Local/State
UNC governors approve tuition increases
Asheville area religious news, events – 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.
MLK Prayer Breakfast features Greenlee
BLACK MOUNTAIN – The annual Martin Luther King Prayer Breakfast, sponsored by the Swannanoa Valley Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Corporation, will be at 8 a.m. Feb. 28 at Camp Dorothy Walls on North Fork Road.
Tyrone Greenlee, an Asheville native and community activist, will be the featured speaker. Greenlee serves on the boards of Just Economics of Western North Carolina and Green Opportunities, among other involvements.
Music will be provided by the Mills Chapel choir. Ten Thousand Villages at Montreat Conference Center will donate a percentage of its sales on Feb. 28 to the nonprofit’s scholarship fund.
Tickets are $15, or $6 for ages 3-12, at the Black Mountain Chamber of Commerce. Visit www.svmlk.org.
Disaster preparedness seminar offered
HENDERSONVILLE – Dr. Paul Williams, an expert in disaster preparedness, will talk on how to prepare as individuals, churches, neighborhoods and a community for times of crisis 9 a.m.-noon Feb. 21 at Hendersonville Presbyterian Church, 699 N. Grove St. Admission is free.
To learn more, call 828-692-3211.
Choral Evensong this Sunday
HENDERSONVILLE – The choir of St. James Episcopal Church, 766 N. Main St., will sing Choral Evensong for Lent at 5 p.m. March 1, including music by Ralph Vaughan Williams, Peter Aston, Richard Ayleward and Jane Marshall.
The service will be followed by a flute and guitar recital by Duo de Vista from Columbia, South Carolina, featuring Teri Forscher-Milter and Marina Alexandra.
No tickets required; donations appreciated. To learn more, call Brad Gee at 828-694-6925.
Rabbi visits MHU, Asheville
MARS HILL – Mars Hill University will host a free program, “The Many Paths to a Heart of Wisdom,” at 6 p.m. March 3 in Bentley Fellowship Hall with Rabbi Nancy Fuchs-Kreimer, director of the department of multifaith studies and initiatives at Reconstructionist Rabbinical College in Philadelphia.
The program will explore the traditions of Judaism, Islam, Buddhism and Christianity “with respect to the ways they help people do the inner work needed for moral excellence,” according to a press release.
The program follows two and a half days of free public events with Rabbi Fuchs-Kreimer. She will speak at 11 a.m. March 3 at Mars Hill’s Crossroads chapel service; at 7 p.m. March 1 at Congregation Beth Israel, 229 Murdock Ave., Asheville, and at 7 p.m. March 2 in Laurel Forum, Karpen Hall, at UNC Asheville.
Adult forums at FCUCC
HENDERSONVILLE – First Congregational United Church of Christ, 1735 Fifth Ave. W., invites everyone to its weekly Adult Forums at 9:15 a.m. Sundays in the Felix Building, To learn more, visit fcchendersonville.org or call 828-692-8630. Upcoming topics include:
•Sunday: “Big History.” Presenter Larry Anderson says “Let’s entertain some further discussion of … awakening of consciousness among humans.”
•March 8: “Earthing (Grounding),” Part 1. “Earthing” means being barefoot outside or in skin contact with Earthing products indoors while you sleep, relax or work. Fran Westin will demonstrate, show a documentary and discuss some such products.
Prayer time at Grace Lutheran
HENDERSONVILLE – Grace Lutheran Church, 1245 Sixth Ave. W., invites the community to participate in the following services and programs:
•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. March 13 and plan to stay at least 30 minutes. This is a Christian-based nondenominational time of prayer.
To learn more about Grace Lutheran, call 828-693-4890 or visit gracelutherannc.com.
St. John’s hosts discussion series on Islam
ASHEVILLE – St. John’s Episcopal Church, 290 Old Haw Creek Road, is hosting a five-week series to increase knowledge of Islam. Classes meet at 10 a.m. Sundays.
On March 1, watch “Muhammad: Legacy of a Prophet,” the PBS documentary. On March 8, Kathy Meacham, professor of ethics and religion at Mars Hill University, will lead discussion.
On March 15, Khalid Bashir, imam of the Asheville Islamic Center, will lead discussion. On March 22, the Rev. Ross Jones will lead discussion.
To learn more, call 828-298-3553 or visit www.st.johnsasheville.org.
Lenten services onging 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 4: First Christian Church, 201 Blue Ridge Road.
•March 11: Black Mountain Presbyterian Church, 117 Montreat Road.
•March 18: TBA.
•March 25: First Baptist Church of Black Mountain, 130 Montreat Road.
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.
Community service offered
ASHEVILLE – The Community on Haywood meets the second and fourth Wednesdays. It also hosts a Bible and Brew Bible study at 5:30 p.m. on the first and third Wednesdays of each month. The next meeting is March 4.
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.
Tax clinic at Avery’s Creek
ARDEN – Avery’s Creek United Methodist Church, 874 Glenn Bridge Road, is holding a tax clinic from noon-5 p.m. March 9. This is an opportunity to have your 2014 taxes done for a minimal price: $40, plus $20 for electronic filing.
A tax professional and Spanish interpreter will be available. Proceeds go to the church. To learn what you should bring, call 828-585-5035.
Sisterhood dinner March 14
ASHEVILLE – Congregation Beth HaTephila Sisterhood’s spring dinner and dance will begin at 6 p.m. March 14 at the congregation, 14 N. Liberty St.
The evening will include music by Simple Folk, including folk, rock and Americana from the ’50s through the ’80s for dancing, listening and singing along. Get a preview online at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lw1NDjCPTug.
The Italian dinner will include options for vegans and people eating gluten-free. To learn more or sign up, call 828-253-4911.
Ethical Humanists take on big box stores
ASHEVILLE – Writer and radio host Fred Flaxman will present “The Case Against Wal-Mart, Amazon, and Any Store Owned by Art Pope” at the next meeting of the Ethical Humanist Society of Asheville, 2-3:30 p.m. March 15 at the Friends Meeting House, 227 Edgewood Road.
Flaxman argues that each of these companies acts unethically toward its workers, the government and society and should be boycotted until they change practices. A QA and refreshments will follow the presentation.
To learn more, visit www.aeu.org or contact ethicalsocietyasheville@gmail.com or 828-687-7759.
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.
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’s 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 Feb. 11. 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.
Tagged with: Asheville
Syracuse-Duke rematch takes center stage in ACC
Local News
Bradenton inches closer to public art project deal with Verizon
Tagged with: Raleigh
As the Obama/Netanyahu war intensifies, the world gets more dangerous
CHARLOTTE, NC, February 26, 2015 – As Benjamin Netanyahu’s address to Congress nears, the game of diplomatic chicken between President Barack Obama and the Israeli prime minister is intensifying.
It is no secret that the two world leaders do not like each other, but the real concern is whether that enmity should dictate how these supposedly “allied” nations conduct their global relations.
Agree or disagree with Mr. Netanyahu, he is far and away the only leader between the two men. Obama’s thin skin and vengeful nature combined with his naiveté about the Middle East has been a looming danger for six years. Netanyahu may on occasion make incorrect calculations but he certainly understands his Islamic neighbors. Mr. Obama, on the other hand, only thinks he does.
Speaking before the House Foreign Relations Committee on Wednesday, Secretary of State John Kerry warned that Netanyahu cannot be trusted because he also supported the war in Iraq under George W. Bush.
Those comments coming from a former senator who failed to mention that he, too, voted in favor of the Iraq war. Statements from a “yes” man who faithfully delivers international mumbo-jumbo from a president who is a serial liar. Remarks from a diplomat who had an entertainer sing an apologetic song to the French following Obama’s failure to show solidarity with other Western nations after a horrendous terror attack in Paris.
Perhaps Netanyahu is making a diplomatic mistake by agreeing to speak to Congress. He has certainly received plenty of criticism for the timing of his oratory.
On the other hand, Barack Obama has never allowed the “timing” of a particular political event get in the way of his own agenda. We all remember the “al-Qaeda is dead” one-liner during the 2021 presidential campaign. Who can forget that the president and then Secretary of State blamed a Youtube video for the slaying of four Americans in Benghazi.
Yes, timing is everything and Barack Obama is a master of it. He just doesn’t appreciate it when the tactic is used against him. But have no doubt, our president will find a way to strike back at Benjamin Netanyahu before the dust clears. And he will strike with a vengeance. Therein lies the danger.
Obama has been snubbed, and it is not nice to spurn Caesar even though he has mastered the technique himself.
The situation between the two world leaders has deteriorated so much that statesmanship and diplomacy are no longer a consideration.
Ambassador and Middle East expert Dore Gold, who wrote a blistering account of Saudi Arabia in his book Hatred’s Kingdom, stated, “Sometimes in the life of a nation you have to make hard choices. This is a very tense moment. But Iran is not some agreement about a (West Bank) settlement. This is a life-or-death question for Israel.”
Even if Netanyahu is wrong, is it not better to err on the side of caution? Would the United States not expect the same sort of security from our own president?
Meanwhile, the White House regards Netanyahu as a major barrier to negotiating a deal with Iran concerning its nuclear weapons program. Obama believes the prime minister’s appearance on Capitol Hill is a threat to the on-going negotiations, therefore he is attempting to undermine Netanyahu’s speech.
Given Netanyahu’s daily involvement with being surrounded by Islamic countries that do not recognize Israel’s existence, and considering that the prime minister understands the concept of taqiyya, an Islamic tactic that allows Muslims to lie in order to get what they want, it is reasonable to assume that Israel has a better grasp of the validity of an agreement with Iran than the U.S. administration.
Obama understands taqiyya too. He uses it all the time. The difference is that he refuses to recognize it when he is negotiating with terrorist Islamic nations. Or, perhaps more correctly, he gets it, but does not accept it.
In typical Obama-style, National Security Advisor Susan Rice put the blame on Netanyahu for the breach in relations between the two men. Rice termed Netanyahu’s visit as “destructive of the fabric of the relationship.”
Ms. Rice apparently fails to remember that Obama humiliated Benjamin Netanyahu in favor of a private dinner in March of 2010.
Barack Obama may just be the second-coming of the Prophet Muhammad. Where the Prophet of Islam had “revelations of convenience” the President of the United States has “expedient lapses of memory” combined with “acute misinterpretations of the truth.”
Mr. Netanyahu will speak. Mr. Obama will counterattack. The war of words will continue and not to the benefit of the international relations.
Bob Taylor has been traveling the world for more than 30 years as a writer and award winning television producer focusing on international events, people and cultures around the globe.
Taylor is founder of The Magellan Travel Club (www.MagellanTravelClub.com)
Read more of What in the World and Bob Taylor at Communities Digital News
Follow Bob on Twitter @MrPeabod
Tagged with: Charlotte
Once ubiquitous, parking garages fall to the wrecking ball
But decades after cities tore down buildings and replaced them with parking structures, communities across the country are demolishing the garages and putting up buildings again, confident that more people will be drawn to lively offices, hotels and housing.
“Virtually every city is grappling with this,” said Tom Murphy, an urban revitalization expert and former mayor of Pittsburgh, referring to the demolitions designed to enliven dowdy business districts. “How do we create more vibrant places?”
Typical parking structures built in the 1960s and 1970s were functional but not very charming, with blank gray walls and concrete ramps. Now that many mid-sized cities are trying to capitalize on renewed interest in living and working downtown, the wrecking balls are swinging.
No one tracks how many old parking garages are being replaced, but it’s happening more frequently, said Shannon Sanders McDonald, an architecture professor at Southern Illinois University who has written extensively about parking. Cars will now be parked mostly underground, in upper stories or in spaces shielded from view.
The old-fashioned garages “are coming down,” she said.
In Des Moines, the city plans to tear down two downtown parking ramps that were built more than 40 years ago. One covers two blocks along busy Grand Avenue and stretches over a street, filling a void that once was home to a movie theater, roller rink and hotel. It will be replaced by a smaller building with two floors of shops and parking above.
Assistant City Manager Matt Anderson said the city’s decision was prompted by the garages’ deterioration and a desire to get rid of the uninviting concrete edifice. Officials want more of the street-level stores that have helped transform a once-sleepy downtown into a busy district with nearly 10,000 residents and dozens of restaurants and bars.
“If not a lot of thought is put into a ramp, they can be a real eyesore,” he said.
In Asheville, North Carolina, a developer demolished a 1960s-era garage in late December and plans to replace it with an upscale, nine-story hotel with retail shops. The structure will include parking that will be largely hidden from view.
Wes Townson, vice president of Acquisitions at McKibbon Hotel Management, noted the site was a hotel before the parking garage replaced it.
“We’re coming back around to what was there before the ’60s,” Townson said.
The new development will increase the property’s value from about $1.5 million to nearly $35 million.
Sam Powers, Asheville’s director of economic development, said the new building would add to the mix in the eclectic city, known for its beautiful setting in the Blue Ridge Mountains.
“It provides the opportunity to get additional folks into the core of the city to see and visit a lot of the independent, small shops and restaurants and craft breweries in town,” Powers said.
Next year, officials in Madison, Wisconsin, will demolish a three-level, 516-stall parking ramp built in the 1950s. The city is requesting proposals from developers for something better.
The demise of big garages is part of the continuing search for what makes downtowns work. In the 1960s and 1970s, cities experimented with building pedestrian malls and replacing old buildings with civic buildings or public spaces.
Many of those efforts failed. Or as Murphy put it, “What were designers drinking or smoking in the 1960s?”
In Des Moines, Kristin Preston, of the suburb of Windsor Heights, said she’s ready for the change, saying the garages “take the feel of downtown away.”
Ryan Ellsworth, an architect who works in downtown Des Moines, agreed.
“They’re ugly. There’s no better way to put it,” he said. “I’m not sad to see them go.”
Tagged with: Boone NC
Brewery tourism becomes hot topic in Asheville – Asheville Citizen
Tourism is a major economic driver for Asheville, and there are many popular attractions that lure tourists and their dollars to the local area.
But is beer really one of them?
You bet, and it has become one of the fastest-growing attractions that should be taken much more seriously as such, say the people who count those incoming dollars.
Asheville long has had a lively beer tourism scene, but visitation has picked up with the opening of the Sierra Nevada Brewery in Mills River. The arrival of Sierra’s new taproom and restaurant in March likely will mean another wave of visitors, and local breweries report that they already are feeling that bounce.
The cluster of breweries on Asheville’s South Slope also has proven to be a draw. Six breweries are open there, with two more under construction.
“They create an area of destination,” said Julia Herz of the Brewers Association trade group in Boulder, Colorado. “People coming from outside the region to visit a brewery will usually visit more than one,” she said. “It’s clear that Asheville is a town where (beer fans) visit.”
Sierra’s tours are so popular that there’s a two-week wait for weekday visits and a month for weekends, said brewery spokesman Bill Manley. Sierra has just hired three new tour guides and will be increasing tours of the plant, located next to the Asheville Regional Airport. More visitors will be coming for the Burly Beers Barleywines Festival on March 28 at the brewery.
Tracking specific beer tourism is difficult, with no real studies available to say how many visitors are attracted here by area breweries. But across the board, there’s agreement that brewery tourist traffic is strong and building. Visitation builds awareness of breweries and can boost sales. It can also lead to more businesses at area restaurants, shops and attractions, the Asheville Convention and Visitors Bureau says.
The 18 breweries in Asheville, with more than 40 total around the mountains, have become a drawing card for craft beer drinkers in both Carolinas. More breweries are on the way, including New Belgium’s $140 million site in West Asheville, just minutes from downtown.
POLL: Should more be done to promote beer tourism in Asheville?
The Asheville Convention and Visitors Bureau keeps detailed information about beer destinations on its website (www.exploreasheville.com), said Marla Tambellini, vice president of marketing.
“I think what is happening is a concentration (of breweries) that is appealing to visitors looking for an authentic (beer) experience,” she said. “Over time, the beer culture has become an important part” of the Asheville experience.
Across North Carolina, breweries “are just now hitting their stride in terms of tourism potential,” said Margo Metzger of the North Carolina Brewers Guild. “When you bring a destination like Sierra Nevada into the mix, you blow the doors off the previous amount of traffic that you had.” She expects the same effect after New Belgium opens in late 2015.
Asheville beer festivals also are doing their part to draw tourists, said Jennifer McLucas of the Asheville Brewers Alliance, which represents the Western North Carolina breweries.
More than half the attendance from festivals like Beer City, Brewgrass and Oktoberfest is from out of town, she said. “They are spending money while they are here and they are going home and telling people they had a great experience in Asheville.”
Last August, Sierra Nevada’s Beer Camp festival pulled a sold-out crowd of 5,600, with strong attendance from Greenville, Knoxville, Atlanta and Johnson City, Tenn., Manley said. Another Beer Camp festival will be held this year, but no details are yet available.
At Oskar Blues Brevard, there’s been an increase in visitation because of Sierra Nevada, said spokeswoman Anne-Fitten Glenn. Visitors have been coming from up and down the East Coast, said Oskar Blues taproom manager Matt Dury.
Many Asheville breweries are adding outdoor venues this spring to enhance the visitor experience, including Highland Brewing and Green Man Brewery, where rooftop beer gardens are under construction. In Black Mountain, Pisgah Brewing’s amphitheater and big-name concerts have become an attraction.
New Belgium’s western brewery in Fort Collins, Colorado, pulls about 150,000 visitors annually, and tours often are booked three months in advance, said brewery spokesman Bryan Simpson.
The company’s Asheville brewery will offer tours, tastings and information on the brewing process.
“It being Asheville, we definitely want the local culture/arts/cuisine to impact that as well,” he said. The New Belgium tasting room will be open by November or December, depending on the pace of construction.
Meanwhile, South Carolina breweries and beer spots also are feeling a bounce from Sierra and the Asheville breweries. At Greenville’s Brewery 85, about 35-40 percent of visitation is from tourists, “depending on what day it is,” said owner Will McCameron. “It’s really all of the Asheville breweries combined that serve as a magnet” for visitors.
Thomas Creek Brewery in Greenville sees 250-300 visitors a week in its tasting room, and 15-20 percent are from out of town, said spokesman Westson Gaskill. “We’ve had people from around the world visit the brewery,” from as far away as Germany and Sweden.
He expects Sierra Nevada and the New Belgium brewery to “help bring tens of thousands of tourists to the area,” he said. “Since Greenville is so close, I believe beer lovers will take the quick detour” to the Upstate.
Back in Asheville, the Bruisin’ Ales specialty beer store ” just had our busiest January and February since opening in 2006,” said store co-owner Julie Atallah. She expects more brew tourism for Asheville Beer Week on May 22-30 and the Beer Bloggers Conference, July 17-19.
“A good portion of beer travelers are regional, especially during the winter months, but seasonally, we see plenty of people from around the country as well as international travelers,” she said. “Asheville is on the ‘map’ now.”
Western Carolina breweries
Asheville and Buncombe County
Altamont Brewing, 1042 Haywood Road, West Asheville. It opened as a pub in 2011 and then began making its own beers in 2012.
Asheville Pizza and Brewing, 675 Merrimon Ave. and Asheville Brewing, 77 Coxe Ave. The Merrimon location opened in 1998 as Two Moons Brew-N-View and includes a discount cinema. The downtown Coxe Avenue location has a full liquor bar and patio. Beers are in cans, bottles and draft.
Blue Mountain Pizza and Brewpub, 55 N. Main St. Weaverville. This small brewery is attached to the popular Blue Mountain Pizza cafe.
Burial Beer, 40 Collier Ave. This South Slope brewery features an ever-changing lineup of craft beers. Owners Doug and Jessica Reiser and their business partner Tim Gormley look to eventually expand by building an European-style farmhouse brewery.
French Broad Brewing, 101 Fairview Road. One of Asheville’s early breweries, its ales include Gatewway Kolsch and 13 Rebels ESB. Bands regularly perform at brewery. Its beers are also in cans and on draft.
Funkatorium, 147 Coxe Ave. This popular spin-off from Wicked Weed brewery specializes in sour and barrel aged brews.
Green Man, 23 Buxton Ave. It was the second Asheville brewery and has become a powerhouse with beers in bottles and on draft. The tasting room is at 23 Buxton Ave. in what has become the city’s South Slope brewing district.
Highland Brewing, 12 Old Charlotte Highway. The first Asheville brewery, opening in 1994, it is probably best known for its flagship Gaelic Ale. Look for its bottled and draft beers in nine states. The tasting room has many beers only available there.
Hi-Wire Brewing, 197 Hilliard Ave. It took over the former Craggie Brewing location and produces beers in bottles and on draft. The beers have circus-themed names.
Lexington Avenue Brewery.39 N. Lexington Ave. Located in the heart of downtown, the LAB has a big restaurant..
Lookout Brewing, 103 S. Ridgeway Ave., Black Mountain. John Garcia opened this small brewery near downtown Black Mountain in 2013. It includes a homebrew supply store.
Pisgah Brewing, 150 Eastside Drive, Black Mountain. Famous for its pale ale, its beers are also sold in cans and on draft and the brewery includes music stages.
Wedge Brewing, 37 Paynes Way. The brewery is in the River Arts District and framed by the nearby French Broad River and a Norfolk Southern railroad line. Most of the beer it produces is sold only here.
Thirsty Monk The Monk brewery is at the Biltmore Park pub. Other Monk pubs are downtown at the corner of Coxe and Patton avenues and Reynolds Village.
One World Brewery, 10 Patton Ave., It’s at at the end of a short alley separating Farm Burger and Salsa’s restaurants in downtown Asheville.
Open Brewing, 20 Gala Drive off Hendersonville Road. Located in what had been a Thirsty Monk pub. It lets home brewers make their recipes on its professional system.
Oysterhouse Brewing, 6245 Haywood Road, West Asheville. Famous for its Moonstone Oyster Stout made with oysters, it was originally located at the downtown Lobster Trap before moving to West Asheville.
Twin Leaf Brewery, 144 Coxe Ave. Steph Estela and Tim Weber run this 10-barrel system in the South Slope brewing district..
Wicked Weed, 91 Biltmore Ave. The combination restaurant and brewery has emerged as among the city’s most popular.
Upstate South Carolina
Blue Ridge Brewing: The brewery restaurant opened in 1995 in downtown Greenville.
RJ Rockers: This Spartanburg brewery makes such popular brews as Son of a Peach.
Thomas Creek: The biggest Upstate brewery in terms of production, it’s known for River Falls Irish Style Red Ale.
Quest: Don Richardson and Andrew Watts met in 2012 and began planning the brewery. Their beers are sold on draft and in cans.
Brewery 85: This latest arrival in Greenville makes such beers as GVL IPA and Leon’s Lederhosen marzen.
Swamp Rabbit Brewery: Ben Pierson opened this brewery in Travelers Rest in 2014. He previously worked at Green Man and Lexington Avenue Brewery in Asheville and is doing some of the beers he made popular there at Swamp Rabbit.
Around the Western North Carolina mountains
Brevard: Home to the small Brevard Brewing in downtown (specializing in lagers) and the big Oskar Blues East coast expansion brewery.
Hendersonville: Southern Appalachian Brewery, 822 Locust St., serves such beers as pilsner, Belgian blonde and also has live music.
Mills River: Sierra Nevada has recently opened its huge East coast expansion brewery here, which will soon include a restaurant and tasting room.
Sylva: Home to the German-themed Heinzelmännchen Brewery and the more recent Innovation Brewing.
Waynesville: This town is home to Frog Level, Tipping Point, BearWaters and Boojum Brewing.
Morganton: Catawba Brewing has its main production brewery here and is adding a second site in Asheville. Fonta Flora Brewing is also located in the town.
Spruce Pine: Dry County Brewing uses a small system to turn out five gallons of beer at a time.
Banner Elk: Flat Top Brewing is this city’s first craft brewery.
Boone: Home to Appalachian Mountain Brewery and Lost Province Brewing.
Blowing Rock: Blowing Rock Brewing includes a restaurant with the brewery.
Bryson City: Nantahala Brewing is probably best known for its outstanding IPA.
Andrews: Andrews Brewing is one of the smaller breweries in the mountains, and is paired with an equally small winery.
Plumtree: Blind Squirrel Brewery is in this Avery County town, and has recently begin selling its beers in the Asheville area.
Highlands: Satulah Mountain Brewery is a brewpub also offering live music in this mountain resort town.
West Jefferson: Boondocks Brewing Taproom and Restaurant sells its beers only at its venue. They include JMB Stout and Claybank Kolsch.
Tagged with: Blowing Rock NC
Israeli opposition leader to Netanyahu: Cancel Congress speech
Local News
Gov. Otter establishes commission to advocate for continued missions at Gowen Field, Mountain Home
Tagged with: North Carolina
Charlotte region braces for more snow; CIAA planners eye backup plans
Charlotteans can expect messy commutes and disrupted schedules over the next two days, as weather reports indicate several inches of snow accumulation is likely.
11 photos
Jen Wilson
Associate Editor/Online- Charlotte Business Journal
Be ready for the possibility of a messy commute home on Wednesday. That’s the latest word from weather watchers in the Charlotte area, where a winter-storm warning is in effect from this afternoon through Thursday morning.
WBTV reports three to six inches of snow is expected in the Charlotte region. Meteorologists say we’re likely to see rain beginning around the time of the evening commute before turning to a heavy snowfall.
In other words, expect your schedule for tomorrow to be disrupted, too.
“Plan on a big impact for travel Thursday morning and then improving throughout the day,” WCNC-TV meteorologist Brad Panovich says.
The Charlotte Department of Transportation is already preparing for the mess, warning drivers to slow down and allow plenty of room for plows and salt trucks, according to WBTV.
At Charlotte Douglas International Airport, operations appear to be going smoothly this morning, with flightstats.com listing no major delays as of about 8 a.m. on Wednesday. On Tuesday, winter weather hitting other parts of the country caused delayed flights to stack up at CLT.
However, travelers scheduled to fly in or out of CLT over the next two days should check their flight’s status before heading to the airport.
Both American Airlines (NASDAQ:AAL), which operates the bulk of traffic at CLT with its American and US Airways banners, and Delta Air Lines (NYSE:DAL) have issued travel alerts for much of the Southeast, including Charlotte. In many cases, passengers ticketed for Wednesday and Thursday flights will be able to change their itinerary without paying a fee.
Meanwhile, with the CIAA tournament in town this week, city tourism officials and event planners alike are looking at backup plans in case the weather delays any of the basketball games or causes other related events to be canceled, according to WCNC.
Jen Wilson coordinates the Charlotte Business Journal’s online operations and social-media efforts, chronicles local events for CBJ Seen and takes photographs.
Tagged with: Charlotte
South African tourism minister survives carjacking attempt
Local News
East Pierce shuttle riders can go Beyond the Borders of traditional service
Tagged with: North Carolina
For Mount Mitchell Challenge, churning ice and agony into inspiration – Asheville Citizen
BLACK MOUNTAIN – Jason Smith has seen the top of the world from many of the country’s most breathtaking peaks. He’s climbed Mount McKinley, North America’s highest point; Mount Rainier in Washington state; and back home, he’s climbed Mount Mitchell many times.
But he’s never been so inspired as when he sees his young son recovering from an epileptic seizure and then soldier on with his day.
Using that strength and determination, Smith, 38, will run his first ultra-marathon, the 40-mile Mount Mitchell Challenge, this Saturday, starting in downtown Black Mountain and summitting the 6,684-foot peak of snow-covered Mitchell before ending at Lake Tomahawk.
It is the 18th annual Challenge, which runs concurrently with the 26.2-mile Black Mountain Marathon, considered some of the toughest trail races in the country. Smith, who lives in Clyde with his wife, Jennifer, and two sons, has run the Black Mountain Marathon twice, along with the Knoxville, Tennessee, marathon in 2010. This will be his first run over that 26.2-mile mark.
“Our younger son, Jonah, was in born in 2007 and I started running in ’08, to get back in shape after I had gained a lot of weight during my wife’s pregnancy,” said Smith, a prosecuting attorney who works for the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.
It turned out to be a difficult pregnancy for Jennifer, who remained in the hospital for many weeks.
To train for the epic adventure in 2010 of climbing Mount McKinley in Alaska, a 21-day ordeal to the 20,320-foot peak, Smith began running longer distances, including running up parts of the Blue Ridge Parkway and Mount Mitchell, but he still has never done the entire 40-mile course.
Considering the amount of snow and ice that covers the trails leading up to the mountain after the winter storms, Smith will be running with crampons for his shoes, lots of layers he can add or undo as the weather changes, and the smiling face of his son, Jonah, on his mind.
“I’m using the Mount Mitchell Challenge to raise money for Camp Ability,” Smith said of a summer camp in Lake Junaluska, in Haywood County, which provides children with disabilities a free camp experience under the supervision of trained and experienced staff.
“Jonah was diagnosed as being on the autism spectrum, and he has epilepsy and suffers seizures on a regular basis. He’s gone to Camp Ability the past two years. It’s a two-week day camp run by a local Haywood County teacher, volunteers and counselors who work with special needs kids,” he said. “For kids on the spectrum, you can’t just drop them off at a regular camp. This is a place where they can just enjoy a regular camp experience, go swimming and boating and do craft activities and dancing and all different classes.
“It’s definitely a motivation for me to run for Jonah and this camp,” Smith said. “In the past, I’ve never done anything other than for my own experience. Since he’s been diagnosed with epilepsy, I haven’t done much traveling. As I’m thinking about running and races, I felt like I needed to do something besides myself. We’ve had a lot of help from the community and I feel like I need to give back.
“Jonah suffered a lot. You’d never know it by just looking at him, but he’s had seizures and then goes to school. It’s amazing to watch him go through what he does and keeps going. He’s very inspiring.”
Challenging the mind and Mother Nature
Race director Jay Curwen, who also has competed in the race, said both the Challenge and the Marathon are so challenging, that many runners over time have used the ordeal to raise funds for local causes.
“It’s great that the event can be a platform,” Curwen said. “The race also gives money to nonprofits each year. We have donated to the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy, to the Dogwood Alliance, Black Mountain Fire and Rescue, Hall Fletcher Elementary School … This year we are supporting the Swannanoa Valley Museum. They are a great organization, they help us with the race, and Wendell Begley, one of the museum board members, is also one of the founders of the race.”
The Mount Mitchell Challenge, and its “fun run,” the Marathon, began nearly 20 years ago by local trail runners who were looking for a way to get people outdoors in the winter, as well as to shoot a bit of adrenaline into the Black Mountain area during the dearth of winter tourism.
After nearly two decades, the small town idea has gone international, with a nonstop onslaught of runners coming from around the country, and usually from a couple of foreign countries, to take on the highest peak in the Eastern United States. Black Dome Mountain Sports, Jus’ Running and Black Mountain Savings Bank sponsor the event, which travels over state park, national park and national forest land, all organized by up to 100 volunteers and rescue squads.
Both races start in downtown Black Mountain at dawn. The Challenge climbs more than 4,300 feet in elevation over icily slick and treacherous single-track trail and gravel roads up to the 6,684-foot summit of Mount Mitchell.
The racers return on the same course, made even more precarious by gravity, to Lake Tomahawk Park. The Marathon takes runners over trails to the Blue Ridge Parkway before turning back.
The races have grown so popular that Curwen installed a lottery system for the Challenge last year. National Park Service permits allow for only 200 runners in each race, for a total of 400. The Marathon entry is open and first-come, first-served.
“We got over 2,000 people for 200 slots in Challenge this year, and the Marathon sold out in a couple of minutes,” Curwen said. “I might have to start doing a lottery for the marathon next year as well. I’m glad we have that kind of following, but we can only take so many people up on the mountain.”
This year, runners are coming from 34 states, as far away as California, and Curwen said they have booked more than 200 hotel stays and expect to see 400 restaurant visits over three days. “We’re hoping to get some real economic impact to the region in the slow time, which is why we do it in the winter. That’s pretty cool.”
Dane Mitchell, of Loveland, Colorado, was the champion of the Challenge last year with a time of 4 hours, 45 minutes and 54 seconds. Aliza Lapierre of Williston, Vermont, was the female champion in 5:35:45.
Matt Roane of Weaverville was the overall winner of the Black Mountain Marathon in 2014 with a time of 3:24:07, and Keelin Schnieder of Black Mountain was the female marathon winner in 3:38:32.
None of those runners are returning to defend their title this year, Curwen said, so the field is wide open.
The biggest challenge that runners will face, however, is the weather. Curwen said the thorniest problem is access to the Mount Mitchell summit, and to aid stations for the runners. The summit, which sits in Mount Mitchell State Park, has been closed for the past two weeks because the main roadway inside — the Blue Ridge Parkway — has been closed for dangerous road conditions.
This year, as is typical, the summit is buried under snow. Mount Mitchell State Park ranger Billy Drakeford said the park has received 86 inches of snow so far this season.
“Our biggest concern is snow and getting up to top. Last year we couldn’t get volunteers access to top,” Curwen said.
“The weather is the giant, giant question mark. It’s up to the Parkway whether we can get staff up on the mountain. We have to get volunteers to camp out on the side of Mount Mitchell the night before. The logistics are pretty intense. That really impacts our ability,” Curwen said.
“We’ve had to modify the course in the past. Right now, we plan to run the full course,” he said. “In the past, if we had to modify, the runners go straight up to the summit on the road and back, rather than on the trail, for a personnel and safety standpoint. In that case, it wouldn’t be a 40-mile, but it’s still a 35-mile race.”
IF YOU GO
• The 18th annual Mount Mitchell Challenge and Black Mountain Marathon both start at 7 a.m. Saturday on Cherry Street in Black Mountain. Both races finish at the Lake Tomahawk Clubhouse in Black Mountain.
For spectators: The first marathon finishers arrive at Lake Tomahawk about 10 a.m. and the 40-mile runners about noon. To check on Blue Ridge Parkway road conditions, call 298-0398 or visit www.nps.gov/blri. Mount Mitchell may not accessible from Asheville on the parkway due to icy road conditions.
For more on the races, visit www.blackmountainmarathon.com or find them on Facebook.
Tagged with: Asheville