‘A sense of doom’ pervades university, Watchdog reports; those ‘identified’ for ‘discontinuation’ given separation notices 

Dismantling called ‘woke’ idiocy by those seeking to erase and rewrite history, Edgerton counters 

 The remaining portion of the Vance Monument — its base — standing in the center of downtown Asheville constitutes “a sore spot in the minds of people who live in Asheville”  — and it needs to be removed immediately — former state Representative John Ager, D-Fairview, was quoted as saying by Asheville television station WLOS (News 13) on April 18.

“We need to get this done,” Ager also told News 13, regarding the need for Vance Monument site work. “...it’s a sore spot geographically.”

As for the monument’s base, News 13 stated, “Weathered wood planks cover the bottom — and stains from graffiti marks can be seen on the stone of the base. It’s been three years since the monument was taken down in May of 2021.”

Conversely, H.K. Edgerton, an Asheville native who bills himself as a Southern heritage activist, told the Daily Planet in an April 19 telephone interview., “If Ager grew up Fairview (as a member of the family that owns the iconic Hickory Nut Gap Farm), he doesn’t have ‘any bone to pick’” in deciding the Vance Monument’s fate.

He then asserted, “They (Ager, whom he described as part of a “woke, progressive” coalition seeking power), need to keep their raggedy hands of the Vance Monument. 

“Now there is a movement to take the case all the way to the Supreme Court of the United States,” he added.

When pressed by the Daily Planet for details, Edgerton only would say a decison on whether to proceed with litigation to save the monument is still undecided for now.

From Staff Reports

SWANNANOA — Warren Wilson College is aiming “to become a pet-friendly campus,” the college noted in a press release on April 9.

Specifically, “soon students at Warren Wilson College won’t have to leave their furry, feathered or scaly friends at home,” the release stated. “Beginning in the fall, the college will become a pet-friendly campus.

“The pet-friendly policy allows for dogs (up to 40 pounds), cats, rabbits, birds, chinchillas, ferrets, iguanas, non-venomous snakes, fish (10 gallon tank maximum), hedgehogs, hamsters, gerbils, guinea pigs, rats and small non-venomous reptiles to live with students in on-campus residence halls.”

The release added, “School officials say they hope the new policy will help students adjust to college.”

To that end, the release quoted Tacci Smith, the dean of students at WWC, as saying, “Transitioning to college can be stressful. By allowing students to bring pets from home, we hope to provide a sense of home and companionship. It will help alleviate anxiety and homesickness that students can sometimes feel.

“The policy is also about making sure the pets are comfortable living on campus. We wouldn’t want an animal to have anxiety of living in a new, small place,” Smith noted.

The Daily Planet contacted Mary Bates, WWC’s director of communications, on April 17 with several questions about the new policy and the ramifications.

Responding on April 18, Bates emailed the newspaper the following statement:

“We are hopeful that being a pet-friendly campus may recruit some new students, as well as improve retention among our current students. 

“We have already seen the positive impact that having pets on campus has made for our students who have emotional support animals.

“To answer your second and third questions, we think the opposite will happen....”