weather observations — for quite some time. Retro outfits and mod hairdos are no longer on view, but the Asheville-based National Climate Data Center celebrated its 60th birthday last week, and the center wants folks to know about the fascinating weather and climate information it has collected over the years.
When it comes to health care, it’s all about knowing where to look, according to members of the Sassafras Health Collective. The collective recently published a health resource guide to help folks know their health care options, whether it’s acupuncture or primary care.
A proposed national nuclear-waste site near Aiken, S.C., may result in a Friday, July 15, flash mob by Mountain Protectors Action Alliance.
You never know what you’ll find on a sidewalk in Asheville. Friday morning, July 8, I stumbled upon what appeared to be a hyperbaric chamber.
Photos by Jerry Nelson, JourneyAmerica.org
Unemployment in the Asheville metropolitan area declined slightly in May, dropping from 7.8 to 7.7 percent, according to figures from the state Employment Security Commission. Job losses in construction in manufacturing were somewhat offset by gains in the business and hospitality sectors. However, Buncombe County saw a slight rise in unemployment, from 7.4 to 7.5 percent.
On Monday, July 4, a group of teenagers were handing out bowls of ice cream in Pritchard Park. Nothing unusual, really. There’s always something being given away to eat in the park. But I got to talking with one of the teenagers and was directed to Nichole, who filled me in on what was going on. It’s the work of the Carolina Cross Connection, a youth Christian outreach project.
Photos by Jerry Nelson, JourneyAmerica.org
Catch the Asheville-based psychedelic band’s final show on Earth at the Orange Peel’s local electronic showcase this weekend.
The Mountain Xpress and AFM News Hour Community Calendar sort through hundreds of events so you don’t have to. Tune in every week to hear what’s going on in Asheville and beyond.
