Flier fight: Candidates differ on mailer

A flier funded by local businessman Chris Peterson and bearing a mocking, photoshopped picture of Asheville City Council member Cecil Bothwell, encouraging voters to back Council member Jan Davis and candidate Mark Cates has led to a condemnation by an advocacy group and public criticism. Davis has released a statement asserting he is unhappy with his inclusion in the flier, noting, “I do not believe in trickery and dirty campaigning.” Cates, meanwhile, has released a statement saying he understands’ Peterson’s view.

We were robbed

Asheville City Council April 12, 2011, meeting Commercial water customers face major rate hike Council calls for URTV equipment audit The item wasn't on the printed agenda, but toward the end of the Asheville City Council's April 12 meeting, Council members approved paying Blueline Systems and Services $175,000 to oversee a full audit of the […]

PARC, Public Interest Projects square off over 51 Biltmore

In dueling statements, the advocacy group People Advocating Real Conservancy and the developer Public Interest Projects have weighed in on the proposed 51 Biltmore project. PARC is calling it a “boondoggle — a misuse of public funds,” while PIP (which own the land), call PARC’s statements inaccurate and defend the development as necessary to improve downtown.

A sidewalk tale: Volunteers set clean-up efforts

Back in October, Asheville City Council members voted to toughen ordinances that require property owners to keep sidewalks clean. Here’s a video — shared with city Council at the Nov. 9 meeting — of volunteer clean-up efforts, led by Z-Link and such government officials as Council member Cecil Bothwell, who narrates. (an Asheville PARC & Z-Links Presentation). Z-Links is planning a Nov. 20, city-wide clean-up.

The Sidewalk Cleanup Story from Bruce Kennedy on Vimeo.

Air fair?

People Advocating Real Conservancy, an Asheville community activist group, has decided to challenge the city’s policy of selling air rights to developers. At the same time, the group has placed an upset bid on air rights above the sidewalk at 82 Patton Avenue offered for sale to redevelopers of the old First Union Building.