Day: August 17, 2010
The Beat
It might not feel like it outside, but summer just ended — at least for students in the city and county school systems. In "More Western North Carolina School Systems May Seek Waiver from Calendar Law," the Asheville Citizen-Times reported that the Tuesday, Aug. 17, return date was about a week earlier than planned. Because … Read more
Green Scene: SEE Expo workshop descriptions
Friday, Aug. 20 Going Green Begins at Home, 12:30-1:30 p.m. Carl Donovan of Conservation Pros explains 10 things you can do in your home to reduce your energy consumption. Participatory Democracy, 1:30-2:30 p.m. Members of the North Carolina Green Party discuss representative government, state election law, the obligation of political parties and the Green Party’s … Read more
Green Scene: Looking to shrink your carbon footprint?
As we contemplate how Western North Carolina fits into the big picture of climate change and what we can do about it, acclaimed environmental author Bill McKibben recently suggested we connect the dots between some basic facts: • According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which has one of its main offices and research … Read more
Green homes are the place to be
At the time of the inaugural Southern Energy and Environment Expo, green technology was still a fledgling industry. Sustainable living was widely considered the stuff of hippies living on communes; hybrid cars were still viewed as concept-vehicles. Times have changed in the past decade, however. The S.E.E. Expo, billed as the South's largest and longest-running … Read more
The Buzz: TAPAS program brings a sampling of local artists into the classroom
An innovative partnership between the Asheville City Schools Foundation, LEAF in Schools & Streets and the UNCA Craft Campus aims to expand experiential art education in local classrooms. In July, the partners launched a new program,Teaching Artists Presenting in Asheville Schools (TAPAS), which taught local visual and performing artists how to conduct workshops that fit … Read more
One foot in front of the other: 1,000 indelible hikes
A door opened that midwinter day, and we stepped through it into a new life full of wonders I never thought I'd see. I've gazed upon the immense tumble of Whitewater Falls, cascading 400 feet down a mountainside in Nantahala National Forest; stumbled upon pink lady’s slippers scattered like fairy lanterns along the trails around Carl Sandburg's mountain home …
Mountain Hoppin’
In terms of visual appeal, the Wedge’s brewing system — best viewed when standing in front of the tasting-room taps while turning your head roughly 45 degrees to the left — is my fave in town. The labyrinthine system of gleaming copper and crisp steel exudes a mix of the fantastical and the industrial. It’s … Read more
Open for Business
As most small-business owners in Asheville will tell you, their venture started with a vision. They had an idea, a concept, a notion of what would work. Julian Price, who died in 2001, had a vision for downtown Asheville when he moved here in 1990: a vibrant and very live-able town center. Working largely behind … Read more
Poor and poorer
I agree with most of Robin Merrell’s recent commentary on affordable housing [see “Priced Out,” July 14 Xpress]. But she told only half the story. I couldn’t help but notice that since she doesn’t live in Asheville, what she advocates wouldn’t affect her own neighborhood. What Merrell doesn’t describe is the reality that many homeowners … Read more
