October 2010 Archives

Today, Congressman Shuler announced that the deadline for stop-loss pay was extended 43 days until December 3rd. Stop-loss pay is extra compensation that service members and veterans are eligible to apply for if they received orders to remain on active duty after their planned separation or retirement date during the period of September 11, 2001 through September 30, 2008.

Stop-loss is a retroactive payment that was authorized by Congress last year for one-year, and was set to expire today, on October 21. Congress extended the deadline when the Defense Department found that only about 59,000 of the 145,000 eligible servicemen and women have had applied and had their payments approved.

"I am very glad that our veterans and members of military have more time to file for this compensation," said Rep. Shuler. "Thousands of men and women have been apart from their families and their loved ones for extended periods, serving our country in Afghanistan and Iraq. This stop-loss pay is an important way for us to express our thanks and repay them for their outstanding sacrifices."

Service members who had their duty extended must provide documentation stating that they were held on active duty. Current military, veterans, and families of deceased service members may be eligible for stop-loss pay. Claims can be made online through the website www.stoplosspay.army.mil or service members can pick up an application at Congressman Shuler’s Asheville office and submit through the mail.

Asheville, NC-Today, Congressman Heath Shuler (D-Waynesville), Land Of Sky Officials and representatives from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development announced a $1.6 million grant award for Sustainable Housing and Community Planning in Western North Carolina.

The "WNC Livable Communities Consortium", coordinated by Land of Sky, will synchronize local community planning efforts to integrate housing, land use, economic and workforce development, transportation, and infrastructure investments. The group will create an Actionable Implementation Strategy that integrates existing plans into a comprehensive guide focusing on sustainable development throughout the region over the next twenty years.

"Our region has seen a great deal of population growth in recent years, as more and more people learn how great a home Western North Carolina can be," said Rep. Shuler. "As we develop, we must think strategically about land use, transportation and conservation. I was proud to support Land of Sky throughout the grant application process, and I congratulate them on this achievement that will have a long-lasting impact on our mountain communities."

The funding, won by Land of Sky through a competitive grant process, is part of $150 million allocated to HUD by Congress to establish a Sustainable Communities Initiative to improve regional planning efforts that integrate housing and transportation decisions. The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are partners with HUD in the initiative.

Joe McKinney, Executive Director of Land-of-Sky Regional Council, said, "We are honored to be included as one of the forty-five regions in the nation to receive funding this important initiative. The WNC Livable Communities Initiative will be an unprecedented collaboration between local governments, area non-profits, the private sector and out region’s communities. The purpose of the initiative is to help design our region's future to ensure quality jobs, affordable housing, better transportation, cleaner energy, while preserving our region's environment and culture well into the 21st century. This endeavor would not have been possible without the support of our congressional delegation."

Members of the WNC Livable Communities Consortium members include the Land-of-Sky Regional Council, French Broad River Metropolitan Planning Organization, Land-of-Sky Rural Planning Organization (RPO), City of Asheville, Buncombe County, State of North Carolina, The Community Foundation of Western North Carolina, AdvantageWest, Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce, Renaissance Computing Institute of the University of North Carolina at Asheville (RENCI), Asheville Housing Authority, Asheville-Buncombe Sustainable Communities Initiative of the Asheville Hub, and the Asheville Design Center.

Asheville, NC-Today, Congressman Heath Shuler (D-Waynesville), Land Of Sky Officials and representatives from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development announced a $1.6 million grant award for Sustainable Housing and Community Planning in Western North Carolina.

The “WNC Livable Communities Consortium,” coordinated by Land of Sky, will synchronize local community planning efforts to integrate housing, land use, economic and workforce development, transportation, and infrastructure investments. The group will create an Actionable Implementation Strategy that integrates existing plans into a comprehensive guide focusing on sustainable development throughout the region over the next twenty years.

“Our region has seen a great deal of population growth in recent years, as more and more people learn how great a home Western North Carolina can be,” said Rep. Shuler. “As we develop, we must think strategically about land use, transportation and conservation. I was proud to support Land of Sky throughout the grant application process, and I congratulate them on this achievement that will have a long-lasting impact on our mountain communities.”

The funding, won by Land of Sky through a competitive grant process, is part of $150 million allocated to HUD by Congress to establish a Sustainable Communities Initiative to improve regional planning efforts that integrate housing and transportation decisions. The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are partners with HUD in the initiative.

Joe McKinney, Executive Director of Land-of-Sky Regional Council, said, “We are honored to be included as one of the forty-five regions in the nation to receive funding this important initiative. The WNC Livable Communities Initiative will be an unprecedented collaboration between local governments, area non-profits, the private sector and out region’s communities. The purpose of the initiative is to help design our region’s future to ensure quality jobs, affordable housing, better transportation, cleaner energy, while preserving our region’s environment and culture well into the 21st century. This endeavor would not have been possible without the support of our congressional delegation.”

Members of the WNC Livable Communities Consortium members include the Land-of-Sky Regional Council, French Broad River Metropolitan Planning Organization, Land-of-Sky Rural Planning Organization (RPO), City of Asheville, Buncombe County, State of North Carolina, The Community Foundation of Western North Carolina, AdvantageWest, Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce, Renaissance Computing Institute of the University of North Carolina at Asheville (RENCI), Asheville Housing Authority, Asheville-Buncombe Sustainable Communities Initiative of the Asheville Hub, and the Asheville Design Center.

Asheville, NC-Tomorrow, (Friday, October 15), Congressman Heath Shuler (D-Waynesville), Land Of Sky Officials and representatives from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development will a $1.6 million grant award for Sustainable Housing and Community Planning in Western North Carolina.

The “WNC Sustainable Communities Initiative,” coordinated by Land of Sky, will synchronize local community planning efforts to integrate housing, land use, economic and workforce development, transportation, and infrastructure investments.

The funding, won by Land of Sky through a competitive grant process, is part of $150 million allocated to HUD by Congress to establish a Sustainable Communities Initiative to improve regional planning efforts that integrate housing and transportation decisions. The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are partners with HUD in the initiative.

What: Announcement of Land of Sky’s $1.6 Million Grant Award for Sustainable Housing and Community Planning

Who: U.S. Rep. Heath Shuler, Land Of Sky Officials and representatives from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

When: 1:15pm on Friday, October 15th

Where: Biltmore Doubletree Hotel, Garden Terrace 115 Hendersonville Road Asheville, NC 28803