Steve's Blog

By Steven Hall

Newswriting student

     As summer approaches, so does the next annual Craft Fair of the Southern Highlands, an event that still breathes life into a long-lived tradition.

     “My father was always painting and my mother was always making crafts, so I was brought up in a creative environment,” said Norma Bradley, a multimedia artist and Southern Highland Guild member.  “There is a human need to create and have personal expression, whether you are making a statement or simply bringing beauty to the world.”

     Bradley, originally from New York City, owns a studio where she works mostly with fabrics.  She creates various types of art with about 35 years of experience behind her.

     “The process I use is very spontaneous,” said the Asheville resident of 30 years.  “Sometimes a piece of cloth will just jump out at me and I will go from there.  Different pieces have different needs and insights.  I will draw from experiences I had that day, the day before or even 30 years ago.”

     When asked if demand for her work recently dropped due to tough economic times, she replied with optimism.

     “It hasn’t affected me,” Bradley said.  “I just sold a piece and they are not inexpensive.  People gravitate toward the arts when things are bad.  The arts always seem to pull through.”

     Heather Allen-Swarttouw, a textile worker, said she does see a connection between art and the economy. 

     “Art echoes the economic times,” said Allen-Swarttouw, who holds 19 years of fabric weaving experience.  “When the economy is down, people are more concerned with essential needs.”

     Allen-Swarttouw, originally from New Hampshire, stressed the importance of the relationship between crafts and culture, especially fiber and ceramics.

     “Fiber and ceramics are materials that have one of the oldest relationships with culture,” said 46 year-old Allen-Swarttouw.  “The act of making is tied to your culture.”

     Allen-Swarttouw said there will be a returning to hands-on experiences, something she thinks is missing from our culture.

     “We’re tied, through time, to our hands,” Allen-Swarttouw said.  “Everyone has them, they’re free and they don’t require electricity.  There is going to be a reawakening of people getting back in touch with something that has been lost due to technology.”

     Thomas Bauman, who designs jewelry with his wife, Patricia, used to be a blacksmith and picked up the art in 1989.

     “I am a third generation jeweler and didn’t know it,” said Bauman, a Southern Highlands Guild member and Miami native.  “My great uncle was a jeweler and there is another generation of my family in Europe who are still jewelers.”

     Bauman’s comments on the economy’s association with his crafts were very hopeful.

     “I’ve noticed a change, but just a slight one,” Bauman said.  “Everything is still pretty much in high demand.  Jewelry makes people feel better.”

     According to Bauman, there are a few reasons that the art of craft making is still around.

     “There is a timeless and immortal desire to create,” said the Asheville resident of 34 years.  “We’re wired for it.  We can’t help it.  Whether it’s the desire for ornamentation or simply an act of love from one person to another when giving someone a gift, the art of craft making will be with us forever.” 

     Bauman said the process of his work is very traditional and that he wouldn’t want to do anything else.

     “It’s a continuation of techniques,” he said.  “I use the process of casting, which has been around for thousands of years.  It’s just that my version of the technique is updated.”

     “My wife and I aren’t happy if we’re not creating or making something,” Bauman said.  “To have something come out of your head and heart and have it physically created is the most satisfying feeling in the world.”

By Steven Hall

Newswriting student

     Elie drove quietly, keeping his eyes fixed on the road ahead.  A 12-pack of cheap beer bearing red, white and blue colors rode shotgun.  Eric and Marlayna laughed and exchanged smooches in the back seat.  There was a transparent cassette lodged in the tape deck and the volume was cranking out Motown.  An inquiry about what was playing flew to Elie’s ears and he responded.

     “I’m not sure,” Elie said loudly, trying to trump the music.  “If you mean the tape, that tape deck has been dead for quite a while.  The radio is playing.”

     At the bottom of the hill, close to the onramp of west I-240, they pulled into the gas station for a pack of smokes.  The treble of the gas pump speakers echoed music with the sound quality of a late night drive-in movie.  This place was as good as any.

     “I really want to see where music takes me,” said Elie Herzog, a music major at UNC Asheville.  “I can’t really make any plans and I don’t quite have a goal, but I’m pretty sure I want to do something in music production or performance.”

     Perched upon the hood of his black, banged up 1997 Nissan Sentra, Herzog remains undeterred from his faith in music, despite the mass of students around him that constantly worry about what their job situation will be like when they leave college.

     “I’m sure my parents are a bit worried,” Elie said, adjusting his black and blue flannel.  “They want me to be a math major.  Everyone in my family is a math major, but they are all musically inclined and play some type of instrument.  They support my decision though because they know this is what I want to do.”

     According to the college’s official Web site, the music department at UNCA offers a bachelor of arts in music, with or without a concentration in jazz studies, and a bachelor of arts in music technology. The department includes a music lab that consists of high-tech gear built by electronic music pioneer and former UNCA Music Professor Bob Moog.

     “When I wake up in the morning, I listen to The Who and drink coffee,” the Durham native said, as he put on a hat with a makeshift face on the front donning tiny brass devil horns protruding out.  “They go well together.  I like anything that’s loud, obnoxious and makes you want to burn stuff.”

     They all shared a laugh and Elie explained further.

     “I really like the aspect of music being a drug, but it isn’t,” he said.  “It makes you want to go out and be crazy.  It’s a sensual thing that affects you a lot and completely changes your state of mind.  It’s a pretty simple thing, you know?  It’s just sounds.”

     A plan to head back to Eric’s place emerged.  The car found its way back down the road as the multitude of downtown lights got smaller and smaller in the rearview.

-  -  -

     “I met Elie about two weeks after I got to Asheville last August,” Eric said as he cracked open a beer.  He pushes back dirty blond shaggy hair as he sits on the floor with his back against the couch cushions.  “I was sitting outside with my guitar and he came out of nowhere with a sitar.  A friend of mine had a banjo, so we all started playing ‘Stairway to Heaven’ with all of these instruments.  It was great.”

     Eric Merchant, who is also a music major, plays music regularly with Elie and has even travelled with him out of town to perform.

     “We drove to Raleigh a couple of times to play,” said Merchant, originally from Silver Spring. 

     “We were extremely unrehearsed,” he chuckled. “Everything fell into place nicely, though.”

     “Eli’s a crazy son of a bitch,” said Eric’s girlfriend Marlayna Russell, as she took a pull off of a bottle of merlot.  “At first I thought he was just really quiet and awkward, but after a while I found out that he was very talented.  He can play just about anything.”

     Her blond and brown mohawk shifts around as she tells about Elie’s “bloody rock” incident.

     “There was a tapestry hanging from the ceiling and it was anchored to the closet by rocks,” she said.  “He leaned on it and a rock fell 6 feet, hitting him in the head.  His head was soaked in blood.”

     “That was the first time I screamed and laughed hysterically at the same time,” Elie interjected. 

     A medium-sized white rock with patches of dried blood all over it sat just a few feet away.

-  -  -

     As the night came to an end, they opted for shot gunning one last cheap brew.  The car keys came out, puncturing the cans like air rifle pellets hitting them in slow motion. They popped the tops and the contents vanished.  Elie began to speak as he strummed “The Rain Song” by Led Zeppelin on his guitar.

     “I turn on the radio nowadays and can’t find anything good because corporate owners have taken over radio,” he said.  “For a long time, everything that was on the radio was appealing and aesthetically pleasing.  There were meaningful lyrics, intricate rhythms and music was just powerful.”

     He silently sat there for a while like the last seconds of a song’s final note fading away.

     “I want that to come back.  I want to be a part of it coming back.”

By Steven Hall

Newswriting student

     While most first-year students are hurrying to find a place they can call their own, away from the campus of UNC Asheville, some students are perfectly content with sticking around the school a little bit longer.

     According to statistics on UNCA’s Web site, approximately 491 students, including sophomores, juniors and seniors, choose to stay in the dorms after their first year of college.  These students make up about 19 percent of the non-freshman population.

     “I enjoy just being able to walk to class.  It’s nice to be able to drop off my books and go do something instead of having to leave campus and come back if you have another class during the day,” said Kyle Rodal, a sophomore at UNCA and Scott Hall resident in Governor’s Village. 

     Rodal, a 20-year-old originally from Davidson, is part of the 39 percent of on campus sophomores.

     “I don’t own a car either, but if I did have to commute, I would probably be forced to spend more time on campus anyway if I am in between classes,” Rodal said.

     Other students like the fact that you can sign up for a lot of hours without having to deal with the stress of bills.

     “If you are on campus, you can take on a heavy load without worrying about other things, such as working to pay for rent and utilities,” said David Steele, a 23-year-old that represents part of the 8 percent of seniors living on campus. 

     Dorm students find sociability to be high, as well.  Daniel Backfield, a Winston-Salem native and Scott Hall resident, not only interacts with people in his building, but is also familiar with students throughout Governor’s Village.

     “Whether I know them well or just associate with them here and there, I constantly see people being social with one another,” said the 22-year-old junior.  “I’ll be staying on campus again next year.”

     On campus juniors make up 18 percent of the junior population.

     “I know about six or seven people in my building,” said Steele, who resides in Moore Hall, which is also in Governor’s Village.

     As for disadvantages, the students spoke up about various things.

     “I guess it may be possible to save money in the long run in some apartments,” said Rodal, who moved to Asheville two years ago from Cary.  “People also don’t have the chance to party as much in the dorms, but I don’t really do that, so it doesn’t affect me.  Another issue to consider is that being off campus would probably allow better access to downtown or other places.”

     Backfield, 22, also said lack of freedom is a disadvantage.

     “It’s true that there’s always a lack of freedom on campus, but you know that before you come to stay here,” Backfield said.  “The convenience factor easily overrides that sacrifice.”

     Steele, originally from Cary, talked about some of the disadvantages of certain neighbors.

     “There’s always some interesting folk close by,” said Steele.  “There are always people that you probably won’t get along with, even if they are just down the hall.”

     Along with Backfield, both Steele and Rodal said they are staying in the dorms again for the upcoming school year.

     “Another great reason to stay here is for security, mentally and physically,” Rodal said.  “You’re landlord here, or RA, is someone who is trying to take care of you, whereas your landlord off campus is someone that is usually just trying to get money out of you.”

by Steven Hall

Newswriting Student

     A first-year student at UNC Asheville said he illicitly took ADHD drugs numerous times to excel in his studies.

     “I almost failed one of my calculus exams after studying without the medication,” said UNCA freshman Kingsley Crawford of Charlotte.  “After I began using 15 mg Focalin without a prescription, I started receiving the best math grades ever.  Now my GPA is a 3.3.” 

     According to a recent survey led by several researchers, more than 5 percent of college students admitted to using ADHD medication illicitly within the past six months to improve their academic performance.  Researcher David Rabiner and associates found that 90 percent of surveyed students said that ADHD medication furthered their grades and improved their focusing ability, despite not having prescriptions.

     The study also reported students had a loss of appetite, inability to sleep and irritability. 

     “Other than not being able to concentrate on anything for the rest of the day, there were no side effects,” Crawford said.  “I could always eat, and since I took it early, falling asleep was never a problem.”

     Statistics showed that illicit use appeared more frequently in students that used alcohol or other substances. 

     “I smoke pot fairly often,” said the 18 year old.  “I drink only on the weekends.”

     Psychiatrist Carl Whiteside of Asheville said there are many risks of using ADHD medicine without a prescription. 

     “If someone has heart problems or high blood pressure, these drugs can affect those issues,” said the 65-year-old.  “ADHD medicine can trigger a rhythmia for those with heart problems.  Those with undiagnosed high blood pressure can raise it even higher while using this medicine.  There is also the possibility of anxiety, hallucinations, psychosis and paranoia.”

     Whiteside, a graduate of UNC Chapel Hill and practitioner of medicine since 1973, said there is also a risk of addiction. 

     “For those that don’t have ADHD, the risk of addiction is higher if they are taking these drugs.”

     Whiteside said most of his patients are between the ages of 18 and 30.  He also said quite a few of them are college students. 

     Susanne Honeycutt of Fayetteville said she legally started taking ADHD drugs seven years ago after   making continuous errors at her workplace. 

     “I would read something for school and not be able to retain what I had read,” Honeycutt said.  “After I was diagnosed with ADHD, I was prescribed medication and became more focused at work and school.” 

     Both Honeycutt and Crawford said they knew people that were addicted to ADHD medicine without a prescription. 

     “My best friend was depressed and often took it to expand on artwork, but his creativity suffered after that,” Crawford said.  “It just didn’t take him anywhere.”

     “I know a few people that are illicitly using this medicine and are addicted to it,” said 32-year-old Honeycutt.  “Since there is a possibility of actually having the disorder, the only right thing to do is seek the opinion of a medical doctor.”

By Steven Hall

Newswriting student

     One by one, students returning textbooks walked through the line in Highsmith Union at UNC Asheville, sliding them to the cashier only to see them instantly slide right back.  The students look up, bewildered and shocked.  The cashier says, “Sorry.  We’re not taking this book anymore.” 

     It was the week of finals, which also brought a dreadful time for both students and bookstore cashiers: textbook buyback.  However, depending on how you look at it, some students might tell you it’s more like textbook refusal.

     “What am I supposed to do with this Intro to Statistics book?” said Victoria Parker, a Durham native and UNCA freshman.  “I’m never going to use it again, but now I’m stuck with it.”

     Frustratingly, she added, “I paid a lot of money for this.”

     Every semester, students or their parents have to dig deep into their pockets for tuition, meal plans, housing and other various fees.  When the insides of those same pockets dwindle to nothing but lint, that’s usually when you find out how much textbook costs will be. This usually leads to a universal sigh sounded by the ones flipping the bill and many a finger-crossing in the hopes that they will see some kind of financial return at the end of the semester.

     Anna Bottcher, 18, said she wasn’t going to keep most of her books from this past semester.

     “I spent about $215 on my textbooks,” said the UNCA freshman and Cary native.  “I’m expecting to pay about the same in the fall semester.”

     While some students are paying a couple of hundred dollars for textbooks, some students will have to spend as much as $500 or more to cover their materials.

     When asked if she would prefer a lease system over the current sell and buyback system concerning textbooks, Bottcher quickly approved.

     “I would absolutely support a lease system for UNCA,” Bottcher said.  “That would at least be better than getting back half of what you spent or nothing at all.”

Bookstore Blues

     Tom Benoit, a computer sales associate at UNCA’s bookstore, elaborated on a few topics that students may be unaware of. 

     “It’s a conundrum,” Benoit said.  “For the science department, technology changes so quickly, so for the publishers, it’s like handing candy to a baby.”

     Benoit, 54, emphasized on the impact of growing technology.

     “Publishers are always offering new modules, an online component, CD’s or DVD’s and it kills us because not only can we not buy back the used books and resell them, which saves the students a considerable amount of money, but we can’t buy them back at all,” Benoit said.  “Therefore, the student is stuck with a book that is of little or no value at all.”

     Benoit did say that some courses, such as humanities, aren’t usually affected by this problem.

     “This stuff was written centuries ago, so nothing has really changed,” laughed the Santa Cruz native.  “So the books can be used over and over again.  Needless to say, this makes the professors very happy.”

     Benoit spoke of other complaints, such as the bookstore making too much money off of students. 

     “We’re a non-profit, so we’re not taking the money and running with it,” Benoit said.  “I’m grateful to have a job, but we are on meager state salaries.  It’s not like we make lots of money here.  We don’t work for commission or anything like that.”

     Benoit, who has been working with UNCA for approximately a year, also clarified that the bookstore does not benefit from the school’s operational funds.

     “We are self-funded,” Benoit said.  “So we have to make enough money to pay the electric bill, pay the rent and pay the salaries.  We even return some of this revenue to UNCA, which is used mostly for scholarships.”

     When asked why UNCA did not follow the lease program, Benoit continued to explain.

     “The reason this campus was not able to consider it, while Western Carolina University and Appalachian State University did adopt the program, is that the initial expense was prohibited because of our size,” Benoit said. “Those two schools obviously had much larger funding in order to make the initial investment.”

     Benoit said that buying books from the UNCA bookstore is a choice made by the student.

     “We are obligated by the state to publish the ISBN numbers as courses get adopted,” Benoit said.  “So, essentially, it’s the student’s choice.” 

Rent-A-Book

     Students at ASU in Boone all share a common convenience that relieves at least some of their financial woes after their paying their bills for the semester:  a textbook lease program. 

     Cameron Donnell, an appropriate technology major at ASU, said that he likes the program.

     “It’s really convenient,” said the 31-year-old.  “The only problem is that you have to wait about an hour and a half to get them.”

     While most of the textbooks are available for rent, Donnell, originally from Fayetteville, mentioned that you do have to buy some books.

     “Usually, the only books you have to buy,” Donnell said, “are for the literature classes.”

     ASU has had the lease program since 1938 when the institution was called Appalachian State Teachers College.

     Cathy Marks, the rental text manager of the ASU bookstore, is an ASU graduate herself.

     “The students really appreciate the system,” Marks said.  “A fee of $87.50 for all of their textbooks for the semester is included in their tuition.”

     Marks said that if they decide to keep the book at the end of the semester, there is another charge.

     “There is a charge, but it’s 25 percent less than the new price,” Marks said.  “That levels out to industry standard.”

Publication in Asheville Citizen-Times…

http://www.citizen-times.com/article/20100426/COLUMNISTS09/304260014/1007/COLUMNISTS08/Boyle-Answers-on-Pack-bricks-Weston-home

Question: How much do all those commercials on WLOS cost the Humane Society? Or are they public service announcements?

Smart-aleck answer: (UNCA students Steven Hall and Zarcone handled this question, with Hall talking to the local Humane Society and Zarcone calling the national folks. The following are Hall and Zarcone’s smart-aleck responses). The commercials are apparently being funded by an extremely large group of Dalmatian puppies. WLOS shouldn’t charge because after watching the horribly sad Humane Society commercial, the news won’t seem as bad as it really is. Those ads are depressing.

Real answer: “The Asheville Humane Society does not purchase air time for the public service announcements on WLOS,” said Hans Wohlgefahrt, Community Outreach coordinator of the AHS. “Most likely, they are picking up press release information issued by AHS.”

The Humane Society of the United States’ ad is shown sometimes two or three times during a particular newscast on ABC’s affiliate station in Asheville. Courtney Youngblood, the local sales manager at WLOS, said these spots “are paid advertisements.”

WLOS would not divulge how much they cost, though. General Manager Jack Connors said rates vary depending on the time slot and time of year, as well as demand.

A spokeswoman for the HSUS, based in Washington, didn’t pinpoint the cost, either, but she did say about 22 percent of HSUS expenditures went to marketing and advertising in 2008, the last year for which statistics are available. With $125 million in expenses, 22 percent is equivalent to $27.5 million.

Steven Hall

Article Six

Answer Man

Published in Asheville Citizen-Times…

http://www.citizen-times.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2010304260014

Question:  There is - at 907 Weston Road - a two - three story stone edifice set on a
hillside overlooking the former Brookwood Golf Course.  The general design
and proportions suggest a monument or memorial rather than a building, but
who knows.  The structure is deteriorated and partly overgrown — displaying
a lack of maintenance, but the surrounding grounds are well kept.  As the
property is posted, I have not gone exploring, but my curiosity remains
unabated.  Perhaps your research team can help me find out what this is.

Many thanks…

Michael E. (Mike) Richardson

My answer:  Come on, Mike.  Don’t knock my place.  I’m an aspiring journalist.  What do you expect?

The real answer(Gouge): 

     Historical markers concealed from the road indicate these are the ruins of Rock Hall, an antebellum plantation and mountain summer home built in 1847 by Col. Joshua John Ward.  Ward, a Georgetown, S.C. native, was the largest American slaveholder and 44^th lieutenant governor of South Carolina from 1850 to 1852, serving as a Democrat under Gov. John Hugh Means.

     “I’ve used a metal detector over here, and I’ve found stuff everywhere,” said Bob Robeson, owner of the ruins, which are attached to his property at 905 Weston Road.  “I have window weights, a piece of a churn and an iron, among many other things.”

     Robeson, who acquired the property in 1986, constructed paths to Rock Hill using bricks he uncovered from the surrounding area.

     “These bricks may have come from the kitchen,” he said.  “In those days, the kitchen was usually separated from the rest of the house in order to prevent disastrous fires.”

      He also owns a couple of bricks bearing imprints of children’s hands.

     “These handprints probably belonged to slave children,” said the 81-year-old.

     According to Robeson, Col. Ward owned more than 1,100 slaves who produced more than 4.4 million pounds of rice, grossing more than $141,000 in 1850.  This earned Ward the title, “king of the rice planters.”

     Thirteen years after the Civil War and the collapse of slavery, Buncombe County sold Rock Hall and its 400 acres on the courthouse steps for $3,000 because of unpaid taxes.  After a wealthy Charleston native purchased the plantation, it sold again six years later for $6,000.  The 22 room, two-story manor eventually ended up in the hands of Thomas A. Weston, a noted inventor from Birmingham, England and the road’s namesake.  Weston, who died in 1909, is credited with the invention of disc brakes, cranes, hoists and naval gun carriages.

     A solitary, granite bench sits in front of Rock Hill, fulfilling a different purpose than it served long ago.

     “This is one of 10 steps that lead up to the plantation,” Robeson said, running his hand along the side of the stone.  “This thing has to weigh about 2,000 pounds.”

     Robeson, a native of Canton, said the original road to the plantation started at the present intersection of Mills Gap Road and Weston Road, running through both he and his neighbor’s front yards.

     “Just imagine none of this being here except for the house and this road,” said Robeson, pointing to an almost hidden, stretched path.  “If you look closely, you can still see it.”

     A mysterious fire in 1912 destroyed the house except for the skeletal framework, which now remains draped in a lush carpet of ivy.

     “I brought my ladder over there once so I could have a closer look,” said Robeson.  “I found pieces of melted glass left by the fire.  Someone recently asked me if I was going to clear the ivy off, but I think that’s the only thing holding it together.  Besides, I think it looks good that way.”  

By Steven Hall

Public Affairs Reporting

     Asheville’s Public Works Department gears up to tackle an array of new challenges in the community with a little help from the federal government. 

     “We were successful in getting a significant amount of money through the economic stimulus program, so we have, under contract, about $4 million worth of infrastructure work,” said Cathy Ball, director of Public Works.  “That money will go toward sidewalk construction, adding bike lanes, a storm water quality project and other projects.”

      Arden-based paving company John Linda Sarah offered the lowest bid of $539,995 to provide milling, repair, resurfacing and pavement markings on Kimberly Avenue from Edwin Place to Gracelyn Road/Griffing Boulevard, according to a report issued to city council by American Recovery and Reinvestment Project Manager Brenda Mills.

     The report also said there is about $550,000 available in ARRA grant revenue and after a contract administration fee of $81,000 figures into the total of $620,995, the city will compensate the remaining balance of $70,995. 

     Ball also said the fleet management division’s maintenance costs will decline after the addition of three 30-foot diesel buses and two 30-foot low floor hybrid diesel-electric buses from a Federal Transit Administration grant. 

     “It will definitely help the city’s bottom line,” said Ball, a native of Erwin.  “All of those maintenance costs won’t be as much because all those costs come directly back to the city.”

     According to a document addressed to city council from Transportation Department Director Ken Putnam, the new buses will replace buses purchased in 1996, a span that makes them outdated by about four years. Purchasing the new buses requires the city to pay $240,000. Congressman Heath Shuler’s office donated $532,000 for the two hybrid diesel-electric buses.

     David Foster, street superintendent of the Public Works Department, said buses are the second largest user of fuel that public works has right now. 

     “We supply them with all their fuel,” said 40-year-old Foster.  “So that’s going to help us achieve the council’s targets for carbon and fuel reduction.” 

     Municipal fuel usage amounted to more than 596,000 gallons during 2007 and 2008, according to city officials. 

     Stormwater Services Manager McCray Coates said inspectors go out on his construction sites as part of an EPA mandate.

     “We cover erosion control and illicit discharge,” Coates said.  “If there’s anybody dumping into our streams, we have to go out to monitor and identify those folks and then take necessary action.”

     According to city documents from 2005 and 2006, more than half of stormwater utility fees totaling $2.3 million helped fund the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Phase II Stormwater Program, a program that helps preserve, protect and improve the nation’s water resources from polluted runoff.

     Ball expanded on their recent efforts to maintain certain drain systems.

     “We have taken on an initiative to study different drainage basins to figure out what improvements need to be made within those watershed areas so that we know we are spending the money in the right priority,” Ball said.  “We’ve completed two of those and there are probably 25 or 30.”

      For current activities concerning public works, Foster said the recent snowstorm will impede operations.

     “We do snow and ice removal, so you might see us in the next day or so,” he said.  “The streets division is still picking up mostly brush from the storm on Dec. 18 and we anticipate not only picking up that brush for another month or two, but maybe some more from this weekend.  Basically, when we get a big snow like that, I think a lot of the public doesn’t realize that we switch gears and most of our operation hinges on getting roads opened back up.”

Question:  Why are we spending our stimulus funds on sidewalks and more humps and bumps when our water and sewer lines are leaking all over town? 

My answer: The City of Asheville is slowly transforming the town into a gigantic water park and the humps and bumps will help you catch air while coasting down the street on an inner tube or kayak. 

The real answer(Gouge):

According to Greg Shuler, engineering services manager of public works’ transportation department, city council adopted a pedestrian plan a few years ago, but the plan lacked funding.

     “We’ve been working with the French Broad River Metropolitan Planning Organization,” Shuler said.  “Along with other communities in their jurisdiction, we chose similar projects and the sidewalks we chose were approved by city council and the MPO.  We have an ongoing pavement restructuring project on Kimberly Avenue right now, for instance, that is costing a little more than half a million dollars.” 

     The French Broad River MPO is a partnership between local and state government to make decisions about transportation planning in urbanized areas and to meet planning requirements established by federal authorizing legislation for transportation funding, according to their Web site. 

     Shuler, a resident of Bethel, said they competed with surrounding towns for stimulus funds and the MPO selected where the funds went.

     “We met all of our deadlines, whereas other communities did not and, for whatever reason, people voted on who got what,” said the 42-year-old.  “As far as ‘humps and bumps,’ I assume that means traffic calming, but we didn’t have any stimulus projects that dealt with that.”

     The Metropolitan Sewerage District handles sewer line maintenance.  MSD, as stated on their website, is a local governmental agency providing waste water collection and treatment services to approximately 42,000 residences and businesses located in several municipalities and certain unincorporated areas in Buncombe County.

     Ed Bradford, director of capital improvement at MSD, said they received $1 million in stimulus funds for one of three proposed projects. 

     “We were awarded funds for our Long Shoals Road project around the Lake Julian area,” Bradford said.  “That project is complete except for the paving, which we typically do when it warms up to ensure better quality.”

     Bradford, 44, said projects must be shovel ready, or ready to go quickly, to secure approval.

     “Some projects can be large and require lots of permits or some can require a lot of right of way if you’re going through private property,” he said.  “Projects that had all of this completed got the highest priority.”

     Chad Pierce, water engineering services manager of public works’ water resources department, said they received funding for one of four projects. 

     “We were awarded $328,474 through a ‘green and sustainable’ portion of stimulus funds,” Pierce said.  “This grant is allowing us to replace our constant speed pumps at the North Fork reservoir with variable speed pumps, which are more efficient.  They will run only at the minimum speed required to supply water to our customers in Black Mountain.”

     Shuler, Bradford and Pierce said each of their departments received their grants in the full amount, half of which must be paid back. 

The real answer(Boyle):

     According to Greg Shuler, engineering services manager of public works’ transportation department, city council adopted a pedestrian plan a few years ago, but the plan lacked funding.

     “We’ve been working with the French Broad River Metropolitan Planning Organization,” Shuler said.  “Along with other communities in their jurisdiction, we chose similar projects and the sidewalks we chose were approved by city council and the MPO.  We have an ongoing pavement restructuring project on Kimberly Avenue right now, for instance, that is costing a little more than half a million dollars.” 

     Shuler, a resident of Bethel, said they competed with surrounding towns for stimulus funds and the MPO selected where the funds went.

     “We met all of our deadlines, whereas other communities did not and, for whatever reason, people voted on who got what,” said the 42-year-old.  “As far as ‘humps and bumps,’ I assume that means traffic calming, but we didn’t have any stimulus projects that dealt with that.”

     Ed Bradford, director of capital improvement at the Metropolitan Sewerage District, said they received $1 million in stimulus funds for one of three proposed projects. 

     “We were awarded funds for our Long Shoals Road project around the Lake Julian area,” Bradford said.  “That project is complete except for the paving, which we typically do when it warms up to ensure better quality.”

     Chad Pierce, water engineering services manager of public works’ water resources department, said they received funding for one of four projects. 

     “We were awarded $328,474 through a ‘green and sustainable’ portion of stimulus funds,” Pierce said.  “This grant is allowing us to replace our constant speed pumps at the North Fork reservoir with variable speed pumps, which are more efficient.  They will run only at the minimum speed required to supply water to our customers in Black Mountain.”

     Shuler, Bradford and Pierce said each of their departments received their grants in the full amount, half of which must be paid back. 

Published a second time in the Citizen-Times….woo hoo….

http://www.citizen-times.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2010303290020