Just trust the feds

Heck of a job, Brownie! I was at the Asheville City Council meeting on Nov. 25. I was there to support the group Common Sense at the Nuclear Crossroads in their efforts to stop the transportation of high-level nuclear waste through our mountains. Currently, this waste is stored at the nuclear power facilities. It is […]

A call to the community

I am writing in response to the Asheville Citizen-Times’ coverage from Dec. 20 regarding the warrants issued in the 2006 murder of Kelly Smith. As case manager at Our VOICE, Buncombe County’s rape crisis center, the news of warrants issued for a man who has possibly been terrorizing women in Asheville for many years left […]

Outdoors: Making wading sandals

I have fished the French Broad wearing chest waders when I was extremely intimidated by the water conditions. But it’s difficult to focus on fishing when—in the back of your mind—you keep repeating the mantra, “If you tread, you are dead.” But with wading sandals (coupled with a Personal Floating Device), I feel reasonably invulnerable […]

Resurrect First Night

What happened to First Night? First Night was a New Year’s Eve version of Bele Chere without the alcohol, but with a wider variety of entertainment. I know it was going in the late 1990s and into the 21st century, and then morphed into a smaller, Civic Center event. Now I google for what is […]

Small Bites

Savoy: More and more local restaurants are trying to plump their sagging profits by appealing to similarly strapped customers with deals and special pricing programs, making even high-end dining more affordable. From the fine end of the dining spectrum comes a set of enticing offers from Savoy Restaurant and Martini Bar, the popular white-table-clothed restaurant […]

A time for “change”

Once again I offer our local high-and-mighty my suggestions for suitable New Year’s resolutions for 2009: Carl Mumpower: Start prepping for your run for governor in 2012. Your “principles first” message could motivate North Carolina Republicans to turn out for the GOP statewide the way they did in the 11th Congressional District in 2008. Terry […]

E.Normus Trio’s small format, big sound

Though the dynamics of improv jazz—when things go from quietly intense to loud and calculated in a matter of well-orchestrated measures—might call for a velvet couch in a hash bar,  Asheville’s laws prevent that sort of musical experience. Reassuringly, local outfit E.Normus Trio can still send minds into such dimensions. The point of this group […]

Into the Forums

As expected, the real-life business of the holidays has had a slowing impact on the Xpress forums. Surprisingly, however, a number of interesting and active discussions were taking place here at MountainX.com on the days when most people are more obsessed with stuffing themselves with turkey and dressing than, say, posting their thoughts on the internet.