APD seeks help locating suspect in local business break-ins

Full announcement from the Asheville Police Department: APD Seeks Assistance in locating Break-in Suspect Asheville Police are asking for the publics assistance in locating Julian McKinnley Rector, Rector is wanted for questioning in downtown break-ins involving rocks being thrown through front doors to gain access to a business in order to steal the cash register. […]

Stumbling toward a deal

Asheville City Council Jan. 24, 2012 meeting White Oak Grove rezoning request withdrawn Pushcart rules retooled Council retreat set for Feb. 3 “Where never kings connive nor tyrants scheme/That any man be crushed by one above,” Vice Mayor Esther Manheimer intoned, quoting Langston Hughes’ “Let America Be America Again.” Speakers repeatedly referenced her invocation during […]

Occupy Asheville doesn’t take Council’s camp deal, but “will pursue further dialogue”

Following a meeting of its coordinating council last night, Occupy Asheville issued a letter asserting that its encampment in front of City Hall is “a representation of the people’s natural rights.” In the letter, Occupy Asheville doesn’t take the deal proposed by Council to voluntarily decamp, but says it “will pursue further dialogue” with the […]

Equality NC kicks off “race to the ballot”

Equality NC kicked off its efforts to defeat Amendment One — which would ban legal recognition of same-sex relationships — with staffer Jen Jones running through downtown as part of the statewide Race to the Ballot campaign. The newly opened Asheville office will be the organization’s headquarters for organizing in the Western part of the state.
(Photo by Bill Rhodes)

A deal between the city and Occupy Asheville? Maybe.

At the longest Asheville City Council meeting in recent years, the debate over the Occupy Asheville encampment was front and center. Motions both to create a permitting process for the camp and to ban it outright failed narrowly. In the end, Council agreed to put a resolution opposing corporate personhood on the Feb. 14 agenda, alongside a motion to give campers a deadline to leave. But, there will be porta-johns.
(Photo by Bill Rhodes)

District Attorney Ron Moore keeping evidence room audit results under wraps

The audit of the Asheville Police Department evidence room was completed Jan. 9, but don’t expect the details to go public soon. While Buncombe County District Attorney Ron Moore has told some media that the audit showed that around 200 drug parcels might be missing, the Buncombe County District Attorney’s keeping the results secret, even from city government.

Food and shelter

Asheville City Council Jan. 10, 2012 meeting Charlotte Diocese offers $2 million for downtown property City considers permits for Occupy Asheville campers In a short but busy Jan. 10 session, Asheville City Council members approved a number of changes to the Unified Development Ordinance. One took center stage: allowing fresh-food markets in residential areas. The […]