Sunday, March 09, 2014

Upcoming events in the Asheville area this week





UPCOMING EVENTS

03/09/14 MOUNTAIN JUSTICE SPRING BREAK – WV
The Mountain Justice team in Doddridge County, WV is hosting college students and people of all ages March 9th-16th to learn about Mountaintop Removal Coal Mining (MTR) and its effects on our environment.  There will be workshops on related extractive industries, like fracking and nuclear power, Non-violent direct action organizing trainings, and discussions of current events like the West Virginia water crisis and Duke Energy’s recent Coal Ash spill into North Carolina’s Dan River.  You are welcome to attend all or part of this event.  Contact Elizabeth for more information at 720-560-5680 or  uu4life@yahoo.com.

03/10/14 NEW SOUTH NETWORK OF WAR RESISTERS FREEWAY BLOGGING
Freeway blogging at Charlotte Street I-240 overpass, 4-6 PM. Also at the Chamber of Commerce, Grove Park Inn, Flint St. Bridge, Montford Bridge. This is a response to the military industrial complex meeting at Grove Park Inn. For more info, contact 828-301-6683.

03/10/14 MOVE TO AMEND BUNCOMBE COUNTY MEETING
The MABCO Executive Committee Meeting is Monday, March 10 at 7 PM at the North Asheville, Library. Contact Ruth at ruthachristie@gmail.com for more information. This month we will review the history of key Supreme Court decisions -- including 'Citizens United,' and others which have granted corporations Constitutional Rights and legalized the concept that 'Money is Free Speech.' Also, we will discus the recent David Cobb video regarding progress and possible ways forward on MTA's agenda.

03/10/14 to 03/27/14 EXHIBIT ON ‘REMEBERING RAVENSBRUCK’
The Center For Diversity Education at UNCA is hosting an exhibit from Kennesaw State University Holocaust Museum called “Remembering Ravensbrück: Women and the Holocaust” from March 3 - March 27. Remembering Ravensbrück is on display at UNC Asheville in Karpen Lobby from 8:00 - 8:00 PM through March 27 during week days and is supported by WNC Jewish Federation. For more information, contact Deborah at dmiles@unca.edu.

03/10/14 to 3/19/14 “FREEDOM FOR ALL” EXHIBIT IN OLD FORT
African American history in North Carolina does not stop at the foothills, but extends west across the mountains, observes Earl Ijames, N.C. Museum of History curator of African American history. Archival records, journals, and other documents verify freedom seeking by the enslaved, and contributions by those free. The Freedom for All Exhibit is at the Mountain Gateway Museum through March 19. The exhibit examines the path from the Emancipation Proclamation to the 13th Amendment, which outlawed slavery in the United States. Ijames was the curator who organized the traveling exhibit, which will tour libraries, historic sites, museums, and other cultural venues through August 2015.

03/10/14 to 03/31/14 BLACK VAUDEVILLE EXHIBIT AT YMI CULTURAL CENTER
The YMI Cultural Center will feature the female performers of the “Chitlin' Circuit”, the collective name given to the string of performance venues for African American performers in the segregated South. The program includes a documentary about vaudeville comedian Jackie “Moms” Mabley, a Brevard NC native. The exhibit created was created by local Asheville High School graduate Kelly'e West. Admission is Free. Hours are Tuesday-Friday from 11:30 AM to 4 PM. Other hours by request.

03/11/14 REFLECTIONS ON ETHIOPIAN JEWRY
“Reflections on Ethiopian Jewry - Past, Present, and Future” Asher Seyum, Israeli Consul General to Gondar, Ethiopia, will share his personal experiences of being airlifted to Israel and, as Consul General, update us as to the status on the ground in Gondar today. This is sponsored by WNC Jewish Federation. Time is 7:30 PM and location is Congregation Beth Israel, 229 Murdock Rd.., Asheville, NC 28804. This event is free and open to the community. If you have any questions, feel free to contact the WNC Jewish Federation at administrator@jewishasheville.org.

03/11/14 GREAT DECISIONS LECTURE SERIES AT UNCA
"Israel." Modern Israel's struggles with the Palestinians have turned what was meant as a safe haven for Jews into the center of a decades-long conflict. The U.S. has stepped in as Israel's ally due to the two countries' shared values, providing years of unparalleled military and diplomatic support. But now those ties are being tested. The Arab Spring, Iran's nuclear ambitions, failed peace talks, and Israel's own decision to give Washington the cold shoulder have put new strains on the 65-year-old "special relationship." Speaker is Dr. Heather Hawn of Mars Hill University. The Great Decisions Program's goal is to discuss, debate, and learn about International Affairs, National Security, and U.S. Foreign Policy. Individual lectures are $10 each. Full time students admitted free of charge. Time is 7:30 PM and location is the Manheimer Room of the Reuter Center at UNCA. For further information email gpeery@mhu.edu or call 828-242-6380.

03/11/14 VETERANS FOR PEACE MEETING
Time is 6:30 PM and location is VFP HQ at the Phil Mechanic Studios: 109 Roberts Street in Asheville. VFP Chapter 099: http://vfpchapter099wnc.blogspot.com/

03/11/14 EDIBLE LANDSCAPING PRESENTATION
Master Gardener Sheila Dunn will speak about EDIBLE LANDSCAPING this Tuesday evening, March 11 at 7 PM at the Weaverville Town Hall. Sheila retired from the corporate world and became a Master Gardener in 2008. Inspired by the “EAT LOCAL” movement, she devotes most of her time to landscaping her rocky, steep Weaverville yard with edibles. She will present creative methods for adding perennial edibles to any landscape, such as fruits, nuts, and vegetables to grace trellises, walkways and decks. Sheila is also an avid mushroomer and beekeeper.

03/11/14 WNC ALLIANCE INFORMATION SESSION
Learn more about volunteering and representing WNCA at public events. Location is 29 North Market Street in Asheville, and time is 5:30 to 7 PM. Call 258-8737 for more information.

03/11/14 TO 03/13/14 WHOLE EARTH SUMMIT BY ASHEVILLAGE INSTITUTE
The Whole Earth Summit is a FRE epic global event, happening online March 11-13, hosted by local organization the Ashevillage Institute. 42 extraordinary visionaries, including Vandana Shiva, Bill McKibben, Charles Eisenstein, Joel Salatin plus many others are joining together to share valuable insights around food, water, the commons, ecological activism, regenerative design, social transformation, collective vision, and practical models for making a difference. Registration is free at www.WholeEarthSummit.org.

03/12/14 ASHEVILLE GREEN DRINKS
This will start at 6 PM, and location is Green Sage Coffeehouse and Café in downtown Asheville. The topic will be “Coal Ash In Our Backyard and Beyond”  presented by Joan Walker of Southern Alliance for Clean Energy and Anna Jane Joyner and Hartwell Carson of Western North Carolina Alliance and French Broad Riverkeeper. Coal ash, the toxic trash left when coal is burned for electricity, threatens communities and precious water resources across North Carolina and the Southeast. In the absence of federal regulations, utilities have been dumping the waste in massive lagoons next to waterways and neighborhoods for decades. This presentation will get you up to speed on the current landscape of coal ash in the southeast, the status of long-awaited federal regulations, and how citizens are using the courts to protect communities and waterways from this toxic threat—including right here in Asheville on the French Broad River.

03/13/14 ASHEVILLE REGIONAL TRAININGS FROM JUMPSTART THE VOTE
Democracy North Carolina, Asheville AAUW and the Asheville YWCA are organizing a regional training on March 13 (rescheduled from February 11) for local volunteers involved in Operation Jumpstart the Vote, a coordinated, statewide campaign to counter the wave of new voting restrictions with hundreds of local nonpartisan projects. The training will take place at the Asheville YWCA (185 S. French Broad Street, Asheville), and you have two opportunities to attend, one at 2 PM and one at 6 PM. Trainings last 2 ½ hours. We do not charge for the trainings. You are welcome to attend if you are currently, or you want to be, part of a local voter registration, voter education or voter protection project. For any questions, please contact Anne Sayers at anne299@earthlink.net.

03/13/14 CHILDREN FIRST/CIS MIND THE GAP TOUR
The Children First/CIS Mind the Gap Tour will call attention to issues that hinder the success of children and families in poverty. Free. Time is 3:30 PM. Info and registration: call 259-9717 or email AllisonJ@childrenfirstbc.org.

03/13/14 FOOD POLICY COUNCIL WATER CLUSTER
If you care about water, here’s your chance to get involved!  Come to this meeting to help form a Water Cluster for the Food Policy Council.  We plan to work of our Proposal and Vision Statement, and to toss out ideas for what we want to do. Proposal:  We propose that a Water Cluster be formed within the Asheville Buncombe Food Policy Council to identify policy and propose innovative solutions to improve local water resources and systems, spur local economic development, and ensure that water systems are environmentally sustainable and socially just. Our initial meeting will be March 13, at Earthfare (back room) at Westgate, from 4 PM to 6 PM.
  
03/14/14 INTRO TO FRACKING PRESENTATION IN YANCY COUNTY
Time is 7 PM and location is Cello Community Center in Yancy County. It will be a power point and question and answer session. Contact Nicole for more information at delcoglianon@appstate.edu.

03/14/14 UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST SOCIAL JUSTICE MOVIE NIGHT
On Friday, March 14th, we are screening the thought-provoking documentary, "Speciesism: The Movie". (This was rescheduled from February 14, due to weather.) Modern farms are struggling to keep a secret. Most of the animals used for food in the United States are raised in giant, bizarre factories, hidden deep in remote areas of the countryside. The documentary takes viewers on a sometimes funny, sometimes frightening adventure, crawling through the bushes that hide these factories, flying in airplanes above their toxic “manure lagoons,” and coming face-to-face with their owners. The film is at 7 PM and location is Unitarian Universalist in Asheville. No charge for the film, donations are welcome. Open to the public.

03/14/14 BENEFIT FOR THE PEOPLE OF WEST VIRGINIA
This event will be a variety/burlesque show and indoor/outdoor carnival followed by a dance party. It is called “A Watery Benefit for the People of West Virginia”. This benefit is for the WV Clean Water Hub, a grassroots organization delivering free, clean water to people affected by the chemical spill in West Virginia. Watery costumes encouraged! Variety show starts at 8 PM and dance party starts at 10 PM. Donate water by the gallon and divine your future with tarot readers Amber DePixi and Brian Octavian. Entrance $8 in advance, suggested donation $10 at the door. If you wish to just make a donation to this cause, please send a check to: Beloved House, 39 Grove st. Asheville, NC 28801 and put “Asheville to Charleston Water Relief” in the memo line.

03/15/14 CLEAN ENERGY TOUR OF THE BILTMORE ESTATE
Join the Western North Carolina Alliance for an exclusive look at the largest privately owned house in the United States. This behind the scenes custom tour is designed to showcase the vision George Vanderbilt had for his grandiose home. Besides a beautiful home where he could relax and entertain, George wanted to preserve the surrounding beauty. He envisioned a self-sustaining home that would steward the land and its resources for years to come. 100 years after George Vanderbilt’s death his estate boasts solar panels, a cork-recycling program in their winery, best management practices in forestry and agriculture in order to prevent runoff contamination in nearby waterways, amongst other sustainable practices. The time for this event is 9:30 AM to 3:30 PM and location is Biltmore Estate. To learn more about this tour and to purchase tickets please visit our website: http://wnca.org/march-15-clean-energy-tour-of-the-biltmore-estate/

03/15/14 READING AT MALAPROPS
Local author (and staff favorite) Denise Kiernan joins us to celebrate the paperback release of her bestselling book, “Girls of Atomic City”. Kiernan took the story of Oak Ridge, Tennessee's women workers all over the country, garnering praise from places like The Boston Globe, The Omaha World-Herald, and the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. The Daily Beast said, “Denise Kiernan recreates, with cinematic vividness and clarity, the surreal Orwell-meets-Margaret Atwood environment of Oak Ridge.” Time is 5 PM.

03/15/14 GREEN GRANNIES SING FOR THE CLIMATE
Green Grannies Sing for the Climate at Vance Monument at 4 PM. Google "Singfortheclimate" and come out and sing with us! This happens on the third Saturday of every month.

03/16/14 ETHICAL SOCIETY OF ASHEVILLE
“How to Destroy a Democracy Step by Step” will be presented by Dan Carter of Pisgah Forest, NC at the Sunday, March 16th meeting of the Ethical Society of Asheville, 2:00-3:30 PM at the Friends Meeting House, 227 Edgewood Road in North Asheville (off Merrimon Avenue near UNCA). Carter will consider “Jeremiad: A long mournful complaint or lamentation. A list of woes. A cautionary or angry warning.” He contends that, “Today not a week goes by without a new Jeremiad of an America in economic decline.” This "declension" narrative is part of a tradition going back to the Puritans although there have always been optimists who have resisted. His talk has less to do with the current preoccupation with America's economic woes than its often hidden political crisis. What is a democracy? How has it functioned over our 138 year history as a nation? And explores forces that are undermining an always imperfect system to the point that it ceases to represent the great majority of Americans in any meaningful way. There will be discussion time following Carter's talk and informal conversation with light refreshments following the meeting. All are welcome!

03/17/14 WHAT’S NEXT FOR ASHEVILLE’S WATER?
“What's Next for Asheville's Water?” presentation will have the following speakers: Asheville Mayor Esther Manheimer, Barry Summers and Katie Hicks. Summers, founder of Save Our Water WNC, will talk about the history of the attempt to seize Asheville's water, which along with other legislative issues, suggests a broad assault on local, pubic control of this vital resource. Manheimer will provide an update on the latest developments in the City's lawsuit against the forced transfer of their water system. Hicks, assistant director of Clean Water for North Carolina, will summarize the impacts on other communities when citizens have lost a direct voice in drinking water decisions. She'll also share a brief update on recent high-profile toxic spills into the Dan River in North Carolina and the Elk River in West Virginia. Time is 6 to 7:30 PM and location is Lord Auditorium at Pack Library, 67 Haywood Street in Asheville. For more information, contact Elaine at 828-273-1781 or crittermagnc@charter.net.

03/18/14 SHOAH INTERVIEW WITH RENA GELLISEN
There will be a viewing of Shoah Interview with Rena Gellisen. Gellisen and her sister survived Auschwitz and a death march that included a stop-over in Ravensbrück. Gellisen, author of “Rena's Promise,” later settled in Hendersonville, North Carolina. This event is at 12:30 PM and location is Highsmith Student union. For more information, contact Deborah at dmiles@unca.edu.

03/18/14 OPENING FOR EXHIBIT AT UNCA
The Center For Diversity Education at UNCA is hosting an exhibit from Kennesaw State University Holocaust Museum called “Remembering Ravensbrück: Women and the Holocaust” from March 3 - March 27. Remembering Ravensbrück is on display at UNC Asheville in Karpen Lobby from 8:00 - 8:00 PM through March 27 during week days and is supported by WNC Jewish Federation. The opening of this exhibit will be at 6 PM in Karpen Lobby at UNCA. At 7 PM, Richard Harker, one of the curators of the exhibit and the Outreach Director at the Kennesaw State University Holocaust Museum, will deliver a lecture on the making of the exhibit. For more information, contact Deborah at dmiles@unca.edu.

03/18/14 TRANSITION ASHEVILLE POTLUCK
Our next monthly potluck will take place on March 18th at 6 PM. Location is the Community Action Opportunities at 25 Gaston Street in Asheville.  Please bring a dish to share, as well as your own plate/bowl/cup/utensils.  We'll be discussing our plans for the coming year, as well as our participation in this year's Earth Day Celebration (Saturday, April 19th).  

03/18/14 WNC ALLIANCE FOR RETIRED AMERICANS MEETING
The WNC Alliance for Retired Americans has changed to quarterly meetings.  So the next meeting will be the third Tuesday in March which will be the 18th, at 10am in the Kenilworth Presbyterian Church Parlor at 123 Kenilworth Road in Asheville. The ARA is a statewide organization of retired union members and their friends and families. We are non-partisan and open to everyone who is concerned about the need for jobs which pay a living wage, as well as those issues which affect all of us. FMI contact dick@dickandnorma.com.

03/18/14 CITY OF ASHEVILLE EAST OF THE RIVERWAY
Join us at the East of the Riverway’s Wrap Up Presentation! Come and see how your input shaped the planning process. Check out East of the Riverway deliverable presentations on Neighborhood Greenways, East of the Riverway Connections, and Riverside Drive Development Plan. And talk one-on-one with the Consultant teams and City Planning staff. Time is 6 PM and location is Dr. Wesley Grant Sr. Southside Community Center. Contact Tara for more information at tirby@ashevillenc.gov. Family friendly, food provided.

03/18/14 AUDUBON SOCIETY MEETING
This is from 7 to 9 PM and location is UNCA Reuter Center, room 102A.  

03/19/14 ELEVENTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE WAR OF AGGRESSION ON IRAQ
FOREVER A DAY OF SHAME FOR ALL DECENT AMERICANS.

03/19/14 STAND AGAINST RACISM OPEN HOUSE
The YWCA’s Stand Against Racism, which happens annually in April, is a partnership of YWCA Associations throughout the country with the goal of bringing people together to raise awareness that racism still exists and that it can no longer be ignored or tolerated. In 2013, approximately 5,000 people attended Stand Against Racism events in Buncombe County! Join us at the YWCA on March 19 at either 12 PM (Multipurpose room) or 6 PM (After School classroom) to: *Learn from the experiences of Stand Against Racism Committee members and participating organizations from previous years. If you are a previous participant please join us and share your expertise! *Hear about resources available from the YWCA. *Meet other individuals and organizations who are interested in partnering on events for the 2014. *Sign up to receive more information and to become an official 2014 Stand Against Racism participant. For more information contact Angel Redmond at angel.redmond@ywcaofasheville.org or 828-254-7206 x. 219.

03/19/14 GREEN DRINKS MEETING
Join us Wednesday March 19th at 6PM at The Green Sage Café (in downtown Asheville) for a Duke Energy Roundtable discussion on Rooftop Solar, Net Metering and Duke Energy’s New Solar Initiative with presenters Jason Walls, Duke Energy’s District Manager and President and CEO of Sundance Power, Dave Hollister. Net metering allows users who produce more energy than they need per day to store the extra energy on the grid in exchange for banked energy credits. There will be a discussion about net metering and possible changes to come. One possible change is the amount paid by Duke per kilowatt-hour to solar customers. Duke’s reasoning on this change is that they are still tasked with the upkeep of wires, substations, etc. Critics, including Greenpeace organizer Monica Embrey, suggest that Duke is trying to “block the sun” and instead should “join its customers and the 20th century and stop blocking the sun.” Socializing is from 5:30 to 6 PM, presentation is at 6 PM, more socializing following the presentation.

03/20/14 YOGIS BEYOND COAL FUNDRAISER
The hottest party in town is yoga. Celebrate the return of spring with Glow Yoga. Think black lights, optional body paint, rockin' yoga, heaps of fun and it all benefits Yogis Beyond Coal.  Why a Yoga Rave? Because it's a celebration of life, love and each other. $20 per person Early Bird or $25 Day of event. Time is 7 to 9 PM and location is The Mill Room at 66 Asheland Avenue in Asheville. Call 828-335-9642 for more information on the event and to buy ticket.

03/20/14 WNC ALLIANCE CONFERENCE
“Take your passion and activism to the Next Level”. WNCA is hosting a free event with our community partners that will help you make positive change in your communities, better understand our local governments and prepare folks who may want to serve on a local board or commission. “Taking Passion and Activism to the Next Level in Local Communities” will be from 6 to 8:30 PM  on March 20, in room 314 at the Lenoir-Rhyne campus, 36 Montford Ave., in Asheville. Dinner and onsite childcare will be provided, so if you want to attend, register at this website: http://wnca.org/320-taking-passion-and-activism-to-next-level-in-local-communities/

03/21/14 WNC PHYSICIANS FOR SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY MEETING
The next WNC PSR monthly meeting will be at a private home near the VA Hospital. Brown Bag lunch at noon with meeting from 12:30 to 2 PM. Everyone is welcome. Please go to www.wncpsr.org  for more information, which includes how to get there and other details.

03/22/14 FILM SHOWING AT SYLVA PUBLIC LIBRARY
This will be at 6:30 PM and the location is Sylva Public Library at 310 Keener Street in Sylva. Movie will be “Gasland 2”, and this is presented by Frack-free NC. There will also be a short talk by Clean Water for NC.

03/22/14 NEW SERIES TO ADDRESS WNC WATER TROUBLE
The Wilma Dykeman Legacy and Buncombe County Public Library are sponsoring a series of Saturday afternoon presentations to explore the problems and potential solutions to our region’s water supplies. This series is free and open to the public. Time is 3 to 4:30 PM and location is Lord Auditorium at Pack Memorial Library. This runs until early May.

03/23/14 CROP MOB
Who is excited for the first mob of the year!? Mark your calender for Sunday, March 23rd. We are planning for a wonderful afternoon at Sacred Mountain Sanctuary. Please RSVP to Kelly (kellyrascalgaskill@gmail.com) if you’d like to play that day. Time is 1 to 4 PM, with dinner to follow. Location is Sacred Mountain Sanctuary. Looking forward to welcoming in the spring with you!

03/23/14 SCREENING AND DISCUSSION ABOUT TRANSRACIAL ADOPTION
WNC Adoption Resources is pleased to present a screening of Beyond Somewhere Between, followed by a discussion moderated by UNC Asheville Psychology Professors Dr. Evelyn Chiang and Dr. Libby Pascoe. Somewhere in Between follows the lives of four teenage girls adopted from China and coming-of-age in America. Through interviews with adoption professionals, psychologists, and adult transracial adoptees, including two of the young women featured in Somewhere Between, this companion DVD provides a deeper exploration of race, culture, and identity formation in transracial adoption. WNC Adoption Resources is pleased to present a screening of Beyond Somewhere Between, followed by a discussion moderated by UNC Asheville Psychology Professors Dr. Evelyn Chiang and Dr. Libby Pascoe. There will be a screening and a discussion of “Beyond Somewhere Between” at the Highsmith Student Union, Room 159 at UNCA. Time is 2 PM to 4 PM.

03/24/14 HAYWOOD ROAD CORRIDOR PLAN
From City of Asheville:  A draft of the Haywood Road Corridor Form Based Code plan will be presented March 27, 4:30 to 7:30 PM at Hall Fletcher School. We still need your input and questions to make this be the best plan it can be!

03/25/14 WOMEN’S ISSUES DISCUSSION
This is from 7 to 9 PM and location is UNCA Reuter Center, room 106.

03/25/14 PRESENTATION AT UNCA
There will be a presentation of “Etty” at UNCA at 7 PM. In a one-woman show Susan Stein tells the story using the diaries and writings of Esther Hillesum. Location is HighsmithStudent Union in The Grotto. For more information, contact Deborah at dmiles@unca.edu.

03/25/14 NATIVE AMERICAN SPEAKER AND PERFORMANCE SERIES
Warriors of AniKituhwa, Cultural Ambassadors of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, will present at 12:30 PM at the University Quad (Rain/snow location- Highsmith Union, Alumni Hall). Designated as official cultural ambassadors by the Tribal Council of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, The Warriors of AniKituhwa, a Cherokee dance group, have been making history by recreating Cherokee dances described in 1762, including the War Dance and the Eagle Tail dance. They are revitalizing Cherokee dance by bringing back other dances from the past, by doing research, and by offering dance workshops for their community. The Warriors of AniKituhwa educate people about the significance of their dances, their clothing, and Cherokee history and culture. Free and open to the public. Sponsored by UNC Asheville Office of the Associate Provost, Education Department, American Indian Outreach, Arts & Ideas Program, Humanities Program, NEH Distinguished Professor, Cultural Events & Special Academic Programs and more.

03/27/14 TO 3/30/14 LAKE JUNALUSKA PEACE CONFERENCE
More information at http://www.lakejunaluska.com/peace/. Early registration is $95 and ends on March 1, 2014. The theme and goals for this year are "Faith, Health, and Peace: Seeking the Basic Right to Good Health for All God's Children." The 2014 Peace Conference seeks to affirm the basic right to good health from the perspective of faith traditions, lift up "the leading causes of life," and explore ways faith communities can combat the causes of poor health, such as disease, violence, and poverty.

03/27/14 CONSUMER RACIAL PROFILING PRESENTATION AT UNCA
Stereotyping, and its consequences on groups and individuals, takes many forms. On one end of a spectrum is genocide and murder. Along that continuum are the kinds of things that happen to folks while going about their daily business including Consumer Racial Profiling (CRP) or better known as "Shopping While Black". On March 27 UNC Asheville will host a visit by a leading researcher on CRP. The Center's impetus for bringing Dr. Shaun Gabbidon to Asheville was the July 2014 false shop-lifting accusation against Asheville's Cheryl Johnson at an area department store. While the department store eventually rectified the situation, her want was a lesson on the importance of educating the wider community about the reality of this experience and the need for businesses to create protocols and a shopping culture where such incidents do not happen. Time is 6 PM and location is the Mountain View Room in the Sherrill Center at UNCA. For more information, contact Deborah at dmiles@unca.edu.

03/27/14 HEARTSPEAK FOR PARENTS AND KIDS
HeartSpeak for Parents & Kids (aged 8 and up) will be held on three Thursdays, 3/27, 4/3, 4/10, from 5 PM to 6 PM. Location is the Rainbow Community School, 574 Haywood Road in Asheville. Love offering accepted. Do you wish your children would listen and cooperate more? Parents and children can learn together how to hear one another's feelings and needs. This helps build mutual respect, leading to greater connection and cooperation. Through fun, interactive games and skits, parents and kids will learn: to connect through giving empathy to self and others; to get cooperation without threats, punishments, or rewards; and to express our truth without blame or judgment. Families will make their own set of Feelings & Needs cards to use at home, facilitating resolution of conflicts and creating greater understanding and closeness. Registration required, so please contact Cathy at cathyfholt@gmail.com or 828-545-9681.

03/27/14 FILM SHOWING BY UNCA STUDENT ENVIRONMENTAL CENTER
This is a REALLY Scary Movie Showing: “A Mountain Removed”. Time is 7 PM, and location is the First Congregational Church, 20 Oak Street, in Asheville. The UNCA Student Environmental Center and Transition Asheville have partnered to host a series of REALLY Scary (because they're about REAL issues) movie series.  This month's film is about the high costs of our dependence on coal, in the terrifying form of mountaintop removal.

03/29/14 14 NEW SERIES TO ADDRESS WNC WATER TROUBLES
The Wilma Dykeman Legacy and Buncombe County Public Library are sponsoring a series of Saturday afternoon presentations to explore the problems and potential solutions to our region’s water supplies. This series is free and open to the public. Time is 3 to 4:30 PM and location is Lord Auditorium at Pack Memorial Library. This runs until early May.

04/01/14 POLL MONITOR TRAINING BY LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS
Poll Monitor Training by League of Women Voters of Asheville-Buncombe County on April 1 at 6 PM to 8 PM. Location TBD. For questions or more information please contact: info@ablwv.org.

04/02/14 SIERRA CLUB MEETING
Time is 7 PM (program starts at 7:15) at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Asheville (corner of Charlotte & Edwin). Program will be “Beyond Coal: Success and Future Plans” by Emma Greenbaum. Contact: judymattox@sbcglobal.net, or 828-683-2176 for more information.

04/06/14 DINNER WITH PROGRESSIVES
Please mark your calendars for the first Monday evening of every month through December 2014 for our Dinner with Progressives.  There is a lot of work to do to try and create positive change in Asheville, Buncombe County, NC and the US. The first Monday of each month at Green Sage Restaurant will be a place where we can be together to have hope for a brighter future as well as a place to commiserate along the way.  Time is 6 PM to 8 PM and location is the Green Sage Coffeehouse and Café at 1800 Hendersonville Road in south Asheville. Please contact Cheryl at 828-258-3327 for more information.

04/09/14 WNC HEALTH ADVOCATES PRESENTATION
“An Evening with Susan Reinhardt” will be held from 7 PM to 9 PM on April 9, 2014. Come spend an evening with columnist, author and radio personality Susan Reinhardt and enjoy her perspective of life as a "Cracked Southern Belle." This event will be at The Millroom at 66 Asheland Avenue in Asheville. Tickets are $20 each. Go to this link for tickets:   https://www.eventbrite.com/e/an-evening-with-susan-reinhardt-tickets-10783815683


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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

WEDNESDAY
Haywood Peace Vigilers have a weekly vigil at 4 PM at Haywood County Courthouse in Waynesville

THURSDAY
Asheville Homeless Network meeting at 2 PM at Firestorm Cafe
Youth Outright Poetry Night at United Church of Christ in Asheville at 5 PM

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
Third Saturdays – Asheville’s Green Grannies invites the public to “sing for the climate” at Vance Monument.4 PM.

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ACTIONS AND READINGS
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Lake Junaluska Peace Conference:
A Healthy World is a Peaceful World

March 27th - March 30th, 2014

Recent publicity and word of mouth about the Lake Junaluska Peace Conference has stimulated many inquiries and interest. Because of this, registration at the $95 level is being extended indefinitely. Faith, Health, and Peace: Seeking the Basic Right to Good Health for All God's Children. The 2014 Peace Conference seeks to affirm the basic right to good health from the perspective of faith traditions, lift up "the leading causes of life," and explore ways faith communities can combat the causes of poor health, such as disease, violence, and poverty.

REGISTRATION OPEN:
Program Registration: $95  
Student Registration: $75  
Partial scholarships available online for full-time college and seminary students.
Space is limited; early registration is recommended.

Registration packages (includes registration, lodging,and meals) are available. Lodging reservations and event registration can be made at www.lakejunaluska.com/peace  or by calling 1-800-222-4930.

Workshops include:

The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB, and Malaria and the Realization of the Global Right to Health for All (FRIDAY ONLY) Presenter: Dr. Christoph Benn
How Can We Support Programs That Prevent Needless Maternal and Child Deaths? Presenter: Dr. Henry Perry, Founder of Curamericas Global
Leading Causes of Life. Presenter: Larry Pray, Co-Author of the book, "Leading Causes of Life"
Global Health Priorities of the United Methodist Church: A Reflection on Impact, Investment, Values and Health around the world. Presenter: Shannon Trilli, Director of Global Health for UMCOR
From Local Congregations to Global Health Through Faith Community Nursing and Health Ministry. Presenter: Sharon Hinton, Nurse Consultant/UMCOR
Housing as Health: Older Adults and Where They Live (FRIDAY ONLY) Presented by MAHEC/Council on Aging of Buncombe County, NC. Presenters: Dr. Megan Dunay, MD, MPH, along with Dr. Annette Beyea DO, and Dr. Amanda Williams, MD.
A Community's Effort to Help Persons In and Out of Prison find Wholeness and Wellness (FRIDAY ONLY) Presenter: Sheriff Greg Christopher, Haywood County, NC
The First 1,000 Days and Beyond: A Global Look at Fundamental Food and Nutrition Issues. Presenter: Lauren Wood, Program & Research Coordinator, Global Food & Nutrition, Inc.
Congregational Health Network (Memphis Model). How Congregations and Methodist LeBonhuer Hospital Have Worked Together to Improve the Health of the Community. Presenter: Rev. Bobby Baker
Kabbalah: A Path of Mindful Mysticism for Healing and Repairing the World. Presenters: Rabbi Sigal Brier, Rabbi of Kesher Shalom Congregation, Abingdon, PA
Traditional Islamic Healing and Medicine (SATURDAY ONLY) Presenter: Hakim Mirza Ilyas al-Kashani, from American Muslim Health Professionals
Integrative Medicine (SATURDAY ONLY) Presenter: Dr. Jeffrey Feldman, Center for Integrative Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine
Christian Science: Healing as Christ Jesus Healed. Christ Jesus "cured" every kind of physical problem we face today without drugs or surgery. He taught that anyone who followed his teaching could heal as he did and do greater works. Understanding the mental nature of all suffering and the Science or Laws of God which governs health enables each one of us to discover that health is our natural God-given state of being. Presenter: Christine Driessen, Christian Science Board of Lectureship
Gun Violence. Presenter: Bill Mefford, Director of Human and Civil Rights, United Methodist Board of Church and Society
Cherokee Spirituality and Healing Practices (SATURDAY ONLY) Presenter: Freeman Owle, Cherokee, NC
Leadership includes:
Joshua Dubois, former Director of the White House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships during President Obama's first term   
Dr. Christoph Benn, Director of External Relations and Partnerships Cluster for The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, Geneva Switzerland
Dr. Gary Gunderson, Vice-President of Faith and Health Ministries at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, Winston-Salem, NC
Dr. James Cochrane, Professor in the Dept. of Religious Studies and Senior Research Associate in the School of Public Health and Family Medicine at the University of Cape Town, South Africa
Dr. Henry Perry, Founder of Andean Rural Health Care, and Senior Associate at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Bishop Hope Morgan Ward, Presiding Bishop of the Raleigh Area of The United Methodist Church.  
The Lake Junaluska Peace Conference is an ongoing response to God's call to peacemaking and reconciliation.  Affirming the community of Abrahamic faiths, the Peace Conference seeks to work in partnership with Christians, Jews, Muslims, and members of other religious traditions to advance the work of reconciliation and peace.

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Bring Etty to your School

The NC Council for the Holocaust will co-sponsor school performances of 'Etty', a one woman play adapted from the diaries and letters of Dutch diarist and Holocaust victim, Etty Hillesum. Visits can include teacher workshops, student workshops or class visits. The play is followed by a post-performance discussion which fosters dialogue about social justice, human rights, genocide, women, writing as resistance and ethical dilemmas. 'Etty' was nominated by Amnesty International for their Freedom of Expression award. The performance is customized to meet your school's schedule. Performances and workshops are being scheduled for the weeks of March17th and 24th. Visits are co-sponsored by the NC Council. Schools contribute according to their budgets. To learn more about the project, please visit: http://www.ettyplay.org/

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PETITION TO CLEAN UP ALL THE COAL ASH IN NC

We've already reached more than 5,000 people who want to clean up all the coal ash. But if we're going to convince Gov. McCrory to do the right thing, it's critical that we get 7,500 signatures before we deliver the petition.

With your help, we can reach our goal! Please go to this link to sign the petition for Governor McCrory:


Thank you for taking a stand on this important issue

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