Community conversati­ons: Asheville loses Beer City crown, but is the spirit still alive?

With Asheville garnering significantly less votes in the annual Beer City USA online poll than it did in 2012, does that mean our hearts are no longer in our pint glasses? Have we lost our Beer City spirit? Or with MLive reporting that Grand Rapids tourism marketers waged a highly organized campaign, maybe it’s more of a reflection on our commerce officials? Whatever the case, local residents shared their thoughts on a variety of online mediums this week, expressing everything from disappointment to good riddance.

‘Firm correctnes­s’: an I Ching app predicts the Asheville City Council elections

Amid the lawsuits and budget wrangling, Asheville City Council elections are approaching. There’s something clearly missing in the media speculation about who will run and win: electronic versions of ancient Chinese prophecy. Here’s what my I-Ching phone app says about each campaign, along with some agricultural and marital advice.