To many Western North Carolina residents, the region’s parks and recreational areas represent a chance to experience our state’s natural beauty and preserve its rich history. But what’s often overlooked is these attractions’ key role in bolstering local economies.
In an ongoing effort to connect those dispersed communities, the Appalachian Studies Association held its 38th annual conference last month in Johnson City, Tenn. The one-of-a-kind event unites scholars and musicians, activists and academics, to celebrate the often misunderstood region’s distinctive heritage, culture and physical landscape.
Any examination into heavy metal in Asheville runs into the inevitable gray area of what metal music is. And while this variety makes it difficult at times to tell who fits in where, one uniting and striking quality of Asheville’s metal scene is the joy its players take in their craft, regardless of material success.
Unless you’re looking to get pinched, St. Patrick’s Day is the day for wearing green. Green shirts, green shoes, green pants — even green hair.
So put on your fake green mustache, break out your Flogging Molly tee and indulge in St. Patrick’s Day events around the area, celebrating Appalachia’s Scots-Irish heritage — and the slightly offensive stereotype of booze-loving, beer-slamming bar-goers stomping the beat for a fiddle-fronted band.
Beginning at 3 p.m. on Thursday, March 12, residents will get to shake hands with the growers responsible for the region’s farm-to-table cuisine, learning more about CSA programs and products. Afterward, fairgoers will gather at Early Girl Eatery for a buffet-style dinner of small portion local foods.
From Ed Whitfield’s keynote speech, “A Logical New Approach to Community Development,” to a panel on sources for local funding, there’s something for everyone at the March 18 Bringing It Home conference. Here’s a look at the main sessions and speakers.
At its March 3 meeting, the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners plans to hear four rezoning requests — three near Weaverville and one in Swannanoa.
Update: On Friday, Feb. 20, the Associated Press reported that Duke Energy, the nation’s largest power company, has been charged with criminal violations of the Clean Water Act at five North Carolina power plants, including the plant in Asheville. The AP reports that the charges are felony violations, while the News & Observer in Raleigh reports the power company […]
With the early releases, store closures, warnings of severe winter weather and Twitter-users warning of #Snowmaggedon2015, Ashevilleans have been rushing to grocery stores all morning to stock up on bread, water — and apparently beer, according to a Twitter picture of emptying Ingle’s beer shelves.
The National Weather Service has issued a freezing rain advisory from 10 p.m. tonight to 10 a.m. tomorrow morning, Wednesday, Jan. 14.
The National Weather Service has issued a Hazardous Weather Outlook for multiple Western North Carolina counties Wednesday, Jan. 7, and Thursday, Jan. 8. “Wednesday, cold wave likely,” reads a passage from the NWS’s report. “An arctic airmass will settle Southward across the region starting Wednesday and persist into Friday. Temperatures will likely run 10 to […]
The Appalachians may never rival the Rockies, but outdoor enthusiasts say WNC offers more opportunities for winter adventures than many residents realize. This year local ski areas are celebrating a long list of improvements and forecasters are predicting a cold, snowy winter.
According to the National Weather Service, the higher elevations of Western North Carolina (especially near the Tennessee border) should expect an inch or two of snow accumulation overnight and into the morning. Residents in the valley areas may see some snow Wednesday morning, but are mainly advised to watch for slick, icy roads. “The combination […]
“The Future of WNC’s National Forests,” hosted by Carolina Public Press, will be held tomorrow morning, featuring a live interview followed by a public Q&A period with panelists from National Forests of North Carolina, American Whitewater, The Wilderness Society and the NC Wildlife Resources Commission.
Just minutes after midnight on Halloween night, the rain turned to snow, blanketing Western North Carolina in a wintery scene in the midst of the fall season.
The National Weather Service has issued winter weather advisories and warnings for eleven Western North Carolina counties, effective from Friday, Oct. 31 at 8 p.m., to Saturday, Nov. 1, 8 p.m. Follow #avlsnomg for updates as conditions progress.
It was my first prescribed burn. After weeks of training, and months of anticipation, I was finally on the ground – drip torch in hand – ready to apply fire to restore the mixed pine-hardwood forests at the edge of the Blue Ridge Mountains, on the Grandfather Ranger District of Pisgah National Forest.
The return of Eliada’s annual corn maze, the largest in Western North Carolina, marks the return of the fall season — reminding Ashevilleans to head outside and enjoy the (so far) somewhat cooler weather. And that message is carried out in more ways than one at the autumn attraction, opening on Friday, Sept. 5.
All over the country, collaborative economies are sprouting like dandelions. In the last few months, something uniquely Asheville has blossomed. And though ExchangeTree is still in its “training wheels” phase, the site (which, at this point, is operating only in Asheville and Boston) is fully operational. Rather than couch-to-couch traveling or currency-based exchanges, however, it works via barter.
Members of the Western North Carolina Alliance showed overwhelming support for a proposed merger with the Environmental and Conservation Organization and the Jackson-Macon Conservation Alliance on Monday, May 12, in an overwhelming 177-to-2-vote.
Walking down Haywood Road (or Biltmore) (or Lexington), you stop by your usual hangout. Nearly everyone there greets you by name, and the tourists in the corner booth ask about your latest jaunt up the Blue Ridge Parkway. Your waitress asks, “The usual?” as she sets your favorite Asheville-brewed IPA down on your table. This […]
