ASHEVILLE, NC – The City of Asheville is participating in the Cans for Cash City Recycling Challenge. The contest, sponsored by The United States Conference of Mayors, Keep America Beautiful, and Novelis Corporation, challenges cities across the country to promote citizen participation in the collection of aluminum beverage cans.
Asheville will compete with other cities of the same size for up to $5,000 in awards. Awards will be used to support recycling efforts through local education and awareness programs.
Approximately 50 billion aluminum cans end up in landfills each year. Recycling aluminum beverage cans reduces waste in our landfills and helps create a sustainable environment. The Challenge starts October 1 and ends October 31, 2009. Recycle those aluminum cans!
For more information about the Challenge or drop-off center locations, go to www.ashevillenc.gov/sanitation or call 251-1122.
ASHEVILLE, NC – The City of Asheville is seeking public input through Sept. 29 on its draft transit master plan.
The proposed master plan includes a new route structure, Sunday service for six routes and thirty minute trip frequency along main corridors like Tunnel Road, Haywood Road, Merrimon Avenue, Patton Avenue and Biltmore Avenue. The plan also includes two new routes. A north Asheville loop would connect Charlotte Street and Montford Avenue via UNC Asheville, and a crosstown route would connect west Asheville to Biltmore Village and areas in east Asheville.
“Our goal for the proposed route structure is to provide more options and improved service for riders,” said Transit Manager Mariate Echeverry. “We are asking the public to comment on these recommendations to get additional input before the overall plan is complete.”
The master plan can be found at www.ashevilletransit.com. The document will also be available on the mezzanine level of City Hall; at the Pack Place, East, North, West, Oakley and Skyland public library branches; at the Asheville Transit Center on Coxe Avenue, and; at the city’s transportation planning division offices at 45 Wall St.
Comments can be submitted to the city in writing to City of Asheville, ATTN: Transit Master Plan, P.O. Box 7148, Asheville, NC 28802 or via e-mail toiride@ashevillenc.gov.
The city of Asheville currently operates 21 buses. According to research completed for the master plan, ridership trends in the last five years have increased by about 10 percent. The majority of riders, about 68 percent, are dependent on bus service as their only form of transportation, while about 27 percent prefer or choose to ride transit.
ASHEVILLE, NC – Asheville city government offices will be closed on Monday, Sept. 7 in observance of Labor Day.
Garbage collection will not be affected by the holiday. Monday’s garbage collection will operate according to its regular schedule. City bus service will not operate on Monday in observance of the holiday. Asheville Transit will resume normal operations Tuesday, Sept. 8.
ASHEVILLE, NC – Shutting down computers, turning off lights and changing work schedules. Those are some of the strategies the city of Asheville used to save more than $65,000 in energy costs last year. The city implemented these and other programs by challenging employees to find ways they could save energy on their own.
“A little goes a long way. We had hundreds of city employees taking the extra step to conserve energy and participate in our sustainability programs,” said Maggie Ullman, the city’s energy coordinator.
The results paid off. Over the last year, the city reduced its municipal energy usage by 867,000 kilowatt hours, which is the same amount of energy it takes to operate City Hall for six months. As a result, the city reduced its municipal carbon footprint by 623 tons.
The city points to three key sustainability programs as major contributors to the organization’s success during the last year: the compressed work week, an automatic computer shutdown program, and the employee energy conservation challenge.
* The compressed work week, where employees typically work four ten hour days as opposed to a traditional five-day week, was first piloted in the Public Works Department and soon spread to other divisions. The schedule allows the city to realize energy savings by utilizing buildings, computers and other equipment 25 percent less. It also reduces the carbon footprint associated with employees commuting to work. About 180 city employees currently work a compressed schedule.,/p>
* The computer shutdown program utilizes software to automatically turn off more than 500 city computers at 8 p.m. to reduce energy usage.
* The energy conservation challenge encouraged employees to voluntarily reduce energy usage wherever possible. Simple acts like turning off lights when rooms were not in use and adjusting thermostats made an impact, especially in smaller facilities like community centers and fire stations.
As part of its strategic plan for the city, the Asheville City Council included a focus area on green initiatives, stating, “Asheville will be the southeastern leader in clean energy and environmental sustainability while preserving and enhancing the city’s natural beauty.” In April 2007, City Council adopted a goal of reducing the municipal carbon footprint by 2 percent every year. Staff conducts an annual energy inventory to track the organization’s progress on energy usage.
Asheville will use a Sustainability Management Plan adopted by City Council in June to guide ongoing efforts to further reduce energy consumption. To view Asheville’s Sustainability Management Plan or for information on other city sustainability programs, visit www.ashevillenc.gov/green.
ASHEVILLE, NC – With the continued economic vitality and growth in the downtown area, Asheville police have seen an associated increase in calls for service in the Central Business District (CBD).
In 2008, officers assigned to extra duty downtown (called “augment”) handled more than 4,247 such calls, while also making more than 4,680 business contacts and recording some 16,000 non-enforcement interactions with the public.
To further bolster our positive efforts in the CBD, the APD has formed a dedicated eight-member Downtown Unit to patrol the area on bike, foot and with electric GEM cars.
“Nearly 20 percent of our calls for service and workload occurs in the Central Business District,” Chief Bill Hogan said. “This is another way for us to address that call demand.”
The unit, which officially began patrols on July 29, is composed of existing personnel, with the only related costs being to furnish each officer with a bicycle and its associated uniforms and equipment.
The unit’s area of focus is roughly bordered by Interstate 240 to the north; Hilliard Avenue to the south; the roundabout at Woodfin Street to the east; and Clingman & Patton avenues to the west.
“Having eight dedicated officers with a full-time focus on this area will allow us to develop and foster relationships with merchants, as well as with the people who work, live and visit downtown on a regular basis,” Chief Hogan said.
ASHEVILLE, NC – Asheville Fire and Rescue received three new fire trucks and they are now online and ready to serve the community. Quint 5, Ladder 10 and Engine 7, all manufactured by Pierce, were recently placed in service to help better serve the citizens of Asheville. These trucks were funded through the general fund and approved by City Council in order to plan for Asheville’s future.
Both Quint 5 and Ladder 10 replaced older model fire trucks, and Engine 7 was specifically designed for narrow streets. These new trucks ultimately will assist in energy goals of the city to reduce city carbon emissions. They will also help to make Asheville one of the safest cities in America based on the approved metrics for similarly sized cities.
RALEIGH, NC – Gov. Bev Perdue has announced that North Carolinians can save money by purchasing items such as clothing, school supplies and computers during the state’s sales tax holiday that begins on Friday, Aug. 7 and runs through Sunday, Aug. 9.
“Especially during these tough economic times, it’s important that we provide families with a break when it comes to buying school supplies,” said Perdue. “The sales tax holiday will make it easier for families to buy the supplies they need, and I encourage all North Carolinians to take advantage of it.”
During the sales tax holiday weekend, consumers will not pay sales tax on the following items: clothing, footwear and school supplies of $100 or less per item; school instructional materials of $300 or less per item; sports and recreational equipment of $50 or less per item; computers of $3,500 or less per item; and computer supplies of $250 or less per item.
For more details on the 2009 sales tax holiday – including a list of the items that are exempt from sales taxes during the holiday – visit the N.C. Department of Revenue’s web site: http://www.dor.state.nc.us/taxes/sales/salestax_holiday.html.
The holiday begins at 12:01 a.m. on Friday, Aug. 7, and lasts until 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 9. The sales tax holiday was first enacted in 2001.
ASHEVILLE, NC – The City of Asheville, AB Tech, and the Department of Homeland Security are co-sponsoring an “Understanding Lawful Employment” seminar Aug. 4, 9:30 a.m.-noon in Room 200 of the Haynes Building on the AB-Tech Enka Campus.
The seminar is designed to give local employers an opportunity to learn how to file and use new federal employment forms with expected topics to include I-9 Preparation, E-Verify, and the IMAGE (ICE Mutual Agreement between Government and Employers) program. The seminar will begin with a presentation from the Department of Homeland Security followed by a question and answer session led by a panel of service providers. The panel will include representatives from the Small Business and Technology Development Center, State Human Resources Professional Local Chapter, Western Carolina Industries, and Department of Homeland Security.
There is no cost to attend, however, pre-registration is required. To register, contact Janet Dack at (828) 232-4505 or jdack@ashevillenc.gov
ASHEVILLE, NC – The City of Asheville has selected 23 high school students to participate in the 2009 City of Asheville Youth Leadership Academy (CAYLA). CAYLA, created in April 2007, is designed to introduce promising Asheville High School students to civic-minded careers while encouraging them to take an active part in saving for their college education.
The CAYLA students were chosen in May from eligible applicants at Asheville High School by a committee of local educators and city staff. Each student was required to submit an application and at least two written recommendations to the committee, and attend an in-person interview. After attending a week of orientation in June, students began 8-week internships at the both City and County Departments, as well as with a number of participating nonprofits and businesses including HomeTrust Bank, YMI Cultural Center, AB-Tech Small Business Center, UNCA, Mt. Zion Community Development Inc, MAHEC, the Center for Diversity Education, and the YWCA.
CAYLA students earn approximately $7 an hour. To support their goal of attending college, CAYLA students will each receive $2,000 in a 529 College Savings Plan to be awarded by the Asheville City Schools Foundation at the completion of the program in May 2010.
“CAYLA provides talented students with the opportunity to experience a professional environment while still in high school,” said Erika Germer, CAYLA coordinator. “I encourage Asheville businesses to consider hosting a CAYLA student next year or sponsoring a placement at a local nonprofit. Through public-private partnerships, CAYLA can promote economic self-sufficiency and strengthen our community as a whole.”
To complement the summer internships, the CAYLA program places a significant emphasis on community service. The students have already started planning and the second annual Summer Olympics to be held in August for young children who live in Asheville’s various housing communities. In addition, the CAYLA students attend weekly workshops on topics including entrepreneurship, health & wellness, financial literacy, and a personalized career assessment.
The members of the 2009-2010 Class of CAYLA are: Keevon Baten, Dre Bowden, Yelena Dariy, Taurean Davidson, Dreama Davis, Darius Drummond, Anika Ellis, Gio Figaro, Andrea Griffin, Nakia Harrell, Roosevelt “RJ” Harvin, Ceante Hudson, Martel Jackson,Tyler Jeffries, Satorria Jones, Simone Knotts, Sohna Njie ,Charles “Dre” Payton, Brianna Rock, Crystal Sherriff, Anice Smith, Jarrett Vernon, and Ariana Weaver.
ASHEVILLE, NC – The University of North Carolina at Asheville, in collaboration with the City of Asheville and the YMI Cultural Center, will offer three upper-level, for-credit courses to the public beginning August 18. Classes will meet from 4:30-7 p.m. through December 8 at the YMI Cultural Center, located on the corner of Eagle and Market streets in downtown Asheville.
“Black Arts and the Harlem Renaissance” will examine how Harlem and its artists emerged from the social and political turmoil following World War I. Texts will include David Levering Lewis’ “When Harlem Was in Vogue” and works by well-known authors, artists and musicians of the time. In-state tuition for this master’s of liberal arts class is $452.82 and out-of-state tuition is $2,153.43, plus a one-time non-refundable $50 application fee. The registration deadline is August 12.
“Cultures of Childrearing,” an undergraduate anthropology class, will present the cultural practices surrounding parenting. Using ethnographies, case studies and fieldwork, this course will focus on the different ways that various communities approach raising children.
“Community Approaches to Achieving Racial and Ethnic Health Equity” is an undergraduate health and wellness promotion course. Students in the course will learn about the history and causes of health disparities and inequalities in the United States. The class will also examine practical solutions to eliminate health disparities, with a goal of applying the lessons in the students’ communities.,/p>
In-state tuition for these classes is $267.30 and out-of-state tuition is $1,445.76, plus a one-time non-refundable $20 application fee. Registration deadline is August 12.Free parking for enrolled students will be available in the City parking lot adjacent to the YMI Cultural Center. For questions about parking, contact Harry Brown, City of Asheville parking services manager, at 828/259-5792 orhbrown@ashevillenc.gov.
For more information or details on registrations, call UNC Asheville’s Extension and Distance Education Office at 828/232-5122 or visit www.unca.edu/distedu/.
