Sunday, March 27, 2016

Upcoming events for the week of March 27, 2016

UPCOMING EVENTS

03/28/16 CONNECTION PRACTICE 
The Connection Practice: Communicating with Empathy & Insight. First of 5 week series with Cathy Holt. Time is 7 to 9 PM. Location not provided. For more information, call Cathy at 828-545-9681 or email her at cathyfholt@gmail.com. 

03/28/16 ART AT WESTERN CAROLINA UNIVERSITY
“From Apartheid to Democracy” exhibit is from the Apartheid Museum in Johannesburg, South Africa. This will be held in Hunter Library, 2nd floor gallery. This runs until May 20, 2016. 

03/28/16 IDLE NO MORE DISCUSSION AT MARS HILL UNIVERSITY
The “Idle No More” movement is, essentially, a movement akin to the Black Lives Matter but with a focus on Native Americans. Students in the NASA and Dr. Hawn will moderate a discussion of this political organization, why Native Americans have been marginalized in American politics, and why everyone should care about equalizing relationships with all people of color. Time is 5 to 6PM and location is Belk Auditorium at Mars Hill University.

03/29/16 SPEECH ABOUT CHEROKEE WOMEN AT MARS HILL UNIVERSITY
The Liston B. Ramsey Center for Regional Studies will present, “Cherokee Women: Respected Not Ranked; Contrasting Ways That Cultures Value Women,” on Tuesday, March 29, at 7 PM in Broyhill Chapel at Mars Hill University. Dr. Barbara Duncan, speaker, is the education director of the Museum of the Cherokee Indian in Cherokee, NC. This event will celebrate Women's History Month. It is sponsored by Regional Studies, Women's Studies, and the Ramsey Center. It is free and open to the public.

03/29/16 NC HOUSING COALITION LISTENING SESSION
There is not a single, simple solution to housing affordability. Housing policy is not glamorous and can sometimes appear confusing. ‘Zoning’ and ‘block grants’ are not terms that will make you the life of the party. But, we need advocates to roll up their sleeves and get in the game. Bring your passion for the issue and we'll be there to help you learn the ropes. Your first step is on March 29. Join us at the NC Housing Coalition's Listening Session, Tuesday, March 29, from 1 to 3 PM, at MAHEC. The event is free, but registration is required. At the session, you will learn about recent developments in state and federal affordable housing policy; and shape a statewide policy agenda by participating in a facilitated conversation about the affordable housing dynamics of the Asheville region. Contact Greg at gregb@childrenfirstbc.org for information on how to register, for more information in general and if you need a ride to MAHEC. This is sponsored by Children First Buncombe County.

03/29/16 STEM LECTURE AT UNCA
The STEM Lecture Series is interdisciplinary with a focus on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. The upcoming lectures for winter term are multidisciplinary and will highlight how different STEM disciplines are used in a unified program, where the success of each program depends on the interaction of more than one discipline. On March 29, the topic will be 'Statistics and the Environment - Using Flexible Statistical Models to Model a Variety of Scientific Data' by Dr. Steve Patch, UNC Asheville Mathematics Department. This event is free and open to the public. Time is 4:30 to 6 PM and location is Reuter Center, room 206, at UNCA.

03/29/16 ANIMAL AGRICULTURE WORLD CAFE AT UNCA
Come be part of the discussion on animal agriculture and learn from an array of points of views relating to people’s knowledge, relationships, and stances on meat production and consumption in relation to the environmental impact of animal agriculture. Confirmed guests include Tracy Monday from Mother Earth Meats, Meredith Leigh, author of the "Ethical Meats Handbook", Sadrah Schadel from No Evil Foods, Sunil Patel from Patchwork Farms, and Rowdy Keelor from Brother Wolf's Vegan Outreach program. Bring an open mind! Co-sponsored by the Student Environmental Center and the Office of Sustainability. This is at 6 PM and will be held at Highsmith Student Union, rooms 221 and 222, at UNCA. This is a Facebook event.

03/30/16 HOW TO VOTE GREEN
This panel discussion with local elected leaders and environmental advocates will serve as an educational workshop to inform voters on how to consider issues and 2016 candidates through an environmental lens. Guests will include Councilpersons Julie Mayfield and Gordon Smith, County Commission Brownie Newman, and NC Sierra Club Political Chair, Ken Brame. Sponsored by the Student Environmental Center at UNCA. Time is 7 PM and location is Laurel Forum at UNCA.

03/30/16 DUKE ENERGY AND THE CLIMATE CRISIS PRESENTATION
Warren-Wilson College Environmental and Social Justice Crew, Alliance for Energy Democracy, NC WARN, Duke Environmental Law and Policy Clinic and the Climate Times present “Duke Energy and the Climate Crisis”. A free, public event on the economic and climate impacts of Duke Energy's massive expansion of natural gas use, including 560 new Megawatts of generating capacity at the Arden facility. Speakers include engineer Bill Powers, Rev.Rodney Sadler, Jr., of the NC NAACP, Connie Leeper of NC Warn, solar developer Dave Hollister and former educator and activist Steve Norris. This will take place in the Canon Lounge at Warren Wilson College. Time is 7 PM. Free and open to the public. More info at 919-416-5077. 

03/30/16 RESTORATIVE CIRCLES PRESENTATION
“Restorative Circles: Supporting Community and Cooperative Living” with Steve Torma. The idea for Restorative Circles method arose amid the poverty, inequality, and injustice in the favelas of Rio de Janeiro. The idea has spread and is now being practiced in communities around the world. Restorative Circles works on the street, and it also works in people’s minds, building the idea of a community-based justice system and redefining “justice” in terms that are positive and inclusive. This is a powerful tool for anyone interested in working or living in the cooperative way. This program is a collaboration between the French Broad Food Co-op and Firestorm Café and Books. Free and open to the general public. Donations accepted to support the work. Time is 7 PM and location is Firestorm Cafe & Books at 610 Haywood Road in west Asheville. Contact Firestorm at info@firestorm.coop for more information or call Daav Wheeler at (828) 989-6805.

03/31/16 HOOD TALK MEETING
Developing positive energy to restore greater communication and strength throughout our community. Next session will be on Thursday, March 31st, from 6 - 8 PM at the YWCA on South French Broad Street in Asheville. Call the YWCA for more information.

03/31/16 GREENFEST CAREER PANEL AT UNCA
Gain first-hand insight into careers in various fields of environmental sustainability. This is your chance to hear expert advice and learn more about the career paths of these accomplished UNC Asheville alums. Sponsored by the Career Center. Time is noon to 1 PM and location is Highsmith 223 at UNCA. 

03/31/16 AMERICAN INDIAN IDENTITY TALK AT UNCA
“The Tribal Spirit: American Indian Identity in the 21st Century” is the title of this talk by Dr. Perry Horse. Dr. Perry Horse's talk will focus on research around post-colonial consciousness which is moving indigenous people from a state of dependency back to a state of independence and self-reliance.  Dr. Horse is a member of the Kiowa Tribe and a contributing author in both editions of New Perspectives on Racial Identity Development, NYU Press, 2001 & 2012. Time is noon to 1 PM and location is the UNCA Intercultural Center.  For more information, call 828-232-5024 or email dmiles@unca.edu.

04/01/16 ECOFEMINISM PANEL AT UNCA
Come explore and be empowered by ecofeminism, the intersection of feminism and environmentalism! This event will combine an educational panel discussion by UNC Asheville faculty and Asheville community members with an open forum for attendees to discuss and develop their own relationship to this movement. Sponsored by Hyannis House and Student Environmental Center. Time is 4 to 5:30 PM and location is Hyannis House at UNCA.

04/02/16 INTERFAITH RESPONSE TO IMMIGRATION RAIDS AND DEPORTATIONS
Interfaith Response to Immigration Raids and Deportations Forum is a forum for faith communities with Anton Flores-Maisonet. Time will be 6:30 to 8:30 PM, and location is Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church at  789 Merrimon Avenue in Asheville. Join us as we hear about the impact a new wave of deportations is having on the lives of immigrants and explore faith-based actions to protect families in Western North Carolina who face the threat of raids and deportations. At the beginning of 2016, ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) stepped up deportations of undocumented Central Americans in North Carolina. Now is the moment for faith communities to respond to these raids, which have separated families, imposed suffering, and heightened fears. This forum is sponsored by Circle of Mercy congregation, in partnership with Nuestro Centro, CIMA (Compañeros Inmigrantes de las Montañas en Acción), and Center for Participatory Change. For more information contact Bill at billramsey3@gmail.com or 828-319-7652. 

04/02/16 CHASING DREAMS BY CO-THINKK
“Free” mini-grant writing workshops. Learn more about a rare opportunity to fund your dreams and make them a reality. Hands on help to develop your ideas and get them on paper. Time is 1 to 4 PM and location is the United Way of Asheville and Buncombe County at 50 South French Broad Ave in downtown Asheville. Free child care and interpretation provided. This was posted on Facebook under “CoThinkk”. Please go there for more information.

04/02/16 ASHEVILLE GREENWORKS TREE PLANTING
Join the South Asheville Rotary and Asheville Arborist for a much needed tree planting at Estes Elementary School. We need volunteers to help make this a special day for the school. Tools and supervision will be provided. This is an all ages event. Time is 10 AM to 1 PM and location is 275 Overlook Road in Asheville. 

04/05/16 TEACHING THE HOLOCAUST
This will be held at the Hinds University center Ballroom at Western Carolina University from 8:30 AM to 3:30 PM. Through the  N. C. Council on the Holocaust and the  UNC Asheville Center for Diversity Education, a professional development day-long workshop for 5th - 12th grade teachers (with a special focus on history and literature) will be offered in the spring in WNC. The workshop will include a lecture by  Dr. Eric Roubinek  in the morning and a witness testimony by Dr. Walter Ziffer in the afternoon along with excellent resources from experienced Holocaust educators. The Center for Diversity Education has additional free resources for teaching about the Holocaust as does the N. C. Council on the Holocaust. For more information, contact dmiles@unca.edu  and register here

04/05/16 CREATION CARE ALLIANCE HOSTS CLIMATE SCIENTIST
This keynote address by Climate Scientist Katharine Hayhoe is open to the public. Named to Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in the World list for 2014, Katharine Hayhoe is an atmospheric scientist who studies climate change, one of the most pressing issues facing humanity today. But Katharine may be best-known to many people because of how she’s bridging the broad, deep gap between scientists and Christians - work she does in part because she’s a Christian herself. Together with her husband Andrew Farley, a professor of applied linguistics, pastor of Church without Religion, and best-selling author, Katharine wrote A Climate for Change: Global Warming Facts for Faith-Based Decisions, a book that untangles the complex science and tackles many long-held misconceptions about global warming.  Her work as a climate change evangelist has been featured on the Emmy award-winning documentary series “Years of Living Dangerously” and “The Secret Life of Scientists and Engineers”. Time is 7 PM and location is First Baptist Church at 5 Oak Street. All are welcome. Free. Email Creation Care Alliance of Western North Carolina at creationcare@mountaintrue.org for more information and instructions on how to register.

04/05/16 COLLABORATIVE COMMUNITIES RECEPTION
Collaborative Communities Reception with Climate Scientist Katharine Hayhoe (see above for more information on her) will be hosted by Creation Care Alliance of WNC. Time is 5 to 6:30 PM and location is Lenoir Rhyne Graduate Studies Center at 36 Montford Avenue (Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce). Space is limited. All are welcome. Free. Email Creation Care Alliance of Western North Carolina at creationcare@mountaintrue.org for more information and instructions on how to register.

04/05/16 BOOK REVIEW AT UNCA
“The Most Dangerous Communist in the United States” by Dr. Gary Murell. Dr Gary Murell, who is a Professor of History at Gray's Harbor College in Washington, will discuss his new book on the life of Herbert Aptheker, an American Radical of the mid 20th century, literary executor of WEB DuBois, and pioneer in African American history. Time is 7 to 8:30 PM and location is Karpen Hall 139. For more information, contact Tracey Rizzo, 828-251-6315 or trizzo@unca.edu.

04/05/16 CURRENT EVENTS BOOKCLUB
They will be discussing “Greening the Global Economy” at 7 PM at Malaprops in downtown Asheville. Contact Malaprops for more information.

04/06/16 SIERRA CLUB MEETING AND GREEN DRINKS
Jason Walls and Amy Musser will talk about Duke’s Power Plant and Home Energy Efficiency. Time is 7 PM and location is Unitarian Universalist Congregation at 1 Edwin Place (Charlotte Street and Edwin Place) in Asheville.  Contact judymattox@sbcglobal.net or 828-683-2176 for more information. Free and open to the public.  

04/07/16 STAND AGAINST RACISM EVENT
A-B Tech Community College and the YWCA of Asheville are partnering to bring a community-wide Stand Against Racism event to the college from 9:30 AM to 12:30 PM on Thursday, April 7th in Ferguson Auditorium on the Asheville campus. The event is free and open to the public. Stand Against Racism is a signature campaign of YWCA USA to build community among those who work for racial justice and to raise awareness about the negative impact of institutional and structural racism in our communities. This campaign is one part a larger national strategy to fulfill the YWCA's mission of eliminating racism. This year's event is titled, Ban the Box: Promote Employment Fairness. There will be two panel discussions that explore efforts to remove the box that asks about criminal records from employment applications. Panel one features employers who have voluntarily removed the box in an effort to ensure that individuals who have paid their debt to society are treated fairly. Panel two features resource providers that help formerly incarcerated individuals find gainful employment and success stories from individuals who were hired despite having a criminal record.

04/08/16 FREE SOCIAL JUSTICE MOVIE AT KAIROS WEST
Fridays at Kairos West there will be a four part film series and potluck. The potluck gathering will begin at 6:30 and last until 7:30. Bring something tasty to share if you can. We'll have some food and coffee/tea available also. And on April 8th, the last film in the series will be “We Are Many” (tentative provided we receive a copy in time). Free and open to the public. Time is 6:30 PM for the potluck and 7:30 PM for the movie. Location is Kairos West Community Center at 742 Haywood Road in west Asheville. Children are welcome at this event! We will use the front room of the community center as a kid friendly space during the movie. If you'd like to coordinate with us and other caregivers on supervised childcare options, please let us know in advance! This is a facebook event, so go there for more information.

04/08/16 TINY HOME AND LIVING TOUR FROM MOUNTAIN TRUE
Sign up for MountainTrue’s Tiny Home and Living Tour. Join us for a tour and presentation with Wishbone Tiny Homes, located in West Asheville. Featured on Tiny House Nation (FYI Network), Wishbone Tiny Homes is a family owned and operated NC General Contracting company and RV manufacturer focused on meeting the diverse needs of the next generation tiny home buyer. Our tour and presentation will take a look at green building, sustainability, and we will get to take a look at a model tiny home. Time is 1:30 to 3:30 PM. Location is Wishbone Tiny Homes at 355 Haywood Road in west Asheville. Registration deadline is Wednesday, April 6th at 5:00 PM. Call Ella at 258-8737, ext 216 or email her at ella@mountaintrue.org for more information including how to register.

04/08/16 SOCIAL JUSTICE FILM AT UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CONGREGATON
Environmental & Social Justice Film, “Making A Killing: Guns, Greed, and the NRA” will be shown on Friday, April 8th, at 7 PM, at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Asheville at the corner of Charlotte and Edwin Streets. This is a film by Robert Greenwald and Brave New Films. The film exposes how the powerful gun companies and the NRA are resisting responsible legislation for the sake of profit - and thereby putting people in danger.  The film looks into gun tragedies that include unintentional shootings, domestic violence, suicides, mass shootings and trafficking - and what we can do to put an end to this profit-driven crisis. Making a Killing: Guns, Greed, and The NRA tells the stories of how guns, and the billions made off of them, affect the lives of everyday Americans. It features personal stories from people across the country who have been affected by gun violence, including survivors and victims' families. The film exposes how the powerful gun companies and the NRA are resisting responsible legislation for the sake of profit - and thereby putting people in danger. There is no charge for viewing the film - Donations are welcome. Contact Charlie at mnpopi@charter.net for more information.

04/08/16 FUNDRAISER FOR AURA HOME
Join us from 5 to 6 PM for a Meetup, and then music (Girls Rock!) from 6 to 9 PM. Requesting donations of household items for women. Aura Home’s mission is to establish a long-term, supportive housing facility for homeless female Veterans, and to offer daily living necessities such as meals, clothing and transportation, provide information on accessing community resources for education, jobs and job training, financial and legal matters, medical care, and assist with Veterans’ benefits and programs through certified service officers and Veterans Affairs staff. This event will be at The Block Off Biltmore at 39 S.Market Street in downtown Asheville. Call them at 828-254-9277 for more information.

04/09/16 RICHMOND HILL INVASIVE PLANT REMOVAL WORK DAY
Richmond Hill Park invasive plant removal work day will run from 9 AM to 1 PM. Free. Join us and help restore native plant communities by controlling non-native invasive plants at Richmond Hill Park in Asheville. This is the City of Asheville’s only forested park and is home to many special native plant and animal species. We’ll provide all gloves, equipment and instruction needed. Please bring snacks, water, rain jacket and wear long pants, long sleeve shirt and closed toe shoes (no open shoes or sandals allowed for safety). This event will be held during the second Saturday of every month. (Rain Date: Second Sunday) Email Amanda at amanda@mountaintrue.org for more information. 

04/09/16 CITIZENS CLIMATE LOBBY MEETING
Citizens Climate Lobby meets the second Saturday of each month at Kairos West Community Center, 742 Haywood Road in west Asheville. We are advocating for a Carbon Fee & Dividend, which would impose a fee on fossil fuels at point entry; this fee will be refunded to individuals and families. There is bipartisan support in Congress as this will create jobs and help grow the economy, boosting renewables. Time is 12:30 to 3 PM. For more information, contact asheville@citizensclimatelobby.org.

04/11/16 TRANSITION ASHEVILLE SOCIAL
Topic will be “Gardening Tips” with Samantha Beharrysingh. Location is St. Mary's Episcopal Church at 337 Charlotte Street in north Asheville. Time is 6 to 8 PM. If you have questions, comments, concerns, or want to know how to get involved in cultivating a more resilient Asheville, please let us know by sending an email to TransitionAsheville@gmail.com.

04/12/16 LUNCH N LEARN AT UNCA
Unpacking “Whitesplain” - Becoming Better Allies for People of Color. Facilitator will be Preston Keith, Assistant Director of the Intercultural Center and Multicultural Student Programs. Time is noon to 1 PM and location is Intercultural Center at Highsmith Union 114 at UNCA.

04/14/16 HENDERSONVILLE GREEN DRINKS
Hendersonville Green Drinks will focus on the work of the Southern Environmental Law Center. Patrick Hunter, staff attorney in the Asheville office of the Southern Environmental Law Center will speak on SELC’s work, including his focus projects of protecting our southern forests and the local coal ash clean-up. Come to Green Drinks to learn more about current environmental issues, have relevant discussions, and meet with like-minded people. This is a monthly event and everyone is welcome. You don’t have to drink at Green Drinks, just come and listen. Time is 5:30 to 8 PM and location is Black Bear Coffee Company at 318 North Main Street in Hendersonville. For more information, contact Black Bear at 828-MY-COFFEE.

04/15/16 GLOBAL DAY AGAINST MILITARY SPENDING

04/16/16  HOW DO WE FIX OUR BROKEN WORLD?
We need hope, we need change, we need justice - and we have help. In this divided world Maitreya, the world teacher, is stepping forward. His mission has begun. Mastery and his group of enlightened teachers, are here to help us reverse the damage we have done to our planet and inspired us to create a new civilization based on sharing the world’s resources and justice - the way to lasting peace. Free presentations at 2 PM at Asheville Friends Meeting at 227 Edgewood Road in Asheville NC. Please call McNair at 828-398-0609 for more information. Sponsored by Share International Southeast.

04/16/16 CHASING DREAMS BY CO-THINKK
“Free” mini-grant writing workshops. Learn more about a rare opportunity to fund your dreams and make them a reality. Hands on help to develop your ideas and get them on paper. Time is 1 to 4 PM and location is the United Way of Asheville and Buncombe County at 50 South French Broad Ave in downtown Asheville. Free child care and interpretation provided. This was posted on Facebook under “CoThinkk”. Please go there for more information.

04/18/16 UNITED TO RESTORE DEMOCRACY MEETING
More information to come.

04/19/16 READING OF THE NAMES AT UNCA
Center for Diversity Education at UNCA will be hosting the Reading of the Names with the UNCA Hillel Students on the steps of Ramsey Library at UNC Asheville. Traditionally, this is done on Yom HaShoah, which falls in the middle of final exams this year on May 5. Instead, the event will be on April 19. This is the date of the beginning of the Warsaw Ghetto uprising, which played a role in the history of the creation of Yom HaShoah. This year's readings will include names of Jewish, Romi, and Jesuit victims. Time is 9 AM to 4 PM. For more information, call 828-232-5024 or email dmiles@unca.edu. 

04/20/16 GREEN DRINKS
Time is 5:30 PM to gather and eat. Program begins at 6:30 PM. Location is The Spot at 76 Biltmore Avenue in downtown Asheville. Green Drinks is now under MeetUp. Call The Spot for more information at 828-575-2729.

04/22/16 EARTH DAY

04/22/16 OUR VOICE ZINE READING
This event is co-hosted by UNC Asheville’s Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies Program and OurVOICE, and is free and open to the public. This event will include material, sometimes graphic, and discussion about rape and abuse; audience discretion is advised. Our Voice: Survivors Speak will include a reading of selected zine submissions and an open mic session for those interested in speaking or adding their creative voice to the topic of sexual violence and its effects on the community. The event is the culmination of a semester-long collaboration between UNC Asheville and OurVOICE, a nonprofit organization that serves all individuals in Buncombe County affected by sexual assault and abuse. Location is Malaprops in downtown Asheville and time is 7 PM. Contact Malaprops for more information.

04/23/16 HARD TO RECYCLE COLLECTION
Free to the public, recycling event, accepting items of all sorts. Now with two locations. Founded in 2011 by Rainbow Recycling, Hard 2 Recycle events are free to the public collections geared to bring awareness to other modes of recycling to our area. Four quarterly held collections to cover the four corners of the County and one central event in Downtown Asheville. Our goal is to educate, collect and divert items that would normally end up in the landfill: styrofoam, electronics, books, batteries, cooking oil and much more. Not accepting the following items: paints, stains, sealers, CFL or fluorescent or incandescent bulbs; chip & snack bags; petroleum products; hard plastics; vinyl / PVC / VHS / cassette tapes; plate glass, foam; wooden items or cement. Main collection from 8 AM to 1 PM at City Market Tailgate at 161 Charlotte Street in downtown Asheville and satellite collection from 8 AM to noon at First Baptist Church at 5 Oak Street in downtown Asheville.

04/24/16 EARTH DAY VIGIL 
The Creation Care Alliance of Western North Carolina invites you to join us for a vigil celebrating God's creation and calling on people of faith to care for it.  We will gather in the grass of All Souls Episcopal Cathedral, in Biltmore Village at 9 Swan Street in Asheville for an afternoon of song, reflection, and to hear messages of inspiration and action from local faith and community leaders. All are welcome! Time is 5:30 to 6:30 PM.

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ONGOING EVENTS
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TUESDAY
Veterans for Peace have a weekly vigil at 4:30 PM at Pack Square, Vance Monument
Showing Up for Racial Justice is from noon to 2 PM at Firestorm Cafe and Books at 610 Haywood Road in west Asheville. Educating and organizing white people for racial justice. Free.
Orientation session for Asheville Timebank. 4 PM at Firestorm Cafe & Books at 610 Haywood Road in west Asheville. Email help@ashevilletimebank.org for information and to register. 


WEDNESDAY
Haywood Peace Vigilers have a weekly vigil at 4 PM at Haywood County Courthouse in Waynesville
French Broad Riverkeeper has a paddle-n-plant to prevent sediment erosion most Wednesdays and Saturdays. Registration required at anna@mountaintrue.org. 

THURSDAY
Political Prisoners Letter Writing at Firestorm Cafe & Books at 6 PM on first Thursday of the month. Materials provided.

FRIDAY
Women in Black have a weekly vigil at noon at the City Hall in Hendersonville
Women in Black have a monthly vigil at 5 PM at Vance Monument in Asheville (first Friday only)

SATURDAY
Transylvanians for Peace and WNC Physicians for Social Responsibility have a weekly vigil at noon in front of the courthouse in Brevard. Call 884-3435 to confirm. 
Third Saturdays – Asheville’s Green Grannies invites the public to “sing for the climate” at Pritchard Park at 5 PM.
French Broad Riverkeeper has a paddle-n-plant to prevent sediment erosion most Wednesdays and Saturdays. Registration required at anna@mountaintrue.org. 

SUNDAY
Youth OUTright meeting from 4 to 6 PM at First Congregational United Church of Christ at 20 Oak Street in Asheville. Ages 14 - 23 only.

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ACTIONS AND READINGS
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Alert: Clean up Cliffside Coal Ash
Please write public comments
Email: rogerscomments@ncdenr.gov

Mail: Debra Watts, N.C. Division of Water Resources, Groundwater Protection Section, N.C. Department of Environmental Quality, 
Attn: Debra Watts, 1636 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-1611.
Date: comments received by April 18, 2016 will be considered in determining final impoundment classifications.

North Carolina’s Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) has finally released the long-awaited draft priority classifications for state’s 14 coal ash dumpsites. Sadly, DEQ has not recommended the coal ash dumps at Cliffside in Rutherford and Cleveland Counties for complete cleanup, leaving the surrounding communities and all those downstream at risk from toxic pollution.
Despite the fact that Cliffside’s coal ash has been polluting groundwater and the Broad River with unsafe amounts of toxic heavy metals for years, DEQ recommends two of the three for low priority classification--meaning they could be left in place on the banks of the Broad River to pollute our waters in perpetuity.

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Show your support for the Energy Innovation Task Force

On Tuesday, March 22, Asheville City Council voted on a resolution to establish the Energy Innovation Task Force. Then on April 5, Buncombe County Commission will meet to vote on the same joint resolution. Once established, his task force will bring together representatives from the City, County, Duke Energy and community partners to work toward to a cleaner, affordable and smarter energy future.

The work of the Energy Innovation Task Force will be to strategize and implement a plan that will meet the region’s future energy demand through more energy efficiency and investment in renewable energy infrastructure so that we can avoid the construction of a third natural-gas-powered “peaking” unit at Lake Julian.

Buncombe County Commissioners Meeting
April 5 at 4:30 p.m.
Buncombe County Building
200 College Street, 3rd Floor
Asheville, NC 28801

Public comment will be accepted. Come to both the Asheville City Council meeting and the County Commission meeting and show your support for the creation of the Energy Innovation Task Force!

Text of the Resolution
RESOLUTION NO. __________
RESOLUTION ESTABLISHING A JOINT CITY, COUNTY AND UTILITY ENERGY INNOVATION TASK FORCE FOR THE PURPOSE OF RESEARCHING, PRIORITIZING, RECOMMENDING AND IMPLEMENTING  RECOMMENDATIONS TO CREATE ENERGY EFFICIENCY, DEMAND SIDE MANAGEMENT AND RENEWABLE ENERGY OPPORTUNITIES TO REDUCE ENERGY USE     IN BUNCOMBE COUNTY_________________
WHEREAS, Buncombe County adopted a resolution regarding Buncombe County Energy Independence on December 3, 2013; and
WHEREAS, the City of Asheville adopted a resolution Supporting a Clean Energy Economy on October 22, 2013; and
WHEREAS, the region’s beauty, clean air, and clean water are vital to the residents of Buncombe County and the region’s economy; and
WHEREAS, the City of Asheville, Buncombe County, and Duke Energy Progress are committed to working to delay or avoid the construction of an additional fossil fuel-powered combustion turbine electricity generating facility at the Asheville Plant site in 2023; and
WHEREAS, the City of Asheville, Buncombe County, and Duke Energy Progress desire a transition to a cleaner, affordable, and smarter energy future in Western North Carolina, rooted in community engagement and collaboration, that is mutually beneficial to the community, customers and Duke Energy Progress; and
WHEREAS, Duke Energy Progress has agreed to co-convene with the City of Asheville and Buncombe County a joint Energy Innovation Task Force to transition to a cleaner, affordable, and smarter energy future through active community engagement, deliberate investment in distributed energy resources and greater promotion of and access to energy efficiency and demand-side management programs, subject to appropriate North Carolina Utilities Commission approval; and
WHEREAS, supporting a clean energy future will foster protection of natural resources, help mitigate climate change, and facilitate the growth of the clean energy industry in our region; and
WHEREAS, the task force will engage with our community to provide cost-effective services, programs and new products they value and expect through investment in clean and innovative ways to power Western North Carolina, while keeping rates competitive; and
WHEREAS, Buncombe County residents and businesses have the ability to seize this opportunity to use renewable energy and participate in energy efficiency and demand-side management programs to increase the region’s climate resiliency and to become a model to other communities in the state and country.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BUNCOMBE COUNTY COMMISSION AND ASHEVILLE CITY COUNCIL THAT:
Buncombe County, the City of Asheville and Duke Energy Progress have established a joint task force known as the “Energy Innovation Task Force” that will appoint members from local government, environmental and clean energy advocates, large and small businesses, local institutions and Duke Energy Progress to research, recommend and implement energy efficiency and demand-side management programs and projects and distributed energy technology in Buncombe County, subject to appropriate North Carolina Utilities Commission approval.  This Task Force will seek input from and engagement with the public as an integral part of its work.
Read, approved and adopted this __ day of March 2016.
Buncombe County Commission Chair Mayor, City of Asheville
County Clerk City Clerk
Approved as to form:
County Attorney City Attorney

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Saturday, March 26, 2016

The Obama Doctrine

Obama's doctrine has proven most disastrous where it has succeeded in overthrowing governments.

Former Israeli prison guard Jeffrey Goldberg's "The Obama Doctrine" in The Atlantic presents President Barack Obama's view of his own foreign policy (with input from a few of his close subordinates). Obama views himself as a radical leader in military restraint, in brave resistance to war mongers, and in scaling back excessive fear mongering in U.S. culture.

The U.S. President who has overseen the highest Pentagon budget in history, created drone wars, launched wars against the will of Congress, dramatically expanded foreign arms sales and special operations and the arming of proxies, claimed to be "really good at killing people," and openly bragged about having bombed seven nations that are inhabited largely by dark-skinned Muslims, bolsters his "doctrine" by offering accurate antiwar assessments of Nixon, Reagan, and George W. Bush's wars. (He essentially admits to Reagan's October Surprise negotiations with Iran that sabotaged the 1980 U.S. elections.) Obama's and Goldberg's discussion of Obama's own wars does not display the same accuracy or wisdom.

The Goldberg/Obama portrait is shaped largely by the choice of what to include. The primary focus is on Obama's 2013 reversal of his plan to bomb Syria, with a minor emphasis on his negotiation of the Iran nuclear agreement. Much of his more militaristic behavior is completely ignored or brushed aside in passing reference. And even in those cases that come into focus, myths go unquestioned — even when they are debunked later in this same book-length article.


Friday, March 25, 2016

On Syria - by Phyllis Bennis

Russia is Withdrawing from Syria — and the U.S. Should Follow Suit
By Phyllis Bennis

In a surprise announcement on March 14, Russian president Vladimir Putin announced that the Russians were withdrawing “most of our military” from Syria beginning immediately.

According to the TASS news agency, Putin said he hoped the withdrawal “will become a good motivation for launching negotiations” and “instructed the foreign minister to intensify Russia’s participation in organization of peace process in Syria.”

The withdrawal, along with Putin’s restated support for a political settlement, could help move forward the fragile UN-brokered Geneva talks on ending the Syrian crisis that began on the same day — as well as the tenuous UN-negotiated cessation of hostilities. “Those Russian servicemen who will stay in Syria will be engaged in monitoring the ceasefire regime,” TASS reported, indicating that the pilots and crews of the 50 Russian warplanes and helicopters that have been based in Syria would be withdrawn. The withdrawal is an important step that should help reduce the level of violence in the deadly war. But questions remain.

Putin made clear that not all Russian forces would be withdrawn, and that Russia’s airbase near Latakia, as well as Moscow’s small but symbolically important naval base at Tartus on the Mediterranean coast, would remain open — though they “will operate in a routine mode.” Putin said the two military bases should be “protected from the land, from the sea, and from air,” leaving open the question of whether Russian bombers “protecting” them might also continue bombing raids in Syria, flying from outside Syrian borders.

The Syrian conflict is simultaneously a civil war — pitting a brutal government against a multitude of political and military opposition forces — and a proxy war in which a host of outside powers are fighting for various regional and global hegemonies. And all of those overlapping wars are being fought to the last Syrian.

The reduction of Russian military attacks in Syria, along with Putin’s renewed call for greater Russian engagement in the peace process, may set the stage to reduce, though certainly not end, the proxy war component of the overall conflict.

A real reduction of violence, a durable ceasefire, and a viable peace process leading to an end to the Syrian war will require much more — more from Russia, certainly, but even more from the United States and its allies. There’s no indication yet that Russia’s move was coordinated with Washington, although White House spokespeople indicated that a Putin-Obama talk might be possible.

In the meantime, Washington should follow Russia’s lead and pressure its own proxy forces to shift towards diplomacy. The withdrawal of U.S. troops, special forces, drones, and warplanes from Syria, paralleling the Russian move, would be an important first step. Further moves must include an end to both the CIA’s and the Pentagon’s programs to train and arm rebel forces in Syria. Finally, the U.S. should pressure its regional allies to stop arming Syrian opposition forces, which could also keep those U.S.-supplied arms out of the hands of ISIS and the al Qaeda-linked Nusra Front.

All of those moves would, like the Russian withdrawal, reduce the proxy war raging in Syria — and give Washington greater leverage to urge Russia and Iran to go even further and stop arming the Syrian regime.

For too long Moscow and Washington have tried to outmuscle each other by escalating the devastating Syrian war. Now, for once, they’ve got a chance to escalate their efforts to end it.
____________

Phyllis Bennis is a Fellow of the Institute for Policy Studies. Her most recent book is *Understanding ISIS & the New Global War on Terror: A Primer.*

Thursday, March 24, 2016

Weapons Embargo

My favorite Presidential candidate speaks on solutions to the Middle East crisis.

Tuesday, March 22, 2016

NYC anti-war protest



Photos by Ellen Davidson, taken at Times Square on March 19, 2016. This was probably the only anti-war demonstration on the 13th anniversary of the illegal war of aggression by the USA on Iraq. Americans now seem to think this war has ended - even though we are dropping bombs there daily and have thousands of troops inside the borders of Iraq.

Of course, we are also bombing Somalia, Yemen, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Libya and Syria. Seven countries in total - all majority Muslim countries.

There will be blowback, even if the American people are totally obtuse about what their government is doing. There will be blowback, probably like what we saw on 9/11. We are not innocents. We are killers.

Sunday, March 20, 2016

Upcoming events for the week of March 20, 2016

It is now 13 years after the massive bombing and invasion and illegal occupation of Iraq was started by the US government and US military. We still have thousands of troops there today. We are still dropping massive amounts of bombs in Iraq this year. This video was done in 2008, which was towards the end of the massively evil 'surge' that Bush and the US Congress allowed to happen. If you voted for any of these candidates, or paid taxes to pay for this, THEN THIS IS WHAT YOU CREATED:



UPCOMING EVENTS

03/21/16 INTRODUCTION TO FORMAL CONSENSUS WORKSHOP
How can democratic organizations ensure that their meetings and work spaces are places of empowerment? What circumstances promote the greatest engagement and creative input of participants, including individuals with divergent or dissenting views? These are questions that we will explore through a participatory workshop on formal consensus process. Libertie Valance and Julie Schneyer will draw from their years of experience as grassroots activists and worker-owners in a cooperative, consensus-driven workplace to help participants build their capacity for collaboration. According to the UK-based Rhizome Collective, “Consensus is a decision-making process that, when used with a co-operative state of mind, allows groups to come together and take inspired and creative decisions. It supports individuals to pool their power and work together as equals to produce results far better than they could produce alone. It's a process that can deepen the connection of a group. It can help a group to challenge and transform oppressive behaviour. It values those on the margins of a group as much as (or even more than at times) those in the mainstream of the group.” Sliding scale cost: $5-20. Includes coffee, tea and light refreshments. Time is 6 PM and location is Firestorm Cafe & Books at 610 Haywood Road in west Asheville. Contact Firestorm at info@firestorm.coop for more information.

03/21/16 TRANSITION ASHEVILLE COMMON TABLE
The Common Table is a group of Transition AshevilLe members who meet twice a month to guide our organization in achieving our vision.We invite you to join in our ongoing conversation and soul searching at Common Table meetings on the 1st and 3rd Mondays at 5:30 PM at First Congregational Church, 20 Oak Street in Asheville. Contact ron.martinadkins@gmail.com for more information.

03/21/16 to 03/25/16 EXHIBIT ON THE JAPANESE AMERICAN INTERNMENT AT UNCA
The March exhibit is “The Tragedy of War: The Japanese American Internment” and will be on display until March 25, 2016 at Karpen Lobby at UNCA. During World War II 120,000 ethnic Japanese on the west coast, two-thirds of them American citizens, were forced into a series of camps to live under armed guard. Japanese-American confinement was authorized by President Franklin D. Roosevelt and supported by Congress and the Supreme Court. Authorities feared that Japanese residents were disloyal and might aid in a Japanese invasion of the United States. Japanese Americans contested these charges throughout the war and later sought formal redress. “I was born here, and I had the Bill of Rights that should have backed me up. . . . How can they do that to an American citizen?”- Robert Kashigawa. Come see the exhibit and reflect on a shameful part of American history.

03/21/16 F (FEMINIST) - WORD FILM FESTIVAL AT UNCA
This is a screening and panel discussion of “Three to Infinity” the first feature documentary on people who are neither male nor female. This will be at 7 PM at the Laurel Forum in Karpen Hall at UNCA. Free and open to the public.

03/22/16 F (FEMINIST) - WORD FILM FESTIVAL AT UNCA
Filmmaker Maha Marouan will screen her 30 minute short documentary “Voices of Muslim Women from the US South” and participate in a post-screening Q&A. This will be at 7 PM at the Laurel Forum in Karpen Hall at UNCA. Free and open to the public.

03/22/16 BENEFIT FOR PISGAH LEGAL SERVICES
Please join us for our annual celebration. There will be a cocktail reception, live music, and awards honoring Anne Kimmel, Roy W. Davis, Jr., George Ward Hendon. Time is 5:30 PM. Contact betsy@pisgahlegal.org for more information, including how to get tickets.

03/22/16 WNC 4 PEACE MEETING
Next meeting is the fourth Tuesday of March (22nd) , at Atlanta Bread Company on Merrimon Avenue in Asheville. Time is 6 PM. Contact Craig at herbzone@gmail.com for more information.

03/22/16 BENEFIT FOR SAFE WATER NOW
In 1993, the UN General Assembly designated March 22 as the first World Water Day. It is a day to celebrate water, and to learn about water management and to make a difference for those who suffer from water-related issues. SAFE Water Now is a nonprofit that is dedicated to saving lives through accessible water filtration and education. They will be accepting donations to fund safe water filters for a Tanzanian orphanage that cares for 80 children. Avenue M restaurant will donate 5% of their food sales to SAFE Water Now. This will run from 5 to 10 PM and will be held at Avenue M on Merrimon Avenue in north Asheville. For more information, call Avenue M.

03/22/16 PEOPLE’S ADVOCACY AND ACTION GROUP: VOTING 101
What is the People’s Advocacy & Action Group? Have you ever wanted to make a difference around issues that affect you and your family? This group meets bi-monthly to talk about our lives, learn skills, to advocate for ourselves, and take action immediately on a different issue at each gathering. Come to one event or as many as you can. Learn about voter rights, how elections work, what issues you care about, and tools to help you know what the candidates believe about those issues. You can register to vote and help get your friends/neighbors engage in voting. Time is 6 to 8 PM and location is United Way Building, First Floor Conference room, at 50 South French Broad Avenue in downtown Asheville. The People's Advocacy & Action group is a program of Just Economics WNC and Voting 101 will be held in partnership with Democracy North Carolina and Spirit in Action's “We the People.” Dinner is provided. For more information, contact Amy Cantrell at Just Economics at 828-505-7466. 

03/23/16 EARTH LIBERATION NOT MASS INCARCERATION TALK
Panagiotis Tsolkas will talk about his work with Campaign to Fight Toxic Prisons, challenging a proposed federal prison on top of a former mountaintop removal coal mine in Eastern Kentucky. His presentation uses several short films and a slideshow to give an overview of the “Prison Ecology” in the context of the rural prison-building boom that occurred over the past two decades, highlighting several toxic prison facilities and the efforts to challenge them. The talk is also aimed at building momentum for the upcoming Convergence in Support of Eco-prisoners and Against Toxic Prisons in Washington, DC June 11-13. The convergence will bring together the eco-defense movement and the prison abolition to strategize and take direct action against the prison industrial complex in the spirit of the June 11 movement. Time is 8 PM and location is Firestorm Cafe & Books at 610 Haywood Road in west Asheville. Contact Firestorm at info@firestorm.coop for more information.

03/23/16 FORUM ON DOWNTOWN ASHEVILLE DEVELOPMENT
This is a drop-in meeting about the level of review for development in the Central Business District. Time is 4 to 7 PM. Location is Lord Auditorium in Pack Memorial Library at 67 Haywood Street in downtown Asheville. City Council is interested in making changes to development rules for the Central Business District. These rules were last written in 2010, after the adoption of the Downtown Master Plan in 2009. The recent surge in downtown development has caused some reconsideration of how projects are reviewed. At the meeting, three main topics will be discussed: levels of review; the process for Level III projects; and the hotel development process. Staff will give a short presentation at 4:15 PM and then again at 5:45 PM, which will give attendees background and an understanding of the issues under consideration. After each staff presentation, participants can visit any or all of the stations for each of these topics. For more information, email Sasha Vrtunski at svrtunski@ashevillenc.gov or call 828-259-5560.

03/24/16 VOICE OF THE TUNISIAN REVOLUTION AT UNCA
Firebrand Tunisian singer, songwriter, and composer Emel Mathlouthi stands with the great divas of the Arab World. She gained attention when her song “Kelmti Horra (My Word is Free)” was adopted by the Arab Spring revolutionaries and soon became an anthem throughout the region. Her gorgeous, intricate sound moves between rock, trip-hop, and electronica, with a strong Arabic and north African connections. Tickets are $6 - $20. Time is 7 PM and location is Lipinsky Auditorium. 

03/24/16 PALESTINIAN SPEAKER AT WARREN WILSON COLLEGE
Iyad Burnat will be speaking at Warren Wilson College, in the Canon Lounge of Gladfelter Hall, from 6 PM to 7:30 PM. His visit is co-sponsored by Just Peace for Israel/Palestine, and the Department of Religious Studies and Peace & Justice Studies at WWC. Iyad Burnat is the coordinator for the popular committee in Bil’in, Palestine, a small farming village 7 miles west of Ramallah in the occupied West Bank, a village known as the setting for the award winning film 5 Broken Cameras. For eleven years Iyad and the Popular Committee have organized the people to Bil’in to participate in weekly nonviolent demonstrations against the confiscation of their land, destruction of their olive trees, and Israel’s illegal Separation Wall and settlements. In the summer of 2014, Iyad's then 15-year-old teenage son, Majd was shot in the leg by the Israeli military while attending a nonviolent protest in Bi'in during Israel's 2014 assault on Gaza. The gunshot severed a nerve in Majd's leg, causing him to permanently lose all feeling in his foot.  Recently Iyad released a book describing his village’s ongoing struggle for justice and freedom, and what inspires them to continue non-violent resistance. For more information, contact Ken at jonesk@maine.edu. 

03/24/16 AUTHOR EVENT AT FIRESTORM
Iyad Burnat, Palestinian activist and author, will be hosting a discussion at 3 PM at Firestorm Café and Books in West Asheville. This is free and open to the public. Burnat is the coordinator for the Popular Committee in Bil’in, Palestine, a small farming village seven miles west of Ramallah in the occupied West Bank. For eleven years he and the Popular Committee have organized the people in Bil’in to participate in weekly nonviolent demonstrations protesting the confiscation of their land, destruction of their olive trees and Israel’s illegal Separation Wall and settlements. The story of this resistance is the subject of the award-winning film “5 Broken Cameras”. Mr. Burnat was the 2015 recipient of the prestigious James Lawson Award for Achievement in the Practice of Nonviolent Conflict given by Tufts University. He recently released the book Bil’in and the Nonviolent Resistance describing his village’s ongoing struggle for justice and freedom and what inspires them to continue non-violent resistance.His visit is sponsored by Just Peace for Israel/Palestine.Time is 3 to 4:30 PM and location is Firestorm Cafe & Books at 610 Haywood Road in west Asheville. For more information, contact Ken at jonesk@maine.edu. 

03/24/16 WAR IS A RACKET PLAY
This one-person performance is based on the book “War is a Racket” by General Butler, a highly decorated Marine who retired and then spent the last years of his life opposed to the USA’s entry into WW II. This is presented by Namaya, throughs stories, dramatization and multimedia. Donations appreciated. Presented in cooperation with Veterans for Peace. Time is 7 to 9 PM and location is Asheville Friends Meeting at 227 Edgewood Road in Asheville. For more information, contact info@b4peace.net.

03/25/16 AUTHOR TALK ON “WAR IS A LIE” BOOK
RootsAction campaign coordinator David Swanson will speak about the latest developments in the telling and the debunking of lies about wars. He'll answer questions and sign copies of his new book, “War Is A Lie: Second Edition”. This will be held at Battery Park Apartments at 1 Battle Square in downtown Asheville. Time is noon to 2 PM. David Swanson is an author and activist who has dedicated himself to challenging the repetitive falsehoods generated by those in power to justify armed conflict. War Is A Lie is a handbook of sorts, an engaging, always informative manual that can be used to debunk future lies before new wars have any chance to begin. For this edition of the book, the original 2010 version has been updated and expanded with material on lessons from the United States' most recent wars, more pointers on what can be done to end warmaking, and an epilogue that analyzes new trends in war lying and in resistance to it. No one to whom you give this book can claim they haven't been warned!

03/25/16 FREE SOCIAL JUSTICE MOVIE NIGHTS
Fridays at Kairos West there will be a four part film series and potluck. The potluck gathering will begin at 6:30 and last until 7:30. Bring something tasty to share if you can. We'll have some food and coffee/tea available also. On March 25th, the third installment in the series is “No.” And on April 8th, the last film in the series will be “We Are Many” (tentative provided we receive a copy in time). Free and open to the public. Time is 6:30 PM for the potluck and 7:30 PM for the movie. Location is Kairos West Community Center at 742 Haywood Road in west Asheville. Children are welcome at this event! We will use the front room of the community center as a kid friendly space during the movie. If you'd like to coordinate with us and other caregivers on supervised childcare options, please let us know in advance! This is a facebook event, so go there for more information.

03/25/16 SYNTHETIC FOREST PRESENTATION
People across the so-called US are hosting screenings of Synthetic Forests the week of March 20th as part of a 'raising awareness' campaign that hopes to stop the spread of genetically engineered trees before they are grown in the open. “Synthetic Forests features interviews with leading scientists and activists who share their insights and experience on the negative effects genetically engineered trees can have to communities, ecosystems and indigenous peoples. Corporations in the US and Brazil have requested government authorization to release hundreds of millions of genetically engineered eucalyptus trees for fuel and pulp. We have recently learned that the GE Loblolly Pine and Arctic Apple have been approved by the USDA, so the time to act is now!” Time is 7 PM and location is Firestorm Cafe & Books at 610 Haywood Road in west Asheville. Contact Firestorm at info@firestorm.coop for more information.

03/25/16 FREE SPEECH ON CAMPUS LECTURE AT UNCA
Geoffrey Stone will give a lecture on “Free Speech on Campus: The Future of Academic Freedom”. This lecture by Geoffrey Stone, one of the foremost First Amendment scholars in the US, is free and open to the public. Stone is the Edward H. Levi Distinguished Service Professor of Law at the University of Chicago. He is the author of many books and co-author of the Obama Administration's “Snowden Report”. Time is 6:30 to 8 PM and location is Carmichael Humanities Lecture Hall, room 139, at UNCA. Contact Brian at bbutler@unca.edu for more information.

3/26/16 RETURNING GUANTANAMO PRESENTATION
In December 2014, President Obama announced his initiative to re-establish relations with Cuba. Many Americans support Cuba and are working to have the US government lift the blockade, stop torture at the detention facility on the US naval base in Guantanamo, close the base, and return the property to the Cuban people. In November 2015, Asheville’s Cindy Heil was a member of the “Code Pink: Women for Peace” delegation to the 4th International Seminar for Peace and Abolition of Foreign Military Bases in Guantanamo City, Cuba. Please join us at The Block off Biltmore at 39 S. Market Street in Asheville from 3 to 5 PM on Saturday, March 26, 2016, to learn about Cindy’s experience. While you enjoy a drink from the extensive beverage menu, you will learn about the global reach of the US military through a slide-show presentation and, if you choose, you can also make this a Code Pink fundraiser with a donation! Call 828-254-9277 for more information.

03/28/16 CONNECTION PRACTICE 
The Connection Practice: Communicating with Empathy & Insight. First of 5 week series with Cathy Holt. Time is 7 to 9 PM. Location not provided. For more information, call Cathy at 828-545-9681 or email her at cathyfholt@gmail.com. 

03/28/16 ART AT WESTERN CAROLINA UNIVERSITY
“From Apartheid to Democracy” exhibit is from the Apartheid Museum in Johannesburg, South Africa. This will be held in Hunter Library, 2nd floor gallery. This runs until May 20, 2016. 

03/28/16 IDLE NO MORE DISCUSSION AT MARS HILL UNIVERSITY
The “Idle No More” movement is, essentially, a movement akin to the Black Lives Matter but with a focus on Native Americans. Students in the NASA and Dr. Hawn will moderate a discussion of this political organization, why Native Americans have been marginalized in American politics, and why everyone should care about equalizing relationships with all people of color. Time is 5 to 6PM and location is Belk Auditorium at Mars Hill University.

03/29/16 SPEECH ABOUT CHEROKEE WOMEN AT MARS HILL UNIVERSITY
The Liston B. Ramsey Center for Regional Studies will present, “Cherokee Women: Respected Not Ranked; Contrasting Ways That Cultures Value Women,” on Tuesday, March 29, at 7 PM in Broyhill Chapel at Mars Hill University. Dr. Barbara Duncan, speaker, is the education director of the Museum of the Cherokee Indian in Cherokee, NC. This event will celebrate Women's History Month. It is sponsored by Regional Studies, Women's Studies, and the Ramsey Center. It is free and open to the public.

03/29/16 NC HOUSING COALITION LISTENING SESSION
There is not a single, simple solution to housing affordability. Housing policy is not glamorous and can sometimes appear confusing. ‘Zoning’ and ‘block grants’ are not terms that will make you the life of the party. But, we need advocates to roll up their sleeves and get in the game. Bring your passion for the issue and we'll be there to help you learn the ropes. Your first step is on March 29. Join us at the NC Housing Coalition's Listening Session, Tuesday, March 29, from 1 to 3 PM, at MAHEC. The event is free, but registration is required. At the session, you will learn about recent developments in state and federal affordable housing policy; and shape a statewide policy agenda by participating in a facilitated conversation about the affordable housing dynamics of the Asheville region. Contact Greg at gregb@childrenfirstbc.org for information on how to register, for more information in general and if you need a ride to MAHEC. This is sponsored by Children First Buncombe County.

03/29/16 STEM LECTURE AT UNCA
The STEM Lecture Series is interdisciplinary with a focus on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. The upcoming lectures for winter term are multidisciplinary and will highlight how different STEM disciplines are used in a unified program, where the success of each program depends on the interaction of more than one discipline. On March 29, the topic will be 'Statistics and the Environment - Using Flexible Statistical Models to Model a Variety of Scientific Data' by Dr. Steve Patch, UNC Asheville Mathematics Department. This event is free and open to the public. Time is 4:30 to 6 PM and location is Reuter Center, room 206, at UNCA.

03/30/16 DUKE ENERGY AND THE CLIMATE CRISIS PRESENTATION
Warren-Wilson College Environmental and Social Justice Crew, Alliance for Energy Democracy, NC WARN, Duke Environmental Law and Policy Clinic and the Climate Times present “Duke Energy and the Climate Crisis”. A free, public event on the economic and climate impacts of Duke Energy's massive expansion of natural gas use, including 560 new Megawatts of generating capacity at the Arden facility. Speakers include engineer Bill Powers, Rev.Rodney Sadler, Jr., of the NC NAACP, Connie Leeper of NC Warn, solar developer Dave Hollister and former educator and activist Steve Norris. This will take place in the Canon Lounge at Warren Wilson College. Time is 7 PM. Free and open to the public. More info at 919-416-5077. 

03/30/16 RESTORATIVE CIRCLES PRESENTATION
“Restorative Circles: Supporting Community and Co-operative Living” with Steve Torma. The idea for Restorative Circles method arose amid the poverty, inequality, and injustice in the favelas of Rio de Janeiro. The idea has spread and is now being practiced in communities around the world. Restorative Circles works on the street, and it also works in people’s minds, building the idea of a community-based justice system and redefining “justice” in terms that are positive and inclusive. This is a powerful tool for anyone interested in working or living in the cooperative way. This program is a collaboration between the French Broad Food Co-op and Firestorm Café and Books. Free and open to the general public. Donations accepted to support the work. Time is 7 PM and location is Firestorm Cafe & Books at 610 Haywood Road in west Asheville. Contact Firestorm at info@firestorm.coop for more information or call Daav Wheeler at (828) 989-6805.

03/31/16 HOOD TALK MEETING
Next session will be on Thursday, March 31st, from 6 - 8 PM at the YWCA on South French Broad Street in Asheville. No further information at this time.

04/02/16 INTERFAITH RESPONSE TO IMMIGRATION RAIDS AND DEPORTATIONS
Interfaith Response to Immigration Raids and Deportations Forum is a forum for faith communities with Anton Flores-Maisonet. Time will be 6:30 to 8:30 PM, with location to be announced soon. Join us as we hear about the impact a new wave of deportations is having on the lives of immigrants and explore faith-based actions to protect families in Western North Carolina who face the threat of raids and deportations. At the beginning of 2016, ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) stepped up deportations of undocumented Central Americans in North Carolina. This forum is sponsored by Circle of Mercy congregation, in partnership with Nuestro Centro, CIMA (Compañeros Inmigrantes de las Montañas en Acción), and Center for Participatory Change. For more information contact Bill at billramsey3@gmail.com or 828-319-7652. 

04/05/16 TEACHING THE HOLOCAUST
This will be held at the Hinds University center Ballroom at Western Carolina University from 8:30 AM to 3:30 PM. Through the  N. C. Council on the Holocaust and the  UNC Asheville Center for Diversity Education, a professional development day-long workshop for 5th - 12th grade teachers (with a special focus on history and literature) will be offered in the spring in WNC. The workshop will include a lecture by  Dr. Eric Roubinek  in the morning and a witness testimony by Dr. Walter Ziffer in the afternoon along with excellent resources from experienced Holocaust educators. The Center for Diversity Education has additional free resources for teaching about the Holocaust as does the N. C. Council on the Holocaust. For more information, contact dmiles@unca.edu  and register here

04/05/16 CREATION CARE ALLIANCE HOSTS CLIMATE SCIENTIST
This keynote address by Climate Scientist Katharine Hayhoe is open to the public. Named to Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in the World list for 2014, Katharine Hayhoe is an atmospheric scientist who studies climate change, one of the most pressing issues facing humanity today. But Katharine may be best-known to many people because of how she’s bridging the broad, deep gap between scientists and Christians - work she does in part because she’s a Christian herself. Together with her husband Andrew Farley, a professor of applied linguistics, pastor of Church without Religion, and best-selling author, Katharine wrote A Climate for Change: Global Warming Facts for Faith-Based Decisions, a book that untangles the complex science and tackles many long-held misconceptions about global warming.  Her work as a climate change evangelist has been featured on the Emmy award-winning documentary series “Years of Living Dangerously” and “The Secret Life of Scientists and Engineers”. Time is 7 PM and location is First Baptist Church at 5 Oak Street. All are welcome. Free. Email Creation Care Alliance of Western North Carolina at creationcare@mountaintrue.org for more information and instructions on how to register.

04/05/16 COLLABORATIVE COMMUNITIES RECEPTION
Collaborative Communities Reception with Climate Scientist Katharine Hayhoe (see above for more information on her) will be hosted by Creation Care Alliance of WNC. Time is 5 to 6:30 PM and location is Lenoir Rhyne Graduate Studies Center at 36 Montford Avenue (Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce). Space is limited. All are welcome. Free. Email Creation Care Alliance of Western North Carolina at creationcare@mountaintrue.org for more information and instructions on how to register.

04/05/16 BOOK REVIEW AT UNCA
“The Most Dangerous Communist in the United States” by Dr. Gary Murell. Dr Gary Murell, who is a Professor of History at Gray's Harbor College in Washington, will discuss his new book on the life of Herbert Aptheker, an American Radical of the mid 20th century, literary executor of WEB DuBois, and pioneer in African American history. Time is 7 to 8:30 PM and location is Karpen Hall 139. For more information, contact Tracey Rizzo, 828-251-6315 or trizzo@unca.edu.

04/06/16 SIERRA CLUB MEETING AND GREEN DRINKS
Jason Walls and Amy Musser will talk about Duke’s Power Plant and Home Energy Efficiency. Time is 7 PM and location is Unitarian Universalist Congregation at 1 Edwin Place (Charlotte Street and Edwin Place) in Asheville.  Contact judymattox@sbcglobal.net or 828-683-2176 for more information. Free and open to the public.  

04/08/16 FREE SOCIAL JUSTICE MOVIE NIGHTS
Fridays at Kairos West there will be a four part film series and potluck. The potluck gathering will begin at 6:30 and last until 7:30. Bring something tasty to share if you can. We'll have some food and coffee/tea available also. And on April 8th, the last film in the series will be “We Are Many” (tentative provided we receive a copy in time). Free and open to the public. Time is 6:30 PM for the potluck and 7:30 PM for the movie. Location is Kairos West Community Center at 742 Haywood Road in west Asheville. Children are welcome at this event! We will use the front room of the community center as a kid friendly space during the movie. If you'd like to coordinate with us and other caregivers on supervised childcare options, please let us know in advance! This is a facebook event, so go there for more information.

04/08/16 TINY HOME AND LIVING TOUR FROM MOUNTAIN TRUE
Sign up for MountainTrue’s Tiny Home and Living Tour. Join us for a tour and presentation with Wishbone Tiny Homes, located in West Asheville. Featured on Tiny House Nation (FYI Network), Wishbone Tiny Homes is a family owned and operated NC General Contracting company and RV manufacturer focused on meeting the diverse needs of the next generation tiny home buyer. Our tour and presentation will take a look at green building, sustainability, and we will get to take a look at a model tiny home. Time is 1:30 to 3:30 PM. Location is Wishbone Tiny Homes at 355 Haywood Road in west Asheville. Registration deadline is Wednesday, April 6th at 5:00 PM. Call Ella at 258-8737, ext 216 or email her at ella@mountaintrue.org for more information including how to register.

04/09/16 RICHMOND HILL INVASIVE PLANT REMOVAL WORK DAY
Richmond Hill Park invasive plant removal work day will run from 9 AM to 1 PM. Free. Join us and help restore native plant communities by controlling non-native invasive plants at Richmond Hill Park in Asheville. This is the City of Asheville’s only forested park and is home to many special native plant and animal species. We’ll provide all gloves, equipment and instruction needed. Please bring snacks, water, rain jacket and wear long pants, long sleeve shirt and closed toe shoes (no open shoes or sandals allowed for safety). This event will be held during the second Saturday of every month. (Rain Date: Second Sunday) Email Amanda at amanda@mountaintrue.org for more information. 

04/09/16 CITIZENS CLIMATE LOBBY MEETING
Citizens Climate Lobby meets the second Saturday of each month at Kairos West Community Center, 742 Haywood Road in west Asheville. We are advocating for a Carbon Fee & Dividend, which would impose a fee on fossil fuels at point entry; this fee will be refunded to individuals and families. There is bipartisan support in Congress as this will create jobs and help grow the economy, boosting renewables. Time is 12:30 to 3 PM. For more information, contact asheville@citizensclimatelobby.org.

04/11/16 TRANSITION ASHEVILLE SOCIAL
Topic will be “Gardening Tips” with Samantha Beharrysingh. Location is St. Mary's Episcopal Church at 337 Charlotte Street in north Asheville. Time is 6 to 8 PM. If you have questions, comments, concerns, or want to know how to get involved in cultivating a more resilient Asheville, please let us know by sending an email to TransitionAsheville@gmail.com.

04/12/16 LUNCH N LEARN AT UNCA
Unpacking “Whitesplain” - Becoming Better Allies for People of Color. Facilitator will be Preston Keith, Assistant Director of the Intercultural Center and Multicultural Student Programs. Time is noon to 1 PM and location is Intercultural Center at Highsmith Union 114 at UNCA.

04/14/16 HENDERSONVILLE GREEN DRINKS
Hendersonville Green Drinks will focus on the work of the Southern Environmental Law Center. Patrick Hunter, staff attorney in the Asheville office of the Southern Environmental Law Center will speak on SELC’s work, including his focus projects of protecting our southern forests and the local coal ash clean-up. Come to Green Drinks to learn more about current environmental issues, have relevant discussions, and meet with like-minded people. This is a monthly event and everyone is welcome. You don’t have to drink at Green Drinks, just come and listen. Time is 5:30 to 8 PM and location is Black Bear Coffee Company at 318 North Main Street in Hendersonville. For more information, contact Black Bear at 828-MY-COFFEE.

04/15/16 GLOBAL DAY AGAINST MILITARY SPENDING

04/16/16  HOW DO WE FIX OUR BROKEN WORLD?
We need hope, we need change, we need justice - and we have help. In this divided world Maitreya, the world teacher, is stepping forward. His mission has begun. Mastery and his group of enlightened teachers, are here to help us reverse the damage we have done to our planet and inspired us to create a new civilization based on sharing the world’s resources and justice - the way to lasting peace. Free presentations at 2 PM at Asheville Friends Meeting at 227 Edgewood Road in Asheville NC. Please call McNair at 828-398-0609 for more information. Sponsored by Share International Southeast.

04/18/16 UNITED TO RESTORE DEMOCRACY MEETING

04/20/16 GREEN DRINKS
Time is 5:30 PM to gather and eat. Program begins at 6:30 PM. Location is The Spot at 76 Biltmore Avenue in downtown Asheville. Green Drinks is now under MeetUp. Call The Spot for more information at 828-575-2729.

04/22/16 EARTH DAY

04/22/16 OUR VOICE ZINE READING
This event is co-hosted by UNC Asheville’s Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies Program and OurVOICE, and is free and open to the public. This event will include material, sometimes graphic, and discussion about rape and abuse; audience discretion is advised. Our Voice: Survivors Speak will include a reading of selected zine submissions and an open mic session for those interested in speaking or adding their creative voice to the topic of sexual violence and its effects on the community. The event is the culmination of a semester-long collaboration between UNC Asheville and OurVOICE, a nonprofit organization that serves all individuals in Buncombe County affected by sexual assault and abuse. Location is Malaprops in downtown Asheville and time is 7 PM. Contact Malaprops for more information.

04/23/16 HARD TO RECYCLE COLLECTION
Free to the public, recycling event, accepting items of all sorts. Now with two locations. Founded in 2011 by Rainbow Recycling, Hard 2 Recycle events are free to the public collections geared to bring awareness to other modes of recycling to our area. Four quarterly held collections to cover the four corners of the County and one central event in Downtown Asheville. Our goal is to educate, collect and divert items that would normally end up in the landfill: styrofoam, electronics, books, batteries, cooking oil and much more. Not accepting the following items: paints, stains, sealers, CFL or fluorescent or incandescent bulbs; chip & snack bags; petroleum products; hard plastics; vinyl / PVC / VHS / cassette tapes; plate glass, foam; wooden items or cement. Main collection from 8 AM to 1 PM at City Market Tailgate at 161 Charlotte Street in downtown Asheville and satellite collection from 8 AM to noon at First Baptist Church at 5 Oak Street in downtown Asheville.

04/24/16 EARTH DAY VIGIL 
The Creation Care Alliance of Western North Carolina invites you to join us for a vigil celebrating God's creation and calling on people of faith to care for it.  We will gather in the grass of All Souls Episcopal Cathedral, in Biltmore Village at 9 Swan Street in Asheville for an afternoon of song, reflection, and to hear messages of inspiration and action from local faith and community leaders. All are welcome! Time is 5:30 to 6:30 PM.

04/25/16 KEN ILGUNAS READING & SIGNING
Ken Ilgunas’ amazing adventure, detailed in Trespassing Across America, took him along the length of the proposed Keystone XL pipeline on foot, a journey that gave him firsthand insight into the people and places that would be most affected by the pipeline. Combining travel narrative, science, statistics, and cultural commentary, the book synthesizes multiple genres to make a profound statement about our world’s shifting landscapes. Author Candace Savage praises it as “an exhilarating adventure” that will leave you “emboldened and filled with hope.” Ken is the author of Walden on Wheels and has hitchhiked 10,000 miles across North America and paddled 1,000 miles across Ontario in a birch-bark canoe. Location is Malaprops in downtown Asheville and time is 7 PM. Contact Malaprops for more information.

04/26/16 NELDA HOLDER READING & SIGNING
In her book The Thirteenth Juror: Investigating the Grand Jury Transcripts, Nelda Holder transports us into the ranks of the 12 members of the grand jury in the Michael Brown Case. She reports on the details of the case in depth and argues for an overhaul of the grand jury process in this country while also highlighting the tragic events in Ferguson, MO, and their aftermath. Nelda is a seasoned journalist who worked as the associate editor of the Mountain Xpress and now manages Politically Purple NC. Location is Malaprops in downtown Asheville and time is 7 PM. Contact Malaprops for more information.

04/29/16 TRACEY RIZZO READING & SIGNING
Tracey Rizzo’s new work, Intimate Empires: Body, Race, and Gender in the Modern World, co-authored with Steven Gerontakis, is an examination of identity in the age of empires and colonization. Designed to be accessible for undergraduates, scholars, and interested readers alike, this text is invaluable for its insights into the shifting categories of race and gender in a period of intense change. Julia Clancy-Smith (U of AZ) says that the book “offers a fascinating interpretive overview of recent thinking on gender, race, and empire through deep analysis of images as evidence…It is unique in a crowded field.” Tracey is the Chair of UNCA’s History Department. Location is Malaprops in downtown Asheville and time is 7 PM. Contact Malaprops for more information.

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ONGOING EVENTS
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TUESDAY
Veterans for Peace have a weekly vigil at 4:30 PM at Pack Square, Vance Monument
Showing Up for Racial Justice is from noon to 2 PM at Firestorm Cafe and Books at 610 Haywood Road in west Asheville. Educating and organizing white people for racial justice. Free.
Orientation session for Asheville Timebank. 4 PM at Firestorm Cafe & Books at 610 Haywood Road in west Asheville. Email help@ashevilletimebank.org for information and to register. 


WEDNESDAY
Haywood Peace Vigilers have a weekly vigil at 4 PM at Haywood County Courthouse in Waynesville
French Broad Riverkeeper has a paddle-n-plant to prevent sediment erosion most Wednesdays and Saturdays. Registration required at anna@mountaintrue.org. 

THURSDAY
Political Prisoners Letter Writing at Firestorm Cafe & Books at 6 PM on first Thursday of the month. Materials provided.

FRIDAY
Women in Black have a weekly vigil at noon at the City Hall in Hendersonville
Women in Black have a monthly vigil at 5 PM at Vance Monument in Asheville (first Friday only)

SATURDAY
Transylvanians for Peace and WNC Physicians for Social Responsibility have a weekly vigil at noon in front of the courthouse in Brevard. Call 884-3435 to confirm. 
Third Saturdays – Asheville’s Green Grannies invites the public to “sing for the climate” at Pritchard Park at 5 PM.
French Broad Riverkeeper has a paddle-n-plant to prevent sediment erosion most Wednesdays and Saturdays. Registration required at anna@mountaintrue.org. 

SUNDAY
Youth OUTright meeting from 4 to 6 PM at First Congregational United Church of Christ at 20 Oak Street in Asheville. Ages 14 - 23 only.

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ACTIONS AND READINGS
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Alert: Clean up Cliffside Coal Ash
Please write public comments
Email: rogerscomments@ncdenr.gov

Mail: Debra Watts, N.C. Division of Water Resources, Groundwater Protection Section, N.C. Department of Environmental Quality, 
Attn: Debra Watts, 1636 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-1611.

Date: comments received by April 18, 2016 will be considered in determining final impoundment classifications.

North Carolina’s Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) has finally released the long-awaited draft priority classifications for state’s 14 coal ash dumpsites. Sadly, DEQ has not recommended the coal ash dumps at Cliffside in Rutherford and Cleveland Counties for complete cleanup, leaving the surrounding communities and all those downstream at risk from toxic pollution.

Despite the fact that Cliffside’s coal ash has been polluting groundwater and the Broad River with unsafe amounts of toxic heavy metals for years, DEQ recommends two of the three for low priority classification--meaning they could be left in place on the banks of the Broad River to pollute our waters in perpetuity.

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Show your support for the Energy Innovation Task Force

This Tuesday, March 22, Asheville City Council will vote on a resolution to establish the Energy Innovation Task Force. Then on April 5, Buncombe County Commission will meet to vote on the same joint resolution. Once established, his task force will bring together representatives from the City, County, Duke Energy and community partners to work toward to a cleaner, affordable and smarter energy future.

The work of the Energy Innovation Task Force will be to strategize and implement a plan that will meet the region’s future energy demand through more energy efficiency and investment in renewable energy infrastructure so that we can avoid the construction of a third natural-gas-powered “peaking” unit at Lake Julian.

Asheville City Council Meeting
March 22 at 5:00 p.m.
Asheville City Hall
70 Court Plaza, 2nd Floor
Asheville, NC 28801

Buncombe County Commissioners Meeting
April 5 at 4:30 p.m.
Buncombe County Building
200 College Street, 3rd Floor
Asheville, NC 28801

Public comment will be accepted. Come to both the Asheville City Council meeting and the County Commission meeting and show your support for the creation of the Energy Innovation Task Force!

Text of the Resolution

RESOLUTION NO. __________
RESOLUTION ESTABLISHING A JOINT CITY, COUNTY AND UTILITY ENERGY INNOVATION TASK FORCE FOR THE PURPOSE OF RESEARCHING, PRIORITIZING, RECOMMENDING AND IMPLEMENTING  RECOMMENDATIONS TO CREATE ENERGY EFFICIENCY, DEMAND SIDE MANAGEMENT AND RENEWABLE ENERGY OPPORTUNITIES TO REDUCE ENERGY USE     IN BUNCOMBE COUNTY_________________

WHEREAS, Buncombe County adopted a resolution regarding Buncombe County Energy Independence on December 3, 2013; and
WHEREAS, the City of Asheville adopted a resolution Supporting a Clean Energy Economy on October 22, 2013; and
WHEREAS, the region’s beauty, clean air, and clean water are vital to the residents of Buncombe County and the region’s economy; and
WHEREAS, the City of Asheville, Buncombe County, and Duke Energy Progress are committed to working to delay or avoid the construction of an additional fossil fuel-powered combustion turbine electricity generating facility at the Asheville Plant site in 2023; and
WHEREAS, the City of Asheville, Buncombe County, and Duke Energy Progress desire a transition to a cleaner, affordable, and smarter energy future in Western North Carolina, rooted in community engagement and collaboration, that is mutually beneficial to the community, customers and Duke Energy Progress; and
WHEREAS, Duke Energy Progress has agreed to co-convene with the City of Asheville and Buncombe County a joint Energy Innovation Task Force to transition to a cleaner, affordable, and smarter energy future through active community engagement, deliberate investment in distributed energy resources and greater promotion of and access to energy efficiency and demand-side management programs, subject to appropriate North Carolina Utilities Commission approval; and
WHEREAS, supporting a clean energy future will foster protection of natural resources, help mitigate climate change, and facilitate the growth of the clean energy industry in our region; and
WHEREAS, the task force will engage with our community to provide cost-effective services, programs and new products they value and expect through investment in clean and innovative ways to power Western North Carolina, while keeping rates competitive; and
WHEREAS, Buncombe County residents and businesses have the ability to seize this opportunity to use renewable energy and participate in energy efficiency and demand-side management programs to increase the region’s climate resiliency and to become a model to other communities in the state and country.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BUNCOMBE COUNTY COMMISSION AND ASHEVILLE CITY COUNCIL THAT:
Buncombe County, the City of Asheville and Duke Energy Progress have established a joint task force known as the “Energy Innovation Task Force” that will appoint members from local government, environmental and clean energy advocates, large and small businesses, local institutions and Duke Energy Progress to research, recommend and implement energy efficiency and demand-side management programs and projects and distributed energy technology in Buncombe County, subject to appropriate North Carolina Utilities Commission approval.  This Task Force will seek input from and engagement with the public as an integral part of its work.
Read, approved and adopted this __ day of March 2016.

Buncombe County Commission Chair Mayor, City of Asheville
County Clerk City Clerk
Approved as to form:
County Attorney City Attorney


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