Quentin Miller swearing in

Year in review: Evolving race relations in Asheville

Asheville has gotten whiter over the past two decades. The proportion of African-American residents in the city dropped from 17.6 percent in 2000 to 12.3 percent in 2016, a change city officials attribute to a combination of white influx and black exodus. For the people of color who remained in Asheville, 2018 proved a mixed bag.

Asheville Police Department Chief Tammy Hooper

Asheville Police Department Chief Tammy Hooper to resign in January

In a Nov. 7 press release, interim City Manager Cathy Ball announced that Chief Hooper would be resigning effective Wednesday, Jan. 2 — as well as that Hooper had previously attempted to resign in February. As part of her resignation agreement, Hooper will be paid $118,000 and will provide 75 hours of consulting services “to assist with the transition” of police leadership.

Former Asheville City Manager Gary Jackson

Former City Manager Gary Jackson leaves mixed legacy

As Asheville gears up to begin a new chapter in its administration, Xpress asks what lessons, if any, can be learned from Jackson’s time as the city’s top employee. But given the reluctance of so many current and former city officials to discuss either Jackson’s firing or his legacy, any final assessment of this recent history may have to wait.

Candidates vie to lead Asheville equity and inclusion efforts

Two finalists for the newly created Equity and Inclusion Manager position with the city of Asheville mingled with community members at a meet-and-greet on July 10. Kimberlee Archie and Alaysia Black Hackett shared their backgrounds, their visions of how the position can serve the city and some of the issues they see as most pressing for the new role.

Climate change, aging infrastruc­ture and rapid developmen­t fuel Asheville stormwater woes

A changing climate, aging infrastructure and rapid rates of development are contributing to a rising tide of stormwater problems in Asheville. But responsibility for stormwater infrastructure often rests with private property owners, complicating the process of planning and paying for fixes.