Good morning!
This is the weekly DKos Asheville open thread where we try to get together every Saturday morning around eleven, and then drift in and out throughout the day. We hope this group serves to reinvigorate us locally and regionally here on Daily Kos, building on the sense of community that's grown through our online engagement. DKos Asheville can give us all a better sense of connection, a better understanding of who these people are that we stand with, work with, and share with in the political process. We hope, through this community, that we can do a better job of leveraging our orange passion for progressive politics to help elect more and better Democrats.
If you would like to host a weekly open thread, please let us know.
As Randall reported in his follow up diary Tuesday night, we had another fun outing at Westgate Earthfare here in Asheville sitting around our voter registration table, chatting with folks walking by, answering questions, and picking up another registration. Afterwards, LC and I went inside for dinner, talking mostly about the importance of community, reflected in spaces that are welcoming and warm meeting places for local residents, as well as the sense of community that is possible for employees in businesses that treat their workers with respect and create an environment that is supportive and nurturing.
This was our fifth Tuesday in a row, and we are on the schedule for this coming Tuesday as well. I imagine there well be a good amount of pre-holiday traffic in and out of the store despite a forecast of cold and wet. We have not yet heard anything regarding the December schedule; so for the moment, this Tuesday is the last scheduled event. We'll be there from 3:00 to 6:00; so if you can, please come by and join us.
Mountain Xpress reports that the Aids Memorial Quilt will be here in Asheville this coming week. If you've never seen the quilt, you now have an opportunity to do so. The quilt will be shown at the Renaissance Asheville Hotel downtown, and "will be open to the public from Nov. 25 to Dec. 2 from 10 a.m -7 p.m., Monday through Saturday, closed Thanksgiving Day". You can read the full article here.
Also of local interest, Mountain Xpress is reporting that "The McKibbon Hotel Group will not develop city-owned property across from the Basilica of St. Lawrence". This was a project that many of us were against for a number of reasons, among them it's proximity to the Basilica. The Citizen-Times also has the story here.
I hope everyone has a great Saturday; and if you can make it out to Earthfare Tuesday, please do. And mark your calendar for the Aids Quilt this week.
Tue Nov 26, 2013 at 6:40 AM PT: Just in case anyone was thinking about coming down to Earthfare for voter registration today, we've decided to cancel because of the weather. Hope everyone stays warm and dry; and have a nice Thanksgiving!