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Asheville Area News - Info - Events
Since 2005 - Community News & Events from the Grassroots Up
'O Canada': Happy Canada Day to our northern neighbor this July 1st, which is Canadians national holiday that celebrates their founding. Canada Day is comparable to the United States' 4th of July. "O Canada" is Canada's national anthem. Visit The Old Farmer's Almanac for details about Canada Day, such as "Just as the Fourth of July celebrates American independence, Canada Day is a celebration of a united Canada and independence." Info at Almanac.com: More>
Face masks now required in NC: Gov. Cooper's newest executive order requires that face masks must now be worn in all public places throughout North Carolinla | Also, the state's COVID-19 "Safer at Home Phase 2" will remain in place for three more weeks, as posted June 24, 2020. For more info, visit Governor.nc.gov: More>
'Buncombe Ready COVID-19 Self-Checker': How are you feeling, Asheville and Buncombe citizens? | Buncombe County, along with support provided by MAHEC and NC State University, now offers a free online health survey to "help you make choices about the healthcare that best meets your needs during this virus outbreak." For details, visit Buncombecounty.org or NCSU.qualitrics.com: More>
How to clean your cell phone and household items: Because they can carry lots of germs | Info provided by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, available at CDC.gov: More>
Buncombe County's current COVID-19 information and preparedness: Updated May 8, 2020 | Details include official requirement for visitors to self-quarantine for 14 days upon arrival, as well as frequently asked questions about the coronavirus by county businesses and residents at Buncombecounty.org: More>
Asheville Regional Airport's COVID-19 update: Updated May 8, 2020 | Details at Flyavl.com: More>
Calming companions: Animals are giving their new owners a boost during the coronavirus crisis. | "Across the globe, billions of people are hunkered down at home, waiting out the end of a pandemic that has deeply rattled the human world. And to keep their spirits up, many have turned to the company of the one group who know nothing at all about that crisis: animals," writes Ryan Lenora Brown, staff writer at The Christian Science Monitor. For complete article, entitled "In lockdown, they found someone – with four legs – to love (video)," published April 24, 2020, visit Csmonitor.com: More> | Related: Brother Wolf Animal Rescue in Asheville offers animals for adoption, as well as tips on how to keep you and your pets from being bored at Bwar.org: More>
North Carolina official community bulletin about coronavirus, posted April 16, 2020, continues to be updated: Entitled "Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Response in North Carolina" | Presented by the NC Dept. of Health and Human Details at NCdhhs.gov: More>
'Americans are largely unimpressed with Trump's handling of the coronavirus pandemic': Polls include other findings | Info provided by polling experts at FiveThirtyEight.com: More>
1918’s 'Forgotten Pandemic' can teach us about today | A new novel that explains the Spanish flu outbreak, entitled "The New Orphan" by Ellen Marie Wiseman, researches the past that provides lessons for today's health crisis. Article published April 24, 2020, at Vanityfair.com: More>
2020: Protective measures against Coronavirus | Advice to the public from the World Health Organization (WHO). Visit Who.int: More> | Related: When and how to use masks: More> | Related: Answers to common questions about COVID-19 from Mission Health Blog at Mission-health.org: More>
2020: Hotel moratorium timeline | City Council continues its hotel development study and will review its current one-year hotel moratorium in the late summer of 2020. Visit Ashevillenc.gov: More>
2020: Newly renovated and expanded Asheville Art Museum | Exhibits info at AshevilleArt.org: More> | Related: Museum staffers share their streaming favorites during the COVID-19 public health crisis: More>
2020: Daily Events in the Asheville Area | More>
2020: 'Mainstage Season' events & shows | Presented by the Asheville Community Theatre. Details at Ashevilletheatre.org: More>
March 6 & 7, 2020: 'Book Sale' event | Buncombe County libraries encourage citizens to buy used books at affordable rates: $1 for hard backs; 50-cents for soft. | Details at BuncombeCounty.org: More>
Live Music in the Asheville Area | More>
Asheville food blogs worth a taste | More>
Asheville named a top US small city for start-ups | Asheville is ranked at 39 out of 1,261 of the "Best and Worst Small Cities to Start a Business," reports Wallethub.com: More>
Videos focused on the Asheville Area | Enjoy some revealingvideos about Asheville and the
Asheville Area. | More>
How to save Monarch butterflies? | Allison Meier writes in MotherJones, "they need places with nectar to rest, so non-milkweed native flowers are also important." Motherjones.com, via DowntownAsheville.com: More>
This season's total flu deaths in NC as of Feb. 29, 2020 reaches 127 | Details about the 2020 influenza (flu) season at Flu.ncdhhs.gov: More>
Related: On Jan. 10, 2020, Mission Health implemented a flu restriction policy for visitors, via Mission-health.org: More>
Additional healthcare news| More>
Tomato Time | Grow your own tomatoes, the more exotic the better, is the nationwide message of Brad Gates. Tips on growing your own at Wildboarfarms.com: More>
'Profitable giants like Amazon,' Chevron, Delta Air Lines, Duke Energy, General Motors and Netflix pay no taxes | Written by Stephanie Saul and Patricia Cohen, published April 29, 2019, by NYTimes.com: More>
RELATED: "60 Profitable Fortune 500 Companies Avoided All Federal Income Taxes in 2018," reports the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy, published April 11, 2019, at Itep.org: More>
Diana Wortham Theatre | Current and future 2019 shows listed at DWtheatre.com: More>
Drones now delivering blood samples in NC | In an effort to speed up deliveries, UPS drones have been approved by the FAA, which is "the first revenue-generating drone delivery scheme in the US," reports Eric Adams on April 1, 2019, via Wired.com: More>
'What the sale of Mission Health to HCA means for patients and employees' | Report by Rob Bradley, via WLOS.com: More>
OnTrack personal finance classes | Register now for free OnTrack financial classes, which are free unless otherwise noted. Details at Ontrackwnc.org: More>
Asheville Area attractions | Diverse. Plentiful. Entertaining: More>
The Block Off Biltmore's list of events | Experience the original and very much needed The Block Off Biltmore, a place for music, meetings, drinks and community building in Downtown Asheville. Read all about it at Theblockoffbiltmore.com: More>
The Grey Eagle 2019 calendar | One of Asheville's oldest, finest, most affordable and enjoyable musical venues, located in the Asheville River District, via Thegreyeagle.com: More>
Buy local, save local | Asheville Grown Business Alliance now offers the annual "Go Local Card" to support public education and local businesses. The 2019 card, as always, provides discount prices and special members-only offers; buy the "Go Local" discount card at local stores or online at Ashevillegrown.com: More>
2019 DOWNTOWN CALENDAR
AshevilleChamber.org - Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce's monthly events: More>
AshevilleArts.com - Asheville Area Arts Council news and calendar of events: More>
Malaprops.com - Asheville's favorite bookstore features new books and events: More>
MountainX.com - Superb daily calendar for downtown and beyond: More>
ExploreAsheville.com - 50 things to do in Asheville: More>
TimeAndDate.com - Create your own monthly calendar: More>
POLITICS
Editorial: Craft brewers are now getting their way| Finally, the NC Republicans are helping the state's craft brewers with new legislation, explains Newsobserver.com
NC Republicans should hang their heads in shame | "Corruption, Gerrymandering, and Voter Suppression: How North Carolina’s GOP Made a Great Big Mess," written by Jacob Rosenberg, published April 24, 2019, via Motherjones.com: More>
North Carolina 9th District election fraud becomes a national disgrace | "The Patriot’s Guide to Election Fraud," a commentary by Frank Bruni, published Mar. 26, 2019, spotlights how Dan McCready's U.S. House race was stolen, via Nytimes.com: More>
'Democrat' or 'Democratic'? | Factcheck.com provides its perspective: More>
Busting up the Second Gilded Age | "Elizabeth Warren is right – we must break up Facebook, Google and Amazon," writes Robert Reich, Mar. 10, 2019, via Theguardian.com: More>
30 best happy hours in Asheville | The Yellow Pages comes through with one of the better and more diverse lists. It's ideal alike for tourists and residents who haven't been downtown recently. Things are changing fast in Central Asheville, particularly in the areas known as Historic Downtown, the RAD (i.e., River Arts District) and the South Slope| Yellowpages.com: More> | RELATED: "Wine before beer? Beer before wine? There’s finally a scientific answer," reports Kari Sonde, as published Mar. 2, 2019, by Motherjones.com: More>
Will Elder and Sage Gardens, as well as the Pit of Despair, be on chopping block? | "Calling all community garden supporters. Speak up for our garden," say members of Elder and Sage Gardens, which is located across from the Grove Arcade and next to The Captain's Bookshelf. Keep up with news at upcoming City Council meetings, via Ashevillenc.gov: More> | RELATED: Details about Elderandsagegardens.org: More> RELATED: "Pit of Despair or Mountain of Repair" DowntownAsheville.com commentary considers how local power brokers have a wonderful chance to do something great for citizens and tourists and, in the process, repair trust in their leadership: More>
The Regeneration Station | For unconventional shopping featuring 36,000 square feet of "repurposed treasure," at Regenerationstation.com: More> | Cool "rolling through the store" tour on a bicycle, via YouTube.com: More>
History in the making: Over the years, Asheville, North Carolina, has made a lot of history, and DowntownAsheville.com features news, info and events (current and historical) about the city and region, as well as the state and nation, of today and yesteryear:
Photo compliments of LOC.gov
For example, take Dec. 17, 1903: "Near Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, Orville and Wilbur Wright make the first successful flight in history of a self-propelled, heavier-than-air aircraft... which stayed aloft for 12 seconds and covered 120 feet on its inaugural flight," explains History.com: More> | Nationally, Happy Hanukkah had special significance on Dec. 17, 1979, when "President Jimmy Carter walked to Lafayette Square from the White House to participate in the first National Menorah Lighting, in celebration of the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah... (and) the National Menorah Lighting has since become an annual event," reports the U.S. Library of Congress, via LOC.gov: More> | Furthermore, "How nationalism is changing the American landscape" by Rosa Inocencio Smith, published July 3, 2018, at Theatlantic.com: More>
What's it like to live in Asheville? | In 2018, US News & World Report will be rating Asheville in its Best Places to Live Ranking. Its current write-up gives newcomers a good overview now: More>
New Asheville City police chief Chris Bailey begins July 29, 2019 | News reported by 'City Source,' the city's official news site at Ashevillenc.com: More>
ADVISORIES
Local and statewide | Current real time NC travel info provided at NCDOT.gov, includes the Asheville Area and Western North Carolina: More>
More advisories | Via DowntownAsheville.com: More>
ASHEVILLE AREA GUIDE
Employee ownership could be the key to Asheville's future prosperity | Commentary at Asheville Grown Business Alliance, via Ashevillegrown.com: More>
"I have seen the future, and it is in the United States." | So writes James Fallow in his May 2018 The Atlantic article, "The Reinvention of America: Americans don’t realize how fast the country is moving toward becoming a better version of itself," as noted in DowntownAsheville.com's Featured News: More>
Asheville's alternative movie house | Features locally produced and independent movies. Also, every Tuesday, the Asheville Film Society presents a favorite classic. For details, visit Grailmoviehouse.com: More>
Artsy Asheville | According to Lonely Planet: More>
ABC's of Asheville | An independent mini-tour of sorts features the Biltmore Estate by the travelog website Starkinsider.com: More>
ASHEVILLE BUSINESS
'Craft beer is the strangest, happiest economic story in America' | Small breweries are thriving in Asheville and across the nation; it's the Davids beating up on the Goliaths, due in part to "intense local support," explains TheAtlantic.com on Jan. 19, 2018: More>
The U.S. used to have high tax rates on the rich | And why it makes sense now, too, as reported by economist Paul Krugman on Jan. 5, 2019, via Nytimes.com: More>
ASHEVILLE EDUCATION
UNCA celebrates 90th anniversary | UNCA turns 90 during its 2017-18 semesters. Ongoing events, shareable photos and updates will continue in 2018. Visit 90years.unca.edu: More>
Will Asheville city schools get real about school security? | "Parents criticize Asheville City Schools response to Parkland tragedy," posted on April 13, 2018 by Daniel Walton at MountainX.com: More>
Higher education in North Carolina ranks high in Kiplinger's latest 'Best College Values' | University of North Carolina at Asheville (UNCA) ranked #61 of all public colleges in this year's recently released Kiplinger's Best College Values list; details at Kiplinger.com: More> | Also noteworthy, UNC at Chapel Hill was rated as the Number One value of all public colleges in the nation: More> | Furthermore, Kiplinger's top 300 Best College Values ranked all colleges and universities in the US and gave high rankings to many located in North Carolina: More>
Get smart: A good reason to pick A-B Tech or UNCA | The debt crisis at America's colleges reported in TheAtlantic.com | More>
MORE DowntownAsheville.com NEWS & VIEWS
Enjoy your 'daily constitutional' and satisfy your curiosity about local history | A walk along the Urban Trail in Downtown Asheville is a free and memorable way to experience this unique mountain city | More>
Asheville is one of the top 100 best places to live in America | Published by Livability.com | More>
'Asheville's music scene is putting North Carolina on the map in a big way' | Posted Dec. 21, 2017 by writer Caitlin White on UPROXX.com: More>
Yummy Asheville, says Zagat food survey | Asheville just got in at Number 30 by a respected foodie site, Zagat, as one of America's "30 most exciting food cities for 2017." In summary, Zagat said the past decade has been good for Asheville's food and drink scene. It pointed out AVL "has more breweries per capita than any other city in the US," and noted several top-notch chefs by name, adding this sweet kicker: "(T)he dynamic dining destination just keeps getting better." | Report published Dec. 17, 2017, at Zagat.com: More>
Asheville Number One on Lonely Planet's List | Greatest place in the U.S. to visit in 2017, reports Lonely Planet in 2017. Wow! (And it still is in 2019.) | More>
MEDIA MATTERS
Listen LIVE on WNCW-FM radio | Arguably, Western North Carolina's best community-oriented radio station | More>
Carolina Public Press provides an independent non-partisan news perspective | Explains the media outlet: "Carolina Public Press is an independent nonprofit news organization dedicated to nonpartisan, in-depth and investigative news built upon the facts and context North Carolinians need to know. Our award-winning, breakthrough journalism dismantles barriers and shines a light on the critical overlooked and under-reported issues facing the state's 10.2 million residents." | For news and views online at Carolinapublicpress.org: More> | Sign up for free news emailed to you: More>
MAIN is a local, non-profit, aggregator of local, state and national news. MAIN has long championed freedom-of-the-press issues: More>
'Trump continues stirring dangerous hatred of the media' | "Journalists are facing a wave of violent threats inspired by the president. But he won't stop the incitement," writes Mark Follman, Mar. 10, 2019, published by Motherjones.com: More>
Trumptheterrible.com | President ignores hatred and terrorism in New Zealand, reported at DowntownAsheville.com: More>
NC POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT
Quick Guide to many official City of Asheville websites | Includes up-to-the-minute news and advisories | More>
NC legislators do not expand Medicaid | Those most in need are hurt the most by the Republican-run North Carolina legislature, states WRAL.com's editorial on June 15, 2018: More>
"The People, Yes"
Asheville wins water fight in court, yet some Republicans say the fight is not over. 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. For now, the people of Asheville will keep water system thanks to a 5-2 ruling by the North Carolina Supreme Court, which was fought by the City of Asheville. Details via DowntownAsheville.com: More>
Love LIVE music? | AshevilleOnStage.com puts the spotlight on Asheville area musicians, bands, clubs, venues and festivals: More>
ASHEVILLE AREA ACTIVISM
Local grassroots climate change movement | 350.org, one of the top environmental groups educating people about climate change and what can be done to reverse the increasing problem, is focusing its efforts on nurturing a local grassroots climate change movement that relies less on government action and more on what people demand: More>
How to help Americans hit by hurricanes | Asheville-based MANNA FoodBank offers advice on how to best assist in the hurricane and flooding relief efforts: More>
'Good and plenty' to do in and around Downtown Asheville
1. The Flat Iron Building, on Battery Park Ave., is a wonderful eight-story historic building, via Flatironbuilding.org: More> | For coffee, drinks and desserts, it houses the World Coffee Cafe, via Smokymountains.com: More>
2. Grove Arcade, just across from the Wall Street City Parking Garage, is a shopping and architectural treat in the heart of Asheville | Grovearcade.com: More>
3. Woolworth Walk, the largest art and craft gallery in Asheville, 20,000 square feet of displayed creativity with an old-timey lunch bar | Woolworthwalk.com: More>
4. Asheville Civic Center (with the U.S. Cellular sign) on Haywood Street, offers great events throughout the year | Uscellularcenterasheville.com: More>
5. Fine Arts Theatre on Biltmore Avenue/Hwy. 25 offers many indie movies that might be just the ticket | Fineartstheatre.com: More>
6. The Orange Peel on Biltmore Avenue always rocks with live performances | Theorangepeel.net: More>
7. The Biltmore Estate just south of downtown offers ticket discounts online | Biltmore.com: More>
8. Sierra Nevada Brewery, a few miles south of the Asheville Regional Airport off of Hwy. 280, is great fun no matter how big of a crowd you're bringing | Sierranevada.com: More>
9. North Carolina Arboretum, southwest of downtown off Hwy. 191 or the Blue Ridge Parkway, is a wonderful walk any time of year | Ncarboretum.org: More>
10. Downtown Books & News, on Lexington Ave., is a wonderful locally owned used book store | Dbnbooks.com: More>
11. Pack Memorial Library, the main library located at 67 Haywood St., Asheville, NC 28801, and across from the Pit of Despair, is a Downtown Asheville treasure | Buncombecounty.org: More>
12. Additional Highlights | DowntownAsheville.com: More>
KEEP ASHEVILLE WEIRD
Amazing downtown pub cycle keeps it crazy and legal | All through the year you'll see a mobile party on the streets of historic Downtown Asheville. Details at Amazingpubcycle: More>
Kim's For Sale | Photo Byron Belzak
Loved Kim's Wigs? Been missin' Kim's? | "Goodbye" shots and stories of Kim's Wig Center's close-out in late 2017: More> | UPDATE: The Asheville Club pours local brews where wigs once ruled, reports Mountainx.com on June 6, 2018: More> | UPDATE: Via business at DowntownAsheville.com: More>
Board a bus-full of laughs | Laughing is good for your health. LaZoom Kid's Comedy Tour has the whole family covered: "A kid-friendly comedy tour your kids will never forget — even with therapy! Funny... educational... entertaining," at Lazoomtours.com | More>
Beyond Asheville | 52 places for 2019 to get out into the world, via Nytimes.com: More>
Just for the fun of it | "Blues Story: A Documentary" (1:32:36) on YouTube.com: More>
Malaprop's current events | Downtown Asheville's favorite bookstore and cafe at Malaprops.com: More>
Help a pet in need | Visit a local charity that's worthy and lives up to its mission: "Uncompromised compassion." Take in the kindness of Brother Wolf Animal Rescue at Bwar.org: More> | RELATED: "Animals can make us healthier, say local experts," via Mountainx.com: More>
Readers and advertisers are appreciated and encouraged to email local press releases and comments to byron at mediabear dot com: More>
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