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CITY NEWS, INFO & EVENTS
DowntownAsheville.com Asheville Area Weather Today | And forecast | More> Quick Guide to many official City of Asheville websites | Includes up-to-the-minute news and advisories | More> For details about Asheville Area Arts Council's annual fundraiser on Sept. 9, 2017, Click Here> How to help Americans hit by Hurricane Harvey | Asheville-based MANNA FoodBank offers advice on how to best assist in the Hurricane Harvey and flooding relief effort. Posted Aug. 31, 2017, on its website, www.mannafoodbank.org, MANNA wrote: "We have received a number of requests from the local community interested in helping out with hurricane and flooding relief in Texas. MANNA FoodBank has been in touch with our national partner, Feeding America. Sending supplies takes huge coordination and is costly and time consuming. These folks need assistance on the ground immediately, which is more easily achieved through financial donations. They have advised that donating funds to specific organizations on the ground in Texas is the most needed help." | More> Pit of Despair or Mountain of Repair | Downtown Asheville's power brokers have a wonderful chance to do something great for citizens and tourists and, in the process, repair trust in their leadership | Click Here>
Demand passage of the Dream Act | Contact your congressional representatives to pass the Dream Act to keep 800,000 Dreamers from being deported | Click Here> "We the People Act" Petition | Sign it (with your friends, too) to amend the U.S. Constitution to establish that money is NOT speech and that corporations are NOT human beings | NCwethepeople.org | More> Coalition of Asheville Neighborhoods | This nonprofit is growing a new website to "help facilitate community collaboration and education relating to issues affecting Asheville Area neighborhoods." | wiki.ashevillecan.org | More> Vadim Bora's New Exhibition Catalog Now Available: Click Here> | Anyone who remembers — and misses — the vibrancy, kindness and humor of master artist and sculptor Vadim Bora, who had a studio on Battery Park near the Flat Iron Building, will enjoy reading this March 31, 2014, article published in the Asheville Citizen-Times: Click Here>
2017 DOWNTOWN CALENDAR Sept. 9 - AshevilleArts.com - Indigo Ball: More> September - MountainX.com - Superb daily calendar for downtown and beyond: More> September - ExploreAsheville.com - 50 things to do in Asheville: More> Oct. 7 - WildWNC.com - "Hey Day" is the WNC Nature Center's largest annual event: More> 2017- TimeAndDate.com - Create your own monthly calendar: More> Top 10 Local News Stories of 2016 Water is one of them. Presented by CPP; i.e., CarolinaPublicPress.org, an increasingly definitive source of well-researched, timely news for and about the Asheville area and Western North Carolina: More> RESISTANCE GROWS "Indivisible," a free, online guide to resist the Trump agenda, as well as the ACLU's "Freedom Cities Action Guide," are showing Americans how to effectively become freedom fighters against politicians who shred the U.S. Constitution and close their eyes to Trump's love affair with Russia: More> "The People, Yes" ASHEVILLE WINS WATER FIGHT IN COURT
Thanks to a recent 5-2 ruling by the North Carolina Supreme Court, the people of Asheville will keep its water system. For five years, the City of Asheville fought against Republicans in North Carolina who wanted to take over its water system valued at approximately $173 million — and pay nothing for it. On Dec. 21, 2016, the North Carolina Supreme Court held true to the people's will and sent the Republicans' misguided point of view packing. In short, Asheville gets to keep its water system, ruled the NC Supreme Court, based on it being unconstitutional. Nonetheless, at least one powerful Republican still says the battle for Asheville's water system is not yet over, reported the Asheville Daily Planet. More>
Celebrate with Carl Sandburg. To celebrate the water win and be inspired to continue the good fight against injustices by greedy and vindictive forces, visit the Carl Sandburg house. This national historic site is located in Flat Rock, NC, located just south of Asheville. Sandburg, winner of three Pulitzer prizes, is known as "Poet of the People" and admired for his resistance against oppression, as evidenced in his epic prose poem, "The People, Yes." Asheville area citizens should be proud and appreciative of its city's successful fight to preserve the rights of "the plain people," as Sandburg would have said. For hours and directions to Sandburg's house and grounds: More> | For a funky, touching, animated video of Carl Sandburg's reading "The People, Yes": More> MountainXpress paints the big picture of Asheville's win against the Republican-run state legislature's attempt to take over the city's water system in its article "N.C. Supreme Court Rules Taking of Asheville Water System Unconstitutional." It's a worthwhile read: More> In the 2012 election, Buncombe County citizens greatly opposed the loss of the city's ownership of the water system in a referendum. The referendum revealed by an 85% to 15% margin that North Carolinians of all political persuasions opposed the Asheville water takeover by legislative action, which was lead by Republicans in the NC state legislature. Yet NC Republicans ignored the will of the people and continued to support the Asheville water takeover. To better understand the reasons for the public's outrage against the attempted Republican takeover of Asheville's water system, visit The Progressive Pulse: More> Asheville mayor Esther Mannheimer provided an official statement after the NC Supreme Court ruled in favor of the city, assuring citizens and water customers that it would continue providing safe drinking water to them for many years to come: More> Clean Water for North Carolina, a nonprofit organization, was a strong supporter of the people's perspective and the final ruling by the NC Supreme Court that protects Asheville from being required to transfer its water system to the state against its will and without payment: More>
Q&A OPINION
GOOD-BYE TO MASS PROTESTS? Q: Can anyone imagine Asheville not being allowing to have mass protests? A: Protesting has long been a social touchstone that makes Asheville great. It nurtures its deep-seated desire to speak out, to be free and independent. It prides itself in its analytical thinking and activism. It's what progressive citizens of Asheville do. When injustice rears its Putinesque head, Ashevillians think and talk. They gather facts and analyze them. Then, if necessary, they organize, mobilize and protest. Call it beautiful weird: Asheville folks are activists for good reason. They are keenly aware of what it means to be engaged. They understand why being involved is smart and the right thing to do to further strengthen the fabric of the community that benefits everyone, not just the powerful. Q: So how does the Republican-dominated North Carolina state legislature respond to the citizens' right (not just privilege) to protest en masse? A: In a word, SCREWU. Here's wus' up. The Republican-run North Carolina legislature is looking to curb mass protests. Seriously (as in cray-cray). And it's not alone. North Carolina joins 16 other states (as in USA, not Russia) that are also considering to limit mass protests by its citizens. (Do what?) Yeah, by statue (ya know, by law). Sad. Whether these dumb-as-a-hammer state statues will pass remains to be seen. But even to propose such dictatorial laws is beyond the pale (as in someone needs to get kicked out of office). More>
LIFETIME U.S. NATIONAL PARK SENIOR PASS TO INCREASE FROM $10 TO $80 IN 2017 (why not buy a spare in case you lose one?) If you're 62 years or older, buy your pass now before it goes up sometime later this year. Formerly called the Golden Eagle pass, the Senior Lifetime Pass card can be purchased locally, in-person for $10 at the Carl Sandburg House bookstore (More>) | The Lifetime Senior Pass can be had at national historic sites and national parks nationwide or online at the National Park Service (More>) | The Senior Pass is also available online at National Park Traveler (More>)
Asheville Area daily list of events | Mountainx.com calendar | More> Today's Asheville vicinity travel info |NC DOT reports traffic and construction delays, accident incidents, and adverse weather. | Click Here> Asheville Area attractions | Varied. Plentiful. Affordable. | More>
MAIN is a local, non-profit, aggregator of local, state and national news. MAIN has long championed freedom-of-the-press issues. | More> LOOKING BACK... 'One Term More' adds music — and parody — to the political discourse | "The ballot box of freedom" takes center stage. (Special thanks to botany author, artist, activist and A-B Tech instructor Peter Loewer, a.k.a. TheWildGardener.com, for this link to OneTermMore.com) | More>
Love LIVE music? Revamped AshevilleOnStage.com puts the spotlight on Asheville area musicians, bands, clubs, venues and festivals | More> Quick Guide to many Asheville City official websites | Includes up-to-the-minute news and advisories | More>
LiveWire Asheville | Interactive calendar of Asheville's very much alive performing arts scene | More>
Malaprop's current events: More>
Find Downtown Asheville on Facebook | More> Buy local, save local | Asheville Grown Business Alliance now offers a "Go Local Card" to support public education and local businesses. The card provides discount prices and special members-only offers. Buy in-person at local stores or go online to Ashevillegrown.com: More> Read it and weep
Like it or not, a poll conducted by the national REALTORS organization and published in its REALTORmag publication indicated that as of 2017 Asheville is considered to be Number 2 in the nation as one of the top 10 U.S. cities that is fast becoming gentrified. Charleston polled as Number 1 in the gentrification category for 2017, while Washington, D.C. came in 3rd, followed by Portland, OR, in 4th, and Nashville as 5th. For more of the lowdown about this somewhat dubious Top 10 award, read it and weep the news at: Asheville Citizen Times: More> | Asheville Daily Planet: More> | REALTORmag: More> NC POLITICS 2016 ELECTION UPDATE: Democratic Roy Cooper wins NC governorship. But the former governor, Pat McCrory, a Republican, had trouble letting go of his power. More> REPUBLICAN POWER PLAY VERSUS THE PEOPLE: In the meantime, Gov. Roy Cooper threatens to see the NC Republicans in court. And for good reason. The GOP-dominated legislature took a nefarious political approach. The GOP is trying to prevent Cooper from taking action against issues the GOP support. This unprecedented, hurried and unethical, if not illegal, legislative move by the GOP ignores the voters' wishes. That is, the NC Republicans have acted against the wishes of the majority of NC voters who threw out their Republican governor in the 2016 elections and replaced him with a Democratic governor. It should have been a simple, standard, good-by to Pat McCrory, and a hello to Roy Cooper. The numbers don't lie. More> INSTEAD, the political fallout of NC Republicans' ongoing, high-handed moves to ignore voters has the potential to be seen as an unAmerican, Putinesque, authoritarian, elitist Republican power push versus the profound will and right of Democratic people to have their voices heard. Nothing is more clear even in this age of alternative facts: the Dems won the 2016 NC governor's election fair and square, and the Repubs lost. That's called good old-fashioned American politics: More> "AGAINST ALL ENEMIES, FOREIGN AND DOMESTIC" TAKES ON GREATER MEANING TODAY: In North Carolina and elsewhere across the nation, there is a growing wave of voter anger in demanding that politicians do their job in defense of the U.S. Constitution "against all enemies, foreign and domestic," starting with a president who holds contempt for traditional American values. See NYTimes.com columnist Roger Cohen's article: More>
* An indie movie at the Fine Arts Theatre might be the ticket | More> * The Orange Peel always rocks with live performances | More> * The Biltmore House offers ticket discounts online | More> * Additional highlights | More> Listen LIVE on WNCW-FM radio | Arguably, Western North Carolina's best community-oriented radio station | More> A good reason to pick A-B Tech or UNCA | The debt crisis at America's colleges reported in TheAtlantic.com | More>
Rescued animals | For adoption in Asheville | More> Current official news and updated advisories about Asheville city services | Visit (1) ashevillenc.gov (2) facebook.com/cityofasheville (3) twitter.com/cityofasheville or (4) Click Here> St. Matthias weekly concert series most Sundays at 3 p.m. | More> *TODAY'S Weather | And forecast. Click Here> *AIR Quality | Forecast for ridges and valleys. Click Here> *ASHEVILLE AREA Maps | Find your way. Click Here> * QUICK GUIDE to Official Websites | Useful updates | Click Here>
in the Heart of Asheville is unique with large rooms. *LINKS Directory | Good stuff daily | More> IMAGEASHEVILLE.COM | Fine site to view photos of Asheville. Works by ace local photographers Zen Sutherland, Bill Rhodes and others. | More> * GAS PRICES | Where are the best gas prices in the Asheville Area? | More> *CITY ROAD CLOSINGS ONLINE to help drivers plan ahead | You guide to circumvent local construction | More> *ASHEVILLE AREA Chamber of Commerce | What's new | More> * AshevillePARC | Downtown activist group | Click Here>
*TAKE A HIKE around Asheville | Download an excellent walking guide to the Asheville area and Buncombe County. | More>
*UNITED WAY'S 211 | Connect to help. Click Here> *WHO'S PLAYING LIVE when and where | Link up to Downtown Asheville's best productions. Click Here> *JUST HUMOR ME with this eclectic assortment | Laugh in the face of trying times. Click Here> *2016-17 GREEN BUILDING DIRECTORY available online and in print | This free, bi-annual update offers articles, case studies and checklists about sustainable building practices, and lists regional professionals who can get the job done: Click Here> | Or try Western North Carolina Green Building Council's directory in its slick Issuu flip book format online, current year and prior years: Click Here> ENTERTAINMENT NEWS ARTS NEWS *ASHEVILLE AREA Arts Council | Click Here>
ON THE BEAT
*Asheville Citizen-Times is the area's daily newspaper | Click Here>
*MountainXpress is Asheville's powerful weekly | Click Here>
*The Urban News is Asheville's multicultural gateway | Click Here> *WNC Magazine tells it beautifully | Click Here> *Local Political/Social parodies the locals | Click Here> *Asheville Purple Pages' is colorful and gay | Click Here> *WNC Green Building Council Catalog | To read the 2011 directory online, visit wncgreenbuilding.com or Click Here> | For details about the Council, visit wncgbc.org or Click Here> *Will Scrutiny Hooligans survive? | While considering the future of ScrutinyHooligans.us — Asheville's best progressive political blog — enjoy Mayor Bellamy as she (purportedly) belts out a song to get you in the mood to do some good now. More> *ASHBIZ — THE BUSINESS OF ASHEVILLE *ASHEVILLE Business Networking | Excellent local calendar | |
