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SNAPSHOT - November 18, 2008

MEDIABEAR PRESENTS
DowntownAsheville.com: Connected
'Community News from the Grassroots Up' TM

*TODAY'S Weather | And forecast. Click Here>
*AIR Quality | Ridge tops and valleys. Click Here>
*ASHEVILLE AREA Maps | Find your way. Click Here>
*13 CALENDARS of Events | What's new to do. Click Here>
*LINKS Directory | Good stuff daily. Click Here>

FEATURED NEWS

Inauguration Tickets Go to Early Birds
*CONGRESSMAN HEALTH SHULER Offers Inauguration Tickets to WNC Residents on a First-Come, First-Served Basis | Shuler said that there are already more requests for tickets to Barack Obama's inauguration on Jan. 20, 2009, than he will have tickets allocated to his District 11 constituents. Therefore, Shuler's office is no longer taking any new requests, and will distribute the tickets to those who made their requests the earliest. | For details, Click Here>

PHOTO: ZEN SUTHERLAND

Give Peace A Chance Every Tuesday
*STAND FOR PEACE AT VANCE MONUMENT Each Tues. Afternoon | Stand for peace with members of Veterans For Peace, Iraq Veterans Against the War, Western North Carolina Peace Coalition, Buncombe Green Party and sundry peace-mongers each Tues., 4:30 to 6 p.m., at Vance Monument, located at Biltmore and Patton avenues in the heart of Downtown Asheville. | ALSO, Veterans For Peace Chapter 099 holds a monthly meeting that is free and open to the public the first Thurs. of each month at 6:30 p.m. at Firestorm Cafe & Books, 48 Commerce Street, Asheville NC. | For details about Veterans for Peace in Asheville, Click Here> | For WNC Peace Coalition info, Click Here> | For directions to Firestorm, Click Here>

CECIL BOTHWELL: Asheville's tireless author and courageous journalist * Campaign photo when running for Buncombe County Commission earlier this year

Bothwell Exposes Felon Medford at Malaprops Nov. 20
*LISTEN TO A WHOLE LOT OF 'PURE BUNKUM' about Convicted Sheriff Bobby Medford | At 7 p.m., on Nov. 20, at Asheville's favorite independent bookstore, Malaprop's in Downtown Asheville, treat yourself to a local star. Cecil Bothwell, Asheville's tireless activist, author, investigative journalist and candidate for local office, will read from his latest book about Buncombe's infamous sheriff, Bobby Medford, who was convicted and sentenced earlier this year for his rein of dasterdly deeds while in office. Years ago, courageous Bothwell was the first to report Medford's questionable activities -- long before any other journalist in town dared to whisper such things. For that work alone, Bothwell deserves Asheville's praise and recognition. Does City Hall hand out a Citizen's Medal of Honor? If not, it could well start with one for "Brave Ulysses" Bothwell. | For details about Cecil Bothwell's appearance at Malaprops, Click Here> | For Bothwell's Blog, Click Here>

FIRST 'FLIGHT NIGHT' POSTER

Celebrate Epicurean Delights Nov. 20
ASHEVILLE DOWNTOWN ASSOCIATION Announces 'Flight Night' Fundraiser | On Nov. 20, 2008, attend the first annual celebration of Asheville’s epicurean delights with craft beer aficionados and culinary connoisseurs in mind. The celebration will serve as a fundraiser for the Downtown Association. | For details, Click Here>

Downtown Asheville Parade Nov. 22
*MERCHANTS CELEBRATE THE SEASON with Annual Parade | For details provided by merchants that are members of the Asheville Downtown Association, Click Here> | SPECIAL NOTE: Asheville City Market will be closed on Nov. 22 due to the parade.

Brownie Newman Leaves Conservation Council, Joins FLS Energy
*NEWMAN HELPED ELECT New Leaders | The Conservation Council of North Carolina (CCNC) reported on Nov. 14, 2008, that Brownie Newman, who was employed as CCNC's political director, has now moved on to work with FLS Energy, an Asheville-based solar energy development company. Newman is also an Asheville city council member. | For details about Newman's move, Click Here> | For details about FLS Energy, Click Here>

WNC to Get First Large-Scale Solar Farm
*MARKETWATCH REPORTED ON OCT. 27, 2008 that Three Carolina Companies Will Partner Together to Make Solar Farm A Reality | For details about the FLS Energy, Progress Energy and Evergreen Packaging project on a former landfill, Click Here>

Calling All Artists by Dec. 1
*'ON THE VERGE' ART COMPETITION Ends Dec. 1 | Aimed at discovering new regional talent, this competition is for you. Whose invited to participate? Painters, potters, sculptors, glassblowers, photographers, blacksmiths, or whatever your specialty. Organized by the Asheville Area Arts Council and WNC Magazine. | For competition details, Click Here>

Hometown Holiday Jam VIII Dec. 10
*COMMUNITY HOLIDAY BENEFIT for Manna Food Bank and Salvation Army | On Dec. 10, 2008, at The Orange Peel. $10 advance / $12 at the door. Bring a can of food or a toy, too. Help your hometown through the tough times. | Click Here>

POLITICS

Apply for Vacant Seat on City Council by Nov. 26
*HOLLY JONES' SEAT AVAILABLE due to her win as Buncombe County commissioner | City Council will review applications during the next 30 days and make a decision by Dec. 9, 2008. | For details and application form, Click Here>

Ashvegas: Bellamy to Run for Re-election
*LOCAL BLOG SCOOPS NEWS about Mayor's Second Term Bid | Apparently the first to pick up on a recent comment that Mayor Bellamy intends to run for re-election in 2009, visit one of Asheville's best political blogs, Ashevegas: Click Here>

ON THE BEAT

RAPID RIVER MAGAZINE IS THE REGION'S OLDEST AND
MOST WIDELY READ ARTS AND CULTURE MONTHLY

*CURRENT ISSUE of Rapid River | Click Here>
*CURRENT ISSUE of MountainXpress | Click Here>
*CURRENT ISSUE of WNC Woman | Click Here>

Promoting Social Justice
*OUT IN ASHEVILLE Launches Daily Gay News Online | For current OIA/LGBTQ news, Click Here>

MORE POLITICS

Are Republicans the Stupid Party?
*'THE ECONOMIST' SEES REPUBLICANS' ANTI-INTELLECTUALISM as Seeds of Disaster | For a thoughtful article from the other side of the Big Pond, Click Here>

CARL MUMPOWER: Current Asheville city council member
and former Republican congressional candidate * Campaign photo

Mumpower Thanks WNC for Support During His Failed Run for Congress
*'WE DID JUST FINE,' SAYS CARL MUMPOWER, After Losing to Incumbent Rep. Heath Shuler | Writes Mumpower in a Nov. 13, 2008, public statement: "Our campaign burned shoe leather and tire rubber all over WNC. We worked day and night in one of the largest districts, hit every county hard and often, and never let off the gas for a full year. We not only fought to the front against our opponent and his Party, but we also fought to the rear against a corrupt Republican leadership structure that placed power, party, and popularity before principles." | For Mumpower's complete "We Did Just Fine" statement, Click Here> | For recent news about the Mumpower-Shuler contest, Click Here> | For Heath Shuler's congressional website, Click Here>

Dems Win Big in Buncombe
*OBAMA AND LOCAL DEMOCRATS WIN BIG in Buncombe County | Buncombe voters swept Democrats into office, including five Democrats to fill all five Buncombe County Commissioner seats. | For Buncombe County election results, Click Here> | For more North Carolina election results, county-by-county, Click Here>

OBAMA IN ASHEVILLE * Lisa Ringelspaugh-Irvine/MediaBear
OBAMAMANIA IN ASHEVILLE: More than 20,000 supporters listened to Barack Obama a little more than a month ago at the Asheville High School stadium.

Oh, Obama!
*IN ASHEVILLE, BARACK OBAMA Spoke with Eloquence, Passion and Focused on Healthcare to 20,000+ | Obama electrified Asheville on Oct. 5, 2008, as he spoke for over an hour to over 20,000 who attended the Obama political rally at Asheville High School stadium in Downtown Asheville. He was introduced by a Mission Hospitals' nurse who spoke passionately in favor of healthcare reform. Obama, in turn, focused on his vision for heathcare for all Americans. | For photos, Click Here> | For Obama's Canton, Ohio, speech ("We'll emerge from this crisis stronger and more prosperous"), Click Here> | For president-elect Barack Obama's website, Click Here>

Golly, Gannt!
*WHO WOULD HAVE IMAGINED THAT DAVID GANNT Could Have Beaten Nathan Ramsey for Chair of the Buncombe County Commissioners? | Maybe in a word: PARKSIDE. | Here's Gannt's letter of thanks to supporters:
"The election last night was a wonderful reminder of what a great country we live in. I am humbled and grateful for your support in this election. Thank you for your time, talent and efforts on my behalf. I have met so many wonderful people and made friends that I will always treasure. | Buncombe County has elected a wonderful Commission with K. Ray Bailey and Holly Jones joining Carol Peterson and Bill Stanley as Commissioners. Each of these fine individuals are proven leaders and innovative thinkers who will help Buncombe County move in the right direction. I am thrilled to have the opportunity to work with these friends who are so deeply involved in good programs and policies for all of us. | Now that the election is over, I would like your help in taking down my political signs. Please dispose of them or call my office at 828.252.2852 so I can arrange to have them picked up. | Thanks again and I look forward to working hard as your Chairman for the next four years. Please email me at commissioner@davidgantt.com with any questions and/or comments about Buncombe County that I might be able to help with. -- David Gantt, Buncombe County Commissioner, 82 Church Street, Asheville, NC 28801.

Record Voting in Buncombe at 'Early Voting' Stations, as well as on Nov. 4 * Belzak/MediaBear

High Five, Holly!
*HOW HOLLY JONES, ONE OF BUNCOMBE COUNTY'S NEWEST COMMISSIONERS, Stands on the Key Issues | Holly Jones, currently an Asheville City Council member, won her bid to become one of the new Buncombe County Commissioners. Jones' win will leave a vacant seat on the city council, which will be filled by an application, interview and appointment process. To view Jones' stand on key issues, Click Here>

As Easy as A-B for Bailey
*YET ANOTHER DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE, K. RAY BAILEY, Rode the Obama Wave (Or Was It the Parkside Scandal?) to Win a Seat on the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners | K. Ray Bailey of A-B Tech fame put the who-hah on his competitors to take a Buncombe County commissioner seat away from more conservative candidates. To view Bailey's website, Click Here>

Electoral College Updates
*FOR AMERICA'S POLITICAL OUTCOMES ... that Haven't All Yet Come In | For those who are keeping count -- and not that there is anything wrong with that -- Click Here>

MUSIC AND MORE

CURRENT NEWS

Have Truck, Will Tow?
*ASHEVILLE POLICE Need Towing Service Bids | From now until Dec. 12, 2008, the police are accepting applications from wrecker companies for towing services with 24-hour availability. Pick up an application and detailed requirements at the police station in the Municipal Building, 100 Court Plaza, or call 828-259-5969.

Have Leaves, Will Deliver (or Pickup)
*WANT FALLEN LEAVES DELIVERED or Want Them Removed? | Most city residents and businesses want their fallen leaves collected by the city, and the city recently released its pick-up schedule. However, for those who want fresh leaves for mulching, the city is more than happy to deliver them at no charge. For details, call 828-251-1122. | For the city's current leaf collection schedule: Click Here>

New Winter Hours at Tailgate Markets
*EVERY SATURDAY MORNING, Fresh Local Food in Open Air Markets | Find what's in season at Asheville City Market, Sat., during its new winter hours, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., beginning Nov. 29; closed Nov. 22 (161 South Charlotte Street): Click Here> | Enjoy Downtown Asheville's oldest tailgate market at the French Broad Food Co-op, Sat., 8 a.m. - 1 p.m. (76 Biltmore Avenue): Click Here> | Discover the North Asheville Tailgate Market, Sat., 8 a.m. - 12 noon (near Owen Hall on the UNCA campus): Click Here> | Find other Asheville area tailgate markets throughout the week: Click Here>

Download Money-Saving Coupons
*CHAMBER ANNOUNCES NEW WEBSITE, SaveInAsheville.com | To download online coupons provided by local businesses and professionals, Click He re>

BAILOUT NEWS & VIEWS

The Bailout’s Next 60 Days
*CRITICAL EDITORIAL Published by The New York Times on Nov. 17, 2008 | This less than enthusiastic analysis of the Bush adminstration's $700 billion bank bailout states, "... the effort has become as fractured as the ad hoc rescues that it was supposed to replace." | For the complete editorial, Click Here>

*MARKET Watch | Follow the bouncy ride. Click Here>

*SERIOUS Financial News | Worth Reading. Click Here>

*BAILOUT DETAILS ABOUT H.R. 1424 That Have Been Signed into Law | To read H.R. 1424 posted at the Library of Congress, Click Here>

'RIDE, BABY, RIDE'
*A NOTE from Laurey Masterton | Click Here>

Downtown Master Plan Coming Soon?
*AFTER THE SEPTEMBER PUBLIC MEETING WAS CANCELLED, Citizens Wait for a New Meeting Date to Analyze the Master Plan for Downtown | The long-awaited Master Plan for Downtown Asheville produced by city-hired consultants Goody Clancy of Boston is being readied and may be unveiled in a public meeting sometime in January 2009. Stay tuned. | For official city news about the plan to date, Click Here> | For more news and photos, Click Here>

PARKSIDE NEWS

'STOP PARKSIDE' STICKERS ARE WORN BY MANY AT HEARINGS * Photo: Belzak/MediaBear

Asheville's Epic Struggle Not Over Yet: Coleman Appeals

*DOWNTOWNASHEVILLE.COM CONTINUES Its In-Depth News Coverage about Parkside | Asheville's most contentious real estate development -- an epic struggle between middle class citizens and the powerful, well-heeled elite -- just won't go away. | For comprehensive coverage of Parkside scandal, Click Here> | For Jennifer Saylor's article about Parkside in The Blue Banner, UNCA's newspaper, Click Here> | "A Court Decision: What Next" by AshevillePARC includes a letter by Nathan Ramsey that says the idea of an investigation is unnecessary: Click Here> | MountainXpress confirms Coleman's appeal of Judge Marlene Hyatt's ruling in favor of the Pack heirs: Click Here>

Coleman's 'Spite House'?
*ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE CONCERNING THIS BAD DEVELOPMENT PROPOSAL According to Many Local Real Estate Professionals Who Wish the Project Would Go Away for Good | Here's what developer Stewart Coleman could do on land that he owns -- and in the process tear down Asheville's oldest building that's next to the new $21 million City-County Plaza park now under construction with Pack Square Conservancy oversight: Click Here>

ASHBIZ.COM
THE BUSINESS OF ASHEVILLE

Progress Still Pushes Coal and Nuclear
*MIKE HOPPING REPORTS on the Latest News and Noise from Progress Energy | Filed on Oct. 10, 2008, the bottom line is bad: Progress Energy will keep pushing its worn out agenda of increased coal pollution and nutty nuclear in the name of electrical power. When will Progress get serious about renewable energy? Read journalist/author Michael Hopping's even-handed take ("Welcome to My World: CEAC XVI") on WNC's so-called Progress. Click Here>

GOVERNMENT ALERT

Have You Seen Her?
*HAVE YOU SEEN MISSING TEEN Jessica Renee Hall? | Any info? Click Here>

ENTERTAINMENT NEWS

Asheville's "No Ads" Movie Theatre
*FINE FLICKS at the Fine Arts Theatre | For current schedule of Downtown's only independent movie theatre, Click Here>
*TOP 21 Nightspots | For fun downtown. Click Here>
*PARTY Too Hearty? | Call four cabbies! Click Here>
*ASHEVILLE Calendar | Any way you like it. Click Here>

HISTORICAL ASHEVILLE

HUMOR (NO KIDDING!)

Photo: Belzak/MediaBear
TONGUE-ON-CHEEK
Questions of the Week

*What are we, (fill in the blank)? Click Here>
*Is a 'Sense of Humor' store just for laughs? Click Here>
*Is it time for some campaignin'? Click Here>
*Will the anti-Bush merchandise market collapse? Click Here>
*Can the Society for Creative Anachronism modernize? Click Here>

FOR MORE PRESSING QUESTIONS, Click Here>

FOOD NEWS

*RESTAURANTSAsheville.com | Only unique restaurants in Asheville listed, such as Rosetta's Kitchen. | To find your favorite place, Click Here>

QuickClickDIRECTORY
Click Here>

ELI: Helping to create a much-needed Firestorm * Belzak/MediaBear

101 IN GOOD FOOD, GOOD FOLKS: Eli of Firestorm Cafe and Books is a worker-owner of one of Downtown Asheville's best new places to eat, read, compute, organize, and have a cup of mud with some clear talk. SPECIAL NOTE: The cafe has a virtually unprecedented Buncombe County Health Dept. rating of 101, although soon the county will change its grading system so that no establishment can receive a higher mark than 100. * For more info about how to become a part of the worker-owner movement at Firestorm, Click Here>

REAL LOCAL NEWS FROM THE GRASSROOTS UP...
*FOR NEARLY FOUR CONSECUTIVE YEARS, DowntownAsheville.com has been reporting the news about our unique urban community. 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. Many thanks for your emails of news, photos and essays. We will continue to post as many as we can. Keep it real, and email: byron(at) mediabear.com or Click Here>

Photo Courtesy of AdvantageWest

DowntownAsheville.com
*YOUR 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>

*DowntownAsheville.com is published daily by MediaBear | MediaBear, a division of Wenoca Real Estate, Inc., is an independent Internet publisher and writing service based in Buncombe County.

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