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Local partners and federal officials joined USDA Forest Service Southern Research Station staff Tuesday, Aug. 31, for a tour of The Boggs Collective to see how the full-service, Asheville-based fine woodworking operation received a grant of nearly $100,000 from the Land-of-Sky Regional Council’s WNC Forest Products Cooperative Marketing Project. The latter is funded by federal dollars from the Recovery Act. The Southern Research Station and Land-of-Sky Regional Council sponsored the tour, which was conducted by The Boggs Collective co-owners Melanie Moeller and Brian Boggs. photo courtesy of The Bogg Collective The Boggs Collective, located on London Road near Biltmore Village, is using the grant to advance a networking enterprise for fine woodworkers and develop a cooperative workshop, woodshed, woodworking school and virtual gallery to …...

The Pack Memorial Library is putting books back on its shelves in downtown Asheville. But don’t check ‘em out just yet: Although the renovation project is ahead of schedule, the estimated reopen date is for sometime in late fall or early winter. Also check out an Xpress video tour through the renovated library.

North Carolinians will get their first taste of instant-runoff voting on Nov. 2, when a 13-candidate field for the N.C. Court of Appeals appears on the statewide ballot. And according to an N.C. Bar Association report, this marks the first time nationally that the new form of voting will be used by a state. A one-week special filing period for the seat of N.C. Court of Appeals Judge Jim Wynn, who moved to the Fourth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, ended on Aug. 31 with 13 candidates signing up — five of them on the last day. And for Buncombe County voters, a second instant-runoff contest will be on the ballot due to the three-candidate contest for Superior Court judge, the result of a special late-filing period necessitated by Judge Dennis Winner’s retirement (for additional information,

The CTS/Mills Gap Road property just moved one step closer to being named a Superfund site: Today, Sept. 1, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced that it’s “moving forward” with the process to add the former electroplating plant to its National Priorities List of hazardous-waste sites. A formal decision may be made as soon as March 2011, according to the EPA’s press release, which also cautions, “Consideration to propose the site to the NPL does not guarantee that the site will be proposed, or, that the site will be listed on the final NPL.” EPA officials also note that the decision is based on ground-water studie…...

Asheville City Council Aug. 24 meeting Montford Commons incentives narrowly approved City resident condemns proposed change in handicapped-parking policy Chiaromonte fasts to highlight plight of poor On June 16, 25-year-old Swannanoa resident Anthony Ray Gilmore ran across Interstate 240, trying to get to the Hillcrest Apartments to visit his stepfather. Gilmore never made it: He was struck and killed by a Chevrolet Cavalier. His death re-ignited an old debate about reopening a pedestrian overpass that had been closed since 1994 at the request of Hillcrest residents concerned about crime in the area. Over the years, a number of deaths have resulted from people trying to cross the hazardous stretch of highway, and in the wake of Gilmore's tragic accident, pressure has built to reopen the bridge. A meeting with residents of the area, along with comments sought by…...

It was a day of high politics in downtown Asheville, featuring a rare meeting of the State Board of Elections far afield from its Raleigh headquarters. And with election season looming, the Aug. 24 agenda included a local judicial issue with statewide implications as well as the high-profile question of financial-reporting discrepancies by Gov. Bev Perdue's campaign. Hot on the trail At least five television transmission vans were parked and humming behind the Renaissance Hotel in pursuit of the latter story, and a cluster of protesters waved signs proclaiming "Larry Leake has to go." The Mars Hill Democrat, who’s headed up the Board of Elections for 18 years, was under attack by Republicans who said he’d mishandled the Perdue investigation. Inside the hotel's ballroom, a bank of video cameras and portable computers lined one wall, and the front row of chairs was being zealously protected pending the arrival of l…...

At an Aug. 26 luncheon sponsored by the Council of Independent Business Owners, Rep. Heath Shuler emphasized his credentials as a moderate "Blue Dog" Democrat who’s willing to buck both parties to do what he thinks is best for the country. Touting his efforts to bring jobs to the region, lower the deficit and reinstate pay-as-you-go budgeting, the two-term 11th District representative, who's up for re-election this year, also hinted at a possible bid for speaker of the House. And though Shuler said his party may lose seats in the midterm elections, the former football star sees advantages for his Blue Dog caucus. "The margins [between parties] will narrow after this next election. And I truly feel that ... the Blue Dogs will have the opportunity to run this country," he predicted. "Because how can legislation pass without us? We are the deciding vote. ... Blue Dogs represent how 80 percent of Americans feel."

Unemployment in both the Asheville metropolitan area and Buncombe County dropped to 8 percent in July, according to figures released by the state Employment Security Commission. However, the figures also reveal losses in government jobs and a number of other areas. According to the figures, which are not adjusted for seasonal employment, unemployment in the Asheville metro area — including Buncombe, Haywood, Madison and Henderson counties — dropped from 8.5 to 8 percent in July, while unemployment in Buncombe dropped from 8.3 to 8 percent. Unemployment declined in 86 of North Carolina’s 100 counties in July. However, the figures also show a loss in government jobs (3,300 lost in the Asheville metro area) attributed mainly to declines in local school employment. The professional and business services field grew by 300 jobs at the same time. — David Forbes, senior news reporter  ...

There will be no strike in the Asheville transit system, as the local bus drivers’ union decided today to accept a contract from management company First Transit, according to a source within the union. The current contract with First Transit was extended to Sept. 30 as negotiations with Amalgamated Transit Union Local 128 continued. A local activist reported last weekend that the drivers were on the verge of striking due to complaints about working more hours with reduced pay. However, that assertion was not confirmed by local union officials, who have remained silent on the issue. The union met today and, according to a source within its ranks, voted to accept a new contract. The city

Taking the plunge In a death-defying leap of adrenaline-fueled faith, Asheville pro-kayaker Pat Keller recently survived a purposeful plunge over 90-foot-high Linville Falls in Avery County. In “Asheville Kayaker Makes Illegal Trip Down Linville Falls,” The Asheville Citizen-Times reported that the ride was likely the first-ever descent of the triple-tiered falls in a kayak. Keller, 24, wasn’t injured during his run down the falls, but faces possible legal pains in the run’s wake. Tim Francis, the Blue Ridge Parkway Pisgah District ranger in charge of law enforcement in the Linville Falls area, told the paper that the kayak ride was against park regulations, an infraction that carries a maximum …...

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The Centers for Disease Control recommended that Lake Powhatan be temporarily closed to prevent the spread of cryptosporidium (crypto), according to a Buncombe County Health Department notice today.  Three cases of Crypto have been reported to the Buncombe County Department of Health and a fourth case is suspected.  Each affected person reported being in the lake in August. The Forest Service is fully cooperating, and has closed Lake Powhatan to swimming and fishing until at least September 12, 2010, the Health Department notice says.  Other facilities at the lake will remain open. Crypto is a parasite that may be found in recreational water. Recreational water includes water in swimming pools, hot tubs, Jacuzzis, fountains, lakes, rivers, springs, ponds, or stream…...

Looking dapper and tan in a well-tailored blue suit, Congressman Heath Shuler talked about job creation, partisanship, the need to balance the federal budget — and his own ambitions to be Speaker of the House — at a luncheon today sponsored by the Council of Independent Business Owners. Xpress reporters Jake Frankel and Michael Muller covered the event live and shot a brief video interview with Shuler after his speech: The two-term “blue dog” Democrat spoke for approximately an hour and t…...

Xpress staffers Jake Frankel, Michael Muller and David Forbes recently sat down over drinks (and in Muller’s case, painkillers) at the Flying Frog to discuss some of the stories covered in this week’s issue. Most of the audio was unusable due to pesky traffic noise — but they did manage to cull together 20 minutes about this week’s cover story on Pack Square Park. Podcast produced by Steve Shanafelt for MountainX.com. The theme music is “jam band spy song” by E. Lee ...

At the Aug. 24 Asheville City Council meeting, covered by Mountain Xpress Senior News Reporter David Forbes, members took the following actions: • Voted 6-1 to ask that the Hillcrest pedestrian bridge at I-240 be re-opened (Davis voted against). • Approved a discount tire store for Bleachery Blvd (member Jan Davis, who owns a downtown tire store, was recused from the vote). • Approved, 4-3, an incentives package for Montford Commons; Bothwell, Smith and Russell vote against it. Below, we’ve compiled Forbes’ live Tweets of the meeting. 5:02 p.m. Asheville City Council meeting about to begin 5:08 p.m. Mayor Bellamy reads proclamation for Minority Enterprise Development week (Sept. 13-17) 5:11 p.m. And another recognizes the 75th anniversary of the Blue Ridge Parkway 5:18 p.m. Jared the Subway Guy will be at Lighten Up 4 Life event kickoff on Wednesday, Sept 1, at …...

You’d never know it from the kids splashing around the fountain or the young couples playing Frisbee on the lawn, but a decade ago, the 6.5 acres comprising downtown Asheville’s City/County Plaza was a mishmash of thoroughfares — three lanes of Patton Avenue traffic cut eastward past the Vance Monument, merging onto College Street — and ragtag green space featuring scraggly trees and a scarcity of benches. Aug. 18 marked the fifth anniversary of Pack Square Park’s official public groundbreaking. But the relative calm of the space today belies its controversial history: years of delays, major cost overruns, closed streets, the continuing lack of public restrooms and a $2 million shortfall (see sidebar, “Payday?”). Although informal plans for a park on the spot stretch back more than a century, the current incarnation roughly dates to 1999, when it was discovered that a water-line leak was undermining the street fronti…...

• County joins sustainability consortium • FLS Energy, Rosetta’s Kitchen honored • Thompson appointed to Airport Authority board As part of a larger push to shuffle and consolidate county departments, the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners agreed to buy a downtown building to house its General Services Department. At their Aug. 17 session, the commissioners unanimously approved purchasing the 11,700-square-foot structure at 40 McCormick Place for $699,000. The former home of AAMCO Transmissions, it was recently appraised at $775,000. General Services is responsible for maintaining all county facilities. The plan aims to consolidate Social Services and Health Department staffers while freeing up space for the courts system. County property deeds will be moved to 205 College St., where General Services is now, so they can be within walking distance of the courthouse, County Manager Wanda Greene explained. Me…...

There will be two separate ballot listings — not one — this November for two vacancies for Buncombe County District 28 Superior Court judgeships. A controversy over the ballot format was decided this afternoon by the State Board of Elections, which met in Asheville. At issue was the method for filling a second vacancy, created when Judge Dennis Winner retired in June. Only one position had been a stake at the time of the May primary election, from which two winning candidates emerged: Kate Dreher, assistant district attorney, and Judge Alan Thornburg (currently serving by appointment). With a second judgeship now also at stake, Dreher had petitioned the SBOE to create one pool of five candidates, combining the three who subsequently filed for the Winner vacancy—Diane K. McDonald, Heather Whitaker Goldstein and Judge Marvin Pope (current district court judge) — with those of Dreher and Thornburg, for a five-way race to fill the two open…...

Asheville City Council members’ Tuesday, Aug. 24, meeting promises to be a doozy: The agenda is long, and hot topics include the possible reopening of the pedestrian bridge that connects Hillcrest Apartments with the rest of town. Earlier this year, a pedestrian was killed as he tried to dash across I-240. For live coverage by Senior News Reporter David Forbes, see below. ...

We have a winner: Stuntman Brown Ale! Four weeks ago, we asked you to help Asheville Brewing Company rename their Brown Ale, once called Scottish Ale, and then referred to as Boogie Down Brown. More than 100 of you submitted close to 300 creative and brew-inspired entries. After much deliberation and debate, the owners at ABC decided that the new beer will be christened Stuntman Brown Ale. The top two finalists were Outlaw Ale by Sean McNeal and Beer City Brown by Geoff Hughes (Outlaw had already been registered by another brewery). Congrats to Millie Bryant for submitting the winning name. She will receive not just the glory of naming a local beer, but two tickets to the Brewgrass Festival on Sept. 18, $100 worth of gift cards to Asheville Brewing Company and other beer-rel…...

The N.C. State Board of Elections voted 4 to 1 this afternoon to fine Gov. Bev Perdue’s campaign committee a total of $30,000 for failure to report certain air travel expenses in a timely manner, concluding that the failure to file was “not intentional wrongdoing.” The fine is the maximum allowed, $10,000 per reporting cycle. The motion also included entering into agreement with the Perdue committee for training on future airplane reporting. The decision followed a lengthy closed session discussion, and rejected a call by the chairman of the state Republican Party, Tom Fetzer, to institute public hearings on the issue. Fetzer had also called for SBOE Chair Larry Leake and Executive Director Gary Bartlett to recuse themselves from such hearingsR…...

• SECU gives $5 million to Mission's cancer center in Asheville: "The biggest donation ever made by the State Employees’ Credit Union will help Mission Hospital complete its new $59 million cancer center. SECU will contribute $5 million toward construction of the 120,000-square-foot cancer center, which will bear the credit union’s name when completed in early 2012." - [Asheville Citizen-Times]  • A-B Tech hosts state’s second-largest dental clinic; served 900 people: "A-B Tech hosted the North Carolina Dental Society’…...

“Why is Asheville so segregated?” was the topic at a Drinks and Dialogue event in held on Aug. 21 at the Haywood Lounge in West Asheville. AskAsheville interviewed several attendees in this 80 second video. AskAsheville says there will be more videos coming soon on the event. ...

Asheville city transit drivers are on the verge of striking against their employer, according to a report from Steve Rasmussen, a citizen activist with interests in transit and other local issues. Xpress is investigating; the information is as yet unconfirmed: The strike would not be against the city, but rather against a bargaining agent, which N.C. law requires governmental units to engage when working with union labor. According to Rasmussen, the city of Asheville contracts for local bus drivers through one of the largest bus companies in the nation, First Transit, Inc., itself a subsidiary of British conglomerate FirstGroup, plc, which also owns Greyhound Bus Lines and First Student, the largest school-bus company in the US. The strike would be organized by Asheville’s transit union, Amalgamated Transit Union Local 128, says Rasmussen. The local’s leaders are meeting this Sunday, Aug. 22, and the entire membership will be meeting the following…...

Asheville is kind of walkable, if the ratings from the site Walk Score are any indication. The site, which encourages walkable neighborhoods and rates them, scores Asheville overall at a 57 or “somewhat walkable.”

Staff reporter Jake Frankel is covering the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners meeting live tonight via Twitter. Follow the #avlgov hashtag and/or @JakeFrankel on Twitter. ...

At its Aug. 17 meeting, the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners plans to take action to secure a Sustainable Communities grant, approve a rezoning request for a parcel of land in Swannanoa, and purchase property at 40 McCormick Place in Asheville. To help secure up to $2 million in federal grant funding from the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the commissioners intend to join a consortium of government and non-profit organizations that includes the French Broad River Metropolitan Planning Organization and the Land-Of-Sky Regional Council. According to the resolution, the Sustainable Communities Regional Planning Grant money would go towards supporting “efforts to promote transportation choices; equitable and affordable housing; economic competitiveness and revitalization; social equity, inclusion, and access to opportunity; energy use and climate change; and, public health and environmental impacts.” The rezoning request involves a…...

On Aug. 13, local pizza lovers gathered at the Garage at Biltmore in south Asheville for the inaugural Asheville Pizza Wars, waged among 13 local pizzerias. The restaurants competed against each other in two categories: cheese and specialty. The event, aside from being great fun, also raised more than $800 for non-profit Families Pursuing Justice of Western North Carolina. Winners for the cheese category: third for Nona Mia Italian, second for Standard Pizza Company and first for Fiore’s Ristorante. Specialty winners: Piazza East in third, Mellow Mushroom in second, …...

“I am not a political man,” said – everyone. The word, “political” in Haiti’s vocabulary is a lot more than an adjective pertaining to governmental affiliation. It is general negative term – standing for seemingly everything undignified, corrupt and unfair in the world. When I heard the whispers of a Wyclef Jean presidential bid, I simply dismissed them. It seemed like an impossible concept, water-cooler talk — something fun to debate: Could he, would he run, this 37-year-old Haitian musician, and of late, politician, who moved to the U.S. with his family when he was 9 years old. After the announcement was official, Deva Krishna, the unemployed musician in the video below, spoke to me of his concerns, worries of corruption in Wyclef’s organization, before and after the ear…...

• A pharmacy school for Hendersonville: "If all remaining details are worked out, Wingate University hopes to have a pharmacy school open, in operation, and beginning to train pharmacists in Hendersonville by August of 2011." - [WHKP]  • Dr. John Pittman to discuss lyme and tick-borne diseases: "John Pittman, MD, founding medical director of The Carolina Center for Integrative Medicine and current President of the North Carolina Integrative Medical Society, will present “An Integrative Medicine Appro…...