The U.S. Forest Service recently released its Southern Forest Futures report, which assesses how Southern forests may change over the next 50 years. It paints a gloomy picture: As urban sprawl expands, industrial logging accelerates, and climate change, invasive species and exotic pests create further stresses, our forests could shrink by as much as 23 … Read more
When I read Mr. Roberts’ June 1 Xpress letter, “What Happened to Pack Memorial Library?” my first reaction was speechless disbelief that he would take it upon himself to label a sizable portion of Pack Library patrons “ex-cons, strung-out drug abusers, downtrodden” and “scary-looking thugs.” Ironically, downtrodden is defined by the Princeton University WordNet database … Read more
Buncombe County Board of Commissioners June 7, 2011 meeting School funding bumped up County to get new communications system The Buncombe County commissioners garnered a mix of scorn and praise at their June 7 meeting, as they invited the public to weigh in on the proposed $303 million total budget for the fiscal year that … Read more
You may not find vampires in Brevard, the county seat of Transylvania (“trans” for across and “sylvan” for wood). But there are attractions like Dupont State Park, Looking Glass Falls, John Rock, Davidson River, the Pink Beds and the Pisgah Fish Hatchery nearby. Such opportunities for adventure make this small town a near-perfect gateway to … Read more
Liquid nitrogen vapor billowing around her, Katie Button looks every bit the sorcerer. Button, one of the owners and the executive chef of Cúrate, whisks the liquified gas into what will become a frozen gazpacho, ripe with summer. With a somewhat impish smile, Button splashes a little on the table in front of her, sending … Read more
Cúrate is just one stitch in the fabric of our local food scene. WNC is a rich tapestry of farms, specialty and open-air markets, talented chefs and other food service professionals, restaurants — and even gourmet food trucks. Every year, Xpress pays homage to our food community with our Asheville-area Eats and Drinks guide, a … Read more
In the olden days there was (sonically speaking) mono, which meant (like in the Otis Redding/Carla Thomas chestnut, King & Queen) if two people were going to sing on an album, one stood near the mic and the other shouted from the back of the room. Then there was stereo: double the speakers, double the … Read more
Gardeners are explorers. Always on the hunt for the next great find, they seek out obscure nurseries, order from distant catalog companies and peer over neighbors’ fences. Like the great naturalists of the past, gardeners are never content with what they have, secretly yearning to discover some unknown specimen. But not everyone who picks up … Read more
Last month, Angel Medical Center, a small hospital in Franklin, announced a partnership with Mission Health System. Angel CEO Tim Hubbs told Xpress that the 80-bed facility needed help to survive and thrive in today's health market. Other small hospitals in the region have taken similar measures: Three WNC hospitals partnered with the Charlotte-based Carolinas … Read more
Pardee ready to name a CEO "The Pardee Hospital board of directors is planning to announce the top candidate for hospital CEO at a special-called board meeting Wednesday. An eight-member search committee of Pardee board members, doctors and staff was formed in November. Over the past several months, the committee whittled 150 applications down to … Read more
