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The Public Speaks: Blowing Rock Town Council Approves Appalachian Ski Mtn …
A artistic rendering of the proposed welcome center and freestanding sign at the corner of Edmisten Road and U.S. 321.
By Jesse Wood
Feb. 11, 2015. On Tuesday evening, the Blowing Rock Town Council unanimously approved an ordinance amendment for Appalachian Ski Mtn.’s proposed sign at the corner of U.S. 321 and Edmisten Road, which leads to the resort.
Before the vote, a number of citizens spoke in favor of Appalachian Ski Mtn. and its proposed project, which will include a visitor center, potentially the new home of High Country Host. Those speaking included Cullie Tarleton, Kent Tarbutton on behalf of High Country Host, Four Eggers as citizen in the community and friend of ASM, and Charlie Sellers, owner of The Blowing Rock attraction.
Council members – as did Tarleton – noted that the Blowing Rock Chamber awarded Appalachian Ski Mtn. the Economic Impact Special Recognition Award at the chamber’s annual luncheon earlier in the day. The event was held at the Green Park Inn and sponsored by Piedmont Federal Savings Bank.
Sellers quantified the impact that ASM has on his tourist operation. He noted that during the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday more than 500 of his customers had ASM lift tickets attached to their clothes.
“Thank you,” Sellers said, directing his comment to ASM General Manager Brad Moretz and other ASM representatives present. “You helped our business.”
This is the second time that the Blowing Rock Town Council has held a public hearing regarding the proposed sign. While the visitor center building was approved by the town’s planning department, the sign went before the council because the size of the sign exceeded town code.
On Jan. 13, a number of citizens and town leaders spoke in favor of ASM and its proposed project. As Blowing Rock Mayor J.B. Lawrence told High Country Press after the meeting, Blowing Rock has an exemption in the town’s ordinance for certain signs that fall under historical significance.
“If anyone has earned it, they have,” Lawrence said, adding that he was “blindsided” that the Blowing Rock Town Council didn’t immediately approve of the sign. (Lawrence recused himself on Tuesday because his son works part-time at the resort. In the event of a gridlock vote, Lawrence held the tie-breaking vote as mayor.)
At that initial meeting on Jan. 13, the Blowing Rock Town Council unanimously voted to send the matter back to the planning board, which originally recommended the sign unanimously, to revisit with a review of the town’s ordinance regulating signs in areas where the speed limit exceeds 35 mph. At the time, council members noted concern about setting a “precedent” in an area that will see future development, especially as the Appalachian Regional Healthcare System’s Chestnut Ridge at Blowing Rock comes online.
ASM is proposing this project due to the historic billboard that has advertised ASM for more than four decades being torn down because of the construction of an access road to Chestnut Ridge, which is located directly across the street from the project in question.
On Jan. 29, the Planning Board again recommended the project to the council with some minor changes. The planning board also “touched on” reviewing the ordinance for signs in areas where the speed limit is above 35 mph.
On Tuesday, Councilman Al Yount clarified, as other council members did, to those in attendance that the Blowing Rock Town Council isn’t “guilty of turning down” the sign. It just wanted to hold off approving the sign until the entire ordinance was reviewed.
As Councilman Dan Phillips, quoting a movie he recently watched, said, “Gossip is the devil’s radio.” Phillips, too, added, that the plan all along was to revisit the ordinance before approving the sign.
But the reaction from the public, town leaders and business owners in Blowing Rock in favor of this project was overwhelming. As Councilman Doug Matheson said, “We’ve all been listening.”
ASM General Manager Brad Moretz spoke before the council during the public hearing and thanked them for input on the sign. Moretz added that the final product will be “more beautiful and effective” than what was initially approved.
After Moretz spoke, he received a roaring applause from those in attendance.
Council unanimously approved the ordinance amendment for the sign and again directed the planning board to revisit ordinances regulating signage in areas where the speed limit exceeds 35 mph.
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Tagged with: Blowing Rock NC
Obama names VA panel, says there is ‘more work to do’
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Bradenton prayer-breakfast attendees speak about stopping the violence
Tagged with: North Carolina
‘Godspell’ runs March 19-21 at Owen High in Black Mtn. – Asheville Citizen
Email information about faith-based events and what’s going on at your place of worship at least two weeks in advance to Bruce Steele at bsteele@citizen-times.com and Carole Terrell at cterrell@ citizen-times.com.
‘Godspell’ at Owen High
BLACK MOUNTAIN – The joyous Broadway musical “Godspell” will be performed March 19-21 at Owen High School, 99 Lake Eden Road. All performances are at 7 p.m.
The show, a celebration of the Gospel according to Matthew, will be directed by Lyn Nihart and performed by Owen students. Nihart first directed “Godspell” at the start of his 22-year career at Owen, in 1994.
Tickets are $8 (plus fees) in advance via http://cdowenshs.ticketleap.com/godspell/ or at the door for $10, students $5. To learn more, call the school at 828-686-3852.
Lenten services ongoing
in Black Mountain
BLACK MOUNTAIN – Mid-week Lenten services continue Wednesdays through March 25 at various Black Mountain churches. Each service begins at noon with scripture and prayer, music and a brief sermon, followed by a lunch of soup and sandwiches. The remaining services are as follows:
•March 18: First Baptist Church Black Mountain, 130 Montreat Road.
•March 25: Moore Center at Montreat Conference Center, below Ten Thousand Villages and the bookstore.
Holy Week services include:
•April 3: Good Friday, Black Mountain United Methodist Church, 101 Church St.
•April 5 at 7 a.m.: Easter sunrise service, Tabernacle UMC.
Church shows ‘King of Kings’
BREVARD – Brevard-Davidson River Presbyterian Church, 249 E. Main St., will host a free showing of the 1927 silent movie “The King of Kings” at 7 p.m. March 20. Considered a masterpiece in its day, the film was directed by Cecil B. DeMille and based on Biblical accounts of Christ’s ministry, death and resurrection.
Musical accompaniment will be improvised and performed by organist John Schwandt, on the church’s recently renovated organ. Schwandt is associate professor of organ and director of the American Organ Institute at the Oklahoma University School of Music.
Schwandt will also present a workshop on hymn improvisation from 10 a.m.-noon March 21 at the church. The workshop is free and open to the public. To learn more, call 884-2645.
Tried Stone celebrates
Elder Blount
ASHEVILLE – Tried Stone Missionary Baptist Church, 100 Carroll Ave., will celebrate the 16th pastoral anniversary of Elder Alfred Blount at 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. March 22.
Rev. Keith Knox will be the preacher for the 11 a.m. service. Rev. Charles Lomax, along with the choir and congregation of St. John Missionary Baptist Church, Aloca, Tennessee, will be the guests for the 4 p.m. service. To learn more, call 285-0444.
Prayer time at Grace Lutheran
HENDERSONVILLE – Grace Lutheran Church, 1245 Sixth Ave. W., invites the community to participate in the following services and programs:
•A monthly prayer time in the sanctuary is offered 12:15-12:45 p.m. the fourth Monday of the month. The next meeting is March 23. Everyone is welcome to come together to pray. Silent prayers will be followed by open prayer from anyone who cares to speak. The prayer time closes with the Lord’s Prayer.
•Preschool fall registration for the 2015-16 school year is now open. Grace Lutheran offers a half-day, Christian-based educational program for walkers through pre-K. Current winter-spring classes have a few openings. Contact Beth Ann Lehr at 693-4972 or gracepre@bellsouth.net.
•Healing prayer is offered the second Friday of every month by Grace Prayer Ministers and the Order of Saint Luke. Arrive from 1-1:30 p.m. April 10 and plan to stay at least 30 minutes. This is a Christian-based nondenominational time of prayer.
To learn more about Grace Lutheran, call 693-4890 or visit gracelutherannc.com.
Table Talk at First Presbyterian
HENDERSONVILLE – A program called Table Talk is presented at 6:25 p.m. Wednesdays at First Presbyterian Church, 699 N. Grove St. The events are free and open to the public.
On March 25, evangelist and ministry leader Nathaniel Jolly talk on “The Time Is Now,” about how God has used him and can use everyone in ways no one thought possible.
There is an optional dinner for a small fee at 5:25 p.m.; reservations are required. Call 828-692-3211 to RSVP or learn more.
Community service offered
ASHEVILLE – The Community on Haywood meets the second and fourth Wednesdays. The next meeting is March 25. It also hosts a Bible and Brew Bible study at 5:30 p.m. on the first and third Wednesdays of each month. Visit http://TheCommunityOnHaywood.org for all events and activities.
On Tuesdays, The Community on Haywood offers a lunchtime program with open discussion geared toward working people. A light lunch is available for $5.
Parking and entrance is behind the church and across Virginia Avenue. To learn more, contact 828-258-0903 or Kent@westashepres.org.
Music program in Weaverville
WEAVERVILLE – First Baptist Church, 63 N. Main St., will host a program sponsored by the Weaverville Music Study Club at 7 p.m. March 27 titled “In Our Music, God is Glorified.”
Kevin Bryant will present a mix of organ masterworks and hymn arrangements along with lesser known works by composers such as Bach, Boellmann, Widor, Dan Miller and Robert Lau. A free will offering will be received.
Palm Sunday luncheon at Holy Trinity
ASHEVILLE – The annual Palm Sunday luncheon hosted by the Greek Orthodox Ladies Philoptochos Society will be 11 a.m.-2 p.m. March 29 at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, 227 Cumberland Ave.
Proceeds go to local and worldwide charities. There will also be Greek music and dance presentations.
Call 828-253-3754 weekdays to place orders for pick up or 828-254-7424 on the day of the luncheon.
Families invited to ‘Walk With Jesus’
WEAVERVILLE – First Baptist Church, 63 N. Main St., will host an Easter event for families from 5:30-7:30 p.m. March 29 (Palm Sunday) called “Walk With Jesus.”
The event will guide children and their parents along Jesus’ footsteps during His last days on earth, including five stations of activities marking Palm Sunday, the Last Supper, Easter morning and more.
To learn more, call Aileen Lawrimore at 828-645-6720 or visit www.fbcwvl.org.
E. Asheville Methodist celebrates Lent
ASHEVILLE – The schedule of services for Lent at East Asheville United Methodist Church, 48 Browndale Road, across from the VA Hospital, is as follows:
•March 30-April 3: Ecumenical Holy Week Services at noon daily; lunch provided by donation.
•April 5: Easter sunrise service at 6:45 a.m. on the lawn at Groce United Methodist Church, 954 Tunnel Road, Music by Reflection; indoor worship at 10:55 a.m. at East Asheville UMC, featuring the Easter Cantata.
To learn more, call 299-9742 or visit www.eastashevilleumc.weebly.com.
Easter program at First Presbyterian
HENDERSONVILLE – The Creative Beginnings pre-schoolers will perform their annual Easter program at 10 a.m. April 5 at First Presbyterian Church, 699 N. Grove St. Pianist Gayle Stepp leads the group.
Registration is open for the five-week summer arts program for ages 1-4, meeting Tuesdays and Thursdays. To learn more, call Fran Rochester at 692-3211.
Celebration Israel set for April
ASHEVILLE – The annual Celebration Israel has been renamed Celebration Israel Festival and Expo and will be 11 a.m.-4 p.m. April 26 at Congregation Beth Israel, 229 Murdock Ave.
The new name reflects the new array of attractions in addition to family-oriented activities, food and Israeli dancing. Posters, presentations and videos will educate those attending about science, technology, medical research, alternative energy and other topics related to Israel. Admission is free and open to all.
The Jewish Community Center of Asheville will sponsor its annual Falafel 5K Camp Ruach Fun Run (for ages 2-12) that morning. To learn more, find the 5K on Facebook.
Spiritual awakening set for Fridays
HENDERSONVILLE – A spiritual awakening program begins at 6:30 p.m. Fridays at Hendersonville Presbyterian Church, 699 N. Grove St. It is free and open to the public.
The church opens its doors at 6 p.m. for prayer, followed by a mix of worship, teaching, prayer and ministry featuring local, national and international pastors and ministry leaders who will help train new leadership for the renewal movement.
To learn more, call 828-692-3211.
Kids for Christ offered every Wednesday
WEAVERVILLE – The Kids for Christ children’s program, offered 2:30-7 p.m. Wednesdays during the school year at First Baptist Church, 63 N. Main St., has resumed. The program is for grades one-six.
The program includes a snack, recreational time, homework help, Bible study, choir and hand bells by invitation. An optional supper is $2 per child and $3.50 per adult. After supper, mission groups are planned. Register with Joy Sprinkle or Aileen Lawrimore at 828-645-6720.
Meditation days at Cloud Cottage
BLACK MOUNTAIN – Monthly family night at Cloud Cottage Community of Mindful Living, 219 Old Toll Circle, 6-7:30 p.m. the second Wednesday of each month, is open to families with children of all ages.
The next meeting is April 8. Meditation gatherings are held every Wednesday at the center.
On family night, the Rev. Judith Toy will entertain children with stories, songs and snacks while parents have the opportunity to meditate. The children then will rejoin their parents for walking meditation and discussion.
“Mindfulness is a life skill that every child should learn early on,” the Rev. Toy said. “The Dalai Lama said that if every 8-year-old on the planet learned to meditate, we would have world peace within one generation.”
From 7-8:30 p.m. the second and fourth Mondays of each month, Roger Shikan Hawkins offers a 10-minute meditation followed by an informal discussion, intended as a relaxed experience for people intimidated by the formality of the hall. Hawkins is an ordained Dharma teacher and author of “Great Doubt, the Spirit of Self-Inquiry.”
To learn more, visit www.cloudcottage.org or call 828-669-6000. All events are offered by donation.
Mills River Presbyterian hosts GROW
MILLS RIVER – On Jan. 8, Mills River Presbyterian Church hosted the first in a series of presentations related to the church’s Garden Rolling on Wheels project, or GROW. The presentation discussed the Farm Bill.
“Anyone who consumes food, pays taxes and is concerned about their personal health will gain a great deal of information at these sessions,” pastor Randall Boggs said. “The GROW program was designed to inform the community about food policy (production and distribution) and to inspire healthier food choices.”
The series continues in March with a talk on “Healthier Food Choices.” To learn more, call 828-891-7101. The church is at 10 Presbyterian Church Road, off School House Road.
Help provide socks for seniors
HENDERSONVILLE – Opportunity House, 1411 Asheville Highway, is a drop-off location for Socks for Seniors. This project is sponsored by the Hendersonville Single Women’s Club. Bring in a new pair of winter socks 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday.
To learn more, visit www.opportunityhouse.org or call 828-692-0575.
Breakfast Bible study seeks members
HENDERSONVILLE – A Christian Men’s Breakfast Bible Study is open for new members. The ecumenical group meets at 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays at the Dixie Diner on U.S. 64 West in Laurel Park.
Every week, the four Scriptures from the weekly lectionary used in most Christian liturgical churches are discussed. Participants should bring their Bible of choice.
Participants buy their own breakfast. To learn more, call Bob Andersen at 828-697-0464.
Cloud Cottage holds meditation
BLACK MOUNTAIN – Following is the weekly schedule for mindfulness meditation at Cloud Cottage Community of Mindful Living, 219 Old Toll Circle. To learn more, call 828-669-6000 or visit cloudcottage.org:
•Peaceful abiding: 7:30 a.m. Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.
•Meditation in the Plum Village tradition of Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh: 6 p.m. Wednesdays.
•Meditation in the Japanese Zen tradition: 8 a.m. Sundays, followed by book study until 10 a.m., hosted by the Rev. Judith Toy.
Rabbi leads history-rich tour
ASHEVILLE – Rabbi Batsheva Meiri, of Congregation Beth HaTephila, will lead a tour of Eastern European sites, “Jewish Roots Journey to Europe,” from April 18-30. The group will consist of about 25-30 people, in addition to the rabbi and the tour guide.
The tour will explore Jewish history, European culture and Jewish communities from Warsaw to Prague to Budapest. In each country, the group will trace the Jewish roots and hear personal insights and reflections on the past, present and future.
Trip highlights include paying tribute to the six million at Auschwitz, visiting Europe’s oldest synagogue in the Old Jewish Quarter of Prague, celebrating Shabbat with members of the Prague Jewish community, visiting the hot springs pools in Budapest and cruising on the Danube River.
Meiri will partner with Keshet, the Center for Educational Tourism, for the tour. To learn more, including costs, accommodations and exact itinerary, email admin@bethhattephila or call 828-253-4911.
Grief and Beyond helps people adjust
WAYNESVILLE – The Grief and Beyond support group, for people who have lost loved ones, meets 4:30-6 p.m. every Thursday at Long’s Chapel United Methodist Church.
Sessions are facilitated by social worker Jan Peterson and include video segments and personal sharing. There is no charge. In a support group, you are not required to talk or cry, but you will be in a safe place where you won’t feel embarrassed if you do.
To learn more, call Peterson at 828-550-3638 or Tim McConnell at Long’s Chapel UMC at 828-456-3993, ext. 17.
Food ministry needs donations
CANTON – Rose of Sharon Ministries, North Canton Road, is open to anyone who needs a helping hand. Donations are needed to fulfill its mission.
The warehouse is open 10:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday or by appointment. Nonperishable food items are needed.
To make donations, call 828-400-2261.
Trail Life Troop resumes
FLAT ROCK – Pinecrest Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church, 1790 Greenville Highway, has chartered the first Trail Life USA Troop in Henderson County. Trail Life USA is a Christian character and outdoor adventure troop for boys ages 5-18. The organization’s motto is “Walk Worthy.”
To learn more, call Blake Law at 692-0063 or visit the troop’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/traillifenc24.
Tagged with: Asheville
Arizona park rebounds after years of border crime – U
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In this October 30, 2014 photo, Sam and Linda Pearsall of Raleigh, N.C. visit the Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument in Arizona. For over a decade, armed drug traffickers were so prevalent in this vast desert monument that visitors were barred from entering more than half of it. But a series of crackdowns and decreased traffic on Arizona’s border with Mexico have turned things around at the national monument. For the first time since 2003, the picturesque park is fully accessible, all 516 square miles of its sweeping mountains and cactus-covered terrain. (AP Photo/Astrid Galvan)
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In this October 30, 2014 photo, is the Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument in Arizona. For over a decade, armed drug traffickers were so prevalent in this vast desert monument that visitors were barred from entering more than half of it. But a series of crackdowns and decreased traffic on Arizona’s border with Mexico have turned things around at the national monument. For the first time since 2003, the picturesque park is fully accessible, all 516 square miles of its sweeping mountains and cactus-covered terrain. (AP Photo/Astrid Galvan)
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In this October 30, 2014 photo, Sam and Linda Pearsall of Raleigh, N.C. walk through the Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument in Arizona. For over a decade, armed drug traffickers were so prevalent in this vast desert monument that visitors were barred from entering more than half of it. But a series of crackdowns and decreased traffic on Arizona’s border with Mexico have turned things around at the national monument. For the first time since 2003, the picturesque park is fully accessible, all 516 square miles of its sweeping mountains and cactus-covered terrain. (AP Photo/Astrid Galvan)
ORGAN PIPE CACTUS NATIONAL MONUMENT, Ariz. (AP) — For over a decade, armed drug traffickers were so prevalent in this vast desert monument that visitors were barred from entering more than half of it.
One law enforcement group dubbed it America’s most dangerous park for two years straight after drug smugglers gunned down a ranger.
But a series of crackdowns and decreased traffic on Arizona’s border with Mexico have turned things around at Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument. For the first time since 2003, visitors can access all 516 square miles of the park named for a unique cactus breed that resembles a pipe organ with its long, narrow arms and short trunk.
The picturesque monument epitomizes the challenge of protecting visitors and government workers from the dangers of smuggling in southern Arizona, where large swaths of the border with Mexico are public land. Along the border and very near to it are four wildlife refuges, three national parks, two state parks and two wildlife conservation areas.
The 2003 closure of nearly 70 percent of Organ Pipe marked the first time in recent history that a national monument was largely closed because of threats posed by humans. It followed several incidents involving drug and human smugglers, including the 2002 death of Kris Eggle, a 28-year-old law enforcement park ranger killed while pursuing a group of smugglers.
For those brave enough to want to hike through the park’s closed areas, rangers armed with long rifles provided security on guided tours.
A drive down Arizona State Route 85 past the old mining town of Ajo leads to Organ Pipe and its organ pipe cacti and countless saguaros. In the summer, the heat is unforgiving, but during the rest of the year, the striking desert landscape attracts visitors from across the country. Climbers also have taken an interest in the mountain ranges and cliffs that surround the park.
“This is one of the great ecosystems in the United States, and we wanted to see it,” said Sam Pearsall of Raleigh, North Carolina.
Pearsall and his wife, Linda, hiked the 1 ½-mile Desert View Trail this fall. Organ Pipe was one of about 40 national and state parks the couple visited during a months-long tour.
“To me it’s an indicator of the state of the border, if you will, when we can open these parks and people feel safe in these areas,” Border Patrol Tucson Sector Chief Manny Padilla said. “It’s a big indicator as to the state of the border security.”
No crime figures are available just for Organ Pipe, but the Tucson sector — which comprises nearly all the Arizona border with Mexico, including the park — has seen a significant drop in activity in recent years.
The sector made 120,939 arrests in fiscal year 2013. In fiscal year 2014, which ended Sept. 30, that figure was roughly 88,000.
The number of pounds of marijuana seized in the Tucson sector also fell from 1.2 million in fiscal year 2013 to 971,180 in fiscal year 2014. The Border Patrol breaks down sector drug seizures only by pot and cocaine, although cocaine figures are extremely low.
Tagged with: Raleigh
Mission: Protect Civil War history
Saturday was the 153rd anniversary of the Battle of New Bern, when Confederate soldiers and militia, some poorly trained and armed with little more than squirrel guns and shotguns, were overwhelmed by larger Union forces just a couple of miles outside the city. New Bern fell to Union Maj. Gen. Ambrose Burnside and his force of soldiers and gunboats, and for the remainder of the Civil War, New Bern was a Yankee-occupied town.
The New Bern Battlefield Park by the Taberna community has preserved the west wing of that battlefield, a series of well-preserved entrenchments defended by the 26th North Carolina Regiment on that bloody day. A number of activities are scheduled to take place there in commemoration of the fight.
But the park is only a small fraction of important Civil War military sites in Craven County.
“Craven County has more trenches and blockhouses than any other county in the state,” according to Tim Norman, a James City resident who has been carefully studying them. That’s because, to defend their hard-won stronghold, Union forces built numerous entrenchments, blockhouses and forts around the city. As the base of operations, numerous raids were also conducted from the city, especially in the directions of Kinston, Goldsboro and Little Washington.
And twice the Confederates would return in an attempt to retake the town, with a campaign in early 1864 coming perilously close to succeeding.
But many of those sites, Norman says, are gone, the victims of development and weather. Nearly all the ones that still exist are on private land and are unprotected.
Norman takes a special interest in Civil War history. He has even gone so far as to put up a historical marker in his own back yard where, he says, the 7th North Carolina carried out its retreat during the Battle of New Bern.
He’s made it his goal to work to preserve many of the battlefield sites and has begun to put together the Craven Battlefield Preservation Associate as a means to do so.
If his organization succeeds, he plans a two-pronged approach of raising funds to buy property down the road and, in the shorter term, convince land owners to have protective easements put on their properties.
“That allows the private owner to still own the property,” he said, “But it says they’re going to protect it. They’re not going to disturb it.”
With such an easement, owners are under no compulsion to open their property to tourists or anyone else. It simply keeps the site from being disturbed, whether through farming, construction or other means.
“Down the road they may be willing to sell the property,” Norman suggested, when it might be purchased by his organization and developed for tourism or further protection; “they might be willing to will it over, or maybe their children will decide to sell.”
Some of the most significant sites are long gone: Fort Thompson, which anchored the eastern end of the Southern battle line was a 12-gun earthwork fort of impressive size. Located on residential property along the Neuse River, according to historian Steve Shaffer, hurricanes and development have reduced the fort to about six mounds of grass-covered sand. Portions of the battle line between there and Battlefield Park still exist, however: much of it can be seen driving down Battlefield Road, and significant works, he said, exist in a stand of trees beside the Jaycees Fair Grounds.
The Union’s largest fort, Fort Totten, was bulldozed in the 1960s when a playground and ball field were built. According to Will Gorges, as early as the 1950s, the fort’s remains were mentioned in handbooks the city produced.
Other important forts long gone are forts Lane, Ellis and Allen, according to Shaffer, all forts that lined the river to defend the town before it fell.
But other areas still stand: James City has the visible remains for Fort Spanolia, another Union defense work. The remains of a union blockhouse rise beside a road in Brices Creek, covered in small trees. While on private property it, unlike most of its sister military sites, is protected against development with an easement. Another Union fort, Fort Gaston, is in remarkably good shape: the owner keeps it up impeccably and lives in a house in the middle of it.
Shaffer pointed out sites that he would like to see protected, among them a Confederate artillery site on the Neuse near near a club house. Though he is not certain, he suspects it is the site of the two-gun Fort Dixie embrasure.
In his opinion, an even more important, unprotected site is one he found near Taberna. It was the spot, during the Battle of New Bern, that the 26th’s Henry Burgwyn was in charge of gun emplacements. Union forces were expected to march on the road he covered, but they never arrived, and Burgwyn himself did not take part in the battle. Burgwyn would later take over as head of the regiment when its current colonel, Zebulon Vance, became North Carolina governor in September. Burgwyn would lead the regiment’s fatal charge at Gettysburg in 1863 that would leave him and 587 other men dead.
Most local historians also believe Thompson line entrenchments still exist in good condition on the Jaycee’s fairgrounds, in a wooded area on the east side of the parking lot. The view is not universal: Will Gorges, owner of Battleground Antiques and a Battle of New Bern researcher in his own right, believes the entrenchments along the fairground are gone, and that trenches currently identified as them were dug at a later date.
Two sites are connected with the later battles for New Bern, including those from the Battle of Deep Gully fought in March 1863, along the Jones-Craven county line, and more importantly the extensive entrenchments and blockhouse at Bachelor’s Creek, about eight miles out of town. These saw important events several times during the war and were the site of an accident in May 1864, when Union soldiers were unloading torpedoes from a train. One torpedo went off, detonating several others, ultimately killing 67 men.
There has not been much movement in protecting these sites over the past several years: The Historical Society has focused on the Battlefield Park it currently owns, which is undergoing an extensive project this summer.
Gorges said that it’s time to start protecting other sites as well, however.
“Another group with focus does need to be formed because it’s a matter of time,” he said. “We’re at a lucky time now: expansion has stopped because the economy has stopped.”
When large construction projects begin again, he said, the sites will be endangered.
Norman hopes to be able to be a complementary force in this direction.
“We’re not in competition with them,” he said of the Historical Society. He is young, and relatively inexperienced, but has been working hard researching local sites and visiting established sites in such places as Virginia to see how other lands have been protected. He also claims Will Gorges as his adviser while he moves forward.
“We have battlefields in ENC with natural resources: blockhouses and entrenchments,” he said. There’s an opportunity there. It can bring in tourism. I want, one day down the road, that people can visit them. But in the short term, I want them preserved.
“Once they’re developed (for other uses) they’re gone for ever,” he added. “You can’t get them back.”
Contact Bill Hand at 252-635-5677, bill.hand@newbernsj.com and follow him @BillHandNBSJ.
Tagged with: North Carolina
A seat at the table: Alia Todd and Asheville Sustainable Restaurant Workforce
Alia Todd has watched Asheville’s food culture grow into one of the biggest draws to the area. But while that growth meant economic prosperity for some, Todd says it often came at the cost of inequality, low pay and unfair working conditions for the approximately 11,600 restaurant employees in the city. So Todd and fellow worker Jessi Steelman, with support from Just Economics, began to form connections to identify issues and find ways to address them.
“As the city grows, local businesses open multiple locations and tourism expands, we felt that restaurant workers needed to be a part of that,” Todd explains. From that effort was born the Asheville Sustainable Restaurant Workforce, formed in May 2014, which seeks to unite employees, business owners and consumers around the concerns of restaurant workers in Asheville and WNC.
“When it comes to organizing, it’s about building relationships,” Todd says. “We want to figure out what’s important to restaurant workers in the area. We would like to ensure that everyone, including businesses, are equal in their practices and adhere to the law.”
ASRW currently claims over 350 members and has produced a video on restaurant worker rights. Much of the group’s energy is focused on clearing up state and federal laws pertaining to workers’ rights within the industry, including confusion surrounding the minimum wage of tipped employees and how wages are distributed among workers.
“There’s a lot of ambiguity around the law,” Todd notes. “We seek to first and foremost clear up those laws. That’s an easy way to get everyone on the same page.”
Todd adds that ASRW’s outreach is not exclusive to employees, and the group hopes to build alliances with businesses that are in compliance with the law. In fact, as ASRW closes in on its one-year anniversary in 2015, the group will shift its focus from building membership to expanding outreach to business owners and diners. “We live in a community that is interested in sustainability — where their food comes from, how it’s treated,” Todd notes. “People should be just as interested in who’s preparing and serving it.
“Traditionally, there has been a great divide between labor and business,” she adds. “We don’t think it has to be that way. Asheville could be a leader in making sure everyone has a seat at the table.”
Tagged with: Asheville
Restrictions lifted at Organ Pipe park
A sign warns visitors about smuggling and illegal immigration in Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument in 2014. A crackdown on smugglers has led monument officials to open the entire park to the public. (AP Photo/Astrid Galvan)
ORGAN PIPE CACTUS NATIONAL MONUMENT, Ariz. – For over a decade, armed drug traffickers were so prevalent in this vast desert monument that visitors were barred from entering more than half of it.
One law enforcement group dubbed it America’s most dangerous park for two years straight after drug smugglers gunned down a ranger.
But a series of crackdowns and decreased traffic on Arizona’s border with Mexico have turned things around at Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument. For the first time since 2003, visitors can access all 516 square miles of the park named for a unique cactus breed that resembles a pipe organ with its long, narrow arms and short trunk.
The picturesque monument epitomizes the challenge of protecting visitors and government workers from the dangers of smuggling in southern Arizona, where large swaths of the border with Mexico are public land. Along the border and very near to it are four wildlife refuges, three national parks, two state parks and two wildlife conservation areas.
The 2003 closure of nearly 70 percent of Organ Pipe marked the first time in recent history that a national monument was largely closed because of threats posed by humans. It followed several incidents involving drug and human smugglers, including the 2002 death of Kris Eggle, a 28-year-old law enforcement park ranger killed while pursuing a group of smugglers.
For those brave enough to hike through the park’s closed areas, rangers armed with long rifles provided security on guided tours.
A drive down Arizona State Route 85 past the old mining town of Ajo leads to Organ Pipe and its organ pipe cacti and countless saguaros. In the summer, the heat is unforgiving, but during the rest of the year, the striking desert landscape attracts visitors from across the country. Climbers also have taken an interest in the mountain ranges and cliffs that surround the park.
“This is one of the great ecosystems in the United States, and we wanted to see it,” said Sam Pearsall of Raleigh, N. C.
Pearsall and his wife, Linda, hiked the 1½-mile Desert View Trail this fall. Organ Pipe was one of about 40 national and state parks the couple visited during a monthslong tour.
“To me it’s an indicator of the state of the border, if you will, when we can open these parks and people feel safe in these areas,” Border Patrol Tucson Sector Chief Manny Padilla said. “It’s a big indicator as to the state of the border security.”
No crime figures are available just for Organ Pipe, but the Tucson sector – which comprises nearly all the Arizona border with Mexico, including the park – has seen a significant drop in activity in recent years.
The sector made 120,939 arrests in fiscal year 2013. In fiscal year 2014, which ended Sept. 30, that figure was roughly 88,000.
The number of pounds of marijuana seized in the Tucson sector also fell from 1.2 million in fiscal year 2013 to 971,180 in fiscal year 2014. The Border Patrol breaks down sector drug seizures only by pot and cocaine, although cocaine figures are extremely low.
It’s a stark difference from the early 2000s, when the largely remote, rural sector was the busiest and deadliest in the nation. Back then, agents were dealing with many armed traffickers who drove from the Mexican side of the border into the park, their vehicles outfitted in camouflage as they made their way north. Other smugglers carried loads of drugs through the desert on foot.
Marijuana seizures are down overall nationwide, from 2.4 million pounds in 2013 to 1.9 million pounds last fiscal year.
Park Superintendent Brent Range credits the park’s turnaround to the cooperative relationship between Organ Pipe, the Border Patrol and other federal agencies.
The Border Patrol has hundreds of agents patrolling the area, and the park has doubled its law enforcement side. The agencies share a radio frequency to communicate with each other and often conduct operations together.
The Border Patrol also uses technology to combat smuggling, installing several camera surveillance towers that alert agents when people are crossing.
Range arrived at the monument about a year ago, surprised by the sight of its rows of cacti and vast amount of vegetation. The monument had been slowly increasing access since 2009, but it was Range who pushed for a full reopening.
He says he hopes the newly opened areas translate into more tourists.
Despite the lengthy closure, Organ Pipe’s number of annual visitors grew from 258,000 in 2000 to more than 330,000 in 2009. The figures dipped in 2010, with a low of 162,000 in 2012, but rebounded the next year.
“We decided that it’s public lands. We want people to see it. We want people to come visit it,” Range said. “And my guess is, a majority of folks who come here to visit will come back. It’s that neat of a place.”
Tagged with: Raleigh
More Grief Counselors Added to Staff at App State
BOONE, N.C. — Appalachian State University is adding additional counselors to help students deal with the deaths of nine students this school year.
The school has added two full-time and two part-time counselors so far with plans to add two more part-time positions this week. The university is also extending the hours of the campus counseling center.
Of the deaths on campus, four happened in traffic accidents, two students committed suicide, one student overdosed on drugs and the other two remain under investigation.
Tagged with: Boone NC
Leland Weighs Retirement Community Certification
Leland town officials are considering moving forward with plans to make the town a “Certified Retirement Community” through a state-sponsored program.
The program, which state lawmakers approved in 2008, was designed to encourage retirees and people who are thinking about retiring to relocate to North Carolina.
Glenda Browning, executive director of the Leland Tourism Development Authority (TDA), is one strong supporter of Leland moving forward with obtaining the certification.
“New residents require services, which attracts businesses and younger workers,” Browning said. “Then, you have families moving in. We already know that Brunswick County is one of the fastest-growing counties in the nation. We need to keep moving in that direction.”
Browning and Leland town manager David Hollis plan to approach Leland developers to see if they will help cover the $10,000 application fee required for the program.
A decision will not be made on whether or not to pursue the certification until the funds can be secured, but Browning said she hopes to have the application in by July or January 2016. The state accepts applications twice a year, and, once submitted, a committee reviews the application and makes a decision within 120 days. Once a community becomes certified through the state’s program, they retain that status for five years.
Not all cities and towns in North Carolina can become Certified Retirement Communities – there are conditions that must be met to quality.
One of the requirements is that the community must establish a retiree attraction committee whose responsibilities include raising funds, organizing special events and establishing a community image. The town’s plan for marketing and public relations must be submitted to the state along with the application.
If approved as a Certified Retirement Community, the Town of Leland will be promoted through the state’s marketing efforts via RetireNC, which falls under Visit North Carolina, a part of the public-private group Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina that now oversees the state’s tourism efforts.
Marketing and promotion efforts include exposure on the RetireNC website, as well as inclusion in social media and print marketing.
According to Andre Nabors, partner relations manager for VisitNC, certified retirement communities receive other benefits including opportunities to attend some of the Ideal Living and AARP retirement expos with VisitNC.
“They have to pay for their own travel expenses,” Nabors said, “but VisitNC covers the cost of the booth.”
Certified Retirement Communities also receive all of the marketing leads gathered from the expos.
The state program also offers Certified Retirement Communities public relations opportunities like the ability to take part in “media missions” in which publications are contacted and pitched story ideas. In addition, the communities receive preferences on cooperative advertising opportunities and discounted pricing for advertisements. Other cities and towns that are currently participating in the state’s Certified Retirement Community program include Asheboro, Edenton and Mount Airy.
Regardless of the town’s decision, Browning said she plans to push relocation as part of her marketing efforts for this year and beyond.
“If nothing happens with this, I’m moving forward to promote the town as a place to live,” she said.
She put together relocation packages that she shared at golf shows this winter.
“We have so much to offer retirees,” Browning said. “We have everything people need right here … If we can get people to visit and see what a great place this is to live, then they want to move and they bring their families with them.”
Tagged with: North Carolina