Let's Hear It / Towanda
 
“Towanda” is the place where victories, particularly women's victories, can be claimed and publicized. "WNC Luminaries are those whose work and spirit enhance our region and all of us. This section also contains staff and readers' opinions about events, concerns, policies, political stands, ideas etc. We want to hear varying points of view for a more complete picture and perception of issues. Women, tell us what you're thinking about what's important to you. Although we don’t print only that with which we agree, Sheville reserves the right to reject submissions that do not meet our editorial guidelines. Send in suggestions.
J. Lee Lehman
It's finally out of the closet: Asheville Mayor Terry Bellamy opposes gay rights. In a City Council meeting, she voted against same-sex domestic partner rights for city employees, and spoke very clearly about her opposition. In her mayoral campaign, she had side-stepped the issue, although now voters are wondering... more...
 Lieberman breaks another basketball gender barrier
By JAIME ARON (AP)
Sheville Staff
DALLAS — The first woman to play pro basketball with guys is also the first hired to coach them.
Hall of Famer Nancy Lieberman was introduced Thursday as the head coach of the Dallas Mavericks' affiliate in the NBA Development League, which will tip off next November.click here
NDiaye becomes first black woman to win top French book award
News or Press Release
French-Senegalese writer Marie NDiaye is the first Black woman to receive the prestigious French literary award, the Prix Goncourt in its 106 year history. More...
Sheville Staff
Out of more than 500 Nobels ever awarded in the sciences, less than 40 have been awarded to women. That 3 Nobels were awarded to women this year represents a sea change in the Nobel Committee's decision-making as the successful result of a behind-the-scenes campaign to represent women more equally. Rebekah Spicuglia,
Media Manager for
The Women's Media Center more...
The Real Deal on Health Care
News or Press Release
If you only read one article about what's wrong with the economics of health "care" in the United States, this is a good candidate for the one. more...
She Soared Above the Army's Glass Ceiling
Sheville Staff
by Christian Davenport Washington Post Staff Writer
Fort Myer Honors Pioneering Pilot Sally
Growing up in Kansas, Sally Murphy said, she never thought of being a soldier. She would become a teacher, because that's what women did.
But that idea didn't take. And although many in her generation looked at images of the Vietnam War with repulsion, she saw something alluring. The thrill of combat. The wind-whipping whirl of the Army helicopters, touching down in an open field, carting away the wounded. Click here
Va Boyle
I drove through a lovely valley road on a beautiful North Carolina day into one of the lower, shady forests of the Blue Ridge Parkway to meet with a stalwart, seasoned survivor of life, Adelaide Key. Her big spirit is contained within her small stature set off by the humor and challenge which seems to coexist comfortably within her robust composure. Her clear blue eyes seem to see through any pretense one might carry and clear up any need to be what you are not. more...
J. Lee Lehman
One of the hottest issues in privacy is the policy of the Department of Homeland Security that allows for the seizure of laptops and other electronic devices from anyone entering the country - citizen or not. Needless to say, this policy has been justified by claiming national security and the war on terrorism. What is perhaps more amazing is that, despite the specific constitutional injunction against unreasonable search and seizure, this policy has been upheld by a US appellate court! These are seizures
without cause - any agent can seize any laptop or cell hpone for any reason, require passwords to be given, copy an file, or even take the unit and maybe send it back weeks or months later, with no explanation. This is outrageous. While there have been hearings the Summer eelated to this issue, nothing has been done to curb this. Is everybody asleep at the wheel?
more...
Why do we need to keep Talking about this?
Sheville Staff
Do you ever stop wondering about why you feel you need to go to places like Sheville to find out what other women think? You might be interested in a recent piece by Deborah Howell in the Washington Post. What she details are the actual facts and figures related to the relative paucity of Op-Ed pieces by women, people of color, not to mention younger people. Middle aged white men dominate there - as usual.
Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori
Sheville Staff
Katharine Jefferts Schori D.D., Ph.D. (born March 26, 1954 in Pensacola, Florida) is the Presiding Bishop of Episcopal Church in the United States of America. She is the first woman elected primate in the Anglican Communion.Presiding Bishops are elected to their nine-year term by the House of Bishops with the concurrence of the House of Deputies. As Presiding Bishop, the correct form of address is "The Most Reverend Katharine Jefferts Schori".
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katharine_Jefferts_Schori
Va Boyle
“I’d like to teach the world to sing.” This is truly Debbie Nordeen’s mantra. To boot, she not only teaches what she believes, she lives it; she “walks the talk”. Debbie is well known in Asheville for directing the Womansong of Asheville chorus. She feels she has had a destiny with women all of her life even though she also enjoys working with men. In singing with and for women Womansong sings for the unsung heroes in our world, ones who make a huge difference. Debbie recognizes women as people who model, influence and bring about change. more...
Va Boyle
For our next WNC Luminaries feature, we are focusing on another regional light who has made a difference in this community, Lois “Lytingale” Henrickson.
Certainly a luminary in a variety of fields, Lytingale, or “Lyte” as some friends call her, possesses a myriad of talents and uses them well to light her own way and the way of many others along her path. more...
Free Press
Hundreds pack 'Town Meeting on the Future of Media' in Asheville FCC Commissioners hear more than five hours of public testimony. more...
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WNC Luminary: "Empathy in Action: An Interview with Adelaide Daniels Key"