“We often study an issue as if we are the first city to consider it. More often we are the last,” says Kevan Frazier, who is one of six candidates vying for three open seats on Asheville City Council.
New Stories
WNC is ground zero for wilderness skills education
In February, Mountain BizWorks’ MADE X MTNS partnership, which seeks to expand WNC’s outdoor industry, released a study that noted outdoor activities such as backpacking, day hiking and vehicle camping generated an economic output of $4.9 billion per year for the region and resulted in 48,000 full-time jobs.
BID public hearing draws crowd despite scheduling kerfuffle
The BID proposal requires two votes from Council, The first is slated for Tuesday, May 14, and the second on Tuesday, June 11. If approved, the governance structure of the BID will be established at a later date.
Guy Mead wins 2024 Xpress Poetry Contest
This year’s competition asked writers to draft an original, previously unpublished piece on the theme of our shared humanity.
County budget picture slowly comes into focus
County expenditures are expected to grow by more than $8 million next year, to $444.9 million, said Buncombe County Budget Director John Hudson.
Best Medicine: Powering Asheville with ‘pisskey’ and solar panel hats
Comedian Eric Brown is joined by his latest round of fellow local stand-ups to discuss tourism, sustainability and the apocalypse.
Environmental groups keep pressure on U.S. Forest Service
Asheville-based nonprofit MountainTrue and others await responses from the U.S. Forest Service after filing a flurry of legal actions since the federal agency finalized its Pisgah-Nantahala Forest Plan last year.
Everyone loves a garden. Sometimes, that’s a problem
We aren’t the only creatures who love berries. Learn how to keep birds and bears at bay.
Sustaining community: A conversation with Asheville City Council member Sage Turner
“There are layers of government in Asheville that can make our management and maintenance understandably confusing and frustrating,” says Council member Sage Turner, who is up for reelection this year.
Forty years later, UNCA women’s basketball players recall their national championship run
Today, the popularity of the women’s game is booming. But the sport is far from new. And 40 years ago, UNC Asheville boasted a championship team and a record-setting player of its own.
Reparations commission discusses accountability as deadline nears
As a deadline nears for the Community Reparations Commission, pressure mounts for the group to finalize its recommendations for how the City of Asheville and Buncombe County governments can make amends to their Black residents.
Early voting for second primary begins April 25
Republicans and unaffiliated voters who cast a Republican ballot in the March 5 primary election have some unfinished business in choosing which candidate will run against Democratic opponents for two state races in November’s general election.
Social opportunities for neurodivergent adults flourish locally
It’s not enough to provide activities centered around autism, because having autism in common doesn’t mean people’s interests are similar.
Staff reductions contributed to Mission’s soaring profits after HCA sale, draft report says
A 12-page working draft report out of Wake Forest University titled “Mission Hospital’s Financial Performance Under HCA” collates information from federal data, HCA’s own projections, and other studies to show how the Asheville hospital has prospered since the $1.5 billion purchase five years ago.
Planning board defers voting on county’s short-term rental ordinance
“Based on what we have heard from the community … I firmly believe that the best path forward will be to broaden the scope of our discussions to include those issues surrounding STRs,” board Chair Nancy Waldrop said during the April 22 meeting.
Around town: RAD gets a new gallery
New gallery in River Arts District, Wilma Dykeman Fellowship announced, UNCA professor stages new play and more!