Activist Clare Hanrahan

Activist Clare Hanrahan may leave the front lines, but her voice still rings out - by Jason Sandford, Citizen-Times

In her younger days, she marched with garbage workers in Memphis, Tenn., in the wake of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination.

She has shaken her fist at the front gates of bomb-making factories. She has chanted with immigrants demanding fair treatment. She has stood silent vigil with women advocating for an end to war.

And she once trespassed on the grounds of the Fort Benning, Ga., military base, home to a military training school commonly known as the School of the Americas — an offense for which she spent six months in federal prison in 2002.

“At one point in my life, I thought if I screamed loud enough and worked hard enough and was unrelenting in my kind of advocating and demanding, I could make change,” Hanrahan said.

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Great story on a true peace warrior from Asheville.

Warren Haynes' Annual Xmas Jam

WARREN HAYNES PRESENTS: THE TWENTIETH ANNUAL CHRISTMAS JAM

(Asheville, NC) --For the past 20 years, Warren Haynes has coordinated his annual Christmas Jam. Like a family reunion, the annual, one-of-a-kind, semi-structured marathon of music brings together old friends on stage and in the audience at the Civic Center Arena in Asheville, N.C. for one of the countries greatest live events. The London Times has rated it "One of the top ten concerts in the USA."

"Christmas Jam started 20 years ago as an opportunity for local musicians to jam at the one time of year they were all in town at the same time. Back then, we gave the money to whatever charity we felt like. As the event grew and we became aware of Habitat For Humanity, we settled on them because we believe in the organization and know the money goes where its supposed to."

Featuring:
Steve Miller Band
The Warren Haynes Band
Gregg Allman
John Bell (Widespread Panic)
Umphrey's McGee
The Dirty Dozen Brass Band
Missing Cats

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Dancing Santa - B-boy Santa Sneak Attack in Asheville

A dancing Santa b-boy is on the loose in Asheville, North Carolina and he's looking to start a hip hop, break dance holiday flash mob. Did he succeed? Watch him sneak up and surprise visitors with head spins, flares and seriously fresh break dancing moves at the Pritchard Park Drum Circle, Pack Square, Asheville Visitors Center, Lexington Avenue Brewery, The Grove Park Inn Resort & Spa, National Gingerbread House Competition, The Orange Peel and America's Largest Home, Biltmore.

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Santacon in Asheville

Looks like they had so much fun, doesn't it?

Santacon, or Santarchy is a huge global success and Asheville participates, too.

In 2009, 2008, 2007, and now we had one this year over the weekend. (link below)

There are rumors of another TWO more Santacons scheduled in Asheville for this year. Either somebody needs to do a better job of organizing this damn thing or I should research this a bit further. If I find any more details I'll add them to this post.

For more on the story and to see many more photos, see this Link