It is hard to beat a good day skiing, except perhaps when that good day also includes generous samplings of craft beers.
North Carolina’s High Country — you know, that place Floridians go to escape the heat — is an area dotted with ski resorts and, now, breweries. With Alpine villages, picturesque tourist destinations and a bounty of family-friendly activities, this is mountain high at its best.
Beech Mountain, which bills itself as the highest town in eastern America, even thoughtfully provides a brewery slopeside. Beech Mountain Brewery is at the base of Beech Mountain Resort, a sports enclave that offers day and night skiing and snowboarding, plus ice skating in the winter and mountain biking in the summer.
The resort has been upgraded on and off the slopes, with additional snow-making equipment and a renovated View Haus, a focal point with its Bavarian turret. This winter, free lessons are being given to everyone 8 and older who rents skis or snowboards non-holidays Mondays through Thursdays.
At the top of the mountain, the 5506 Skybar, named for the elevation, offers organic and fair trade coffees and specialty espressos from Bald Guy Brew, along with a killer view.
The sparkling village around the resort contains a full range of lodging opportunities, from multi-bedroom, self-contained units at Pinnacle Inn Resort to ski-in, ski-out Dorothy’s House at the top of Beech Mountain. The cute cottage, perfect for couples and small families, was once the centerpiece of the now long-gone Land of Oz theme park. Fans of Toto, the Tin Man, et al, will want to book ahead for the annual Autumn at Oz party at Beech.
For nourishment, check out breakfast at Fred’s General Mercantile, a quirky place where besides good eats, one can find everything from hardware to dog treats.
For après ski nourishment, sample some of the 30 Carolina craft beers on tap at the Mile High Tavern, like Fred’s, also at the base of Beech. Can’t make up your mind? Try a flight of five beers. The watering spot is known both as a family-friendly hangout and for late-night entertainment and a plethora of cocktails.
The beauty of the North Carolina High Country is that you need not confine yourself to one ski area. About 15 minutes from Beech is Sugar Mountain, which by the way, holds a SugarBrew beer festival in the summer. Sugar, North Carolina’s largest winter resort, boasts the state’s only double black diamond slope. All 21 slopes and the terrain park don’t have to rely on Mother Nature for snow, thanks to state-of-the-art snowmaking. For amusement beyond skiing, Sugar has a tubing park, an outdoor ice skating rink and guided snowshoe tours.
In the summer, biking and hiking trails intertwine throughout the village. Weekend lift rides take tourists to the top for unparalleled views.
In the university town of Boone, about half an hour away from Sugar, are loads of lodging, restaurants and watering holes. Home to Appalachian State University, beer is an art in Boone.
Appalachian Mountain Brewery, headed by ASU’s Fermentation Sciences alumnus and master brewer Nathan Kelischek, is a pioneer in the state’s craft beer industry. Just a few blocks away is the newest beer kid in town, classy Lost Province Brewery, where owners Andy and Lynn Mason are making legends with their brew and their pizza, and they opened just last August.
About 15 minutes out of Boone sits the little jewel box that is Appalachian Ski Mountain. The Moretz family operates Appalachian, the High Country’s first ski area and what is arguably one of the most well-planned family ski resorts in the country. Appalachian’s eight-hour flex ticket, the only in the region, allows skiers to begin their day on their own terms. Start as early or as late as you wish, since Appalachian is open until 10 p.m. on weekdays and midnight on weekends.
Boarders appreciate Appalachian’s terrain parks, the most progressive in the Southeast and home to North Carolina’s only official Burton Learn to Ride Center. Newbies to the snow sports can learn the right way with the French-Swiss Ski College, which has taught more than a million skiers to get on the slopes without making spectacles of themselves.
Appalachian’s Bavarian-style ski lodge features a slopeside restaurant with cuisine not found in a typical ski cafeteria. Yes, you will find hamburgers here, but you will also discover international cuisine such as curry, prepared by a trained chef.
The ski shop is huge and well-ordered, as is the gift shop. Rent everything from skis to gloves and bib pants, so you can travel light to the slopes. A 6,000-square-foot outdoor ice rink was chosen as one of the 10 best outdoor rinks for families by Trekaroo, joining other spectacular rinks in Squaw Valley, Curry Village at Yosemite and Sun Valley.
Appalachian is only a few minutes away from Blowing Rock, named one of America’s prettiest winter towns by Travel + Leisure magazine.
At Hawksnest, again just a short drive away from Appalachian, guests enjoy both the largest snowtubing park on the East Coast and four miles of ziplines with panoramic views of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Beyond the slopes, the High Country keeps visitors entertained with shopping and a cornucopia of natural attractions. Grandfather Mountain, site of some of the footage in “Forrest Gump,” shines with spectacular views from the highest mountain on the Blue Ridge chain and helps hearts beat a little faster with its famous Mile-High Swinging Bridge. Some of the South’s best hiking trails, native wildlife habitats and a nature museum enable guests to enjoy nature on a whole different level.
The Register of Historic Places-listed landmark that is the original Mast General Store in Valle Crucis has been outfitting folks since 1883. Warm up by the pot-bellied stove, check out the retro candy or mail a letter at the antique post office.
Want more modern shops? Boone has plenty downtown and at its mall. Blowing Rock, where Tanger Shoppes sited a mall, should tempt you to thin out your wallet with a range of stores from art galleries to a Gap outlet.
With skiing, shopping and sightseeing, North Carolina’s High Country delivers. Raise a glass of North Carolina beer to its charms.
Ocracoke could host a fireworks show this year for the first time since 2009, when four people died in one of the nation’s deadliest pyrotechnics explosions.
But a sense of caution remains in the remote Outer Banks community traumatized after the accident.
“I don’t think we need a great big deal,” said John Fletcher, who represents Ocracoke on the Hyde County Board of Commissioners.
The Ocracoke Civic and Business Association is proposing a 20-minute show from Pyrotecnico of Columbia, S.C., costing $37,500. Fireworks would be launched more safely from a barge on the Pamlico Sound for an additional $13,000.
Hyde County commissioners have agreed to sponsor the event. The local association has requested money from the Ocracoke occupancy tax board, which oversees spending of the meal and lodging taxes, said Sundae Horn, the group’s director of tourism.
“It’s looking pretty good,” she said.
The board has not made a decision but generally supports the idea, Chairman Frank Brown said.
“I think most people would like to have fireworks,” he said in an email. “The devil is in the details.”
A fireworks show on the Outer Banks island would draw more visitors during the holiday week, Horn said. The show would be scheduled for Wednesday, July 1 – better for middle-of-the-week day trippers coming by ferry from Hatteras Island, she said. July 3, 4 and 5 are already booked.
Weeklong visitors to Ocracoke have often taken the ferry to see fireworks in other communities over the past six years, she said.
At about 9 a.m. July 4, 2009, members of the crew were preparing for the show when a small explosion on a truck detonated roughly 700 pounds of fireworks, setting off a larger blast. Three men and a woman from Wayne County, N.C., on the crew, including the supervisor, died. Another man survived but was badly burned.
The survivor told investigators that the crew pushed electric igniters into the fireworks while they were inside the truck, causing the explosion, according to a federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives report released to The Virginian-Pilot that year.
The truck was in the parking lot of the North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching near the south ferry docks. Other people barely missed serious injury. Firefighters standing on the far side of a truck were spared, Horn said. Residents and business owners did not want a fireworks show for a while. One man involved still did not want to talk about it this week.
Statistics are incomplete, but deadly accidents among pyrotechnics employees are rare, said Steve Rondone, an economist with the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
“There really aren’t many instances where workers are getting killed,” he said.
This wasn’t the first July 4 misfortune. Two years earlier, the marsh near the Pamlico Sound caught fire from fireworks embers, Horn said. It was extinguished without causing serious damage.
“It was a small fire, but it was kind of scary,” she said.
After the deadly explosion, the victims’ families filed lawsuits against Melrose South Pyrotechnics of Catawba, S.C., which later changed its name to East Coast Pyrotechnics. All the lawsuits except one were settled last year, said attorney Albert Thomas Jr. of Wilson, who represented one of the plaintiffs.
“I think it was good for both sides,” he said.
The company agreed to pay $42,000 in penalties through a settlement with the state Department of Labor. North Carolina fireworks laws immediately changed, requiring operators to get training and licenses from the state fire marshal.
Pyrotecnico has promised its best, most-experienced crew for this year if the show happens, Horn said.
“We just can’t have another accident,” she said.
Jeff Hampton, 252-338-0159, jeff.hampton@pilotonline.com
Room 310 of the Coverdell Legislative Office Building in downtown Atlanta was completely packed on Wednesday afternoon, when more than 75 beer industry members showed up to make arguments for and against Senate Bill 63. Known as the Beer Jobs Bill, SB 63 aims to allow brewpubs to sell up to 144 ounces of beer on-premise, per person, per day, for off-premise consumption. (Think: 2 growlers, or the equivalent of a 12 pack.) The bill would also allow for 144 ounces of on-premise sales for off-premise consumption at breweries (growlers, bottles, cans, etc.), as well as 72 ounces of on-premises consumption at breweries (the equivalent of half a dozen 12-ounce pours). Under current laws, Georgia brewpubs can sell beer in-house but not to-go, and Georgia breweries can’t sell beer to anyone except their distributor.
Each side—brewers and wholesalers—was given 20 minutes to present its case via pre-chosen speakers. A vote scheduled for next week has been pushed back to the 26th day of the session, which will happen sometime in the first week of March. The bill has to pass through committee and a floor vote by Crossover Day (March 13) if it’s to stay alive this session.
State Sen. Hunter Hill (R-Smyrna) kicked off the hearing by walking through the bill’s language and answering questions from Regulated Industries Committee members. “As legislators, we often get blamed as being for big business,” he began. “We rely on lobbyists a lot to help us understand the facts of the industry, and many times, it’s the largest businesses that are able to afford lobbyists. But that’s not our intention. Our intention is to help all Georgians. I know I’m not alone in wanting to help small business, and this bill does just that.”
Hill likened SB 63 and its intended effects to that of “a record label picking up a band who has a lot of people coming to their shows.” Furthering the analogy, he said that Georgia breweries are like bands who aren’t allowed to play live shows. Hill also said that Georgia is “at a competitive disadvantage” when it comes to beer laws compared to neighboring states. Citing Sierra Nevada’s new location in North Carolina and Stone’s upcoming Virginia location, Hill said “you would have to be not smart to choose Georgia under our current laws in terms of starting a craft brewery here.”
State Sen. Frank Ginn (R-Danielsville) said he thought 72 ounces is too many, though he has no problem with consumers leaving the property with 144 ounces to-go. “I think this could lead to more drinking and driving,” he said, suggesting that the on-premise amount stay at the current limit of 32 ounces.
Representatives from several Georgia breweries—5 Seasons, BlueTarp, Cherry Street, Creature Comforts, Eventide, Monday Night, O’Dempsey’s, Reformation, Second Self, Terrapin, Three Taverns, and Wild Heaven—attended the hearing. Some, alongside consumer advocates, spoke in support of the bill, including an impassioned plea from Creature Comforts CEO Chris Herron and a thorough statistical analysis of the effect of progressive beer legislation in nearby states from Brewers Association staff economist Bart Watson.
David Larkworthy of 5 Seasons brought a physical stack of 5,000 petitions with him, signed by customers at all three 5S locations. (These were in addition to the 17,000+ signatures on GABeerJobs.com, he noted.) He said that consumers walk into all three 5S locations every day and ask for growlers. He also mentioned that, since 5 Seasons is the only place in the world where you can enjoy 5 Seasons beer, that SB 63 “will actually cut down on DUIs coming from brewpubs.”
On the distributor side, Georgia Beer Wholesalers Association president (and Eagle Rock Distributing Co. CEO) Steve Economos and assistant director Martin Smith were first up. Economos chose to focus on “the positives of this industry,” noting that “craft breweries are opening at an accelerated rate” under the current system. But he also noted, when asked by State Sen. Steve Henson (D-Tucker), that the passing of SB 63 would not cost Eagle Rock jobs or hurt Eagle Rock’s sales volume to retailers.
Smith argued similarly, noting that under the current system, Georgia has grown from 14 to 40 craft breweries in the last 5 years. “If you want to be specific about these other states,” Smith said, pointing out that Georgia makes more beer than most of its neighbors, “it’s not just that states that touch us have different rules. They should be looking at us and saying, ‘Why aren’t we more like Georgia?’”
The line got a big laugh from the crowd.
Sen. Ginn responded by mentioning that when he visits places like Asheville, N.C., “a haven for craft brewers” where the businesses are allowed to sell direct, that their “very small organizations” have “a lot more employees per quantity of beer purchased.” He also said he thought Georgia is missing “a good tourism opportunity” by not allowing breweries to sell their beer directly to customers.
Debbie Hinton—and her son, Jake Hinton—of Locust Grove liquor retailer, Z Z Package Store, also spoke against the bill. Debbie says that the three-tier system works and that “distributors are already buying as much liquid as these breweries can produce.” (Nancy Palmer of the Georgia Craft Brewers Guild tells Creative Loafing that this statement is “absolutely false.”)
Hinton’s son, Jake, also spoke. Jake’s company, Bootleg Beverages, works to register beer, wine, and liquor brands in Georgia and then find them “a home amongst a network of statewide distributors looking to grow their product lines.” He said this business gives him a unique perspective and that “Georgia’s three-tier system in its current form is one of the most equitable and beneficial for all parties involved.”
Paradoxically, though, apparently even he would like to buy beer directly from breweries.
“In a perfect world, I would love to be able to go to my local brewery and walk out with a six pack,” he said. “But we don’t live in a perfect world.”
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Home to the highest peaks in the east, lush landscapes and dramatic historical sites, the Asheville region provides a visually spectacular backdrop for the motion picture industry. With over 65 movies made in Western N.C., film fans can explore … Facebook Twitter Pinterest
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Home to the highest peaks in the east, lush landscapes and dramatic historical sites, the Asheville region provides a visually spectacular backdrop for the motion picture industry. With over 65 movies made in Western N.C., film fans can explore the area’s famous Hollywood connections while taking advantage of Asheville’s 250 independent restaurants, 21 local breweries, walkable downtown and a myriad of accommodation choices. (Photo courtesy of ExploreAsheville.com)
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Home to the highest peaks in the east, lush landscapes and dramatic historical sites, the Asheville region provides a visually spectacular backdrop for the motion picture industry. With over 65 movies made in Western N.C., film fans can explore the area’s famous Hollywood connections while taking advantage of Asheville’s 250 independent restaurants, 21 local breweries, walkable downtown and a myriad of accommodation choices. (Photo courtesy of ExploreAsheville.com)
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ASHEVILLE, N.C., Feb. 20, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — With awards season underway, a spotlight is cast on the Asheville area and its numerous 2015 connections to the silver and small screens. Playing the role of story muse, film backdrop and celebrity playground, Western North Carolina offers adventures and immersive travel experiences for film and television fans. Learn the favorite hangouts of Kristen Wiig and Owen Wilson, visit Asheville’s own Downton Abbey, learn about the inspiration for a Nicholas Sparks tale or explore the Appalachian Trail with these 2015 connections: http://www.ExploreAsheville.com/Hollywood-Hot-In-2015.
EXPERIENCE ASHEVILLE’S HOLLYWOOD CONNECTIONS Downton Abbey – On the heels of Joanne Froggatt’s Golden Globe win, the popular PBS television series Downton Abbey comes to Asheville with “Dressing Downton: Changing Fashion for Changing Times,” an exhibit featuring more than 40 costumes from the show. Suitably located at Biltmore, the February 5 – Memorial Day exhibit offers tie-ins to the lives of those who lived and worked at America’s Largest Home during the same era.
Celebrate the Gilded Age: Check out a Downton-themed supper club, gourmet high tea and Downtown Abbey travel packages.
A Walk in the Woods – Two of the nation’s signature hiking routes enjoy a moment in the spotlight this year. The film Wild stars Oscar nominated Reese Witherspoon and focuses on the Pacific Crest Trail while Sundance “delight” A Walk in the Woods follows Robert Redford and Nick Nolte as they hike the Appalachian Trail, which runs just north of downtown Asheville. Projected Release: Late Summer – Early Fall 2015
Hike with a Local Legend: Go on a customized hiking trip with Blue Ridge Hiking Co., owned by Jennifer Pharr Davis, record holder for the fastest thru hike of the Appalachian Trail. Explore more hiking ideas and outdoor travel packages.
Masterminds – Filmed on the streets of Asheville last summer, Masterminds is based on the famed 1997 Loomis Fargo bank robbery in Charlotte. Comedy stars Zach Galifianakis, Kristen Wiig and Owen Wilson bring life to this $17.3 million “hillbilly heist,” the largest of its kind at the time. Those familiar with Asheville will recognize filming locations such as Pack Square, the Buncombe County Courthouse and downtown streets. Projected Release: August 2015
Summer Home to the Stars: Get an insider’s look at the actors’ favorite local spots.
Genius – Based on the book Max Perkins: Editor of Genius, the film Genius stars Colin Firth as Perkins, Jude Law as Thomas Wolfe and Guy Pearce as F. Scott Fitzgerald. To take on the role as Asheville’s native son, Law visited the city to walk in Wolfe’s footsteps and tour his mother’s boarding house. Projected Release: Late 2015
Follow the Footsteps of Literary Giants: Take a tour at one of the country’s most famous literary landmarks, the Thomas Wolfe Memorial in downtown Asheville. The childhood home to the 20th-century author was immortalized in his autobiographic tale, Look Homeward, Angel. Stay at the Omni Grove Park Inn, where F. Scott Fitzgerald spent his darkest days in Asheville.
The Longest Ride – North Carolina author Nicholas Sparks celebrates his 10th novel-turned-film with The Longest Ride, starring Alan Alda, Scott Eastwood and Britt Robertson. The legendary Western N.C. art institute Black Mountain College inspired elements of the plot. Projected Release: April 2015
Visit Black Mountain College: The Black Mountain College Museum + Arts Center expansion in downtown Asheville opens this spring. Also check out the colorful and immersive {Re}HAPPENING April 3 at the original campus of Black Mountain College.
The World Made Straight and Serena – Local writer Ron Rash has two novels with Western N.C. settings making big screen debuts this year. The World Made Straight, filmed in Black Mountain, stars Noah Wyle and Minka Kelly. In Serena, Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper play a newlywed couple operating a 1930s timber business.
Explore Asheville like Katniss: Revisit where Jennifer Lawrence worked and played the last time she was in Asheville while filming The Hunger Games. Take a guided Hunger Games tour and practice survival skills at DuPont State Forest, film location of The Arena.
MOVIE BACKDROP AND LITERARY HOT SPOT Home to the highest peaks in the east, lush landscapes and dramatic historical sites, the Asheville region provides a visually spectacular backdrop for the motion picture industry. From “The Last of the Mohicans” to “The Hunger Games,” here are a few examples of the 68 movies that have been filmed in Western North Carolina. The area also has a rich literary history with many greats calling Asheville home (Thomas Wolfe) or those who found themselves frequently amid the Blue Ridge Mountains (F. Scott Fitzgerald).
Hundreds of people showed up this week at a hotel in Wilmington, North Carolina for a public hearing on offshore drilling in the Atlantic. Despite a winter storm that left much of the state blanketed in snow and ice, almost 400 people signed in to speak at Feb. 17 event held by the federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management — nearly twice as many as showed up at earlier hearings in Washington, D.C. and Norfolk, Virginia combined.
In a ballroom down the hall from the open house-style hearing, about 150 people gathered for a protest against the draft five-year plan for oil and gas development on the Outer Continental Shelf released last month by the Obama administration. The area of the Atlantic where a drilling lease is being considered extends from Virginia to Georgia.
The top concern expressed by drilling opponents was the devastating effect an oil spill could have on North Carolina’s tourism-dependent coastal economy.
“As a boat captain and owner of Cape Fear River Adventures, I depend on tourists,” said Charles Robbins. “They come here to enjoy our beaches, our exceptional bird breeding grounds, our great fishing, the turtles laying their eggs on shore, civil war ships on the ocean floor, and a plethora of other interests. This industry has proven itself to be one of the most dangerous in existence, so I cannot think of any logical reason to drill off the shore of North Carolina.”
In North Carolina, opponents of Atlantic drilling are at odds with the administration of Gov. Pat McCrory, which has been pushing for drilling off the state’s coast. McCrory chairs the Outer Continental Shelf Governors Coalition, an alliance of coastal state governors that has led the charge to open to drilling areas previously off limits to oil and gas development. Its other members are governors Terry McAuliffe of Virginia, Nikki Haley of South Carolina, Robert Bentley of Alabama, Phil Bryant of Mississippi and Bobby Jindal of Louisiana — all Republicans except for McAuliffe, former chair of the Democratic National Committee. Maine Gov. Paul LePage, also a Republican, joined this week. The governors’ coalition has close ties to the oil and gas industry.
But top elected officials in other states are fighting the Atlantic drilling proposal, saying the toll of a spill would be too great.
In Delaware, which asked to be excluded from areas where leasing could occur, the head of the state’s Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control in the administration of Gov. Jack Markell (D) submitted comments against Atlantic drilling. “We see no documented scientific justification why the uncertain and likely short-term benefits of oil and gas exploration in the mid-Atlantic warrant further risks to the environment and public health,” Secretary David Small said in a letter. Citing concerns about threats to marine life and the potential impact to his state’s coastal economy, he called on BOEM to focus on renewable energy such as wind or wave technology, prospects for which could be hindered by drilling.
Both U.S. Senators from Maryland, Democrats Ben Cardin and Barbara Mikulski, also oppose the Atlantic drilling plan. “My concern is about the environment, the risk factors and the impact it could have on the people of Maryland,” Cardin said. “It’s not worth it from a risk-reward perspective.”
Last month, Cardin was joined at a press conference against Atlantic drilling by both U.S. senators from New Jersey, Democrats Robert Menendez and Cory Booker, as well as U.S. Sen. Edward Markey of Massachusetts, also a Democrat. Those senators along with their Democratic colleagues Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island, and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts wrote to Interior Secretary Sally Jewell last year asking her to protect the Atlantic from drilling.
“Fishing, tourism, recreation and other activities generate billions of dollars in revenue for our states each year,” they wrote. “Offshore drilling in federal waters anywhere in the Atlantic would threaten these important economic drivers in our states as well as our coastlines, beaches and environment with the dangers of an offshore oil spill.”
Not all of the official opposition to Atlantic drilling is outside of the South: U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson of Florida, a Democrat, has also taken a position against it. “Floridians are well aware of what an oil spill in the region could do, from spoiling beaches that attract tourists from all over the world to damaging productive fisheries and coastal communities,” Nelson wrote last year in a letter to Jewell.
Nelson also called on the Interior Department to finalize its rule updating safety standards for blowout preventers and other well controls. That rule was put forward in the wake of the 2010 BP Deepwater Horizon disaster in the Gulf of Mexico, impacts of which are still being suffered today.
Jewell has said that while no new leasing areas can be added to the draft five-year plan, areas can be stricken as a result of feedback gathered during the comment period. Four of the six hearings planned for the Atlantic region have already taken place, with others planned for Annapolis, Maryland on March 9 and in Charleston, South Carolina on March 11. For a full schedule of hearings nationwide, click here.
BOEM will accept public comments on the plan through March 30. For submission details, click here.
U.S. Sens. Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) and Ben Cardin (D-Md.) (from left to right in photo) are among the elected officials speaking out against the Obama administration’s proposal to open the Atlantic to offshore oil and gas drilling. (Image from Sen. Markey’s Twitter account.)
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.
Panel discussion on film ‘Selma’ Sunday
ASHEVILLE – Carolina Jews for Justice/West will sponsor a panel discussion of the acclaimed film “Selma” at 2 p.m. Feb. 22 at the YMI Cultural Center, 39 S. Market St.
“Over 50 years ago, the YMI introduced its first tag line, The Gathering Place,” said YMI Board Chair Sharon West. “This name was appropriate in that it reinforced the YMI’s role as a safe place for all to come together to share, to discuss, to take action, to encourage, to affirm. This tagline remains true today.
“‘Selma’ is a great entree into such discussions relative to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s fight for voting rights and other topics of equity,” West said. “The YMI welcomes these discussions.”
The African-American, Jewish and white non-Jewish panelists will share their perspectives as Freedom Riders, civil rights organizers and native southerners during the civil rights era.
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.
Self-esteem event Sunday at St. James.
ASHEVILLE – Children and youths ages 1-35 are invited to participate in “Building Self-Esteem Through Black History: Do You Know Who You Are?,” a special service at 11 a.m. at St. James AME Church, 44 Hildebrand St.
Guest speakers will discuss how black history relates to current events. The Revival Committee of St. James will sell hot dogs and chips for $3 following the service.
To learn more or arrange transportation, call 828-253-5191 and leave a message for Preston Roach.
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: “Lent, Part 2 — Practicing Resurrection: Keeping Lent Alive.” Seeking to reframe “life” as “resurrection,” with presenter Marc Mullinax of Mars Hill University.
•March 1: “Big History.” Presenter Larry Anderson says “Let’s entertain some further discussion of … awakening of consciousness among humans.”
Prayer time at Grace Lutheran
HENDERSONVILLE – Grace Lutheran Church, 1245 Sixth Ave. W., invites the community to participate in the following services and programs:
•What do Lutherans believe? A fast-paced class, 9 a.m.-noon Feb. 21, designed to deepen knowledge of Grace and the Lutheran Church and its beliefs and programs. Light refreshments, time for fellowship, tours of facilities. Nursery care available.
•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 Feb. 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.
•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.
Learn about contemplative prayer
HENDERSONVILLE – First United Methodist Church, 204 Sixth Ave. W., is hosting a Spiritual Formation Weekend through Feb. 22. Phileena Heuertz is sharing tools to help participants stay centered, grounded and connected to God via contemplative prayer.
From 8:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Feb. 21, she will focus on specific prayer practices such as centering prayer and breath prayer. She will also speak at the 8:30, 9:30 and 10:55 a.m. worship services Feb. 22. All events are free.
To register for Friday and Saturday sessions, call 828-693-4275 or visit www.fumchvlnc.org.
St. John’s hosts discussion series on Islam
ASHEVILLE – St. John’s Episcopal Church, 290 Old Haw Creek Road, will host a five-week series to increase knowledge of Islam. Classes meet at 10 a.m. Sundays.
On Feb. 22 and 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 discussion.
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 Feb. 25, Anthony McMinn will speak about the Hendersonville Rescue Mission and the ministry and vision it offers the community.
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.
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:
•Feb. 25: Tabernacle United Methodist Church, 385 Tabernacle Road.
•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.
MLK Prayer Breakfast Feb. 28
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.
Choral Evensong set for March 1
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 called “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.
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.
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.
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.
GAFFNEY, S.C.—It is no simple matter to keep the nation’s most recognizable and giggle-inducing water tower as pretty as a peach.
The “Peachoid” sits high above Interstate 85 in Gaffney, S.C., and brightens the lonely four-hour stretch between Atlanta and Charlotte for tens of thousands of drivers a day. Its round shape, warm tones and indentation between halves drive some drivers to anatomical distraction, including a character on
’s “House of Cards,” who crashed on an episode of the show while texting, “Doesn’t the Peachoid look like a giant…”
ENLARGE
“It’s great if you’re 12 years old or just have a 12-year-old’s sense of humor,” says Jill Sochacki, a Charlotte, N.C.-based travel blogger.
Last winter’s harsh weather proved tough on peaches, though, both real and replica. Repeated cycles of freezing and warming caused the Peachoid’s paint to peel in 6-foot swaths, mostly in its cleft, leaving patches of dull yellow that Gaffney boosters saw as a blemish on this former mill town of 12,000.
Gaffney produces only a fraction of the peaches it did when the Peachoid was built partly in honor of the region’s peach farmers. Many have since sold their land, and the top manufacturing employer in the county these days is Nestlé USA.
Still, the Gaffney Board of Public Works decided the famous water tower must be made fresh. They hoped to get away with a touch-up of the rough spots as they have done every so often since the Peachoid’s completion in 1981. Instead, they discovered paint so caked-on in some spots and so thin in others that the Peachoid looked bruised.
Now the Peachoid is undergoing its first complete overhaul—$120,000 worth of sandblasting the old lead-based paint down to the steel and starting over with high-tech but finicky primer and paints that can only be applied to a dry, empty tank. So far it has been anything but sweet.
The Board of Public Works hoped to get cracking last fall, well clear of peak demand in spring and summer when customers water lawns and wash cars. But few artists are capable of painting a spherical mural 13 stories in the air, using more than a dozen colors to mimic the subtle gradation of a ripe peach. The artist the contractors wanted wasn’t available until winter.
For an entire recent week, the base of the Peachoid was wrapped in yellow crime tape and flanked by some idle compressors. The top of the peach was draped in a white cover that prompted Instagram comparisons to the village idiot’s hat on “Monty Python’s Flying Circus” and Laura Ingalls Wilder’s night bonnet on “Little House on the Prairie.”
“It looks sort of like a cupcake,” said LeighAnn Snuggs, director of the Gaffney Department of Marketing and Tourism.
A curtain was bunched at the bottom of the Peachoid. It was installed to be raised and lowered each day to protect cars from sandblasting residue or the overspray of paint but so far, there hasn’t been much to protect cars from. The project’s deadline has been pushed back from September to late April.
ENLARGE
“We’re going to need the water from that tank,” said Board of Public Works General Manager Donnie Hardin. “That’s why we put it up there.”
Blame the frenemy of all peaches, the weather. Conditions have to be picture-perfect, Mr. Hardin said, so wind won’t blow the curtain, moisture won’t prevent paint adhesion and the cold won’t alter the properties of the paint. The temperature must be higher than 40 degrees, and with the recent cold snap, it has hovered in the teens and 20s.
Weather was an obstacle the first time around, too, said Peter Freudenberg, the retired artist who painted the Peachoid in 1981. “It only took us four days to paint it, but we were there for a month to get those four days,” he said.
The water tower was the 1970s brainchild of the late Jack Millwood, a longtime member of the Board of Public Works. Gaffney was searching for a new identity with the fading of the textile industry, and a giant peach seemed a good way to illustrate that South Carolina produced more peaches than the adjacent “Peach State,” Georgia.
“It began late one night when the staff of the Gaffney Board of Public Works was working way too late,” according to its Peachoid history. Mr. Millwood “said the immortal words that inspired a town, ‘Let’s build it in the shape of a peach!’ ”
Mr. Freudenberg was picked to paint the Peachoid based on his 1980 airbrushing of the Earthoid, a 2-million gallon water tank on the Germantown, Md., campus of Montgomery College.
He said his first step was to tour Gaffney orchards with the “good old boys” of the Board of Public Works. “We made peach daiquiris and everybody went out and picked what we thought was the best looking peach and we voted on them,” he said.
ENLARGE
Mr. Freudenberg painted the Peachoid from a bucket suspended from a crane, mixing colors while in the air. He got approval from the board to make the cleft of the peach red because it was “more visually interesting” than the reality; the cleft is generally the lightest part of the peach.
It proved a fruitful effort. The Peachoid was a sensation. Longtime Gaffney Mayor
Henry Jolly
said he used to like to listen to truckers on CB radios describe the peach in their rear view.
“What did they say? Well, I can’t tell you that,” Mayor Jolly said. “But as long as people talk about you, I think it’s good.”
Despite the fictional crash on “House of Cards,” the South Carolina Highway Patrol said it has no record of serious wrecks or fatalities near the Peachoid.
The Board of Public Works copyrighted the Peachoid and has jealously defended it, saying no to its use in a video by a Norwegian band that plays music on kitchen appliances, and a qualified yes to its use in a trucking calendar.
“House of Cards” actor
Kevin Spacey,
whose fictional congressman hails from Gaffney, tweeted a picture of himself in front of the tower celebrating his 2013 Emmy nomination with a bottle of champagne, a red cup and his dog.
The Peachoid was picked in 2006 as one of Reader’s Digest’s “America’s 100 Best,” which also lauded a ketchup bottle-shaped water tower in Collinsville, Ill., but snubbed the “Eggoid” down the road in Newberry.
“An egg doesn’t make a very attractive water tower,” Mr. Hardin said.
Write to Valerie Bauerlein at valerie.bauerlein@wsj.com
ASHEVILLE – Visitors to Biltmore Estate this weekend came across a slightly out-of-character activity.
Set in the Antler Hill Village area by the animal barn, the N.C. Cyclocross Series Finale took place Saturday and Sunday amid the fresh, blowing aroma of manure, roaming cows, goats and chickens, a stiff wind and brilliant sun, and elite cyclists speeding in spandex, climbing and falling down hills, and being heckled by a bullhorn blaring “Gangnam Style.”
It was the perfect test run for what will be the site of the USA Cycling Cyclocross National Championships in January 2016, according to riders, race organizers, casual visitors and USA Cycling officials.
“It’s so cool that they have this here,” said Eleanor Thompson, of Asheville, who was visiting Biltmore House and grounds with family and friends Sunday and happened upon the race. One of her family members asked if there was a significance to the goats.
Not really, said race director Tim Hopkin, but the goats do add to the ambiance and the you-never-know-what-could-happen mystique of cyclocross.
Especially after the debacle at the 2015 Cyclocross National Championships held in Zilker Park in Austin, Texas, last weekend, race organizers were anxious to make sure Asheville, Biltmore Estate and N.C. Cyclocross put their best spokes forward at this event, which drew more than 350 riders each day from at least 10 states and up to 1,000 spectators.
Cyclocross, one of the fastest growing disciplines in cycling across the U.S., combines elements of road cycling and mountain biking on a variety of terrains, including grass, pavement, dirt, mud, sand and gravel. Riders are timed on the 2.5K to 3.5K (1.5-mile to 2-mile) closed course. Races go on in any weather.
They ride multiple laps based on category, from juniors riding 30 minutes, elite women for 45 minutes and elite men for 60 minutes. Riders are required to ride varied terrain and at times dismount and run or carry their bikes.
During the Austin event, there was heavy rain, which turned much of the course to mud. Event organizers canceled the last day of the race and finally worked out a plan with USA Cycling to postpone the last races until Monday.
Tara McCarthy, National Events Manager for USA Cycling, the national governing body for the sport, said there were concerns from the Austin community that the park landscape was being damaged.
“We were able to work with the (Austin) parks and rec department to delay the race a day. It did affect staff, spectators, USA Cycling staff and, obviously, participants, who had traveled for the race and had to spend extra money,” she aid.
McCarthy said she will be working with Biltmore staff, Hopkin, the city and Ben VanCamp, executive director of the Asheville Buncombe Regional Sports Commission, to have a weather contingency plan next year, when the whole country will have their eye on Asheville’s cyclocross scene.
“It’s a beautiful venue,” McCarthy said. “After two days here, I’m feeling pretty good that we have a good lay of the land. It’s a really challenging, scenic course, with sections where riders can rest and recover, and a wide variety of terrain.”
Paul Paisant, and his wife, Julie Paisant, of High Point, raced over the weekend.
“I think this course is good for both mountain bikers or for road bikers — there’s enough technical spots to make it interesting for mountain bikers and enough flat where you have to pedal really hard, that’s what road cyclists like,” Paul Paisant said.
Tristan Cowie, of Brevard, riding for MOB Pro Cyclocross Team, was the overall male elite winner on both days. Sara Tussey, of Winston-Salem, was the women’s elite winner on Sunday, and Stephanie Myracle, of Asheville, won Saturday.
Learn more
For full results from the N.C. Cyclocross Series Finale this weekend at Biltmore Estate, visit www.pre-reg.com. For a photo gallery, visit CITIZEN-TIMES.com.
North Carolina has long been associated with sweet tea, NASCAR and the Duke – Chapel Hill basketball rivalry. Hailing from North Carolina ourselves, we can quickly agree that these characteristics do describe the Tar Heel state.
However, there’s much more to see and discover than sports and tea alone. On our travels, we are consistently asked if our home state is worth a visit – and our answer is always a resounding “Yes!”
Ready to learn more? Here are our top 5 reasons North Carolina is worth a visit:
The Outer Banks
Photo by Jim Denham via Flickr
The white sand beaches of the outer banks are reason enough for North Carolina to be deemed an impressive travel destination. This 200-mile-long string of barrier islands provides sand, sun and fun activities throughout the year. Surfing is popular along the barrier islands, as well as biking, kayaking, fishing and even hang gliding.
The first flight took place on the Outer Banks on the sand dunes of Kitty Hawk, making it an appropriate place to learn the joys of flying for yourself.
For lighthouse enthusiasts, the outer banks offer numerous opportunities to see and even climb the shimmering beacons. Located inside the Cape Hatteras National Seashore, the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse is the tallest brick lighthouse in the United States. The structure stands a full 208 feet tall. The lighthouses at Currituck, Cape Hatteras, Cape Lookout, Bald Head Island and Oak Island are all open for climbing at various times throughout the year.
Blue Ridge Mountains
Photo by Frank DiBona via Flickr
Not only do we have beautiful beaches, North Carolina also contains the highest peak in mainland eastern North America, Mount Mitchell. At 6,636 feet, it is the king of the Appalachian Mountain range. Venturing to the top awards views of the surrounding Blue Ridge Mountains and forested valleys below.
There are also numerous state parks and hiking opportunities in the area. If you are not up for a walk then taking a drive along the Blue Ridge Parkway is a great way to observe western North Carolina´s natural beauty.
Asheville
Photo by Blake Lewis via Flickr
Asheville wins the award for our favorite little city in North Carolina. The Biltmore Estate is America`s largest home and is certainly worth a visit. Grab a wine tasting in the Biltmore Estate Winery when you are done exploring the house.
While the wine may be good, the real variety comes in the form of Asheville´s beer selection. With more breweries per capita than any other city in America (at one brewery for every 4,100 residents), it is a beer connoisseur’s dream. Take a tour to hear from the brewers themselves or head to the Asheville Brewing Co. for a wide variety of great micro-brewed beers.
BBQ
Photo by Abbyladybug via Flickr
There`s a reason North Carolina is known for its soul food. The classic vinegar-based sauce on top of succulent pulled pork feeds not only your stomach, but your spirit as well. Add a side of hush puppies, baked beans, cole slaw and a giant sweet tea, and you´ve got yourself one of the best southern meals money can buy.
History
North Carolina is steeped in history. The first European born in North America happened on North Carolinian soil. We were also first in flight, built the first public university, taught Micheal Jordon how to play basketball and sank Blackbeard’s favorite ship.
One of the most famous tales of North Carolina’s history is that of the Lost Colony. In 1587, a small group of English settlers arrived on Roanoke Island. The governor, John White, sailed to England to gather fresh supplies but on his return found no trace of the colony except for the word “croatoan” carved on a wooden post. The mystery of the lost colony still lives on to this day.
North Carolina has lots to offer the curious traveler. From beautiful beaches to handcrafted brews and Michael Jordon´s jump shot, North Carolina sure knows how to put on a show.
BURNSVILLE – After 13 years of raising and selling plants like native rhododendron, mountain laurels and azaleas in Yancey County, Bill Jones will soon be getting a little help making his entire company grow — and not just with the plants.
“We’re on the verge of really having an opportunity to grow our nursery substantially,” said Jones, the owner of Carolina Native Nursery. “I’ve been in business myself, as an entrepreneur, for over 25 years, and this is my third company. But this opportunity for growth is unprecedented.”
Sitting on 12 acres, Carolina Native Nursery has 80,000 plants, which it sells wholesale and retail. Some of the plants can be seen in Central Park, Monticello and the Biltmore Estate.
But as the rural business has looked to increase its production capacity, it also has looked to a new program that could help the nursery achieve its goals by springtime.
Carolina Native Nursery is one of 15 companies recently selected to participate in the inaugural cohort of ScaleUp WNC, an initiative spearheaded by AdvantageWest, the nonprofit economic development partnership for the state’s 23 westernmost counties.
ScaleUp WNC focuses on high-growth small businesses that have been in operation in Western North Carolina for more than two years, and that have annual revenues between $150,000 and $750,000.
The mission is to provide business owners with the education and support needed to grow their ventures in the region.
Though these businesses are no longer in the make-it or break-it startup phase, their challenges are far from over.
“It’s a range of needs, both operational and financial,” said Matt Raker, vice president of entrepreneurship at AdvantageWest. “It’s not just the founders wearing all of the hats anymore. They have to figure out which hats to take off.”
Identifying which market to focus on next, understanding how to raise capital and determining the appropriate order of operations are examples of what Kim Celentano looks forward to learning from ScaleUp WNC.
“We’re definitely excited about knowing the steps to take to do all those things,” said Celentano, who with her husband co-founded the Asheville-based company Strivven Media LCC in 2012. “We’re going to get the tools that will show how you keep growing without collapsing.”
Celentano and her team brought their product, VirtualJobShadow.com, to market two years ago.
Geared toward K-12 students, Virtual Job Shadow is exactly what it sounds like: a job-shadowing video that captures the duties a person performs to do his or her profession.
Students have the opportunity to view videos of about 150 different jobs across a spectrum of industries, including health care, advanced manufacturing, energy and tourism.
The videos also show students what educational background each job requires, where students may obtain that education, what positions are most needed in different parts of the country and the “soft” skills, such as attitude and communication, employees should master for a specific profession.
“The idea is to keep as much information in front of students so they don’t have to hunt for it on Internet,” Celentano said.
About 500 school districts in roughly 35 states already use Virtual Job Shadow, she said.
Purchasing a license for the product costs from $595 to $995, which amounts to less than $1 a student, she said.
Led by AdvantageWest with help from the Sequuoyah Fund, Ascent Business Network, and Asheville-Buncombe Technical College’s Entrepreneurial Development Foundation, ScaleUp WNC will offer two cohorts a year and works with groups of 15 businesses at a time.
Over the course of eight weeks, entrepreneurs attend six sessions, with topics that range from helping business owners understand financial models, different sources of capital and how to hone in on their target customers. The first session for the first cohort begins Feb. 27, with a special kick-off event scheduled March 12.
“Sometimes, it’s just perception,” Raker said. “But it’s totally doable across Western North Carolina to build these very successful growth-oriented companies. You just have to be connected to the right sources and resources.”
This opportunity to connect with other entrepreneurs like himself is something that Jones said he is particularly excited about with ScaleUp WNC.
“It’s difficult to find mentors — much less other successful business owners — to talk to just in the day to day of going about your work. Even with that being said, finding some expertise to help your business grow rapidly can be even more difficult,” Jones said. “There’s lots of problems that small business people run into that are universal.”
The opportunity to learn how to grow in the right direction and analyze one’s own business particularly appeals to Celentano.
“Confronting everything you’ve never done before is intimidating,” Celentano said. “But we’re going to find it’s learnable, it’s manageable.”
AdvantageWest received a five-year, $1.2 million contract to develop ScaleUp WNC. The organization is also one of eight entities in the nation selected by the U.S. Small Business Administration for the contract. The local partnership will be serving the most rural entrepreneurial ecosystem in the batch.
Raker said AdvantageWest had hoped to receive 45 applications for the first cohort. It exceeded that goal, receiving a total of 67 applications.
“If folks didn’t get into the first (cohort), there’s a good chance that they could make it into the next group,” Raker said. “We’re honored to be able to have the ability to work with these entrepreneurs. At the end of the day, they’re the ones who are driving the success here.”
ScaleUp WNC plans to serve a total of 150 businesses during its five-year contract period.
Jones said he is honored to be a part of the first class.
“We have a really good company, and we’ve done some really good things. We’re poised, finally, for growth after 13 years of struggling to blow the thing up,” Jones said. “If the first six weeks are indicative of the year we’re going to have, it’s going to be phenomenal.”
The first cohort of ScaleUp WNC:
Carolina Native Nursery — A native plant nursery in Yancey County that has been growing and supplying landscape and garden center quality native shrubs to wholesale and retail markets for 13 years.
Farm to Home Milk — An artisan milk distribution company based in Asheville.
Mother Earth Produce — Food artisans who provide locally grown, organic produce and other edibles to communities in Western North Carolina.
New River Organic Growers — A local food distribution company based in Watauga County, whose mission is to connect old Appalachian values, traditions and skills to new Appalachia markets through distribution, marketing and education.
Brightfield Transportation Solutions — Develops and owns a growing network of grid-connected and solar-integrated public charging stations. The business also sells a line of patent-pending products to meet the consumer needs when it comes to electric charging stations and sustainability marketing needs.
Strivven Media LLC — The main product of Strivven Media LLC is VirtualJobShadow.com, a multimedia career-readiness platform to help bridge the gap between workforce and education in engaging ways.
Dieseljobs.com LLC — Dieseljobs.com is the largest niche job board of its kind for the heavy equipment and trucking industry.
Dolci di Maria — Produces Italian-inspired, gluten-free desserts sold in natural food markets and served in restaurants. The products are also dairy-free, and many products are vegan.
Hi-Wire Brewing — An Asheville-based beer company that embraces its craft from start to finish — from its hand-produced beers to artwork drawn by a local artist. Hi-Wire Brewing was also awarded the most medals at the 2014 N.C. Brewer’s Cup and was named the Best New N.C. Brewery for 2013 by RateBeer.
The Filling Station Deli and Sub Shop Inc. — A locally driven deli and sweets shop. It offers deli style, hot-pressed and frozen sandwiches.
Lusty Monk LLC — Makes spicy, fresh-ground, small-batch mustards. Lusty Monk is family-owned and devoted to the idea that condiments should never be boring.
Ultimate Ice Cream Co. — An Asheville shop that uses locally sourced dairy to hand-craft ice cream. Ultimate Ice Cream may be found in two Asheville locations and many local restaurants.
Outrider USA — Since 2009, Outrider USA has designed, assembled and shipped its electric bikes directly from its Asheville shop.
Simple Shot Shooting Sports — Makes slingshots using 21st-century materials and manufacturing techniques.
Equinox — A consulting, planning and design firm that focuses on conservation, sustainability and environmentally responsible land-development projects.
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