Welcome to DKos Asheville.
EST 2/13/2011
This space appears each weekend to share links to news and opinion from Asheville and Western North Carolina. The floor is open for comment and discussion. Wishing all a good day from this beautiful part of the world.
“Daily Kos fights for a progressive America by empowering its community and allies with information and tools to directly impact the political process.”
This week’s edition includes another trip downtown as tourists, more Mission Hospital troubles, Cherokee, NC’s preparation for selling marijuana to the public, Fall color science, local DNC Watch Party, and the coming WNC Apple Festival.
On Thursday, Aug. 22, the 2024 Democratic National Convention wrapped up in Chicago. Dozens of local supporters gathered for a watch party at the new Harris-Walz coordinated campaign field office of Henderson County.
Community members and local democratic leaders gathered to hear from key speakers and celebrate on the final night of the 2024 Democratic National Convention.Many of those who attended expressed their excitement at the opportunity to hear from the Vice President. Many shared stories of their commitment to Kamala Harris.
Local Democratic leaders say the support seen on this night is part of a larger trend. Caleb Rudow, the representative for North Carolina's 116th District, says the party has seen an increase in volunteer activity following Kamala Harris's arrival at the top of the ticket. Organizers in Buncombe County saw nearly seven times the expected number of volunteers that same week.
Three staff neurologists are leaving Mission Hospital by the end of September, potentially leaving only two to provide critical care to hundreds of patients at the Asheville flagship hospital and across Western North Carolina, including many who have suffered strokes.
The departing physicians are neurohospitalists, specialists who treat patients in the hospital who are suffering from diseases of the brain, spinal cord and nervous system. They cover patients in general admission and the intensive care unit (ICU) and respond to strokes throughout the hospital. They also provide 13 regional hospitals with telestroke services, remotely consulting on stroke patients while teams at those sites do hands-on work.
Seven such specialists were working full time or part time at Mission as recently as the end of 2023. The decline mirrors other widespread departures from the hospital, including recent losses in its urology and medical oncology programs.
Asheville Watchdog interviewed departing physicians, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of concern for their careers or potential retribution. Their departures — triggered by what they describe as an ever-increasing patient load, Mission’s yearslong inability to hire more physicians and pay issues — intensify an exodus from the HCA Healthcare-owned hospital and a program that has been recognized nationally.
The Great Smoky Cannabis Company made history on April 20 by opening the first dispensary in a state where cannabis is illegal on both the medical and recreational level. North Carolina is one of only 12 states that has held out on legalizing on either front.
The dispensary, located within the sovereign nation of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians in Western North Carolina, sold only medical marijuana at the time of its opening. Then, on July 4, the company started selling recreational cannabis products to anyone with a tribal identification card.
Next month, the dispensary will take operations a step further, expanding recreational marijuana sales to anyone over 21 years old with a valid ID.
“The decision to jump into the recreational market was a decision made by the tribal council, but they didn’t want to jump in headfirst,” Neil Denman, executive director of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians’ Cannabis Control Board, told Carolina Public Press.
The Cannabis Control Board is the regulatory arm for the tribe’s cannabis project. They ensure that Qualla Enterprises, the parent company of Great Smoky Cannabis, is following the rules set forth by the tribe, both in production and consumer-facing operations.
The city of Hendersonville announced plans for the 2024 North Carolina Apple Festival. The Labor Day weekend tradition kicks off at 10 a.m. on Friday, Aug. 30, downtown, with an opening ceremony at 2:15 p.m. in front of the Historic Henderson County Courthouse.
Main Street will be closed for the duration of the festival, with closures starting on Thursday, Aug. 29. City leaders say no parking will be allowed on Main Street after 2 p.m. between Caswell and Allen and no parking from Allen to 7th Avenue after 3 p.m.
Main Street will be closed until Monday, Sept. 2, following the King Apple Parade and festival cleanup.
A good friend is visiting from Florida. I have shown him around the area, including Downtown, where we enjoyed watching the recent Trump rally attendees gathered outside the Civic Center. Yesterday, we went back Downtown and came across a new Artisan Market that is open every Friday on Pack Square through October. It was a pleasant and art filled surprise. Highly recommended.
The Pack Square Artisan Market, which provides an assortment of handmade goods from local makers, is happening on Friday, Aug. 23 until 9 p.m. Places For Makers, an Asheville-based non-profit organization produces the market.
The mission is to provide economic opportunities to local, independent artists and makers in Western North Carolina.
The event is free and open to the public.
Besides hoodies and pumpkin spice lattes, many are starting to think about fall foliage with a taste of fall in the air lately!
The Blue Ridge Mountains offer some of the most diverse colors in the world during leaf season.Before getting to the best time to view fall colors, here is a quick science lesson on why the leaves change.
Chlorophyll, the chemical that plants use for energy, is reduced as the daylight grows shorter and temperatures get cooler.
As leaves slowly stop producing chlorophyll in the fall, the pigments start to change to yellows, oranges and reds depending on the tree's species. These colors are always there, but human eyes do not see them until the chlorophyll leaves the leaves! Of course, every leaf season is affected by the weather.
The perfect combination of just enough rain and just enough cool days leads to the best color. Too dry, too wet or too warm, and the colors will be dulled or muted. Because of the elevation differences in the Western Carolinas, our color season is extended.
Thanks for stopping by DKos Asheville’s weekly publication.
Wishing all a fine weekend!
”Be safe out there” Lamont Cranston
