ASHEVILLE – The question isn't so much why their protests matter, when in reality the deaths of two unarmed black men at the hands of white police officers happened hundreds of miles away. The real question is what happens next locally to keep frustrations from boiling over into violence as they have in other parts of the country, community activists say. "The environment here is ripe for it," said James Lee, a minister at St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church. "It's almost like having an open flame in a room with gas. It's only a matter of time before something explodes."

Hundreds of people have joined in at least seven rallies across Buncombe County since a grand jury decided not to indict Ferguson, Missouri, police officer Darren Wilson in the fatal shooting of Michael Brown and another grand jury in New York City failed to indict officer Daniel Pantaleo in the chokehold death of Eric Garner, who was allegedly selling loose cigarettes.

In some cases, demonstrators held pictures of Reynolds High football player A.J. Marion, who was killed in 2013 by an Asheville police officer following a residential break-in, report of a gunshot and ensuing foot chase. Like Brown, Marion was unarmed and the officer was later cleared of any wrongdoing.

Black Americans have spent decades under siege, said Tyrone Greenlee, executive director of Christians for a United Community, a local nonprofit interdenominational collaboration of churches that works to address the root causes of racism and racial disparity through advocacy, education and training.

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SWANNANOA – Vietnamese refugees Tuan Luu and Binh Nguyen can't stop saying thank you for the opportunities this country has afforded them. After decades of hardship, made only worse by the Recession, the two celebrated Tuesday as one 17 families now qualified for a home in Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity's newest subdivision in Swannanoa, the organization's first development in the eastern part of Buncombe County.

"Our story is very horrible," said Nguyen, 39. "We have so many things now to be thankful for."

When Luu and Nguyen came to America from Vietnam in their early 20s, they had $100 in their pocket. They didn't understand U.S. currency. They couldn't operate the pay phone to tell their estranged family they had arrived. Because they didn't speak English yet, they couldn't ask anyone for help.

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ASHEVILLE – Organizers of a police support rally said Wednesday they have canceled the event over fears it could turn violent. Former Asheville City Councilman Carl Mumpower said he doesn't trust groups planning a counterprotest at the same time Thursday.

"Certainly my intention whenever possible is to challenge with as much enthusiasm as I can to highlight the absurdity of some of these folks," he said. "I haven't said things like, 'Burn this b—h down.'"

The stepfather of Michael Brown made that comment to protesters after a grand jury failed to indict a white police officer who killed Brown, a black 18-year-old. 

Area LGBTQ groups said they planned the counterprotest to affirm that black lives matter and to share stories of black transgender and cisgender women who they say are also targeted by police. "Regardless of whether pro-police rallies happen, we are committed to supporting black queer and transgender people who have been and continue to be oppressed by racism and transphobia," said an organizer who goes by the name Lichen LP.

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ASHEVILLE – In response to a planned police support rally in downtown Asheville Thursday, area LGBTQ groups and others are organizing a counter protest to affirm that black lives matter. 

​In a Facebook announcement about the LGBTQ event, Lichen LP, who organized the rally wrote, "What does this have to do with LGBTQ people? ... With same-sex marriage legalized in North Carolina just a few months ago, are we now complacent to others' oppression?"

The answer, LP said, is no.

Queer people of color are hugely targeted by police and civilian white racists, LP stated in the announcement, pointing to statistics showing that black transgender women are common victims in LGBTQ homicide.

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WEAVERVILLE – Last month, cosmetology student Samantha White of Weaverville thought she was going to TD Bank to do the employees' hair for a banking convention. She left with $25,000 and a plan to help our four legged friends. She had 24 hours to spend the money.

"It was probably the most epic day ever just to be able to give back and do so many good things," said White, who was chosen for the project after taking part in a survey commissioned by TD Bank where customers were asked to identify what they would do to help their community if they had $30,000 to spend in just one day.

White was one of 24 customers selected across North America for the project.

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ASHEVILLE – I was terrified I was going to fail you this week: I didn't have time to volunteer. What with holiday deadlines, family visiting from Michigan, and the stress of cooking one's first turkey dinner, I had no idea where I was going to squeeze in my weekly commitment to service.

As I frantically combed through emails and interview notes from nonprofit providers looking for a quick and easy yet meaningful volunteer opportunity, I remembered something from one of the first meetings I took when I came to town — the United Way of Asheville and Buncombe County offers Portable Projects.

Thank God! I have still have my column (and my job).

"Our Portable Projects provide community service opportunities for families and individuals that fit their busy schedules," said my new savior, Charlie Lee, volunteer programs manager for Hands On Asheville-Buncombe, the volunteer program of the United Way.

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ASHEVILLE – Abortion-rights activists held vigil outside the governor's mansion in Raleigh amid statewide concern last year as North Carolina ordered an overhaul of safety regulations for abortion providers. Those protests have subsided, and what's left of demonstrators on the issue in Asheville includes three to four people who meet weekly to hold signs opposing abortion outside a planned new clinic.
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It's not that passions on the issue have been set aside, but disagreement on proposed new regulations has calmed in North Carolina. In a rare movement of accord, the state's largest abortion providers and abortion-rights advocates sided with state officials earlier this week, tentatively agreeing on proposed rule changes for abortion providers.

The changes up for public review come in response to a 2013 legislative directive mandating that the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services create new requirements for abortion providers.  They include the right to annually inspect any licensed clinic and standards for building codes, record-keeping, nurse staffing qualifications, emergency procedures and post-operative care.
Rules for certification of abortion clinics have not been updated in nearly 20 years, DHHS noted in a Nov. 14 fiscal impact analysis of the proposed regulations.

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ASHEVILLE — Lisa-Gaye Hall stayed away from Black Friday, and, even though the busy mom likes to shop online, she avoided Cyber Monday, too. But just because Hall isn't buying things, doesn't mean she's not writing checks. As part of a way to instill philanthropic purpose in her children's lives, the family divided up $200 Sunday night, with each member responsible for $50 of charitable giving.

On Tuesday, Hall will donate to nine area nonprofits. She is not alone. People around the country will celebrate Giving Tuesday on Dec. 2 by supporting their favorite charitable institutions in lieu of shopping. In a time of increased need, limited resources and ongoing fundraising campaigns, many area nonprofits report the value of Giving Tuesday is more than the money raised. With small fundraising goals, several agencies see the day as a time to remind the public of their value to the community.

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ASHEVILLE – The protest at Pack Square Park Thursday evening may have been smaller in number than the group which rallied in defense of Michael Brown last week, but that didn't stop participants from making their cries of injustice heard. A crowd of just over 100 people assembled near the Vance Monument in downtown Asheville to protest Wednesday's grand jury decision to end the criminal case against a white New York police officer whose chokehold led to the death of an unarmed black man.

Jurors deliberated for less than a day before deciding there was not enough evidence to go forward with charges against officer Daniel Pantaleo, 29. Pantaleo testified on Nov. 21 that he did not intend to choke Eric Garner, 43, who was being arrested for allegedly selling loose cigarettes.  A medical examiner found that Garner's death was a homicide resulting from the chokehold, a move banned by the New York Police Department in 1993. The July death of Garner was captured on video and seen around the world.
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"I'm just happy I can do something," said Marshall resident Deb Burns of the protest in the wake of the grand jury's decision "I just can't believe it. Ferguson was one thing, but with this, it is incontrovertible. (Pantaleo) should have at least been indicted and had his day in court."

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ASHEVILLE – Winter is just around the corner and Eblen Charities wants to make sure no one gets left out in the cold. The crisis charity started administering the Federal Low Income Energy Assistance Program for Buncombe County Dec. 1.

With this fund, many who seek heating assistance through the cold winter months can get additional help, Bill Murdock, executive director of the nonprofit, said last month just before the charity started distributing utility assistance to families in crisis.

LIEAP is a federally funded program that provides a one-time payment to help eligible households pay their heating bills. Income qualifying families, which have someone who is 60-years-old or older, or someone living with a disability, are eligible to receive benefits through March 31.

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