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SNAPSHOT on July 12B, 2008 MEDIABEAR PROUDLY PRESENTS
DowntownAsheville.com: Connected "Community News from the Grassroots Up" TM  Photo Courtesy of AdvantageWest *WELCOME to Independent News about Downtown Asheville, North Carolina ... a diverse, urban, Southern Appalachian city ... where business bustles ... new ideas germinate ... grassroots' activism grows ... the All-American City and county seat of Buncombe ... "Anyway You Like It" ... located in the Blue Ridge Mountains ... along "America's Favorite Highway," the Blue Ridge Parkway ... a vibrant city dubbed "Paris of the South" ... the heartbeat of Western North Carolina. Click Here> *2008 QuickClickDIRECTORY | Good stuff daily. Click Here> *TODAY'S Weather | And seven-day forecast. Click Here> *ASHEVILLE AREA Maps | Find your way. Click Here> *TOP 21 Nightspots | For fun downtown. Click Here> *ASHEVILLE Calendar | Just about any way you like it. Click Here> *KNOW YOUR LOCAL History | Battle of the magnolia tree? Click Here> *POST YOUR Personal Notes | Write On! Click Here> *BLOG Central | One of Asheville's most popular. Click Here> *PARTY TOO HEARTY? Call Four Cabbies! | Friends and barkeepers don't let friends drink and drive. In Downtown Asheville they call: Blue Bird 828-258-8331; Metro Cab 828-254-1155; Red Cab 828-252-1913; Yellow Cab 828-253-3311. LET FREEDOM RING JULY 12 MAGNOLIA WATCH DAY 19 "ASHEVILLE ON THE GROUND" REPORTS DAILY Click Here> Scrutiny Hooligans Posts Controversial Parkland Sale Video Here's exactly how it happened the day the Buncombe County Commissioners sold the magnolia tree down the river. Shocking footage given that Mr. Frue was unsure of the boundaries. Click Here> "We're not exactly sure where the boundaries should be." -Michael Frue, Associate County Attorney, trying to explain at a public meeting the scope of the City-County Plaza land and real estate that was approved to be sold to Black Dog Realty, and barely a minute later "a motion to approve the sale of said property" was passed unanimously 5-0 by the Buncombe County Commissioners . NON-WARRANTY DEED? Is there a NC real estate closing attorney who can explain the pros and cons of a non-warranty deed? If so, Click Here> First TONGUE-IN-CHEEK Game Proposal to HELP CREATE 'THE PARKSIDE PLAYERS' BOARD GAME "It's for everyone!" Contribute your mind to the new "whodunit" board game of clues that can answer the really big question: Who Sold Magnolia Park? Click Here>  New Original Illustrations by Peter Loewer (c) 2008 Free BlackBird Reception *BLACKBIRD FRAME & ART Shows New Works | Enjoy a Saturday morning reception, July 12, 2008, 10 a.m. to noon, featuring a new, original series of hand-colored illustrations by Peter Loewer (The Wild Gardener), along with one-of-a-kind, handcrafted in Asheville, fabric screens by Christopher Slusher. The public is welcomed. Click Here>  CASH, ANYONE? *ASHEVILLE'S 77TH ANNUAL Open Tennis Tournament July 8 - 21 | Asheville's Open Tennis Championships are underway July 8-21 at Aston Park Tennis Center. Total cash purse: $10,000. Click Here> Free Shakespeare Plays *THE MONTFORD PARK PLAYERS Continue to Perform Free Summertime Shakespeare Each Fri., Sat. & Sun. | Bring your blanket and treats. Each performance begins at 7:30 p.m. and will be performed every weekend throughout July in Montford Park, located a few blocks north of I-240. CURRENT SHOW: July 11 through 20; Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at 7:30 p.m.; Henry VIII, by William Shakespeare Click Here>  Photo of Quebec City | Wikipedia Quebec Celebrates 400 Years This Week *PARIS OF THE SOUTH RADIO SHOW Tells All about America's Northern Friend and Neighbor: Quebec, Canada | Dial in to a uniquely local Franco-American perspective, live and archived weekly, on M.A.I.N.'s low-power, high-energy radio station, WPVM 103.5 FM Asheville. Francois Manavit's most recent show is devoted entirely to Quebec, where it's all very French, all the time. Three questions (and more) are answered: (1) Why are curses in Quebec taken from the Christian sacraments? (2) What four words were pronounced by General De Gaulle in 1967 which almost created a revolution in Quebec? (3) What is the ”quiet revolution? Click Here> LAAFF's Logo Contest Ends July 15 *ARTIST COMPETITION for New LAAFF Logo Announced | Lexington Avenue Arts & Fun Festival, a downtown event that draws over 10,000 people each year, is soliciting artists to submit a logo design for the event. The submission deadline is July 15, 2008. The prize: $250. LAAFF is one of Downtown Asheville's most popular and vibrant community events. This year's event takes place on September 7. For contest details, Click Here>  'Stop Parkside' Rally July 15, 4:30 P.M., "Stop Parkside" Rally in City-County Plaza Supported by Western North Carolina Alliance (WNCA) To print the rally poster, visit StopParkside.org or Click Here> To reach WNCA, call 828-258-8737 or Click Here>  WNC's oldest arts and culture publication Annual Mountain Craft Fair Returns *61ST SOUTHERN HIGHLANDS CRAFT FAIR July 18, 19 & 20 | At the Asheville Civic Center, 10 a.m. - 6 p.m., Fri. and Sat.; 10 a.m.- 5 p.m. Sun. ADMISSION: $6 (under 12 free), reports Rapid River Magazine. Open to the public. To view the July 2008 issue of Rapid River, Click Here>  Fine Crafts, Fine Art *THIS SUMMER IN BILTMORE VILLAGE ENJOY The 36th Annual Village Art & Craft Fair | Some of the South's finest artists and artisans participate in this much-anticipated festival to be held Aug. 2 & 3, 2008, in Biltmore Village, located just south of Downtown Asheville. It's free to the public, and "it's one of the best festivals anywhere," said Karen of Pets For Keeps Thrift Shop, located on Long Shoals Road in South Asheville. Click Here> DAILY PROTEST 4-7 P.M. UNDER THE MAGNOLIA SIGN THE 'STOP PARKSIDE WITH EMINENT DOMAIN' PETITION *PUT YOUR "JOHN HANCOCK" on the "Stop Parkside with Eminent Domain" petition | Initiated and circulated by Asheville PARC (People Advocating Real Conservancy) and available for concerned Buncombe County citizens and visitors to sign anytime under the magnolia tree in front of Asheville City Hall. For info about Asheville PARC, Click Here> PETER LOEWER INTRODUCES NEW PARODY COLUMN, "FOREST & TOSCA" *FOREST AND TOSCA, a brand new parody written by Asheville author/illustrator Peter Loewer now appears on TheGreenerHome.com | Learn how the upper crust lives in the Southern Appalachian mountains through the eyes of husband Forest and wife Tosca. The first episode of Peter Loewer's Forest and Tosca parody, entitled "The Fog Descends," appears now in the HUMOR section of www.TheGreenerHome.com. Smile on, Asheville. "Click Here>  Photo by Byron Belzak/DowntownAsheville.com * Copyright 2008 MEDIABEAR On July 7, 2008, the 'Magnolia Lady' climbed into the Parkside fray by announcing that she would begin a 24/7 vigil and protest by camping out under the 100-year-old magnolia in front of Asheville City Hall "to reclaim park land stolen, in my opinion, by (Parkside developer) Stewart Coleman ... and to save the magnolia from being chopped down (by him)." PARKSIDE PROTEST INTENSIFIES *24/7 VIGIL CONTINUES Under Thee Magnolia Tree | Dixie Deerman, a.k.a. Lady Passion, camps out in front of Asheville City Hall to protect the 100-year-old magnolia that Shindig on the Green musicians have played under for four generations from being chopped down by Parkside developer Stewart Coleman and his hatchetmen. For the complete "MAGNOLIA LADY" article and to print this article separately, Click Here> For detailed daily reports from under thee magnolia, visit Clare's "Asheville On The Ground" blog. Click Here> For the Asheville Tree Commission report to save the magnolia from the proposed Parkside condominium development on park land that the Buncombe County Commissioners wrongfully sold to Stewart Coleman, as a lawsuit by George Pack heirs contends, Click Here> The People, No! *RUBBER-STAMPING MEMBERS of the City of Asheville's Technical Review Committee (TRC) unanimously approved developer Stewart Coleman's controversial Parkside condo proposal on Monday, July 7, 2008. Rules are rules, said TRC. While they no doubt know their rules, they missed the rules of public morality, the bigger picture. They ignored the fact that a lawsuit by the Pack heirs challenging the legal right of Buncombe County Commissioners to sell parkland to the developer has not been determined. Nonetheless, TRC voted in unison: Parkside, Yes! The People, No! For the complete essay, Click Here> *RECLAIM Democracy | Here's some encouragement. Click Here> *MUMPOWER Writes | "Saying Goodbye to Senator No" Click Here>  ALL BUILDINGS by Demetrios Meimaridis (c) 2008 with permission TOWERS OF TROUBLE? *A WAVE OF HUGE HIGH-RISES IS RISING in Downtown Asheville. | Several large new construction projects are moving forward quickly in Downtown Asheville. Others, perhaps to avoid possible constraints imposed by a new Downtown Master Plan, are said to be brewing. Only one, the proposed complex on the old Deal Chevrolet site on Merrimon Avenue has died. When might the madness of who can build the tallest skyscraper in Asheville and Western North Carolina end? Possible answer: When the Downtown Master Plan is completed and presented to City Council in October 2008. Until that plan is finished and receives wide public support, the current Asheville attitude is tower happy. Some say that spells trouble in river city, with a capital "T" and that stands for TALL. Click Here> SHOULD REFERENDUM FOR BUILDING HEIGHT RESTRICTIONS BE ON NOVEMBER 2008 BALLOT? No building height restrictions have been imposed by Asheville City Council at this point, as they are legally entitled to do to control rampant and unhealthy growth. DowntownAsheville.com wants to know: How tall is too tall for you, and why? Click Here> MORE PARKSIDE NEWS
Civil Disobedience Training Conducted BUNCOMBE COUNTY CITIZENS Opposed to Parkside Condo and Park Land Grab Provided 'Direct Action Training' on Sunday afternoon, July 6, 2008, in front of Asheville City Hall and under the City-County Plaza magnolia. Click Here> "I'm tired of public servants helping the camel get its nose in the tent." -Alan Robinson, Buncombe County citizen, speaking against good-old-boy bureaucrats in Buncombe County who are helping high-rise developers, for which he received a round of applause at the "Direct Action Training" session in front of Asheville on Sun., July 6, 2008, as reported by "Asheville On The Ground." "The Coleman Condo is on the same level as allowing a nine-story Burger King to be erected across from the Basilica." -Peter Loewer, a.k.a., The Wild Gardener, who has attended many TRC meetings over the years, is greatly saddened by TRC's unanimous decision to approve Stewart Coleman's controversial Parkside Condominiums. Write, Too! Voice your opinions and give your facts to DowntownAsheville.com about major downtown developments. Click Here> EVEN MORE PARKSIDE NEWS... CLARE'S PARKSIDE JOURNAL "ASHEVILLE ON THE GROUND" REPORTS Click Here> ASHEVILLE'S EPIC STRUGGLE OF PUBLIC INTEREST VERSUS PRIVATE INTEREST PARKSIDE PHOTO GALLERY Click Here> HOLD TRUE: THE BATTLE LINES ARE DRAWN PARKSIDE POEM Click Here> PARKSIDE PARODY POKING FUN AT PARKSIDE MESS Click Here> PARKSIDE QUOTE "Parkside does not pass the fish test. It just smells bad." - Alan Robinson, Buncombe County Citizen PARKSIDE MEDIA COVERAGE MountainXpress' Parkside Update: The fairest way to resolve Parkside is through eminent domain, said Richard Koerber, according to MountainXpress weekly. Click Here> THE PARKSIDE CONUNDRUM Pack Square Conservancy, Asheville Downtown Association, Asheville PARC, and other powerful groups oppose Stewart Coleman's Parkside project. Click Here>  CLONE OF FAMILY by Demetrios Meimaridis (c) 1995 with permission WICCANS UNITE TO THWART PARKSIDE Asheville Area Wiccans have united to save the parkland magnolia, and continue to speak out online to protect it from Parkside developer Stewart Coleman, who would kill it. A Wiccan website filed the following report: “It’s one tree,” he (Stewart Coleman) said Monday after hearing a group of Wiccans plan to cast spells to save it. “More than 40 trees — including six flowering cherries — have been destroyed for the park construction.” "But Wiccan priestess Dixie Deerman of Coven Oldenwilde in Asheville says the line has to be drawn somewhere, and this is it. "Deerman, also known as Lady Passion, has invited Pagans, Wiccans and others to encircle the tree ... and chant spells to protect it, 'and Barbarous Words of Power to thwart the developer.' "Wicca, also known as Paganism, is a faith that worships nature." For a complete Wiccan/Coven Oldenwilde report, Click Here> HIGH-RISE HEAVEN ON HAYWOOD?
*HAYWOOD PARK HIGH-RISE REDEVELOPMENT PROPOSAL WAS APPROVED by the Asheville Downtown Commission | Asheville's tallest, most ambitious building project features two 20-story-plus towers as part of a redevelopment of the Haywood Park Hotel and Promenade -- located at the corner of Haywood St. and Battery Park Ave., and surrounded by the Grove Arcade, Battery Park apartments, the Basilica, the Asheville Civic Center, the Central Library, Woolworth Walk, and the Flat Iron building -- was approved by the Downtown Commission. However, the developer's promised "community benefits program" remains uncertain, said Commission member Kitty Love, who attended the 8:30 a.m., July 1, 2008, public meeting. Click Here>  Photo by Byron Belzak/DowntownAsheville.com * Copyright 2008 MEDIABEAR Pritchard Park's New, Free, Summer Arts Program Rocks *Arts2People ORGANIZES Pritchard Park Cultural Arts Program | To contribute or learn more about the outdoor arts events in Pritchard Park this summer, which are free and open to the public at lunchtime, Monday through Friday and on select weekends, contact A2P leader Kitty Love. Click Here> *GOURMET PERKS FORMER EMPLOYEES Work to Open New, Worker-Owned Cafe | Click Here> Downtown Master Plan Update *ALL ARE INVITED TO ATTEND PUBLIC MEETINGS by Downtown Master Plan Consultants on July 28, July 29 & Sept. 18 | City-hired consultants continue to work with the public as Asheville's new Downtown Master Plan is created and reaches consensus. Click Here> Tickets On Sale for Laugh Fest *ASHEVILLE'S COMEDY FESTIVAL Returns in July | The 2nd annual Laugh Your Asheville Off comedy festival comes to town July 17, 18 & 19. Headlining is NBC’s Last Comic Standing winner Alonzo Bodden and over a dozen other comedians. The fest is said to be the largest of its kind in the Southeast. Click Here> (Mostly) Free Bele Chere *2008 BELE CHERE FESTIVAL July 25, 26 & 27 | The irony: Billed as "A Free Downtown Street Festival," the festival website annouces in the same breath that tickets are on sale now for The Wailers and Third World (Fri., July 25) and Travis Tritt and Steve Azar (Sat., July 26). There's still time to plan now on whether to attend Bele Chere or leave town, as many Ashevillians do to avoid the crush of the crowd. Others fully embrace the largest party of the year and gladly pay for entertainment, while most choose the free music venues instead. Enjoy. Click Here>  *WHO'S DOIN' The Peel? | One of America's best musical venues. Click Here>
*THE GRAY EAGLE Live | Pickin', singin', playin'. Click Here>  *FINE FLICKS at the Fine Arts | Popcorn and beer, too. Click Here>  CANARY COALITION SINGS Boycott Grows Against Duke Energy, Rally in Asheville on July 20 *MORE GRASSROOTS GROUPS CONTINUE TO PROTEST Duke's construction of a greatly expanded Cliffside coal-powered plant in NC. | News posted by Canary Coalition. Canary Coalition announced that the next boycott rally against the construction and expansion of the Cliffside power plant is planned in Asheville on Sunday, July 20, 2008, at Phil Mechanics Studio, 109 Roberts Street, according to the Canary Coaltion. The rally to support the boycott will be held from 8 -10 pm with "lights out" at 9 pm for the boycott. The public is invited to bring musical instruments to play, conduct readings, read poetry and talk with friends. Click Here> *NEW GasBuddy.com | Local gas prices Click Here> *LIVE Downtown Video | On Battery Park Ave. Click Here> *FEATURED Street| Lexington Avenue Click Here> *ASHEVILLE ART Galleries | Dozens to visit. Click Here> *URBAN Trail | History worth walking. Click Here>  Compliments of AllFordMustangs.com TONGUE-IN-CHEEK Questions of the Week *Who wants some good ol' fashion 'TRUTHINESS'? Click Here> *Would you rather have food or would you rather have bombs? Click Here> *Should you laugh your Asheville off? Click Here> *Will you be attending the 29th Annual Weekly FestivalFest? Click Here> *What would Chomsky say about Parkside? Click Here> For more pressing questions, Click Here>  *RESTAURANTSAsheville.com | Only unique restaurants in Asheville listed, such as Rosetta's Kitchen. To find your favorite, Click Here>
*LOCAL Maps | Downtown, Asheville Area and WNC. Click Here> *13 CALENDARS of Events | Always something new to do. Click Here> *CITY OF ASHEVILLE News | Water line replacement continues. More city news: Click Here> *CITY SEEKS VOLUNTEERS for Handicapped Parking Enforcement | City program to train volunteers. Click Here> I-26 Repair Zone *I-26 NIGHTTIME CONSTRUCTION to Begin | Look for delays in the evenings as repair of the bumpy road begins. Click Here> MORE... REAL ESTATE Listings | Featured homes. Condos. Vacation rentals. B&Bs. Hotels/Motels. For sale. For rent. Click Here> *UNCA Master Calendar | Events for students and the public. Click Here> *MALAPROP'S Events | One of Downtown's favorite places. Click Here> *CIVIC CENTER Schedule of Events | In the heart of Downtown Asheville, big - and sometimes wierd - events for big fun. Click Here> *DIANA WORTHAM THEATRE Schedule of Events | Click Here> *CALENDAR of Festivals and Events | Something for everyone. Click Here> HISTORIC...  It's Obama *HISTORIC EVENT That Asheville Helped Make Happen | Buncombe was the only county in Western North Carolina to prefer Barack Obama over Hillary Clinton. The New York Times' superdelegate chart shows the critical turning point immediately after the North Carolina and Indiana May 6 primaries. For Obama's democratic nomination victory speech on June 3, 2008, Click Here. For news about where the Dems go from here, Click Here> *HISTORIC DOWNTOWN Architectural Tour Click Here> *GROVE ARCADE Architectural Tour | Simply spectacular. Click Here> *PHOTO Tour of Downtown Asheville | Compliments of ExploreAsheville. Click Here> *HAPPIEST Place to Live | It's Asheville, NC, says Eric Weiner in his new travel book, "The Geography of Bliss." Click Here> *CONCERTS Continue at St. Mathias | Complete 2008 schedule Click Here> *ALIVE in Asheville | One of America's top places to live Click Here> *BUNCOMBE County Primary | Race Results Click Here> QuickClickDIRECTORY... Click Here>  Signage by Byron Belzak/DowntownAsheville.com * Copyright 2008 MEDIABEAR LOCAL NEWS FROM THE GRASSROOTS UP... Your comments and press releases are always welcomed. We've been reporting our unique community's news online for nearly four consecutive years. So email your news, photos and essays to us. The more we know about each other, the more we are truly connected. Help keep Downtown Asheville weird, wired and wonderful ... from the grassroots up. Click Here> Write, Too! Voice your opinions and give your facts to DowntownAsheville.com about downtown developments. Click Here> ABOUT US... *DowntownAsheville.com is published by MediaBear, an independent Internet publisher and writing service based in Buncombe County. Click Here> MediaBear, PO Box 1040, Skyland, NC 28776 * 828-768-5600 Copyright 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005 All Rights Reserved |
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