Events

Upcoming Events

Monday, April 28, Transylvania County Library Rogow Room, 6:30-8 p.m.

This will be the first of a series of TPD informational meetings describing how our county will be affected by the current administration’s budget cuts in public services. To view a "Background to our Discussions: A Fact Sheet" please click on the link for more information.

Protecting our Veterans and Our Forest: A Public Forum 

 Our Veterans: More than 2,500 men and women in Transylvania County have served in our military and our county has one of the higher percentages of veterans in North Carolina.  All Americans are in their debt, and we have an obligation to meet their medical needs, particularly as many of our veterans grow older.  But the Veterans administration has announced plans  to cut its workforce by 17 per cent, a  reduction that will lead to the loss of nearly 350 employees alone  from the staff of 2000 men and women who operate the Veterans administration’s  health care system here in western North Carolina.  It is difficult to reconcile this loss of positions with the administration’s claims that there will be no reductions in services.

Frank Pearsall, a 20-year Marine veteran, Master Sergeant, has spent nearly two decades as the Transylvania County’s representative, working with the Department of Veterans Affairs on behalf of our county’s veterans. He will discuss the current programs available to veterans and their spouses and how proposed reductions in services, including our VA Hospital in Asheville, may affect our local veterans.

Dr. Roger Herbert, an author and  retired Navy Captain, served as the Distinguished Military Professor of Ethics at the US Naval Academy from 2018 to 2021.  He will explore the foundations of America's moral obligations to its veterans and consider whether the sweeping cuts to veterans’ benefits constitute a betrayal of America's obligations to its veteran population.

Our Forests:  The Pisgah National Forest (PNF) encompasses over 512,000 acres in Western North Carolina and nearly one-third of Transylvania County's land area.  It's also one of the most visited national forests in the country providing exceptional recreation and wildlife habitat and fishing for residents and tourists alike.  These forests play a critical role in boosting our local tourism economy.

But even as an underfunded  National Parks Service struggles  to deal with increasing tourism and the management of parks across the nation,  the current administration has immediately instituted a 13 percent reduction in staffing including the firing of 700 Forest Service employees.  (As part of the February 14 “Valentine’s Day massacre,” the administration also dismissed 700 USDA Forest Service employees trained to assist firefighting crews). 

This first round of firings has set the stage  for further reductions including the elimination of forestry and conservation research programs.  At the same time, the administration has called for “streamlining” environmental regulations and increasing timber production by 25 per cent from our national forests.

Randy Burgess, a specialist in forest and wildlife management retired as  Pisgah Forest District  Ranger after a 33-year career  with the U.S. Forest Service.  He  will discuss the Pisgah Ranger District's contribution and importance to the local community and how  the actions and proposals by  the current administration could weaken the agency, its employees and our local community.  

For those of you who may not be able to attend this meeting, a video of the presentation will be posted 24 hours later on our website: https://www.transylvaniapartnersfordemocracy.com/

Past Events

Guard the Earth Rally, Saturday, April 19, 2025, 1-2:30 PM

Saturday, April 5, “Hands Off Transylvania Rally”:

Transylvania County Courthouse, 1 -3 PM

August 29, 2024: Community Forum, “Project 2025: It Can Happen Here”

July 10, 2024: Tom and Lib Campbell, “Have We Witnessed America’s Best Days?”

June 12, 2024: Gene Nichol, UNC Professor of Law, “The North Carolina General Assembly's War on Democracy and Equality” Mr. Nichol’s talk can be viewed here.

May 2, 2024: Dr. Dan Carter on the 2024 Presidential Election Dr. Carter’s talk can be viewed here.