WNCTIMES Blog

WNC Nature Center Director Chris Gentile attributes the growth in attendance to a combination of planning and partnership. "When I first started at the Nature Center in 2010, we created a '2020 Vision' master plan to shape the future of the center.   2019 was an exciting year for the WNC Nature Center!  The City of Asheville Featured the WNC Nature Center on their site: WNC Nature Center Sets Record Attendance in 2019! WNC Nature Center Director Chris Gentile attributes the growth in a...

Spring Into New Recipes!  Wow, is Spring really just around the corner? It is, so let's get ready with yummy recipes! This recipe is tasty and since it's all in one pan,  easy to clean up! I ngredients 2 tbsp olive oil, plus a little extra for brushing over the pastry bunch spring onions, sliced into 3cm pieces 250 g frozen spinach 6 ready-cooked chicken thighs 350 ml hot chicken stock ½ tbsp wholegrain mustard 200 g frozen peas 200ml half-fat sour cream ½ small bunch ta...

Spring is just around the corner! Time to get recipes ready, set, go! Soups for Spring? Sure Thing! French Onion Soup Gratinee Recipe Recipe by:Jersey Tomato "About as good as it gets! This is the version of French Onion Soup that people seek when they go to restaurants. I have been making it for 30 years and it never fails to please. It makes an exquisite presentation, too!" 1 teaspoon salt 2 large red onions, thinly sliced 2 large sweet onions, thinly sliced 1 (48 fluid ounce) can chicken brot...

Saturday's WNCTIMES "Mind Your Head" Of ants and men: Ant behavior might mirror political polarization  January 8, 2020 Source: Princeton University Summary: Division of labor and political polarization may be driven by the same processes, say computational biologists. They found that two forces -- ''social influence,'' the tendency of individuals to become similar to those they interact with, and ''interaction bias,'' which leads us to interact with others who are already like us -- a...

So, by now people who made New Year's Resolutions may have either given up or are weary at this point. Time to hit the reset button? For so many of us who want to lose weight or just eat healthier, it's a real struggle. We decided to take a look online to see if there was something to help get that energy going, again. We found 2020 Lifestyles, signing up is free, quick and easy. We will be sharing information found on their site to help spark interest in a healthy lifestyle.  2020 Lif...

It's snuggle season! The winter months of January, February and March are the most serene of the year in Asheville and the surrounding Blue Ridge Mountains.  So it's the perfect time for a North Carolina mountain romantic getaway, including a Valentine's trip. Surprising to some, it rarely snows in Asheville. Since the city is protected by the highest mountains in eastern America, snow is often kept about 20 miles away on the higher mountain peaks and ski areas. Top Asheville Area Winter Th...

Western North Carolina, well know for white water rafting, hiking in the mountains and friendly people! Here are a few oddities and fun facts about WNC!  Brevard - specifically, is home to white squirrels — not albino squirrels, but white squirrels. Legend has it that after a carnival passed through town in the 1940s, two white squirrels escaped and have since left their mark on future generations. While some don't believe they exist, they are very, very real. Asheville - With 250 room...

NEW YORK (AP) — When the family-friendly Hallmark Channel recently pulled, under pressure from a conservative group, a set of ads featuring a kiss between two happy brides at the altar, backlash was swift — to say the least.  Within hours, stars like Ellen DeGeneres and William Shatner were tweeting in protest to their many followers, and LGBT advocates were mobilizing a boycott via social media. This was on Saturday; by Sunday evening, Hallmark had reversed its decision, and apologized for...

Date: November 21, 2019 Source: West Virginia University Summary: Researchers are investigating whether an anti-itch medication that targets a specific part of our nerve cells can make morphine -- which targets a different part--more effective. The findings suggest it can. Pain is a mosaic. From a distance, it looks like one big "ouch." But if you step closer, many types of pain -- like tiles of different shades -- emerge. A headache doesn't feel like a papercut. The sting of denim against ...

SARASOTA, Fla. (AP) — A New York man claiming he was "The Sheriff" was arrested on New Year's Day after investigators said he tried to impersonate a law enforcement officer to get rid of a lien placed against his new home.  Todd Gieger, 51, of Montville, New York, faces two counts of false impersonation of a law enforcement officer, according to the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office.  Sheriff's investigators said they learned in November that Gieger tried to intimidate a subcontractor w...

 Life Style -- (Kim Cook AP)  You've probably noticed it in clothing stores: racks and shelves full of high-waisted flares, rib-knit turtlenecks, acid green sweatshirts and disco ball metallics.  It's that '70s — and '80s — show. These two fashion trends have, as usual, worked their way into home decor as well. "Right now, in home design, it feels like a total '70s takeover," says Apartment Therapy's Danielle Blundell. "This time period had two pretty distinct things going on — bo...

Baked Veggie Cups, MMMMMMMMMM Good!  Yummy, easy, tasty! (good for you, too, shhh)  Ingredients 1 small eggplant, finely chopped 1 cup finely chopped onion 1 medium sweet red pepper, finely chopped 1 medium zucchini, finely chopped 2 garlic cloves, minced 1/4 cup reduced-fat sun-dried tomato salad dressing 1 large tomato, finely chopped 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese 10 flavored tortillas of your choice (10 inches) 1/4 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese Buy IngredientsPowered by ...

Prep: 30 mins Cook: 45 mins Total: 1 hr 25 mins Additional: 10 mins Servings: 20 Ingredients cooking spray 2 quarts vegetable oil for frying 5 pounds chicken wings, separated at joints, tips discarded 1 cup hot wing sauce 1 pound carrots, cut into sticks 6 ribs celery, cut into sticks 2 cups blue cheese salad dressing • • Directions Step 1 Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Step 2 Heat vegetable oil in a large pot or deep fryer to 375 degrees ...

You can freeze this pot pie for a cold winter day when your family needs a warm pick-me-up By Erika Veduccio, editor of Macaroni Kid EATS! **Wnctimes has shared information from Macaroni Kid before, such a great source for all things kids! Check out this recipe! There's a link below that will take you to their site, you can signup for a free membership! Dec 26, 2019 Do you ever wonder what to do with holiday leftovers? We have the answer! Make a crustless turkey pie and freeze it for a later dat...

HIGH POINT, N.C. (AP) — 'Twas the night of Christmas at a North Carolina house, no creature should have been stirring, not even a mouse. But a Forsyth County couple awoke with a fright, as something was moving about their house in the night.  They dashed to their closet and hid in fear, dialing 911 with a sensitive ear. Responding sheriff's deputies searched the home, and found a robot vacuum alone. The source of the scare had quickly been sorted, WGHP-TV reported. The robot had seemingly s...

WNCTIMES Wishes Everyone a Very Merry Christmas!  

Little money, need last minute Christmas gifts? Think you're not creative, and oh so little time? Grab some cash, read on and choose one! All ages: " Money Gift Ideas" Think about how many people don't carry cash ... how many kids have never even held cash in their hands? Like so many things, money has become "virtual." Money Gifts are thoughtful, creative and make a great gift for all ages. "Money Book" Items: Small photo album. (Dollar General, Walmart, Target, Dollar Tree) Money: You dec...

December 11, 2019 Source: Singapore University of Technology and Design Summary: A new review looks at the likelihood of 3D printed organs and analyzes recent accomplishments, limitations and opportunities for future research. 3D bioprinting is a highly-advanced manufacturing platform that allows for the printing of tissue, and eventually vital organs, from cells. This could open a new world of possibilities for the medical field, while directly benefiting patients who need replacement...

                Asheville Fire Department: Watch Those Holiday Candles and Other Safety Tips 

​So, I was on Twitter and saw that 'Salem Witch Trial' trending on Twitter and wondered why. After reading a few tweets, I saw that it was a sentence in the letter that Trump sent to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.  "More due process was afforded to those accused in the Salem Witch Trials."  AP News Reported  In the fiercely accusatory, sometimes rambling six-page letter, Trump defended his "absolutely perfect" phone call with the Ukraine president that sparked the impeachment inquiry...