Were Stars Servin’ Up Love celebrities paid for appearances? When will Spectrum remove wiring, debris? Will Karpen Soccer Fields be restored? • Asheville Watchdog
Today’s round of questions, my smart-aleck replies, and the real answers:
Question: My daughter and I had a great time at the Stars Servin’ Up Love event at the Civic Center (Harrah’s Cherokee Asheville). She asked the question if the players and celebrities were paid. I told her I wasn’t sure if there was an appearance fee along with paying for flights, food and board. So are they paid? How much?
My answer: I attended with my wife after buying tickets at a fairly steep price. This whole dream of being a local celebrity and getting all kinds of free swag is really not working out for me.
Real answer: This feel-good event has an even better vibe to me now.
Chris Corl, the city of Asheville’s director of community and regional entertainment facilities, sent me the participants’ signed waivers, which state in part: “I am providing my services for the charity event Stars Servin’ Up Love on Sunday, Feb. 2, 2025 at no cost to the City of Asheville or any other entity or individual.”
“We called in numerous favors, which allowed these agreements to be so basic,” Corl said. “All participants provided their services free of cost. We offered to cover travel expenses for all participants. Some covered their own travel expenses and even purchased tickets for friends and family.”
The big-name tennis stars were Andre Agassi, Andy Roddick, Emma Navarro, and Jessica Pegula. Celebrities included “Survivor” host Jeff Probst, musician Pete Wentz, and actor Esai Morales.
More than 4,000 people attended the event, which offered excellent tennis and good chuckles. Hey, Andre Agassi is 54 and doesn’t move like he used to, but he’s got a good sense of humor about it.
Explore Asheville, the convention and visitors bureau, promoted the event and noted afterward that it “has generated over $1 million in post-Hurricane Helene ticket sales, sponsorships, donations, and auction sales.”
“One hundred percent of all net proceeds will benefit the Always Asheville Fund, United Way of Asheville and Buncombe County, Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity, and Asheville Tennis Association,” Explore Asheville noted on its website. “The event was developed by recent WNC transplant Jim Curley, a 12-year former Tournament Director for the U.S. Open who moved to Asheville in 2022.”
Question: Along Town Mountain Road and elsewhere, there is much debris and wiring that belongs to Spectrum that is hanging from trees and on the ground. AT&T and Duke Power have removed theirs weeks ago. The county Solid Waste department says this is not their responsibility but did not know where to refer. We are told this should not be cut up and taken to the landfill. Of course, it is not possible to reach Spectrum, except for an out-of-state call center which is of no help. Who should be contacted?
My answer: I’m shocked to hear someone had a less than stellar customer service experience with Spectrum. I’ve had only about 3,000 emails to that effect since Helene hit.
Real answer: Patti Michel, regional communications director for Spectrum, said the company continues to work on this.
“As you know, Hurricane Helene devastated Western North Carolina, including our network,” Michel said via email. “Our first priority during restoration was bringing service back online. We appreciate our customers’ patience as our crews are now in the process of cleaning up temporary lines and debris as quickly as possible.”
I asked for specifics on a timeline, but Michel offered a general response.
“We are actively working in impacted areas to clear away any remaining debris as quickly as possible,” Michel said.
Buncombe County Parks & Rec says it is working to repair and reopen the Karpen Soccer Fields in the Weaverville area. // Photo provided by Buncombe County
Question: What is the status of the Karpen Soccer Fields? There are the remains of trailers from the next door lot still on it. I know the Weaverville community would show up for a work day if they advertised it. It is really missed.
My answer: I have to think these trailers could be converted into goals pretty easily.
Real answer: Buncombe County Parks & Recreation Director Allison Dains addressed these fields, along with other park facilities, at the Tropical Storm Helene briefing Jan. 29. While Dains did not provide a timeline for restoration, she said the department recognizes the importance of the fields to the community.
“We’re also working hard to restore the Karpen soccer fields,” Dains said. “We understand how important this space is for local teams and families, and we’re doing what we can to restore this amenity as quickly as possible, and look forward to the day that we can reopen this important amenity.”
Asheville Watchdog is a nonprofit news team producing stories that matter to Asheville and Buncombe County. Got a question? Send it to John Boyle at jboyle@avlwatchdog.org or 828-337-0941. His Answer Man columns appear each Tuesday and Friday. The Watchdog’s reporting is made possible by donations from the community. To show your support for this vital public service go to avlwatchdog.org/support-our-publication/.
www.thecentersquare.com – By David Beasley | The Center Square contributor – (The Center Square – ) 2025-04-30 21:25:00
(The Center Square) – Authorization of sports agents to sign North Carolina’s collegiate athletes for “name, image, and likeness” contracts used in product endorsements is in legislation approved Wednesday by a committee of the state Senate.
Authorize NIL Agency Contracts, known also as Senate Bill 229, is headed to the Rules Committee after gaining favor in the Judiciary Committee. It would likely next get a full floor vote.
Last year the NCAA approved NIL contracts for players.
Sen. Amy S. Galey, R-Alamance
NCLeg.gov
“Athletes can benefit from NIL by endorsing products, signing sponsorship deals, engaging in commercial opportunities and monetizing their social media presence, among other avenues,” the NCAA says on its website. “The NCAA fully supports these opportunities for student-athletes across all three divisions.”
SB229 spells out the information that the agent’s contract with the athlete must include, and requires a warning to the athlete that they could lose their eligibility if they do not notify the school’s athletic director within 72 hours of signing the contract.
“Consult with your institution of higher education prior to entering into any NIL contract,” the says the warning that would be required by the legislation. “Entering into an NIL contract that conflicts with state law or your institution’s policies may have negative consequences such as loss of athletic eligibility. You may cancel this NIL agency contract with 14 days after signing it.”
The legislation also exempts the NIL contracts from being disclosed under the state’s Open Records Act when public universities review them. The state’s two ACC members from the UNC System, Carolina and N.C. State, requested the exemption.
“They are concerned about disclosure of the student-athlete contracts when private universities don’t have to disclose the student-athlete contracts,” Sen. Amy Galey, R-Alamance, told the committee. “I feel very strongly that a state university should not be put at a disadvantage at recruitment or in program management because they have disclosure requirements through state law.”
Duke and Wake Forest are the other ACC members, each a private institution.
Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.
Political Bias Rating: Centrist
The article primarily reports on the legislative development regarding NIL (name, image, and likeness) contracts for collegiate athletes in North Carolina. It presents facts about the bill, committee actions, and includes statements from a state senator without using loaded or emotionally charged language. The piece neutrally covers the issue by explaining both the bill’s purpose and the concerns it addresses, such as eligibility warnings and disclosure exemptions. Overall, the article maintains a factual and informative tone without advocating for or against the legislation, reflecting a centrist, unbiased approach.
SUMMARY: Donald van der Vaart, a former North Carolina environmental secretary and climate skeptic, has been appointed to the North Carolina Utilities Commission by Republican Treasurer Brad Briner. Van der Vaart, who previously supported offshore drilling and fracking, would oversee the state’s transition to renewable energy while regulating utility services. His appointment, which requires approval from the state House and Senate, has drawn opposition from environmental groups. Critics argue that his views contradict clean energy progress. The appointment follows a controversial bill passed by the legislature, granting the treasurer appointment power to the commission.
www.thecentersquare.com – By Alan Wooten | The Center Square – (The Center Square – ) 2025-04-30 14:47:00
(The Center Square) – Called “crypto-friendly legislation” by the leader of the chamber, a proposal on digital assets on Wednesday afternoon passed the North Carolina House of Representatives.
Passage was 71-44 mostly along party lines.
The NC Digital Assets Investments Act, known also as House Bill 92, has investment requirements, caps and management, and clear definitions and standards aimed at making sure only qualified digital assets are included. House Speaker Destin Hall, R-Caldwell, said the state would potentially join more than a dozen others with “crypto-friendly legislation.”
With him in sponsorship are Reps. Stephen Ross, R-Alamance, Mark Brody, R-Union, and Mike Schietzelt, R-Wake.
Nationally last year, the Financial Innovation and Technology for the 21st Century Act – known as FIT21 – passed through the U.S. House in May and in September was parked in the Senate’s Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs.
Dan Spuller, cochairman of the North Carolina Blockchain Initiative, said the state has proven a leader on digital asset policy. That includes the Money Transmitters Act of 2016, the North Carolina Regulatory Sandbox Act of 2021, and last year’s No Centrl Bank Digital Currency Pmts to State. The latter was strongly opposed by Gov. Roy Cooper, so much so that passage votes of 109-4 in the House and 39-5 in the Senate slipped back to override votes, respectively, of 73-41 and 27-17.
Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.
Political Bias Rating: Centrist
The article presents a factual report on the passage of the NC Digital Assets Investments Act, highlighting the legislative process, party-line votes, and related legislative measures. It does not adopt a clear ideological stance or frame the legislation in a way that suggests bias. Instead, it provides neutral information on the bill, its sponsors, and relevant background on state legislative activity in digital asset policy. The tone and language remain objective, focusing on legislative facts rather than promoting a particular viewpoint.
