Upcoming events in the Asheville area this week

UPCOMING EVENTS

12/01/14 DINNER WITH PROGRESSIVES

An evening with Susan Fisher, our NC House Representative! Green Sage has winter hours so we will gather for dinner at 5:30 PM and at 6 PM, Susan will join us (after attending her first meeting) until 7 PM. We hope to see you!  Please RSVP so we can give our friends at Green Sage a head count, thanks! Email Cheryl at ctorengo@gmail.com to RSVP. Location is Green Sage, Westgate Parkway- next to Earth Fare.

12/02/14 WORLD AFFAIRS COUNCIL

Dorina Bekoe, a senior research associate in the Center for Conflict Analysis and Prevention in Washington DC will overview Peacekeeping in Africa. Meetings are scheduled for 7:30 PM in the Reuter Center's Manheimer Room. For more details about programs, consult the WAC website.

12/02/14 ASHEVILLE TRANSIT COMMITTEE MEETING

Time is 3:30 to 5 PM and location is the First Floor Conference room at City Hall. 

12/02/14 FERGUSON RESPONSE - CONVERSATION AT UNCA

In light of the St. Louis' grand jury's decision (no indictment against Ferguson officer Darren Wilson) there will be a day of reflective conversation for students to participate. The purpose of this conversation is to provide our students with a safe space where they could discuss their reactions to the decision. Discussion will be facilitated by Dr. Lyndi Hewitt (Assistant Professor of Sociology), Deborah Miles (Director, Center for Diversity Education), and Dr. Dahlia Hylton (Director, Intercultural Center). All conversations will be held in the Intercultural Center (Highsmith Student Union, Room 114) - larger rooms have been reserved should we need to accommodate more space. Please share with any of your peers who may be interesting in attending. Time is noon to 2 PM. For more info, please feel free to contact Dr. Dahlia Hylton, the Director of the UNC Asheville Intercultural Center, at dhylton@unca.edu. 

12/03/14 SIERRA CLUB MEETING

All are warmly invited to WENOCA Sierra Club Group’s 5th Annual Holiday Party and Recognition Awards at 7 PM on December 3 at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation, 1 Edwin Pl, (corner of Charlotte & Edwin) in Asheville. Last year about 60 folks ate, drank, and were merry. Recognition awards were presented to community leaders. Please bring a potluck dish to share and a book to swap, as well as laughter and good cheer! Time is 7 PM. Contact Judy at judymattox@sbcglobal.net or 828-683-2176 for more information.

12/04/14 ASHEVILLE BEYOND COAL EVENT

On Dec 4th, join us for the first-ever "New Mountain Climate Bash" - a local music loves our planet shindig at New Mountain Asheville at 38 N. French Broad Avenue in Asheville. This bash celebrates both local music and Asheville Beyond Coal's efforts to move beyond coal, fight climate disruption, and stop the poisoning of our rivers from toxic coal ash. Cheers to local music, epic shindigs, kind venues, and great causes joining together to create a better world and protect our beloved mountains!  Tix are $8 beforehand, $10 at the door ($5 student tickets with ID at the door). All proceeds go to benefit Asheville Beyond Coal's efforts to protect our mountains and planet. Doors open at 7 PM. Beer specials and food trucks available.

12/04/14 JUST ECONOMICS ANNUAL CELEBRATION

Every year JE takes time to celebrate the work we have done toward a more just and sustainable local economy as an organization and a community over the past year. Help us celebrate 2014 and look forward to what's to come in 2015. For the past several years, the event features a unique (amateur) performance illustrating themes in our work. This year's performance will be 'Putting the Pieces Together' and will take place sometime between 7-8 PM. The event is FREE and all our welcome. We greatly appreciate donations and will also have a raffle, so we hope that you will support our work if you can. The event will also include food, beer, music, and celebration! Join us. Time is 6 to 9 PM and location is Jubilee Community Church. This is a Facebook event.

12/06/14 FACEBOOK FOR ACTIVISTS

Join other Transitioners for a three-hour training under the leadership of Rebekah Whilden, local social media guru, to learn and update skills in this most popular means of spreading the word about events and activities. Cost:  $15. Registration requested. Time is 1 to 4 PM and location is First Congregational UCC Church in Asheville. Reply to ron.martinadkins@gmail.com.

12/08/14 MOVE TO AMEND BUNCOMBE COUNTY MEETING

The next MABCO meeting is Monday, December 8, at 7 PM at the North Asheville Library on Merrimon Avenue. The focus of this planning meeting will be setting MABCO goals for 2015. Call Ruth at 232-2883 or email ruthachristie@gmail.com for more information.

12/08/14 TRANSITION ASHEVILLE SOCIAL

TA Social: “Tim Ormond and a New Paradigm for Human-Stormwater Ecosystems!” Transition Asheville is presenting a talk by Tim Ormond,of HydroCycle Engineering, who has transformed the landscape and parking lot of Mars Hill's Town Hall from an ordinary "storm-water--run-off-into-the-sewer-system"  situation, into a veritable Garden of Eden! Come hear how he did it, and why he is advocating for a new paradigm for human-stormwater ecosystems. Monday, Dec. 8th, at the Parish Hall of St. Mary's Church, 337 Charlotte St., Asheville, 6:30 to 8 PM. Free, and delicious refreshments served! For more information visit Transition Asheville website.

12/09/14 VETERANS FOR PEACE MEETING

Time is 6:30 PM and location is VFP HQ at the Phil Mechanic Studios: 109 Roberts Street in Asheville. 

12/10/14 AFFORDABLE CARE ACT LAB SESSION AT AB TECH

Unsure about how to sign up for insurance under the Affordable Care Act? Come to the Balsam computer lab and sign-up in person. Certified Navigators will be available to answer any questions that come up and can even walk you through each step of enrollment. Location is Balsam 214. Time is 11 AM.

12/10/14 WESTERN CAROLINIANS FOR PEACE AND JUSTICE IN THE MIDDLE EAST

This meeting will be at 9:30 AM at Black Mountain Presbyterian Church in Black Mountain.

12/10/14 HUMAN RIGHTS DAY

12/10/13 GREEN DRINKS

The United Nations Association Western NC Chapter will be presenting in celebration of Human Rights Day 2014. Details to come! Come early for community connections and green drink specials! Socializing from 5:30, presentation at 6 PM. Location is the Green Sage in downtown Asheville. 

12/11/13 UPCYCLE YOUR HOLIDAY FROM TRANSITION ASHEVILLE

Where: Meet at Buncombe County Landfill, continue to Curbside Management Recycling, and finish at Common Ground Upcycle Emporium and Resource Center. What to Expect: Get a visual of the amount of waste we create as a community, rethink purchasing new materials, and get creatively inspired to upcycle. Wear: Warm clothing. We will spend a significant amount of time outside. Bring: Snacks, water. Homemade granola bars will be provided. Free and open to all ages. Registration required. Contact: Rachel Stevens (828) 258-8737 ext. 215 or email rachel@wnca.org for more information including how to register. Time is 10 AM to 1 PM.

12/11/14 OVERVIEW OF STATE BUDGET AND TOOLS TO MAKE AN IMPACT

Give Me 5! Join Us at "Building a Stronger North Carolina – A Call to Action” Thursday, December 11th, 8:30 to 11:00 AM at the AB Tech Enka campus. Hear an overview of the North Carolina State Budget, Economic Forecast, Issues Affecting Your Community and Add Your Voice. UNITED WAY and the NC Budget & Tax Center, a project of the NC Justice Center, are teaming up to share the story of the economy and the NC state budget. Throughout this session, you will have the opportunity to respond and voice your concerns. Here’s a snapshot of what you can expect: information on North Carolina’s economic recovery and how families are faring; overview of the state budget decisions and how the state is addressing the areas of education, income and health; regional and local data on the economy and impacts of policy decisions; tools to make an impact on the issues you care most about. This event is brought to you by United Way of Asheville and Buncombe County, the Community Foundation of Western North Carolina, WNC Nonprofit Pathways, the League of Women Voters, Women for Women, and Children First/Communities in Schools in conjunction with United Way of North Carolina and the North Carolina Budget and Tax Center. For more information and instructions on how to register, call 828-255-0696 or email ron.katz@unitedwayabc.org.   

12/12/14 UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST SOCIAL JUSTICE MOVIE

If you attended our Poverty Forum, then you saw the trailer for a terrific HBO documentary “Paycheck to Paycheck: The Life and Times of Katrina Gilbert” which illustrates the struggles of the working poor in America. This film will be the featured presentation for the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Asheville's Social Justice Movie Night. This event is free, but donations will be accepted to cover screening costs. We hope to see you there! Time is 7 PM and location is the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Asheville at 1 Edwin Place, Asheville.

12/13/14 CHANGE THE COURSE: PEOPLE POWERED STATEGIES FOR A STABLE CLIMATE

Did you miss the Change the Course training put on by the Rainforest Action Network in October?  AND can’t make the workshop on 11/23?  Transition Asheville is keeping the momentum from our Back-Casting Event and the RAN workshop moving forward for local change.  What kind of a future would you like to see? Would you like to help make that desirable future come to pass by thinking about what we could do–here and now–to make it happen? The workshop is based on the RAN Climate Summits being conducted across the country to involve citizens in their own communities to see what changes can be made close to home, on the community and neighborhood levels, particularly for a Day of Action, hopefully in late January.  We hope to lend support to the RAN Day of Action, identify people who want to host additional presentations, and move forward on actions for local change.  Join us for an afternoon to create and share a vision and strategies to help stabilize the climate! The more people who take part in these workshops, the more ideas, energy and creativity can be brought to bear on the challenges! Time is 1 to 6 PM and location is Lenoir-Rhyne University, Asheville campus. Go to Transition Asheville website for more information.

12/13/14 FOOD FOR THOUGHT: THE SLAM AGAINST HUNGER

Join us for the most thought provoking youth poetry slam of the year as poets ages 12-21 give voice to the issue of hunger in our community. Francine Delany School and Asheville Youth Mission are partnering with us on this benefit for MANNA FOOD BANK. Adults $15, Students and Teachers $10. Please bring food donations. Location is Rainbow Community Auditorium at 60 State Street in west Asheville. Time is 7 PM to 10 PM. This is a Facebook event, and there is a link on the Facebook page to Eventbrite. 

12/13/14 HELP THE HEMLOCKS FROM TRANSITION ASHEVILLE

Be Part of a Major Hemlock Restoration Effort! When: 9 AM -1PM or 1PM - 5 PM. Carpool from Asheville: Morning Session meet at 9 AM at the Southern Research Station (200 W.T. Weaver Boulevard, Asheville, NC 28804). Afternoon Session TBD. What to Expect: We will be planting 18-24′ hemlock saplings with the Forest Service Southern Research Station from 10 AM to 4 PM at DuPont State Forest. You have the chance to choose if you would like to plant in the morning or afternoon. We’ll switch over at lunch. No tree planting experience necessary! Wear: Hiking boots & dress in layers. Winter seems to have already arrived! Bring: Lunch, two liters of water, and shovel & work gloves if you have them. Registration required. Contact: Alexandra Guest (828) 258-8737 ext. 206 or email at  alexandra@wnca.org for more information including how to register.

12/17/14 #OPFEED THE HOMELESS

Band together to feed and clothe the homeless --- jackets, socks, gloves, blankets and anything of warmth, Feeding the Homeless, Asheville NC on December 17. Time, locations, and details can be mutually agreed upon as a group. Governments frighten us into thinking we need them, but we are moving past the Statist paradigm and rendering them obsolete. There is nothing that the State does that either needs to be done or cannot be done better within the matrix of voluntary action and exchange. This is a Facebook event.

12/17/14 GREEN DRINKS

A panel discussion by Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity and Mountain Housing Opportunities exploring issues of affordable housing and initiatives to make it healthier, greener and more affordable to live in. Both organizations will present their approach to offering affordable housing in our community as well as the organizations path to making their homes green, energy efficient, healthier and more affordable to live in. They will cover successes, challenges, strategies and initiatives within their own organizations. The panel discussion will be followed by Q&A. Come early for community connections and green drink specials! Socializing starts at 5:30 PM, presentation is at 6 PM. Location is the Green Sage in downtown Asheville.

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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 1 PM at A-Hope on North Ann Street in Asheville.  

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 at 5 PM.

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.

Tamir Rice murdered by Cleveland cop

Well, this is certainly getting old, and very very disgusting. Every other day, we hear about a black male being killed by a policeman - you know, those guys who are supposed to ‘serve and protect’ not ‘murder and maim’. 

This was a 12 year old boy who was playing in a park by himself. He could not have been bothering anyone - there was no one around. But someone called the cops, who pulled right up to the child and one jumped out and shot him dead. The boy had a toy gun in his hand, and the stupid cop kills him on the spot.

Now, if they were afraid of this child, why did they pull up so close to where he was, instead of parking on the street and telling him to drop the gun via their loudspeaker?  Have they no sense?

I am so sick of pee-your-pants scared racist cops with no sense and a loaded gun. Or racist vigilantes who are the same. 

The long version of this incident is here. It shows the child playing for about 

seven minutes before the police car even showed up. 

The short version is right here.

Oh, this is just very, very sickening: drive by shooting by POLICE in Cleveland. Tamir Rice did not even have a chance to drop the toy gun he was holding - police drive right up to him, next thing we will hear is how 'THEY WERE SO SCARED’.

WELL, I FOR ONE AM SICK OF THE RACIST AND PEE-THEIR-PANTS FRIGHTENED POLICE. TOTALLY SICK OF THEM.

"Telling My Son About Ferguson"

My son wants me to reassure him, and tell him that of course Darren Wilson will go to jail. At 10 years old, he can feel deep in his bones how wrong it was for the police to kill Michael Brown. “There will be a trial, at least — right, Mom?” My son is asking me a simple question, and I know the answer. 

As a civil rights lawyer, I know all too well that Officer Wilson will not be going to trial or to jail. The system is legally rigged so that poor people guilty of relatively minor crimes are regularly sentenced to decades behind bars while police officers who kill unarmed black men almost never get charged, much less serve time in prison.

Rest of the story is here.

Alternatives to Endless War: A Sustainable, Effective Response to ISIS

From World Beyond War: A coalition of PDA, Roots Action, Win Without War, CMSM, UFPJ, Peace Action, Code Pink, War Is A Crime, WAND, and USLAW.

It's not too late to stop an endless war in Iraq and Syria. We’ve spent over $1.1 billion bombing Iraq and Syria since August 2014, yet Congress has not debated or authorized our latest war. It will take grassroots pressure to move Congress. We can start by popularizing the possible steps towards a political solution. Instead of another endless war, Members of Congress should stand up in support of effective alternatives. Below are possible ways for the U.S. government to take action NOW! These are examples of the many alternatives available to move towards a political solution.

The United States Congress can:

Insist that President Obama seek congressional authorization for continued military intervention, and then vote to oppose our latest war in Iraq and Syria.

Cosponsor measures like H. Con. Res. 114, offered by the Congressional Progressive Caucus, to require Congress to debate, vote, and constrain U.S. military intervention.

Support measures to prohibit U.S. ground troops, sunset the 2001 and 2002 Authorizations for the Use of Military Force (the bills that authorized U.S. military intervention in Iraq and Afghanistan), and bolster the alternatives listed below.

The United States can take immediate unilateral action to:

Tighten loopholes in existing sanctions to help cut off ISIS’s funding streams: ISIS profits from selling petroleum, archaeological artifacts, and wheat.

Condition U.S. support for the Iraqi government on success in stopping sectarian violence and promoting inclusive governance. This can undermine the roots of ISIS’s hold in Iraq.

Cut off U.S. government contracts with anyone doing business with ISIS.

Increase humanitarian funds for acute needs. The UN’s Syria Regional Refugee Response Plan for 2014 is only halfway funded. As winter approaches, the key World Food Program has run out of funds: rations will be cut and some refugees will go without any WFP aid.

Stop channeling weapons into the war. ISIS has captured and used U.S.­made weapons.

Support civil society efforts to build peace and reconciliation at the community level.

The United States can support multilateral efforts to:

Ensure that all parties to the armed conflict in Syria allow unfettered access to humanitarian organizations and agencies to provide assistance to civilians.

Build regional stability and security through aid for refugee host nation communities to reinforce stressed health, education, and housing infrastructure and to encourage job creation.

Keep the conflict from spreading to Jordan, Turkey or Lebanon etc. by encouraging a global effort to share responsibility for resettling refugees from Iraq and Syria.

Restrict ISIS’s access to the international financial system.

Support a political solution to Syria’s civil war: With the UN and regional powers, press the regime and rebels to support truces to reduce noncombatant deaths and increase the focus on defending against ISIS. Reenergize diplomacy for negotiation on a political transition that would include all parties to the conflict as well as outside parties, such as Saudi Arabia, Iran, Russia and the U.S. A regional Contact Group could lay the groundwork for peace talks. If necessary, the UN General Assembly could assume responsibility under the Uniting for Peace procedure (to circumvent possible Security Council inaction). Begin discussions and planning for a possible international peacekeeping or stabilization mission in Syria (and possibly parts of Iraq).

The United States can work with regional states and organizations to:

Engage in strategic outreach to Sunni communities in both Iraq and Syria to address political and economic grievances and thus undermine crucial political support for ISIS.

Work to impose an arms embargo against all armed actors in Iraq and Syria. Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Kuwait have provided weapons to the opposition, including ISIS, in Syria.

Work with the states near ISIS territory to close the borders leading into and out of ISIS areas, thus depriving the jihadists of supplies. Conduct a social media campaign that exposes the grotesque nature of ISIS ideology.

This came from this link.

The killing of unarmed black males must stop now.

Why is Jerusalem Always on Edge?

More than 30,000 people living in UNRWA schools in Gaza

And what does that look like? All the photos are on this webpage, but here is one photo from that group.

Just unbelievable that the world is letting Israel get away with this again and again and again.

Ask Gaza - episode one

Upcoming events in the Asheville area this week

I am in this photo - near the bottom of the first "9".  That was a great time!

UPCOMING EVENTS

11/24/14 WORLD AIDS DAY COMMEMORATION

As part of the World AIDS Day commemoration, the Western North Carolina AIDS Project will exhibit 160 panels of the AIDS Memorial Quilt at the Renaissance Hotel in downtown Asheville from November 24 until December 1, 2014. The exhibit will be open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily. A special opening-night reception takes place Monday, November 24 from 6-8 PM and includes a message from Mike Smith, co-founder of the Names Project Foundation, music by classical guitarist James Barr, and presentation of new quilt panels created this year by WNCAP’s Quilting Group. On Monday, December 1, World AIDS Day, the group will present programming throughout the day, including a special appearance by local Asheville diva Kat Williams.

11/24/14 PRESENTATION FROM WNC PHYSICIANS FOR SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

Western N. C. Physicians for Social Responsibility invites everyone to come to Mary Fox Olson’s presentation, “The Medical Consequences of Nuclear Weapons and the Disproportionate Impact of Ionizing Radiation on Females” on Monday, Nov 24 at 2 PM in the meeting room of the West Asheville Library on Haywood Road in Asheville.  Mary's offering will give us an opportunity to preview Mary's major presentation to the International Vienna Conference on the Humanitarian Impact of Nuclear Weapons in December. We are pleased, as this will be a rare occasion when the US has agreed to take part in such an international event. Free and open to the public.

11/24/14 RURAL HERITAGE MUSEUM IN MARS HILL

The exhibit is “Our Story - This Place: The History of African-American Education in Madison County and the Anderson Rosenwald School”. This exhibit runs until 02/28/14 and is free and open to the public. Location of the Rural Heritage Museum is 100 Athletic Street in Mars Hill and their phone number is 689-1304.

11/24/14 COALITION AGAINST FRACKING MEETING IN BRYSON CITY

Swain County Coalition Against Fracking Meeting, Bryson City Library, 33 Fryemont Street in Bryson City. Time is 6:30 PM.

11/24/14 PUBLIC LECTURE AT UNCA

“Where have we been? Where are we? Where are we going? The Ebb and Flow of Empires”. Location is Lipinsky Auditorium and time is 11:25 AM.

11/26/14 NO GREEN DRINKS MEETING TODAY

11/27/14 HAPPY TURKEY DAY

11/29/14 WESTERN CAROLINIANS FOR PEACE AND JUSTICE IN THE MIDDLE EAST

There will be a protest against HP on Friday, Nov 29, noon to 1 PM, on South Tunnel Rd at entrance to parking lot in front of Best Buy. Western Carolinians for Peace and Justice in the Middle East welcome all concerned to help put an end to Hewlett-Packard's profits from their I-T systems that manage Israelis' and Palestinians' movement. For more info about the international boycott and this protest action, call Susan at 669 2073.

12/02/14 WORLD AFFAIRS COUNCIL

Dorina Bekoe, a senior research associate in the Center for Conflict Analysis and Prevention in Washington DC will overview Peacekeeping in Africa. Meetings are scheduled for 7:30 PM in the Reuter Center's Manheimer Room. For more details about programs, consult the WAC website.

12/02/14 ASHEVILLE TRANSIT COMMITTEE MEETING

Time is 3:30 to 5 PM and location is the First Floor Conference room at City Hall. 

12/03/14 SIERRA CLUB MEETING

All are warmly invited to WENOCA Sierra Club Group’s 5th Annual Holiday Party and Recognition Awards at 7 PM on December 3 at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation, 1 Edwin Pl, (corner of Charlotte & Edwin) in Asheville. Last year about 60 folks ate, drank, and were merry. Recognition awards were presented to community leaders. Please bring a potluck dish to share and a book to swap, as well as laughter and good cheer! Time is 7 PM. Contact Judy at judymattox@sbcglobal.net or 828-683-2176 for more information.

12/04/14 ASHEVILLE BEYOND COAL EVENT

On Dec 4th, join us for the first-ever "New Mountain Climate Bash" - a local music loves our planet shindig at New Mountain Asheville at 38 N. French Broad Avenue in Asheville. This bash celebrates both local music and Asheville Beyond Coal's efforts to move beyond coal, fight climate disruption, and stop the poisoning of our rivers from toxic coal ash. Cheers to local music, epic shindigs, kind venues, and great causes joining together to create a better world and protect our beloved mountains!  Tix are $8 beforehand, $10 at the door ($5 student tickets with ID at the door). All proceeds go to benefit Asheville Beyond Coal's efforts to protect our mountains and planet. Doors open at 7 pm. Beer specials and food trucks available.

12/04/14 JUST ECONOMICS ANNUAL CELEBRATION

Every year JE takes time to celebrate the work we have done toward a more just and sustainable local economy as an organization and a community over the past year. Help us celebrate 2014 and look forward to what's to come in 2015. For the past several years, the event features a unique (amateur) performance illustrating themes in our work. This year's performance will be 'Putting the Pieces Together' and will take place sometime between 7-8 PM. The event is FREE and all our welcome. We greatly appreciate donations and will also have a raffle, so we hope that you will support our work if you can. The event will also include food, beer, music, and celebration! Join us. Time is 6 to 9 PM and location is Jubilee Community Church. This is a Facebook event.

12/06/14 FACEBOOK FOR ACTIVISTS

Join other Transitioners for a three-hour training under the leadership of Rebekah Whilden, local social media guru, to learn and update skills in this most popular means of spreading the word about events and activities. Cost:  $15. Registration requested. Time is 1 to 4 PM and location is First Congregational UCC Church in Asheville. Reply to ron.martinadkins@gmail.com.

12/08/14 MOVE TO AMEND BUNCOMBE COUNTY MEETING

The next MABCO meeting is Monday, December 8, at 7 PM at the North Asheville Library on Merrimon Avenue. The focus of this planning meeting will be setting MABCO goals for 2015. Call Ruth at 232-2883 or email ruthachristie@gmail.com for more information.

12/08/14 TRANSITION ASHEVILLE SOCIAL

TA Social: “Tim Ormond and a New Paradigm for Human-Stormwater Ecosystems!” Transition Asheville is presenting a talk by Tim Ormond,of HydroCycle Engineering, who has transformed the landscape and parking lot of Mars Hill's Town Hall from an ordinary "storm-water--run-off-into-the-sewer-system"  situation, into a veritable Garden of Eden! Come hear how he did it, and why he is advocating for a new paradigm for human-stormwater ecosystems. Monday, Dec. 8th, at the Parish Hall of St. Mary's Church, 337 Charlotte St., Asheville, 6:30 to 8 PM. Free, and delicious refreshments served! For more information visit Transition Asheville website.

12/09/14 VETERANS FOR PEACE MEETING

Time is 6:30 PM and location is VFP HQ at the Phil Mechanic Studios: 109 Roberts Street in Asheville. 

12/10/14 AFFORDABLE CARE ACT LAB SESSION AT AB TECH

Unsure about how to sign up for insurance under the Affordable Care Act? Come to the Balsam computer lab and sign-up in person. Certified Navigators will be available to answer any questions that come up and can even walk you through each step of enrollment. Location is Balsam 214. Time is 11 AM.

12/11/14 OVERVIEW OF STATE BUDGET AND TOOLS TO MAKE AN IMPACT

Give Me 5! Join Us at "Building a Stronger North Carolina – A Call to Action” Thursday, December 11th, 8:30 to 11:00 AM at the AB Tech Enka campus. Hear an overview of the North Carolina State Budget, Economic Forecast, Issues Affecting Your Community and Add Your Voice. UNITED WAY and the NC Budget & Tax Center, a project of the NC Justice Center, are teaming up to share the story of the economy and the NC state budget. Throughout this session, you will have the opportunity to respond and voice your concerns. Here’s a snapshot of what you can expect: information on North Carolina’s economic recovery and how families are faring; overview of the state budget decisions and how the state is addressing the areas of education, income and health; regional and local data on the economy and impacts of policy decisions; tools to make an impact on the issues you care most about. This event is brought to you by United Way of Asheville and Buncombe County, the Community Foundation of Western North Carolina, WNC Nonprofit Pathways, the League of Women Voters, Women for Women, and Children First/Communities in Schools in conjunction with United Way of North Carolina and the North Carolina Budget and Tax Center. For more information and instructions on how to register, call 828-255-0696 or email ron.katz@unitedwayabc.org.   

12/12/14 UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST SOCIAL JUSTICE MOVIE

If you attended our Poverty Forum, then you saw the trailer for a terrific HBO documentary “Paycheck to Paycheck: The Life and Times of Katrina Gilbert” which illustrates the struggles of the working poor in America. This film will be the featured presentation for the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Asheville's Social Justice Movie Night. This event is free, but donations will be accepted to cover screening costs. We hope to see you there! Time is 7 PM and location is the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Asheville at 1 Edwin Place, Asheville.

12/13/14 CHANGE THE COURSE: PEOPLE POWERED STATEGIES FOR A STABLE CLIMATE

Did you miss the Change the Course training put on by the Rainforest Action Network in October?  AND can’t make the workshop on 11/23?  Transition Asheville is keeping the momentum from our Back-Casting Event and the RAN workshop moving forward for local change.  What kind of a future would you like to see? Would you like to help make that desirable future come to pass by thinking about what we could do–here and now–to make it happen? The workshop is based on the RAN Climate Summits being conducted across the country to involve citizens in their own communities to see what changes can be made close to home, on the community and neighborhood levels, particularly for a Day of Action, hopefully in late January.  We hope to lend support to the RAN Day of Action, identify people who want to host additional presentations, and move forward on actions for local change.  Join us for an afternoon to create and share a vision and strategies to help stabilize the climate! The more people who take part in these workshops, the more ideas, energy and creativity can be brought to bear on the challenges! Time is 1 to 6 PM and location is Lenoir-Rhyne University, Asheville campus. Go to Transition Asheville website for more information.

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ONGOING EVENTS

*******************************************

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 1 PM at A-Hope on North Ann Street in Asheville.  

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 at 5 PM.

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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FROM STEVE NORRIS:

The week of actions we did protesting at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission in Washington was intense and productive. There's no way to summarize it all. In some ways this photograph of Sean Glenn, who had walked with the Great March for Climate Action and who in this picture is blowing a whistle while locked down at the entrance TO FERC says all that needs to be said. 

http://inhabitat.com/beyond-extreme-energy-protesting-at-the-federal-energy-regulatory-commission-in-dc/pb060629/

And if you are interested in more detail, here's a future hope column written by Ted Glick one of the organizers.

http://tedglick.com/future-hope-columns/victory-for-beyond-extreme-energy-at-ferc/

And thanks to all of you for your support. More actions are planned soon. Steve

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Watch Democracy Now!

They are the best source of news on US soil, by a huge margin. I recommend watching or listening to them every Monday to Friday. I download on my iPod Shuffle and listen to them all.

National Day of Action

Briefing next week in DC on Bethlehem

Briefing Description: Bethlehem District Threatened by Israel's Land Confiscation in the West Bank 

Monday, November 24, 2014  

2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.  

Rayburn House Office Building - Room 2168

Four days after the ceasefire took effect in Gaza late this summer, Israel announced it would expropriate 1,000 acres of Palestinian land in the Bethlehem district of the West Bank. The land annexation is intended for settlement expansion in violation of international law, which prohibits such actions in occupied territories. The area is currently in agricultural use by five Palestinian villages—Wadi Foquin, Husan, Nahalin, Surif, and Jab’a—supporting families and a rural way of life as it has for many generations. 

This action was foreshadowed a year ago, when residents of Wadi Foquin travelled to Washington D.C. to describe the existential threat expanding settlements posed to their homes, their families, and their livelihood. Since 1967 every U.S. administration has opposed the settlements and has viewed settlement expansion as a major obstacle to peace in the region. The U.S. State Department has strongly urged Israel to reverse this latest action of land expropriation. The briefing will provide members with general information on the settlement enterprise and the specific impact of this latest action on Wadi Foquin and neighboring villages in the West Bethlehem district.

Speakers:

Ata Manasra, Coordinator, Wadi Foquin CDP 

Ahmad Sukar, Mayor and Village Council President of Wadi Foquin

Adel Hroub, Youth Coordinator, Wadi Foquin CDP 

Moderator:  Susan Wilder

Sponsored By:

Friends of Wadi Foquin 

General Board of Church and Society (GBCS) of the United Methodist Church 

US Campaign to End the Occupation

Palestinian Christian Alliance for Peace (PCAP)

Faith Forum on Middle East Policy

For more information and/or to RSVP please contact:  Mike at development@endtheoccupation.org

IF YOU WISH TO INVITE YOUR ELECTED OFFICIALS AND THEIR STAFF TO THIS BRIEFING, YOU CAN SEND THEM A LETTER AT THIS LINK.

Jerusalem police need help

Well, I agree they need help. But not this kind of help:

We decided to conduct an extensive campaign to recruit volunteers for Jerusalem's Civil Guard," Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat said at the end of a situation assessment with Police Commissioner Lieutenant Yohanan Danino and Jerusalem District Commander Moshe Edri. 
"I call on the citizens of Jerusalem to volunteer and strengthen the civilian aid to security forces," Barkat said.

More people with guns on the street will not improve anything.  This came from this news article. 

Yesterday, the corporate media reported on the violence in a Jerusalem synagog. They did not report on the incidents that inspired that violence... one of which was a West Bank Palestinian bus driver being badly beaten and lynching by Israeli settlers a couple days before. Or the spraying of skunk water on empty schools in Jerusalem. Or all the other violence and attacks and land grabs in the West Bank and Jerusalem or all the unending ceasefire violations in Gaza. No, that is not covered. It is ignored and the dumb Americans end up thinking that the Arabs in Palestine are just crazy violent for no reason.

Of course, it is the Israelis who are crazy violent and they prove it by killing vastly more than the Palestinians. And they do this again and again, year after year.

All the violence is disgusting, but I know who the worst offender is.

Violence begets violence, always has and always will.

US Killing Machines

They don't know who they are killing.... and clearly don't care. Neither does the corporate media. From a Glenn Greenwald article: 

Like the U.S. drone program itself, this deceitful media practice continues unabated. “Drone strike kills at least four suspected militants in northwest Pakistan,” a Reuters headline asserted last week. The headline chosen by ABC News, publishing an AP report, was even more definitive: “U.S. Drone in Northwest Pakistan Kills 6 Militants.” In July, The Wall Street Journal‘s headline claimed: “U.S. Drone Strike Kills Five Militants in Pakistan’s North Waziristan.” Sometimes they will turn over their headlines to “officials,” as this AP report from July did: “Officials: US drone kills 7 militants in Pakistan.”

Rest of the article here.

Upcoming events in the Asheville area this week

Black pinwheels marked with the names of the children killed in the war this past summer in Gaza. There were 521 Palestinian children killed and 1 Israeli child. This was part of a fundraiser concert by Western Carolinians for Peace and Justice in the Middle East.

UPCOMING EVENTS

11/17/14 STEM LECTURE AT UNCA

A STEM lecture “New Developments in Climate Change” will be made by Lenny Bernstein, co-author of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Report, which was awarded the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize. STEM is an interdisciplinary lecture series with a focus on science, technology, engineering ad mathematics. Admission is free and open to the public. Time is 4:15 PM and location is the Reuter Center at UNCA.

11/17/14 FILM SHOWN AT UNCA

“COWSPIRACY: The Sustainability Secret” is a groundbreaking feature-length environmental documentary following an intrepid filmmaker as he uncovers the most destructive industry facing the planet today – and investigates why the world's leading environmental organizations are too afraid to talk about it. As eye-opening as Blackfish and as inspiring as An Inconvenient Truth, this shocking yet humorous documentary reveals the absolutely devastating environmental impact large-scale factory farming has on our planet. Time is 6 PM and location is Humanities Lecture Hall. Free and open to the public. Email Frank at bbfcag@yahoo.com for more information.

11/17/14 RURAL HERITAGE MUSEUM IN MARS HILL

The exhibit is “Our Story - This Place: The History of African-American Education in Madison County and the Anderson Rosenwald School”. This exhibit runs until 02/28/14 and is free and open to the public. Location of the Rural Heritage Museum is 100 Athletic Street in Mars Hill and their phone number is 689-1304.

11/17/14 AFFORDABLE CARE ACT LAB SESSION AT AB TECH

Unsure about how to sign up for insurance under the Affordable Care Act? Come to the Balsam computer lab and sign-up in person. Certified Navigators will be available to answer any questions that come up and can even walk you through each step of enrollment. Location is Balsam 214. Time is 2 PM.

11/18/14 FILM SCREENING BY DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS

Directed by Peter Casaer and narrated by Daniel Day-Lewis, this documentary provides a harrowing look at the challenges of delivering humanitarian aid in armed conflicts. “Access to the Danger Zone” explores the strategies that Doctors Without Borders uses to save lives in the world’s worst war zones, including Afghanistan, Somalia, and eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. Interviews with key experts from Doctors Without Borders, the International Committee of the Red Cross, and the United Nations are accompanied by dramatic footage shot in these countries in 2011 and 2012.  Join us following the screening for a Q&A with local Doctors Without Borders aid workers, who will share stories from their overseas assignments. The film screening is free, fully accessible, and open to the public. Time is 6 PM. Location is Asheville Art Museum. Register or request more information through Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/access-to-the-danger-zone-film-screening-asheville-600pm-registration-13415585377

11/18/14 NC COUNCIL OF CHURCHES POST-ELECTION ROAD SHOW

What do the recent elections mean for North Carolina? How can people of faith in the state continue to affect positive change?Join NCIPL Director, Susannah Tuttle and the staff of the North Carolina Council of Churches as we discuss ways our programs are providing a faithful voice for issues facing NC residents and how you can be involved. Time is 9 to 11 AM and location is the First Baptist Church at 5 Oak Street in Asheville. Join us for light refreshments beginning at 8:30. Please park in the front lot closest to I-240 and enter through the chapel doors. There is no cost, but please let us know if you’ll be attending so that we can prepare: 919-828-6501 or info@ncchurches.org.

11/18/14 AUDUBON SOCIETY MEETING

Time is 7 to 9 PM and location is Reuter Center 206 at UNCA. 

11/19/14 GREEN DRINKS

This event, a combination of a Green Drinks and Bioneers conference session, involves Dr. Adam Powell, a Religious Studies professor facilitating a panel of religious leaders in a discussion about the present and future relationship between religion and sustainability. The panelists include Rabbi Justin Goldstein; Wiccan Priest Byron Ballard; and Presbyterian Minister, Steve Runholt. After a brief introduction to the scholarly study of religion and its ties to sustainability, each religious leader will highlight how this relationship is playing out in their respective communities and offer insight into the future of bridge-building between these two realms. Socializing starts at 5:30 PM and program starts at 6 PM. Location is Lenoir-Rhyne University at 36 Montford Avenue in Asheville. Call 828.407.4270 for more information.

11/20/14 TRANSGENDER DAY OF REMEMBRANCE

Join Just Us For All and TranZmission for TDoR this year. There will be a daytime event for trans* folks who want to change their names legally through a name change workshop. The national Transgender Day of Remembrance objective is to highlight the losses that the trans* community faces due to anti-transgender bigotry and violence. The names of the deceased will be present and some of their stories will be told. The groups also want to highlight all lives of transgender folks including the survivors and the work they are doing. JUFA and TranZmission urges the Asheville community to please meet at the Civic Center (also known as the US Cellular Center) on November 20, 2014 at 7 PM (please try to be dressed warm and be on time) and march to the Vance Monument to hear speakers during a candlelit vigil.

11/20/14 PEOPLE’S ADVOCACY & ACTION GROUP

Inequality based on race, gender, class, ability, orientation are deeply connected! For example, we know that racism impacts economics when you do not get hired for the job or are turned down to rent an apartment because of your race. Come explore these intersections through interactive activities & dialogue! Help Just Economics create a performance about intersectionality and our work for justice for our Annual Celebration in December! Guest facilitator is Lucia Daugherty, Program Director of Asheville-Buncombe Community Relations Council. Time is 6 to 8 PM and location is United Way, 3rd floor conference room, at 50 South French Broad Avenue in Asheville. For more information, call 828-505-7466.

11/20/14 FILM SCREENING IN SYLVA BY CANARY COALITION

"Coal Ash Stories" to be screened at the Jackson County Library Community Room, in Sylva. Imagine being afraid to drink your water, take a bath, fish, or farm. These are the fears facing communities near the Duke Energy coal ash spill, areas around other coal-fired power plants, and more in North Carolina. You’re invited to Coal Ash Stories, an event featuring four short films focused on coal ash, public health concerns, related policy, and ways that communities are responding. Come learn about the issues, talk with community members, and find out how you can get involved. Free admission. Light food and beverages will be served.Organized by The Canary Coalition and co-sponsored by the Jackson County Branch of the NAACP and OccupyWNC.For more information call 828-631-3447 or email info@canarycoalition.org. Time is 7 PM. 

11/20/14 LECTURE AT UNCA

Two Human Rights Leaders to Speak on Global LGBT Issues from 12:30 PM to 1:30 PM. Location is Highsmith University Union, Mountain Suite. Ruth Messinger, president of the American Jewish World Service (AJWS), and, Essy, a Kenyan human rights activist, will speak about the situation faced by lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people in the developing world. The lecture is free and open to the public.

11/20/14 PERFORMANCE AT UNCA

Listening for Grace is about a father’s journey, a church’s struggle and a search for commonality. It follows the story of a widowed father whose son has just come out as gay. Through his relationships with his son, an estranged cousin, people in his church and a pastor who deals with issues of sexuality in the Bible, the main character is challenged by many different viewpoints and experiences. Free and open to the public. Time is 7 PM and location is Carmichael Humanities Lecture Hall. 

11/20/14 WNC ALLIANCE ANNUAL GATHERING MEETING

This meeting will be on approving merger documents. Time is 6 to 8 PM and location is Legacy Paddle Sports in Fletcher. 

11/21/14 PROTEST THE SCHOOL OF THE AMERICAS IN GEORGIA

Jim Brown still has about 5 seats left in van to SOA. They are leaving from Asheville on Friday Nov. 21 returning Sunday 23. Shared rooms at Colonial hotel. $65 should cover shared room both nights and gas share in van. Confirm with Jim Brown at 828-777-4433.

11/21/14 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 noon to 2 PM. Everyone is welcome. Please go to www.wncpsr.org  for more information, which includes how to get there and other details.

11/21/14 to 11/23/14 NC CLIMATE JUSTICE SUMMIT

This will be held at Haw River State Park. 

11/21/14 WESTERN CAROLINIANS FOR PEACE AND JUSTICE IN THE MIDDLE EAST

This meeting will be at 3:15 PM at Brooks-Howell Home on Merrimon Avenue in Asheville. Meet in the media room. 

11/21/14 PERFORMANCE AT UUCA

The History (& Mystery) of the Universe - Celebrating Buckminster Fuller with David Novak, NC Stage performer. Time is 7 PM and location is UUCA on Charlotte Street in Asheville. Cost is $10. Come be inspired for change. Contact UUCA at 254-6001 for more information.

11/22/14 WORLD GAME WORKSHOP AT UUCA

"World Game" is a game created by Buckminster Fuller to solve the world’s problems. Cost is $10. Time is 9 AM to noon and location is UUCA on Charlotte Street in Asheville. Cost is $15 for both events at UUCA (the other one is on 11/21/14). Come be inspired for change. Contact UUCA at 254-6001 for more information.

11/23/14 CHANGE THE COURSE: PEOPLE POWERED STRATEGIES FOR A STABLE CLIMATE

What kind of a future do you see for our world on its present source? What would you LIKE to see? How would you like to be a part of a project of envisioning a  better future and what we could do–here and now– to make that come to pass? Please join us for an afternoon to create and share a vision and strategies to stabilize the climate!

This workshop is modeled on workshops being conducted across the county by Rainforest Action Network to involve citizens in looking at their own communities and seeing what changes can be made close to home, on the community and neighborhood levels. The more people take part in these workshops, the more ideas, energy and creativity can be brought to bear on the challenges! Please RSVP to ecochristian@yahoo.com. Time is 1 PM to 6 PM and location is New Hope Presbyterian Church at 3070 Sweeten Creek Road in Asheville. 

11/23/14 CHANGE THE COURSE: PEOPLE POWERED STRATEGIES FOR A STABLE CLIMATE

What kind of a future do you see for our world on its present source? What would you LIKE to see? How would you like to be a part of a project of envisioning a  better future and what we could do–here and now– to make that come to pass? Please join us for an afternoon to create and share a vision and strategies to stabilize the climate!

This workshop is modeled on workshops being conducted across the county by Rainforest Action Network to involve citizens in looking at their own communities and seeing what changes can be made close to home, on the community and neighborhood levels. The more people take part in these workshops, the more ideas, energy and creativity can be brought to bear on the challenges! Please RSVP to ecochristian@yahoo.com. Time is 1 PM to 6 PM and location is New Hope Presbyterian Church at 3070 Sweeten Creek Road in Asheville.

11/24/14 WORLD AIDS DAY COMMEMORATION

As part of the World AIDS Day commemoration, the Western North Carolina AIDS Project will exhibit 160 panels of the AIDS Memorial Quilt at the Renaissance Hotel in downtown Asheville from November 24 until December 1, 2014. The exhibit will be open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily. A special opening-night reception takes place Monday, November 24 from 6-8 PM and includes a message from Mike Smith, co-founder of the Names Project Foundation, music by classical guitarist James Barr, and presentation of new quilt panels created this year by WNCAP’s Quilting Group. On Monday, December 1, World AIDS Day, the group will present programming throughout the day, including a special appearance by local Asheville diva Kat Williams.

11/24/14 PRESENTATION FROM WNC PHYSICIANS FOR SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

Western N. C. Physicians for Social Responsibility invites everyone to come to Mary Fox Olson’s presentation, “The Medical Consequences of Nuclear Weapons and the Disproportionate Impact of Ionizing Radiation on Females” on Monday, Nov 24 at 2 PM in the meeting room of the West Asheville Library on Haywood Road in Asheville.  Mary's offering will give us an opportunity to preview Mary's major presentation to the International Vienna Conference on the Humanitarian Impact of Nuclear Weapons in December. We are pleased, as this will be a rare occasion when the US has agreed to take part in such an international event. Free and open to the public.

11/26/14 NO GREEN DRINKS MEETING TODAY

12/02/14 WORLD AFFAIRS COUNCIL

Dorina Bekoe, a senior research associate in the Center for Conflict Analysis and Prevention in Washington DC will overview Peace Keeping in Africa. Meetings are scheduled for 7:30 PM in the Reuter Center's Manheimer Room. For more details about programs, consult the WAC website.

12/04/14 ASHEVILLE BEYOND COAL EVENT

On Dec 4th, join us for the first-ever "New Mountain Climate Bash" - a local music loves our planet shindig at New Mountain Asheville at 38 N. French Broad Avenue in Asheville. This bash celebrates both local music and Asheville Beyond Coal's efforts to move beyond coal, fight climate disruption, and stop the poisoning of our rivers from toxic coal ash. Cheers to local music, epic shindigs, kind venues, and great causes joining together to create a better world and protect our beloved mountains!  Tix are $8 beforehand, $10 at the door ($5 student tickets with ID at the door). All proceeds go to benefit Asheville Beyond Coal's efforts to protect our mountains and planet. Doors open at 7 pm. Beer specials and food trucks available.

12/10/14 AFFORDABLE CARE ACT LAB SESSION AT AB TECH

Unsure about how to sign up for insurance under the Affordable Care Act? Come to the Balsam computer lab and sign-up in person. Certified Navigators will be available to answer any questions that come up and can even walk you through each step of enrollment. Location is Balsam 214. Time is 11 AM.

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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 1 PM at A-Hope on North Ann Street in Asheville.  

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 at 5 PM.

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.