Buncombe Commission­ers to discuss parkway preservati­on, historical art project, air quality concerns

The Tuesday, May 5 Buncombe County Board of Commissioners meeting might be one for the books, as the board will discuss a new art, culture and history project that may result in the addition of a new landmark on the horizon. The board will discuss this, as well as a few environmental interests.

Video: Plant enthusiast­s assemble for the Native Plants Conference

Brace yourselves — the plant enthusiasts are coming. From Tuesday, July 15 through Saturday, July 19, Western North Carolina will once again play host to the Cullowhee Native Plants Conference, an annual event with workshops and field trips exploring many aspects of native plants. Get a feel for the conference with a video tour of the plants of Black Balsam Ridge.

This weekend on a shoestring

As you’re surely aware, tens of thousands of enthusiastic festival goers will descend upon downtown for the annual Bele Chere festival this weekend. In response, we bring you a host of other options, including outdoor activities, readings, theater and even wrestling, all for little or no cost. However, should you be into that sort of thing, be sure to check out our special Bele Chere edition (online and in print) for a complete guide to the madness.