The Appalachian Regional Commission is holding its annual s ummit this week in Asheville. The federal organization funds projects in 420 counties in 13 states from Mississippi to New York – including in Western North Carolina. The Appalachian Regional Commission was created in 1965 to work on economic development and infrastructure projects such as highways in the region. Richard Starnes is the dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Western Carolina University. The Asheville native studies