I've listened to arguments from both sides of the issues in the debate over incorporation in Swannanoa. I've done a lot of research on my own. The conclusion: Incorporation is disastrous for the rural character. We will lose the very reason why people visit or move to this area. 1. Nearly 60 percent of the […]

I'd like to offer a few observations and opinions about the upcoming City Council election. My thoughts are based on my experience writing about the Council and city issues during my tenure several years ago as a reporter for Mountain Xpress. During that time I was continually amazed by the level of passion displayed by […]

A few day ago I received an "URGENT WARNING! Please read!" ad in my snail-mail. Opening it, the ad was titled, "Who is Cecil Bothwell?" Could it be a "Get to know your City Council Candidate" flier? No, it turned out instead to be an attack ad prattling on and on, spouting misquotes and misinformation, […]

I am trying to understand the burning of Bibles in Waynesville on Halloween Night. The preacher of that Baptist church claims that the King James Version of the Bible is the only true, authorized Holy Bible, and all other Bibles and other religious writings should be burned. By his actions and his speech, this man […]

Seriously … it's not loud motorcycles that are creating traffic hazards and unpleasantness. It's not motorcycles that are being built on the mountains and destroying the beauty of this region. It's not loud motorcycles that are crowding us with obnoxious, aggressive behavior. I love the sound of loud motorcycles. To me it is the sound […]

I would like to bring to light a subject that is about light. I have lived in the Leicester community for 15 years and have done so because of its relative "peace and quiet." Peace and quiet can mean many things to many people, but to me peace is living in relative harmony with your […]

Many thanks are in order to you and [A&E Editor] Rebecca Sulock for sharing URTV's real story with the community ["You Make It, They Air It," Oct. 14]. As you can see, URTV is community, and is the community's story. Ordinary citizens, your neighbors, spend many volunteer hours building relationships with fellow videographers, community-based organizations, […]

I have a comment regarding one of the stories in the News of the Weird [Oct. 14 issue]. Being a father of a two, a 21-month-old boy and 7-month-old girl, I was horrified by a story. It was in reference to a mother in Texas who left her children aged 6, 5 and 1-year-old at […]

After I watched the replays of recent town hall meetings, one thing that stood out was the convenience of filming. In this age of distrust, apparently to prove innocence or truth, video and audio taping is necessary. Pictures that can prove are admissible evidence. These perpetual Internet traces will never disappear, yet we ignore the […]

I am disgusted with all the negativity toward President Obama. I have always considered myself proud to be an American despite my differences with some of our political leaders. When President George H. Bush lied and said, "No new taxes," I wasn't upset. When George W. Bush lied about the weapons of mass destruction, I […]

Despite the critics' rhetoric, President Obama receiving the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize is a great honor not only for him but also for the American people. To win this honor is monumental for any individual; however, it's breathtaking to win this honor in a time when American popularity in the international community is severely tarnished […]