What’s going on in Ashvegas: Jonas Gerard interviewed, Meadows Apts sold, affordable acupuncture and more

Jason Sandford

Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.

1

This press release says ABC correspondent Bill Weir’s interview with internationally collected abstract artist Jonas Gerard of Ashvegas is scheduled to air on “20/20” on Jan. 11, 2008.

This inspirational and interactive interview with Gerard will be featured as part of a special program on the topic of “happiness.” The interview was filmed in New York and at Gerard’s studio and gallery in Asheville. Weir is investigating the idea of ‘flow’ which is an integral aspect of happiness.

This press release says:

Triple Net Properties LLC has sold Meadows Apartments on behalf of tenant-in-common investors. The disposition closed on Dec. 27, 2007. … Meadows Apartments, originally purchased in March 2006, was sold to StevenD. Bell & Company. Pender Murphy of Apartment Realty Advisors was the broker in the transaction.

If you’re looking for affordable acupuncture, look no further. This story says Asheville Community Acupuncture is the place to go:

What: Asheville Community Acupuncture.
Where: 378 Haywood Road, West Asheville.
Services: Traditional acupuncture treatments and herbal medicine consultations.

Prices: Community room treatments range from about $15-35 and private room treatments range from about $40-$65, with a $10 paperwork fee for the initial visit.

Hours: Monday-Saturday, with morning and evening appointments available. Call 777-8804 or visit www.communityacupuncture.com.

Quote: “So many people who couldn’t afford to come are now able to on a regular basis. It’s completely fulfilling for us,” Cat Finks said in reference to the clinic’s practitioners, which include herself, Jennifer Burnett and Rachel Davis.

The State newspaper takes notice of the tallest man in college basketball, UNCA’s Kenny George:

Today, Kenny George stands 7 feet, 7 inches. He weighs 360 pounds. He will play against South Carolina on Saturday at the Colonial Center. Understand, though, that college basketball’s all-time tallest player is no mere attraction. He may look curious as he lumbers — how else to describe someone bigger than a standard doorway — down the court, but, by George, he can play.

George leads the nation in blocked shots with 5.6 per game. That, naturally, is his specialty since he can stand and, arms outstretched, cup the basket with his hands. He has swatted away 62 shots this season, some with his elbow, or six more than the rest of his team.

Earlier this season against Buffalo, George scored 21 points. Against Campbell, he recorded a rare triple-double with 20 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists. Against vaunted Tennessee, he managed 13 rebounds.

“My goals are to play 20-plus minutes a game and get a certain number of rebounds, like nine and above, double figures each game,” says George, who is described by UNC Asheville officials as shy and reluctant to talk about himself or his family.

And finally, in an effort to help all those hapless weather-guessers our there, professors from App State, UNCA and N.C. State have landed a grant to collect more weather info and improve computer models.

BOONE—Accurately forecasting snowfall can be a hit or miss proposition in North Carolina’s mountains as residents and visitors can attest.

Professors from Appalachian State University, UNC Asheville and N.C. State University hope to change that by collecting a range of data to refine computer models used by weather forecasters to predict snowfall.

The project is funded by an $84,740 grant from the UNC General Administration’s Competitive Research Fund.

Baker Perry, an adjunct assistant professor in Appalachian’s Department of Geography and Planning, is the lead researcher for the project. He will be assisted by Doug Miller from UNC Asheville and Sandra Yuter from N.C. State University.

The problem with creating accurate forecasts lies in the diverse mountain topography, Perry explained.

“Computer forecast models don’t fully account for the effects of mountain topography,” Perry said.

The lack of weather observations and data collection in the mountains is another impediment to developing accurate forecasts, Miller said. Another challenge is obtaining accurate temperature readings at the different levels of the atmosphere.

Perry, Miller and Yuter have installed weather instruments at the base and top of Poga Mountain in Avery County (pronounced as Pogey Mountain by most residents).

The instrumentation includes a vertically pointing radar to measure the intensity and fall speed of precipitation at different levels of the atmosphere; a laser-equipped instrument that measures particle size and speed; and a gauge that measures liquid of solid precipitation.

A series of weather balloons will be released during snow storms to collect temperatures, relative humidity, and wind speed and direction at different levels of the atmosphere. Snow depth and the snow water equivalent will also be measured at the research site as well as across the region by volunteers who are part of the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network.