Arboretum leader to lead landscape architecture association

Drake Fowler, deputy executive director at The North Carolina Arboretum in Asheville, has been named president of the N.C. Chapter of the American Association of Landscape Architect. He will serve a one-year term leading the organization.

Fowler joined the Arboretum during 2015 as chief operations officer and chief financial officer and assumed his current post in 2019. He has been instrumental in the recent $2 million renovation and expansion of parking; overseeing the design and implementation of the $1.2 Willow Pond project that is a stormwater management, education and conservation initiative that protects the rare mole salamander; and programming of future improvements at the Arboretum’s Parkway entrance.  

Military leaders need to speak up

To the Editor: 

It isn’t often that I feel vindicated, but my hat is off to Max Boot at The Washington Post for declaring that “Trump’s generals have one last duty to perform, they must tell American voters what they saw first-hand: their former boss is unfit to serve as commander-in-chief.”

The essence of power is a towel

There, in Sumter County, Georgia, not far from the Alabama line lies the tiny town of Plains (pop. 784), a most unremarkable place home to a most remarkable man. 

Home for President Jimmy Carter has always been the clay roads and cotton fields of Plains, except when he was at Annapolis, in the Navy, or serving as state senator or governor or president. 

Interim UNC System president selected

The University of North Carolina Board of Governors has selected the man who could well be charged with nominating the next chancellor of Western Carolina University.

Vox Populi — the voice of the people: Voters express indecision, dissatisfaction with candidates, parties

As Jonathan Creek Road meanders south from Interstate 40 some 17 miles hence, it forms a “T” with Soco Road.  

There, at that busy three-way intersection linking Maggie Valley and Waynesville with the outside world, sat Doug Smith. 

Presidential power grows at an alarming rate

“I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.”

Mountain voters buck statewide trend in Democratic Presidential primary

election timeAn interesting anomaly played out in the mountains in the Presidential primary last week.

New UNC president promises to fight for higher salaries, engage WCU faculty on policy

fr WCUvisitThe mood was jovial as Western Carolina University’s Faculty Senate waited over cookies and coffee for their hour with Margaret Spellings to begin. Small talk and light jokes made the minutes before her arrival feel less gravity-laden than they really were.

HCC welcomes new president with open community arms, firm academic handshake

fr barbarasueparkerHaywood Community College trustees cited leadership, community rapport and deep local roots as key factors when naming Dr. Barbara Sue Parker the next college president last week.

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