LYLAS next sketch comedy show set for Dec. 2-5

Happy Thanksgiving, Ashvegas style

Here's a great photo courtesy of Jerry Nelson, an Asheville photographer who does great work and is a volunteer contributor for the Mountain Xpress. Jerry does great work. Check out his web site, www.journeyamerica.com. If you need an event shot, or othe photo work, consider hiring Jerry Nelson. Like all of us, he's trying to make it here in Ashvegas.

Craggie Brewing celebrates big opening today

Here's a look inside Asheville's newest brewery, Craggie Brewing, shot on Wednesday during their soft opening last week. The Asheville Chamber of Commerce will do the formal ribbon-cutting today. Sweet.

Times-News: Ingles bans Salvation Army bell ringers

Story from the Hendersonville Times-News:

The Salvation Army is facing an uphill battle this holiday season, with an increase of families requesting help. At the same time, Ingles Markets decided bell ringers could not stand outside any of their 202 locations across the Southeast.

The economy played a large part in both.

"There are a lot of young families out there affected by the stressed economy," Salvation Army Capt. Chris Thornhill said about the growing need.

A lot of Ingles customers are facing tight wallets this season, explained Ron Freeman, CFO for Ingles. Freeman said the company would allow the Salvation Army to place kettles inside the stores, but will not allow anyone to man them.

"Customers are able to shop in an unsolicited environment," Freeman said. "We support the Salvation Army and their efforts."

Five bell-ringing sites were lost in Hendersonville due to the decision. The agency will man 11 kettles at other locations in the city.

"I think it will impact our overall kettle effort," Thornhill said. "We're looking to recoup the sites."

Biking in the Asheville Christmas parade

Here's the note that's going around. Thanks to loyal reader Calvin for passing it along:

Saturday, Nov. 21st
10am – 1pm

This year, AoB partners with the Blue Ridge Bicycle Club and Asheville CityTransit with the theme of “Riding High in the Clean Sky.” Our parade event highlights the connection between multimodal transportation networks and preserving one of our most valued local resources, our pristine mountain air. Bicycle participants will be costumed as both clouds and the variety of townsfolk who make use of Asheville’s multimodal transportation system.

To join us on parade day, we will be meeting at Stephens Lee Recreation Center at 9:30 and riding
our Bikes from there to the line up on South Charlotte Street. The Road will be closed and that is a
great place to leave cars.

If someone comes to meet up with us in the actual lineup, we are number 18 and have to be
in our spot by 10:30.

For more information please contact AoB’s Director of Arts and Volunteers, Rachel Reeser at
ashevilleonbikes@gmail.com. 678-570-6636.

Let’s join in on the fun. See you there! - Julie

Change in tonight's show at the Orange Peel: Auerbach is sick, but Jessica Lea Mayfield and Justin Townes Earl are still on, for only $5

Here's the note from loyal reader Liz:

"Dan Auerbach has the flu and will not be able to perform at his schedule show at the Orange Peel tonight.  However, Jessica Lea Mayfield and Justin Townes Earl, the other two acts on the bill, are still going to play at 8pm, and tickets will now be only $5 to see these two talented emerging artists.   If you bought tickets already and would like to receive a partial refund for the difference between the original $18 ticket and this new $5 ticket so that you can still attend the show tonight, come to the box office when it opens at 6:30pm and the OP will give you back a refund for the difference.  If you don't have tickets yet, they're available at the Orange Peel box office now or at the door for the new ticket price of $5, or online at www.theorangepeel.net. This show is ALL AGES.
 
If you prefer not to attend the show, full refunds will be issued at the box office for tickets bought there, and for online tickets, refunds will come from ticketweb tomorrow automatically – no need to take further action.
 
To thank those who come out and support the artists tonight, there is also a special offer from the Orange Peel and AC Entertainment! Tonight only at the OP box office, you will be able to sign-up to buy Two for the Price of One Tickets to see Regina Spektor, tomorrow night at Thomas Wolfe Auditorium. Tickets are normally $35.00 each; tonight they’ll be 2 for $35 (so $17.50 each).  This offer will only be available in person tonight, so make sure to ask at the Orange Peel box office when you arrive this evening.
 
Click here to read a bio of Jessica Lea Mayfield (who toured with the Avett Brothers & Ray Lamontagne including their recent stops in Asheville)

Click here to read a bio of Justin Townes Earle (who toured with Old Crow Medicine Show and Gillian Welch)

Ashvegas over Ashvegas

Shot atop an unnamed building in Asheville, this photo captures Ashvegas ever vigilant in watching over the denizens of one of the great cities of the world. News, rumors of news, nothing escapes his unblinking eye, his trusty camera.

Photo by Anthony Bellemare

U.S. Rep. Heath Shuler: Under Bush administration, U.S. gave Iraqis free universal health care

Here's a video clip from U.S. Rep. Heath Shuler's appearance out at Western Carolina University on Thursday afternoon. Blogger TunderPig covered the event with live web video, and then followed up with this video clip. There's more posted on his blog. So far, I haven't seen any other coverage of Shuler's talk.

Asheville City Councilman-elect Gordon Smith

Quote from the Asheville Citizen-Times:

Councilman-elect Gordon Smith said Friday he will try to extend domestic partner benefits as one of his first priorities.

“That is one I'm going to be pushing fairly quickly,” Smith said.

A majority of incoming and sitting council members said in interviews Friday on top priorities for the new council that they support providing benefits like health insurance and bereavement leave to partners of gay employees in committed relationships.

Smith during his campaign said that gays in committed relationships should have “equal rights under the law” as married heterosexuals and the city should lead the way by changing its rules.

He could bring the issue up as soon as Dec. 8, when new council members are sworn in.

Asheville City Councilman-elect Cecil Bothwell

Quote from this week's Mountain Xpress:

Cecil Bothwell, meanwhile, celebrated while urging his supporters to look to the 2011 Council elections for further progressive advances. Leaning on his agenda of local solutions to global climate change, he told Xpress that there are still Council members he sees as obstacles to environmental change: "I would hope in two years, we will replace Bill Russell and Jan Davis. I don't think they get it. Global warming is a local problem everywhere. To the extent that Council is not aware of that, we need to replace people."

Football father and son

On the streets of Ashvegas: A soldier's vigil

Asheville City Councilwoman-elect Esther Manheimer

I saw Esther Manheimer chatting with her new employee, Asheville City Manager Gary Jackson. I have no idea what they were talking about.

Photo exhibition: 13 Stories/ The Windsor Hotel

13 Stories/ The Windsor Hotel. This photo exhibition looks great. From photographer Joel VannFuller:

I have 13 photographs based on 13 stories lifted from the actual hotel lobby
log books from the legendary Windsor Hotel in Asheville, North Carolina. Shot on location,
they will comprise a photo exhibit opening and closing on the same night,
Friday November 13th at the hotel.

There will be bellhops tending bar, along with music from the streets that will add to the flavor
of the evening. Lux-Lighting will provide a touch of modernism to the once shining
example of mid-atlantic hospitality.

Hope to see you there!
Please forward this invite to anyone you think might be interested in attending.
It's going to be an interesting evening and there's probably going to be a good crowd.

Sex offenders prohibited in Pack Square Park

Jason Sandford

Always lots of news on the Asheville beer scene

There's a great post on the Bruisin Ales Beer Blog about some of the latest on the Asheville beer scene. Here's a tidbit:

French Broad’s Wee-Heavy-est arrives next week
One of Asheville’s most popular beers, French Broad Brewery’s Wee-Heavy-er, gets a Belgian boost for the winter months with the release of Wee-Heavy-est. We’ll be kicking off the release at next Thursday’s Tasting!

Click on over to read the rest.

Gem-hunter Gary Bowersox at Wick & Greene Jewelers today and tomorrow

Press release here:

Are you concerned about the fate of our country? Would you like to be more knowledgeable and informed about those who have the potential to impact our nation? If so, come and learn from an inside source about the Afghani and Pakistani people and politics. Gary Bowersox, a world-renowned gem-hunter, author and explorer will be hosting an exhibit of his recently acquired, rare and beautiful gems of Afghanistan at Wick and Greene Jewelers on November 12th from 9:00 AM to 5:15 PM and 13th from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM.  Individual interviews and photo opportunities are available upon request.

Bowersox, author of The Gem Hunter, True Adventures of an American in Afghanistan, has traveled to Afghanistan for 32 years to discover precious gems and to explore the Afghani culture and customs. He served as a consultant to the U.S. Department of Defense shortly after September 11, 2001, giving details of the terrain and the ins and outs of Afghanistan like few others can.

He was described as a “modern-day Indiana Jones” by Diane Sawyer on Good Morning, America. He will not only be presenting precious jewels that are native to Afghanistan, but will be available to give real-life examples of his adventures and misadventures in that mysterious land.

Bowersox has traveled to more than 80 countries in search of the world’s rarest gemstones and minerals.  He has worked with miners not only in Afghanistan, but also in Brazil, Burma, Madagascar, Sri Lanka and Thailand. He has chaired eight symposiums on gems in Afghanistan and was presenter/consultant on “The Gem Hunter in Afghanistan 2001, a 50-minute television documentary.
 
For anyone interested in gems, geography, politics, and, especially adventure this exhibit is a MUST-SEE!

Asheville builder to auction off house in unusual 'short sale'; someone could score a deal

Check out this note from loyal reader John. He's an Asheville builder who is trying to get out of a tough financial situation.

It sounds like somebody could get one great deal on a local house for sale:

Basically we are combining a “short sale” opportunity with a bidding or auction event to help us get out from under a house payment we can no longer make and give someone out there the opportunity get a truly great deal on a house that otherwise might be beyond their reach. 

As you may know, a “short sale” occurs when the banks agree to accept less than is owed on property, quite often at 15-20 percent below market value, simply because they come to believe that they’ll be further ahead approving such a deal than going all the way to foreclosure where they take back yet another home in already bad market. A short sale has a few hurdles to overcome but the opportunity for a buyer to create significant equity at closing is very real.

Buncombe County Tax Value on our home is $265,000     

Opening bid this weekend is $118,500.   

Winning bid subject to lenders’ approval.

I’ve got a lot of detail on the website I put together for it: www.beautifulashevillehome.com.

The Iwanna blog has blogged the heck out of this already. Check it out for more info.

Needless to say the success of our event depends on driving a lot potential buyers through the house this weekend during the 2-day open house.

I hope you find it interesting and valuable enough—one of your readers really could buy a house for potentially tens of thousands of dollars less than market value—to write about and push out there in any way you feel both appropriate and effective.

Thank you in advance for any coverage you can give us at all.

John

What's going on next to Chili's in Arden?

Loyal reader Grey asks:

This may be out of your area of expertise, because I think it is technically in Arden, but what is going on Airport Rd next to Chili’s? I figure you have better contacts than I do!  

It’s definitely new construction. The builder is Hickory Construction. It looks like a four-store strip mall, but there isn’t a lot of parking, so that doesn’t quite make sense. I will try to take a picture and send it.

Anybody?

Tonight: Thunder Road screening at Bee Tree fire station in Swannanoa

Here's the press release, from loyal readers Abby and Tammy. This sounds awesome! I blogged extensively about Thunder Road's 50th anniversary last year. Check out a couple of blog entries here and here.

Come to a free screening of the cult classic Thunder Road which was filmed in Asheville and the surrounding area. Original cast member actress Betsy Holt will discuss her experiences during the production of the film.

Ms. Holt played the wife of Troy Barrett, Treasury Agent (played by Gene Barry) in the 1958 film. The film will be shown at the Bee Tree Fire Station at 510 Bee Tree Road in Swannanoa. Sponsored by the Swannanoa Friends of the Library and the Friends of Buncombe County Libraries.

For more information call the Swannanoa Library at 250-6486. Popcorn and drinks provided.
 
Thanks, and I love your blog!

Abby