Internet pioneer Wally Bowen dies

Asheville (NC) media advocate Wally Bowen -- who helped bring Asheville into the Internet age in 1996 in a time when when the service was still very new and little known -- died after a struggle with Lou Gehrig's disease. He was 63.

Bowen started both the non-profit Mountain Area Information Network (MAIN) and its sister operation, the low-powered Asheville FM radio station WPVM. He used the services to connect the community through local voices. His work was known nationally and most recently, he was given the Donald H. McGannon Award from the Office of Communication of the United Church of Christ for his work in building MAIN. Bowen remained active to the end of his life, said his longtime friend Monroe Gilmour, who accepted the McGannon Award on his behalf. "His mind was still totally engaged and sharp as anyone’s," Gilmour said. Lou Gehrig's Disease left him without movement or the ability to speak, but he was able to stay online, said his partner Carla Seidl. "He was extremely open, always reaching out, always positive, seeking new connections, building things," she said.