“The U.S. Forest Service should reconsider its mission and focus less on ‘productivity’ for tree-harvesting and more on sustaining the health and diversity of our national forest lands, streams and rivers.”
New Stories
Letter: Argument for logging was spot on
“Gifford Pinchot himself pinned it many decades ago in declaring that he doubted that future foresters would truly understand the diverse ecosystems of the Southern Appalachian Mountains in their management decisions.”
Gardening with Xpress: A time to kill and to water
Green greetings! As it really warms up, I hope you’ve been enjoying baskets of goodness from your gardens. This month’s questions were, unsurprisingly, about bugs and water — two major themes of summertime gardening. A reminder to email me your questions at gardening@mountainx.com. I look forward to hearing from you! Fat little green caterpillars are […]
Seth Walker, Valorie Miller and Erika Lewis release new albums
Two recent transplants and an Asheville mainstay discuss their latest LPs.
TDA seeks to boost Black Asheville travelers
Leaders at the Explore Asheville Convention and Visitors Bureau are looking for new approaches to put the city on the map as a diverse destination by tapping into Asheville’s rich Black history and Black entrepreneurs.
Council approves $217 million Asheville budget
The approved budget more than $30.1 million for the Asheville Police Department, $500,000 for the city’s reparations fund, $108,000 to create an urban forester position and $300,000 to increase full-time employee salaries, among other items.
Reparations commission considers youth involvement
The Community Reparations Commission, tasked with developing recommendations for Asheville and Buncombe County to address the impacts of systemic racism, currently consists of 25 members and seven alternates but has no youth representation.
Appalachian short-story collection blends comedy and tragedy
Local author Melanie McGee Bianchi discusses her recently published debut collection, The Ballad of Cherrystoke and Other Stories.
Food savings without shame in WNC
As inflation and supply chain issues continue to increase everyday costs, more locals, regardless of their employment status, are seeking ways to lower their food costs. For organizations and nonprofits offering free and healthy meals, part of the mission is to make all feel welcome.
WNC traffic planners try to keep up with increased commuting
It’s not your imagination: Commuting in the Asheville area is worse than ever. As skyrocketing housing prices have pushed more city residents into neighboring areas, the number of drivers entering Asheville each day on busy interstates and crowded secondary roads has grown dramatically. “Asheville is still very much the employment center of the region, and […]
Q&A: Appalachian Trail Chaplain discusses her long trek ahead
Xpress chats with Rachel Ahrens about her role as Appalachian Trail Chaplain.
Around Town: Buncombe County Special Collections blog opens to community posts
The Buncombe County Special Collections blog opens up to community submissions. Plus, local multimedia artist puts on augmented reality show, author chronicles history of the Toe River Valley, and photographers express experiences of queerness through visual autobiographies.
What’s new in food: Asheville’s past meets future at Eldr
Eldr opens in North Asheville. Also: New Belgium Brewing Co. launches Poured for All Initiative; Legally Addictive Foods announces plans to move its manufacturing operations to Asheville; and more!
Letter: More trash cans needed along river
“The trash receptacle availability every 5 miles or so along the French Broad walks and parks is woefully inadequate.”
Natural health product sales increase during COVID
The COVID-19 pandemic prompted more people to focus on their health, and the city’s many natural products stores rose to the occasion.