Schedule set for Asheville's Mountain Dance and Folk Festival

Photo via UNCA's online library/Photo by Bob Lindsay

Via the Hendersonville Times-News:

The 82nd Mountain Dance and Folk Festival, the country's longest running folk festival, has released its performance schedule.

It covers three full evenings, July 30 - Aug. 1, at the Diana Wortham Theatre at Pack Place in downtown Asheville. Tickets are on sale now.

The long-standing house band, the Stoney Creek Boys, returns to perform each evening of the 2009 Festival. Some other highlights include:

Whitewater Bluegrass Company,

July 30, featuring "Uncle Ted" White on bass, Bill Byerly on guitar, David Pendley on mandolin, Steve Sutton on banjo and Gary Mackey on fiddle.

Hominy Valley Boys, July 31, who enjoys an intimacy on stage apparent in the musicians' energetic and entertaining performances.

The Cockman Family Bluegrass Gospel Group, Aug. 1, is made up of four brothers, a sister and their father who blend unique bluegrass gospel.

The schedule, subject to change:

July 30: Jerry Sutton and Carol Rifkin, Masters of Ceremonies; dance team Little Darlins; The Rhinehart Family; dance team Peg Twisters; Buncombe Turnpike; dance team Appalachian Mountaineers; Adam Masters; Carol, Jamie & Troy; Whitewater Bluegrass Company; dance team Dixie Darlins; George and Brooke Buckner; Don Pedi; AppalachiaSong; UNCA Smooth Dancers; Doug and Darcy Orr; and High Windy.

July 31: Laura Boosinger and Flora McDonald Gammon, Masters of Ceremonies; Elk Mountain Cloggers; Hominey Valley Boys; Laura Boosinger; Bobby Hicks; Green Valley Cloggers; Phil and Gaye Johnson; Tipton Hill Boys; Donna Ray Norton; Cole Mountain Smooth Dancers; Bobby and Blue Ridge Tradition; Flora McDonald Gammon; Bryan McDowell and Arvil Freeman; Cole Mountain Cloggers; Buddy Davis Family and Friends; Joe Penland; and the Bailey Mountain Cloggers.

Aug. 1: Glenn Bannerman and Richard Hurley, Masters of Ceremonies; Fines Creek Flat Footers; Betty Smith; The Griggs; Leonard Hollifield and Friends; Dogwood Mountain; Avery Smooth Dancers; Clearwater Connection; Bryce and Kathryn Parham; The Cockman Family Bluegrass Gospel Group; Stoney Creek Cloggers; dance team The Bannerman Family and Friends; Roger Howell and Friends; Bluegrass Mafia; Mac Snodderly and Flave Hart; dance team Southern Appalachian; and the Dowden Sisters.

Roller babies

Asheville Steel: I love a good knife

Vincent's Ear in Asheville, circa 2002

TEDxAVL is happening Aug. 30 @ the Orange Peel

TEDx AVL info here.

Asheville's Warren Haynes plays a little Van Morrison out of the back of a van

Awesomesauce, circa 2004.

The incredible Libravado Sisters, performing at Asheville's Grove House

Skip to the second half, where the two are performing together. Effing amazing.

T Model Ford @ the Grey Eagle

Loved this show.

Instant classic: 'We Are the World', done Asheville style

Harrah's Cherokee Casino breaks ground on luxury tower

Harrah's Cherokee Casino continues to power development in the far western end of the state. Wow. The growth and development around this casino is impressive.

Press release here:

CHEROKEE, N.C., July 10 /PRNewswire/ -- Harrah's Cherokee Casino & Hotel today broke ground on its new 532-room luxury Tower, part of a $633 million expansion to position the property as the premier gaming destination in the Southeast and world-class entertainment and tourism destination. The Master Plan for the property is currently the largest hospitality expansion project underway in the Southeast and one of the largest in the U.S., offering the greatest number of hotel accommodations in the state.

Upon completion in 2012, the 37-acre property will have added a third tower incorporating luxury accommodations and high-end suites, a 3,000-seat events center, entertainment and VIP lounges, 16,000-square-foot spa, new state-of-the-art digital poker room, Asian gaming room, restaurant and retail outlets, and hotel and casino parking garages. Harrah's Cherokee is also renovating current casino facilities and doubling the size of its casino floor to 150,000 square feet while increasing video and table game capacity. The facilities will incorporate the Eastern Band of Cherokee's extensive and important collection of Native American art. Significant investment is being made in technology and group services, from business and conference support to elaborate catering services.

Today's groundbreaking ceremonies included Harrah's management and executives, Eastern Band of Cherokee Tribal leaders, government officials and local VIPs, construction and design representatives and members of the media. The project has significant economic impact for the region, significantly increasing hospitality-related and construction jobs available in the region.

Speaking at the event were Principal Chief Michell Hicks, Eastern Band of Cherokees; Norma Moss, Chair of Tribal Casino Gaming Enterprise; Lynn Minges, Assistant Secretary/Tourism, Marketing and Global Branding, North Carolina; Darold Londo, Senior Vice President/General Manager, Harrah's Cherokee; John Payne, Central Division President, Harrah's Entertainment; Ken Leach, Executive Vice President, Turner Construction.

Principal Chief Hicks said that the Tribe -- along with Harrah's Entertainment -- is proud of the massive expansion effort that will grow and transform the property into "a world-class entertainment and tourism destination." Chief Hicks noted: "Despite the economy, the expansion will position the property in perfect position -- ahead of the competition -- when the economy rebounds and we can welcome new customers anxious for world-class entertainment, accommodations and service."

Heath Shuler works out with exercise teacher Tony Horton

Ever the athlete, U.S. Rep. Heath Shuler is looking to stay in shape. Roll Call reports that he's working out with exercise king Tony Horton. I found this via the all-seeing Southern Highland Reader blog:

Congress Gets Ripped. Fiscal hawk Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) and Blue Dog Rep. Heath Shuler (D-N.C.) have reputations as budget-cutters. But it turns out federal spending isn’t the only thing the two want to see get cut: Both plan to work out in the House gym with fitness guru Tony Horton, whose super-tough “P90X” regime (“get absolutely ripped in 90 days!” the exercise DVD promises) they follow.

...

And Horton’s program is intense enough to impress even a pro. “I have worked out personally and professionally for many years,” says Shuler, who as a former NFL player is no stranger to grueling workouts. “P90X is the one of my most challenging and extreme exercise experiences yet.”

Sign up for solar water heating research study

Press release;

RALEIGH — Progress Energy Carolinas is now accepting applications for its new SunSenseSM Solar Water Heating research study, which will test the energy-saving potential of solar water heating systems in the Carolinas. The research study is one of several new energy-efficiency programs that are designed to help residential customers save money and reduce their energy use.

Up to 150 customers will be offered a $1,000 incentive to participate in this study and install solar hot water heating equipment. Progress Energy Carolinas will use the measured data gleaned through the program to help determine regional energy-saving capabilities for a potential larger-scale program.

Research study applications are now being accepted and will be reviewed in order of the postmark dates on the envelope. For more information and to download the application form, visit www.progress-energy.com/swh.

Asheville airman wins meritorious service award

Congratulations! Members of the 14th Weather Squadron are based at the NOAA/National Climatic Data Center in the Federal Building in Asheville.

Press release:

Air Force officials here selected a master sergeant and a civilian as the winners of the 2009 Society of American Indian Government Employees Meritorious Service Award. 

Master Sgt. Angela Tristan, assigned to the 14th Weather Squadron in Asheville, N.C., and Rhonda Battles, assigned to the 343rd Training Squadron at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, received the award in San Diego in June. 

Sergeant Tristan led the groundbreaking ceremony of a Fallen Airmen's Memorial, served as the senior enlisted member of the only honor guard in western North Carolina, and led a team of seven in Washington, D.C., in preparing the Vietnam War Memorial for Fourth of July celebrations. Sergeant Tristan devoted hundreds of hours to public service for her community, coaching three youth sports, mentoring 30 foster children, and promoting math and science programs in a rural farm community school. 

Ms. Battles was responsible for training more than 10,000 Airmen to secure Air Force installations worldwide and perform combat operations in support of overseas contingency operations.

Amick wins race up Grandfather Mountain

The Watauga Democrat reports that Daniel Amick of Weaverville, who wins just about every damn race he enters, won The Bear at Grandfather Mountain on Thursday. It's a 5-miler up the frackin' mountain, with a gain in elevation of more than 1,500 feet over that course. Damn.

Story here:

The race begins in Linville and ends five miles later at the base of the Mile High Swinging Bridge atop Grandfather Mountain, an elevation gain of 1,568 feet.

More than 950 runners lined up for the 15th annual running of The Bear at Grandfather Mountain.

As Bear runners approached the mountain, they were met with heavy fog and cool temperatures.

The weather conditions seemed to be just the trick for Daniel Amick, from Weaverville, N.C. The 25-year-old completed the race in 31 minutes and 1.9 seconds. This is Amick’s fifth time running The Bear.

“I liked the fog because I couldn’t see the last hill,” Amick said. 

“I also liked having someone to run with because of the camaraderie,” added Amick about second place winner, Stewart Moran.

Urban Outfitters announces plans to move into downtown Asheville; reaction is mixed

I have the story over at the Mountain Xpress. Snippet: 

National retail outlet Urban Outfitters announced plans on Friday to open a retail store at the corner of Haywood and College streets.

Ken Masri, Urban Outfitters’ director of store development, told a downtown development advisory board that it hoped to open in the former CVS drug store location by fall. Urban Outfitters plans to remove the plaster covering the exterior of the building to expose original brick, Masri said, and improve the “eyesore” of a building. The two-story, 8,000-square-foot store will feature a central staircase, large windows and merchandise tailored to the Asheville market, he said. It would bring life back to a large, two-story building that’s been vacant since the closing of the drug store earlier this year.

...

Downtown retailers offered mixed reactions. Betsy Bradfield, owner of the clothing store Frock on Haywood Street, said she didn’t automatically object to Urban Outfitters, but added that “I think if we had more than one national chain, it would be detrimental to downtown. I definitely don’t want this to be a trend.”

Federal officials ramp up swine flu vaccinations; will vaccine-averse parents in Asheville comply?

This story below hasn't gotten much play yet in the media, but know that it will. Here in Asheville, it will be fascinating to watch how it will play out.

Federal public health officials are extremely worried about how the swine flu, which may grow stronger during the traditional flu season. The public health officials say they'll have a swine flu vaccine ready in October, and they really want all school children to get the shot. The seasonal flu vaccine would be a separate shot.

They're talking about doing shot clinics in schools. The program would be voluntary. But if people don't get their kids vaccinated, and the swine flu takes off, you could have lots of school children getting sick.

We already know that there's a significant population of people in and around Asheville who think that vaccines themselves pose serious health risks to their children. But the result of not getting children immunized is a return of illnesses such as whooping cough.

So - will Asheville parents get their children vaccinated against swine flu? Should they?

Story here:

After outbreaks of the H1N1 flu virus in summer camps across the country and here in North Carolina, federal officials are considering school-based vaccine clinics to get children immunized against the disease. Public health officials are concerned that the virus, which has been considered mild, may grow stronger with the advent of traditional flu season.

U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced Thursday that a vaccine for the H1N1 (swine flu) virus should be ready by mid-October. She told health and school officials from across the country that the government is preparing to launch a voluntary nationwide vaccine program.

School children are of particular concern in the spread of the virus. Education Secretary Arne Duncan said at the flu's peak in May, 726 schools were closed across the United States. Napolitano said schools and businesses need to prepare for the possibility of weeks of high absenteeism due to the flu this fall.

Numerous summer camps across North Carolina have experienced flu outbreaks this summer.  Duke University announced in June that over a dozen campers in its summer programs had been ill.  A Boy Scout camp in Asheville, a church camp in Randolph County, and a summer camp in Bladen County also had outbreaks.

On Friday, Sebelius is expected to announce $350 million in grants for states and hospitals to ramp up state and local flu preparation efforts. 

The H1N1 vaccine may need to be delivered in two shots - that would require an estimated 600 million doses of vaccine.  Seasonal flu vaccine will be given in a separate immunization.

Asheville gas prices are dropping

Gas prices on my street dropped 3 cents yesterday, down to $2.44 a gallon from $2.47. It looks like prices will continue to dip, with the price of a barrel of crude oil down around $60.

Asheville Citizen-Times lay-off toll mounts

I've received more information about today's lay-offs at the Asheville Citizen-Times. The total stands at either 15 or 16, depending on the intel.

I have the names of all of were pink-slipped, but for the blog post purposes, I'll just report the number of positions per department. Some folks I knew, some I did not.

In the maintenance department, two people got axed, including a long-time maintenance man who knew the building like the back of his hand. In advertising, the toll stands at 4 pinked, including one of the sweetest people I ever knew in that department.

I hear that two other people in the advertising department are leaving their jobs of their own accord, and those positions will not be filled.

In the newsroom, a total of five people got cut, including the two reporters for the Mountain News whom I've already named. Julie Ball was one of the damn finest reporters I ever had the pleasure of working with. Andre Rodriguez was a hard-working journalist who worked his way up from a part-time obit clerk to full-time reporter.

One person in the online department, one person in the IT department and one person in the pre-press department lost their jobs.

Finally, a woman who has been working the front counter of the newspaper for several years - one of the many public faces of the newspaper - lost her job. I knew her as a helpful person who cared about Citizen-Times customers.

I feel for everyone who lost their job today at the Asheville Citizen-Times, as well as the hundreds of Gannett employees across the country who have been cut this week. It hurts my heart to see the death of the newspaper industry, and the damage being done to the pursuit of journalism in general.

The best to all.

Asheville Citizen-Times axes Mountain News product and at least two reporters, two copy editors

The Asheville Citizen-Times today announced that it was ceasing publication of the weekly Mountain News and cutting the jobs of reporters Julie Ball and Andre Rodriguez, as well as two unnamed copy editors. No further details.

Still no detail on today's lay-offs at the Asheville Citizen-Times

I've got my feelers out, but no official word on the lay-offs that went down at the Asheville Citizen-Times today. One source told me six people got handed pink slips, but that's unconfirmed, and I don't have details.

Meanwhile, hundreds of Gannett Corp. newspaper employees across the U.S. were learning of a similar fate today. Gannett owns the Citizen-Times.

I'll update as I learn more about the bloodbath.