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Last Updated: 8:05 a.m., Tuesday, March 16, 2010
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All About Asheville
Celebrate Arbor Day This Friday!
Each state celebrates its own Arbor Day. This year, North Carolina Arbor Day is this Friday, March 19. More details
Asheville Art Museum to Screen Cult-Classic "True Stories"
on April 3 & 4
The Asheville Art Museum invites you to a screening of "True Stories" on Saturday and Sunday, April 3 and 4, 2010 at 2:00 p.m. each day. This film screening is free with Museum Membership or admission. More details
Peace Rally and March Commemorates 7th Anniversary of Iraq War on Saturday
Asheville area residents and beyond are invited to join with PeaceTown activists and other citizens, a loose coalition of people working for peace and nonviolence in WNC. They rally in Pritchard Park Saturday, March 20th, 12 noon to commemorate the United States seventh year of involvement in Iraq. More details
Now is the Time to Prepare That Garden for the Growing Season
Considering February’s weather, it was difficult to get the spring fertilizer application out on time. That does not mean it is a good idea to just do it late. More details
New Information Now Accessible at City’s Development Services Center
The City of Asheville’s Development Services Center will introduce an enhanced customer service option for contractors and developers requesting water availability. Beginning Monday, March 15, all water availability requests will be processed at the Development Service Center located at 161 S. Charlotte Street. More details
UNC Asheville to Host 11th Annual Science Olympiad Tournament on Saturday
Young scientists from 12 middle schools and eight high schools in Western North Carolina will test their talents in the 11th annual regional Science Olympiad Tournament at UNC Asheville Saturday, March 20. The competition will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at various locations across campus. More details
The Grove Park Inn Invites You to Easter Weekend 2010 on April 2 Through 4
Create Easter memories at The Grove Park Inn Resort & Spa. The Grove Park Inn is welcoming spring! More details
The Blue Ridge Orchestra Presents Their Spring Masterworks Concert on Sunday
The Blue Ridge Orchestra celebrates their 10th Anniversary with a Spring Masterworks concert on Sunday, March 21, 3:00 PM at Diana Wortham Theatre. Featured soloist will be violinist Amy Lovinger, performing in Vivaldi’s Concerto for Violin and Strings, “Spring” from “The Seasons.” More details
Kimberly Avenue Improvements to Get Underway
The city of Asheville will make improvements to Kimberly Avenue over the next few months. Contract work on preliminary road repair began this week. More details
Asheville Middle School and Western North Carolina Alliance Cleanup Swannanoa River
Eighth graders at Asheville Middle School have been studying water and the French Broad Watershed all year. They have learned about water pollution, water flow, groundwater, and have even put on a 5-k race. More details
The Fly Fishing Film Tour Comes to Asheville on April 9
In just the fourth year, The Fly Fishing Film Tour has become the fishing entertainment event of the year. The Film Tour will be seen in well over 80 cities in 2010 and will showcase some of the best independent outdoor film makers. More details
Asheville GreenWorks Partners with UNCA Students for Local Alternative Spring Break
College students usually look forward to leaving Asheville and traveling to sunny shores during their spring breaks each year. However, this year a group of UNCA students decided to stay in Asheville to help improve the community through daily projects with Asheville GreenWorks through UNCA's Alternative Spring Break. More details
Hands of Hope Finale Concert Featuring Billy Jonas on March 21
Three schools come together with three service-learning projects and one idea: to learn to change the world. Join the the students and staffs of Maccabi Academy, Odyssey School, and Rainbow Mountain Children's School, as well as ChildrenFirst, River Link, and the Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project for the Hands of Hope Finale Concert featuring Billy Jonas. More details
You’re Invited to Ladies Night Out!
Ladies Night Out is a part of the Buncombe County Breast and Cervical Cancer Control Program (BCCCP). Offered every month, the program provides FREE physicals, mammograms and health education to help qualifying women live a healthy life. More details
Asheville Art Museum Announces Summer 2010 Internships
The Internship Program at the Asheville Art Museum offers participants "hands-on" training in the museum profession and a comprehensive overview of museum operations. Interns participate in the day-to-day activities of Museum departments, in addition to working on specific projects. More details
New Otter Debuts at the Western North Carolina Nature Center
The Nature Center’s resident otter, Olive, now has a new companion! On Tuesday March 9th, a new male otter (yet to be named) was introduced into the Nature Center’s “Otter Falls” exhibit for the first time. More details
All Aboard for the "Peanuts™ Easter Beagle Express" at Great Smoky Mountains Railroad, On April 2 & 3
The Great Smoky Mountains Railroad is pleased to announce the "Peanuts™ Easter Beagle Express" on Friday, April 2nd, and Saturday, April 3rd, 2010. Trains will depart the historic Bryson City depot at 10:30 a.m. More details
Enjoy Nature at RiverLink's Riverfront Bus Tour, on March 18
In what church did Sergeant Alvin York, WWI Medal of Honor recipient, preach when he visited Asheville? How did the "Chicken Hiil" section of town get its name? More details
“Art on Transit” Bus Graphics Program Unveiling on March 27
The City of Asheville Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Arts Department along with the Public Art Board and the Transit Commission will be hosting the unveiling of the Art on Transit busses on Sunday, March 27 at 1:00 p.m. in City/County Plaza. Local artists Ray Noland, Naomi Johnson, and Nina Ruffini will each have their artwork appear on the busses as part of the City of Asheville’s “Art on Transit” Bus Graphics Program. More details
Grand Bohemian Hotel Presents Award-Winning Italian Artist Stefano Cecchini on March 20
Join the Grand Bohemian in welcoming award-winning Italian Artist Stefano Cecchini and his powerful depictions of large-scale exotic wildlife, riveting African portraits and fine luxury cars. This is a rare opportunity to meet the artist and collect his highly desired original oil paintings. More details
Asheville Based AvL Technologies Annouces Significant Expansion Plans, Could Create 75 Jobs
AvL Technologies, in conjunction with the Economic Development Coalition for Asheville-Buncombe County (EDC), proudly announces the expansion of its Asheville-based operations with a $5.9 million facility investment. The addition could create up to 75 high wage jobs over the next three years. More details
Tips for Gardeners on the Practice of Rain Recycling
Right now gardeners may be more concerned about the garden soil being too wet to get the garden ready for spring planting. Memories of dry summers seem a thing of the past. More details
Peak Oil and Community Resilience on March 26 & 31
Cheap energy has fueled the production and consumption systems which provide the basic resources communities depend upon for survival. The challenge of Peak Oil will require us to rethink the current system and come up with alternatives that use less energy. More details
UNC Asheville’s Music Department Announces Three Concerts Set for March
UNC Asheville's Music Department will continue its spring concert season with three performances in March, ranging from jazz to chamber music. Concerts will be held in Lipinsky Auditorium. Admission is $5 at the door. More details
Temperatures May be Rising, But Cataloochee
is Still Keeping it Cool
Spring is just around the corner, but skiing and Snowboarding at the Catalooche Ski Area is still in full swing! What better way to enjoy the wonderful mountain scenery and get some great exercise, than bringing the whole family out for some fun on the snow? More details
Asheville-Buncombe Youth Orchestra Spring Masterworks and Student Concerto Performance on Friday
The Asheville-Buncombe Youth Orchestra, conducted by Ron Clearfield, will be giving a free concert on Friday, March 12, 2010 at 5:30 p.m. in Thomas Wolfe Auditorium. The program will feature the annual concerto competition finalist. More details
Explore.org Teams With HATCHfest Asheville in Documentary Competition, Deadline on March 25
The explore/Hatch Award presented by explore.org will be given in Asheville this April to a filmmaker whose short film shows a group or individual hero striving for a better world. Winner of the first explore/Hatch Award presented by explore.org will be flown to HATCHfest Asheville on April 15-18. More details
Biltmore Announces 14th Annual Concert Series
A mix of Grammy-winning artists, “American Idol” favorites and contemporary Christian artists highlight Biltmore’s annual concert series, which grows from a summertime event to one stretching from June to October this year. Grammy Award winners include Mary Chapin Carpenter and Kathy Mattea, who return to Biltmore, and well-known artists Steve Miller Band and The Legendary Temptations. More details
New Public Pool Safety Requirements
The North Carolina Health Board has adopted rules that will give local health departments the authority to close public swimming pools with drains that don’t meet certain safety requirements. The new rule amendments apply only to public swimming pools. More details
Renowned Gershwin’s Porgy & Bess to Close Bravo Season on March 20
Porgy & Bess, George and Ira Gershwin’s powerful story set in a community of Gullah people outside Charleston, SC, is considered by many to be America’s greatest achievement in musical theatre. This year the show is celebrating its 75th Anniversary with an extraordinarily acclaimed touring production that will visit Asheville on Saturday, March 20. More details
Credit Card Reform: What You Don't Know Could Hurt You,
March 17
The seminar will be a panel discussion hosted by several of the ASA members. The major portion of credit card reform, the CARD Act (Credit Card Accountability, Responsibility and Disclosure Act of 2009) began on February 22, 2010. More details
The Folk Art Center Celebrates National Quilting Day on March 20
Celebrate National Quilting Day on Saturday, March 20 at the Folk Art Center. Connie Brown and Robin Brooks, who are members of the Asheville Quilt Guild and the Southern Highland Craft Guild, will demonstrate their craft from 10am to 4pm in the center’s lobby. More details
The Second Annual Asheville Jewish Film Festival Continues Through Thursday
The Fine Arts Theatre and Center for Jewish Studies at UNC-Asheville and The Asheville Art Museum present The Second Annual Asheville Jewish Film Festival. The festival runs March 13-18, 2010 at the Fine Arts Theatre in downtown Asheville, NC. More details
UNC Asheville to Host Acclaimed Civil Rights Leader, Songstress Bernice Johnson Reagon on March 19
UNC Asheville will host an evening with acclaimed Civil Rights leader and songstress Bernice Johnson Reagon at 7 p.m. Friday, March 19, in UNC Asheville's Lipinsky Auditorium. Reagon, who has been selected to give the May 2010 UNC Asheville Commencement Address, will engage the audience in her signature "song-talk" style. More details
Charlotte Street Computers to Host Easter Event on March 27
Charlotte Street Computers has partnered with the Asheville Tourists and WOXL for their annual Easter event to promote community outreach to the families of Asheville's public housing neighborhoods. The function will focus on education through entertainment for both parents and children. More details
Asheville.com Brings You the Latest News and Updates Leading Up to LEAF Fest 2010
The Lake Eden Arts Festival is almost back! As a proud sponsor, Asheville.com delivers all the info you need to be ready. More details
Fashion Show To Benefit Flat Rock Playhouse on March 17
The Supporting Players guild of Flat Rock Playhouse is hosting a fashion show and seated luncheon to benefit the State Theatre. The Passion for Fashion event is scheduled for March 17 at 11:30 am at Kenmure Country Club. More details
Want Ultra High Speed Internet?
Google has announced plans to test ultra-high speed broadband networks in one or more trial locations across the country. If you would like for Asheville and Buncombe County to be the community chosen for the trial, go to Google Fiber and click on "Nominate Your Community" to help bring the network to us. More details
BMW Group USA Reports February Sales
BMW Group in the U.S. (BMW and MINI combined) increased its February sales 13.7 percent selling 17,971 vehicles compared to the same month in 2009. Both the BMW and MINI brands improved performance with BMW reporting a sales increase of 16.3 percent to 15,100 units and MINI a 1.6 percent increase to 2,871 vehicles. More details
Sharing the Road Is Important in Our Community
Our streets and highways are becoming more crowded every day. Therefore, it is necessary that you, as a driver, bicyclist or pedestrian, practice the rules of the road. More details
Regional Blood Supply Has Dropped To Emergency Levels;
O & B Negative are Urgently Needed
Specifically, there is an acute shortage of O and B negative blood types. The regional blood banks, represented by the American Red Cross, American Association of Blood Banks, and America’s Blood Centers, are asking for immediate blood donations to boost already critically low blood supplies. More details
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YWCA Tribute to Women of Influence on March 25
The The YWCA of Asheville is pleased to announce the Honorees for 19th Annual YWCA Tribute to Women of Influence (TWIN) Awards Banquet. The TWIN Awards Banquet will be Thursday, March 25, 2010 at 6:00 pm at the Renaissance Hotel. More details
Paws with a Purpose Hosts Wine Tasting and Silent Auction on March 19
Paws with a Purpose, local non-profit pet therapy organization, will host an evening of furry fun with the “Luck of the Paws”. The wine tasting and silent auction will take place from 5:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m. on Friday, March 19, 2010 at the newly opened Appalachian Vintner wine store off Biltmore Avenue in Asheville, NC. More details
North Carolina to Implement the Lead Renovation Program
The state of North Carolina has received authorization to administer and enforce EPA’s Lead Renovation Program. The authorization became effective upon EPA’s receipt of the state’s certified Renovation Authorization Application which was submitted by Governor Bev Purdue. More details
Eat Smart and Move More in March
March is National Nutrition Month®. This year eat better by focusing on the basics to build your health from the ground up. More details
Winners Announced for Chimney Rock Photo Contest
Nearly 100 entries were received for the Share Your Favorite Moments themed contest. Contestants always surprise and delight with their creative and fun photos, making choosing the winners really tough. More details
Tips on Combating Spring Time Moles
Although the Extension office fields phone calls about moles all year, it seems like the greatest number of calls come in January through March. Whatever the reason for the obsessive tunneling, homeowners often find the ridges and mounds enough of a nuisance to seek a remedy. More details
New Additions at Biltmore Expected to Create 120 Jobs; Antler Hill Village to Open May 20
Biltmore’s founder, George Washington Vanderbilt, was the consummate host, and to this day, Biltmore strives to carry on that tradition, offering visitors a unique and welcoming experience. On May 20, 2010, Biltmore will expand the guest experience with two brand new offerings, Antler Hill Village and enhanced tours of Biltmore House. More details
Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project Connects Kids and Farms
In spring 2010, Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project (ASAP) will launch new kid’s versions of its popular materials: the Local Food Guide and Local Food -Thousands of Miles Fresher bumper sticker. The sticker will be scaled down for a bike, and the kid sized guide will feature special contents and activities. More details
Flat Rock Playhouse Presents "Schoolhouse Rock Live" Through March 21
YouTheatre of Flat Rock Playhouse presents "Schoolhouse Rock Live!", the stage adaptation of the award-winning cartoon series that became a part of the consciousness of an entire generation. "Schoolhouse Rock" was famous for its clever and likable songs - songs that were so entertaining, kids didn't realize they were learning as they memorized the tunes. More details
Bring the Kids to "The Boxcar Children" at ACT, Now Through March 21
Generations of young readers have cherished the spirited Depression-era adventures of "The Boxcar Children". Now the story of the Alden children comes to life on stage March 5 -21 at Asheville Community Theatre in downtown Asheville. More details
Spring Session of Boot Camp for Runners, Now Through March 24
The spring session of Boot Camp for Runners, sponsored by the Asheville Track Club, starts March 1, from 5:30 – 6:30 a.m. Classes for this session meet Mondays and Wednesdays through March 24 at the Jewish Community Center, 236 Charlotte St., Asheville. More details
Watch Out for Toxins in "Everyday" Products
In spite of the listing of ingredients and clearly marked warnings on many products, people often use cleaning agents, personal care products, pesticides, paints, hobby products and solvents without taking the time to read the labels. There are a multitude of potentially harmful chemicals found in these items. The average home contains some 45 aerosol products alone. More details
The City of Asheville is Seeking Entertainers for the 2010 Bele Chere Festival
The City of Asheville is now accepting applications for entertainers to perform at the 2010 Bele Chere Festival being held Thursday, July 23 through Sunday, July 25, 2010. The application is available for download at www.belecherefestival.com. More details
Great Smoky Mountains Railroad Announces Winter & Spring Excursions Through April 4
All Aboard for winter and spring journeys as the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad takes you through a remote corner of North Carolina into river gorges and tunnels carved out of mountains. The Great Smoky Mountains Railroad has adventures, excursions and special events planned throughout 2010, and is excited to announce our first quarter schedule. More details
Help Out by Donating Paper Towels to the Asheville Humane Society
The Asheville Humane Society needs paper towels! No - they're not using them just to clean up after messy lunches, they're using them to keep the environment at the shelter clean and safe for the animals. More details
Is There Hope for the Hemlock?
The Hemlock Woolly Adelgid is in the mid to late stages of destroying the Eastern Hemlock throughout the Southern Appalachians. DuPont State Forest depends on both the Carolina and Eastern Hemlock to provide deep shade for its cold water trout habitat. More details
The Legacy Continues: SHCG New Members Exhibition at the Folk Art Center Main Gallery
Becoming a member of the Southern Highland Craft Guild is no easy task. The first criteria for membership is living in one of the mountain counties of the Southern Appalachians.More details
Feeding Bodies and Warming Hearts: Providing Safe, Nutritious Meals to Home-bound Seniors
Meals on Wheels of Asheville and Buncombe County, Inc. delivers hot and cold nutritious meals to 550 homebound seniors five days a week throughout the area. Each weekday, volunteers load up picnic coolers and deliver food and drink to clients on each of the 38 routes. More details
Enjoy a Walk through Asheville History on Urban Trail
Asheville’s Urban Trail, an entertaining, informative, and artistic walk through Asheville history, is 1.7-miles of architecture and memories from earlier times in this engaging mountain city.Started in 1991 by a group of dedicated volunteers who were determined to put downtown Asheville’s best foot forward, the Urban Trail has evolved into a fairly complete walking tour of Asheville’s historic and present day world. More details
Legends and Geologic Facts Equally Intriguing at The Blowing Rock
Legend has it that after a Chickasaw maiden’s warrior love had leapt from the Blowing Rock, she prayed daily to the Great Spirit to return her warrior beloved to her and was granted her wish when the brave was blown back up by the winds surrounding the rock. Geologists with the US Geologic Survey estimate the metamorphic igneous rock to be about 1,055 million years old and have determined the wind comes from a flume formed by the rocky walls which sweeps the wind up, along with any objects in its current . More details
The Horticultural Legacy At Biltmore Estate Having Lasting Impact on Forestry
In the the shadow of Biltmore House, America’s largest private residence, are some of America’s finest formal and informal gardens. Here, too, is the birthplace of the first scientific school of forestry in the United States. More details
Explore the Great Outdoors at Chimney Rock Park
Chimney Rock Park, located just north of Lake Lure, NC, in the stunningly beautiful Chimney Rock Gorge, is an ideal place to explore some of North Carolina’s most scenic mountain tracts – yet all within easy reach of the comforts of restaurants, cozy inns, and easy chairs. Chimney Rock Park has several outdoors activities in February and March that encourage visitors to get outside, breathe the fresh air, and stretch their legs. More details
Grandfather Mountain, a Globally Recognized Nature Preserve
Most visitors to Western North Carolina probably recognize Grandfather Mountain’s famous swinging bridge, and more than likely enjoy visiting its restaurant and souvenir shop. Many thousands of travelers stop by Grandfather Mountain during the annual Grandfather Mountain Highland Games, one of the largest gatherings of Scottish clans anywhere in the country. What some visitors might not know, however, is that Grandfather Mountain has been a globally recognized nature preserve and wildlife sanctuary for over 100 years.More details
New Walking Trail Guide for Asheville and Buncombe County Now Available Online
Quality Forward, Mission Hospitals Foundation, and Tortoise & Hare Running Outfitters have collaborated on a new walking trail guide for Asheville and Buncombe County, and the guide is now available both in print and online. The new guide, which contains information on 17 different walks, offers suggestions all over the city and county.More details
Folk Art Center Programs Share Simplicity of Traditional Crafts
The Southern Highland Craft Guild, located in the Folk Art Center on the Blue Ridge Parkway just east of Asheville, is a membership guild of some of the finest craftspeople in the country. Some of these guild members generously share their knowledge of crafts and Appalachian culture with the public through a series of free educational events that take place year-round at the Folk Art Center. More details
A Tour of the Winery is a Great Addition to Biltmore Estate Visit
The most visited winery in the United States isn’t located in the Napa Valley. Perhaps a surprise to some, it is at the Biltmore Estate, quietly nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Asheville, North Carolina, where fine food and wine, paired with elegant entertaining, have been traditions since the end of the 19th century.More details
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