Mountain medley: Reflection­s on the 2015 Appalachia­n Studies Conference

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.

Get your shamrock on: St. Patrick’s Day events in and around Asheville

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.

Duke Energy charged with criminal violations of Clean Water Act in Asheville, 4 other plants

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 […]

Cold front predicted to bring single digit-temperatures mid-week

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 […]

Higher elevations expect light dusting of snow, ice overnight

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 […]

Branching out: ExchangeTr­ee links people, needs in WNC

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.