Designing frameworks­: Council readies for legislatur­e’s return

Last year, relations between the North Carolina General Assembly and the city of Asheville were marked by hostility, public wars of words and even a lawsuit. At a special meeting yesterday, March 18, however, multiple Asheville City Council members expressed a desire to improve things this year, even though looming legislation could cost the city further revenue. They also signed off on efforts to better coordinate the city’s own lobbying efforts in Raleigh.

Legislatur­e heads toward crossover with more than 1,700 bills to pick through

There are only three weeks left before the 2013 session of the N.C. General Assembly hits its crossover deadline of May 16. In general, that means to have a chance at becoming law, bills must have passed a third reading in the house or senate (whichever chamber initiated the bill) and moved to the other chamber by that date. More than 1,700 bills have been introduced since January (1,002 in the House; 725 in the Senate), including the recent arrival of Gov. Pat McCrory’s proposed $49,590,935,190 budget for 2013-14. It’s going to be a busy time.

RIP, S.E.E.

I would like to thank Ned Ryan Doyle for his Commentary about the Southern Energy & Environment Expo [“WNC at a crossroads,” Aug. 24 Xpress]. S.E.E. Expo provided great exposure to sustainable technology and lifestyles. It will be missed. Alternative energy is the future of America, but fringe movements have distracted us with cult-like agendas. […]

Playing the numbers

With the 2010 census numbers now in hand, the state Legislature has begun redrawing the lines for N.C. House and Senate, as well as congressional districts. May 15 is the target date for producing new district maps; public hearings are now being held around the state, with a visit to Western North Carolina slated for […]

Want to buy a landslide?

Building on steep slopes is a pretty slippery topic in the mountains these days. Accordingly, the House Committee on Environment and Natural Resources has scheduled a regional hearing for Thursday, Jan. 10, to solicit public input on the state Legislature’s Safe Artificial Slope Construction Act (H1756). Three primary sponsors—all from Western North Carolina—introduced the bill […]