Yesterday, it looked like tonight’s Asheville City Council meeting would see a conflict over a proclamation recognizing the Blue Ridge Pride festival. This afternoon, however, an announcement from Blue Ridge Pride claims Mayor Terry Bellamy has agreed to sign a proclamation recognizing the event.
Author: David Forbes
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Asheville City Council candidate interview: Chris Pelly
In the latest installment of our ongoing series of interviews with Asheville City Council candidates, David Forbes talks to Chris Pelly about issues ranging from infrastructure to economic development and defending Asheville in Raleigh. Audio from the interview included.
E-mails reveal how Blue Ridge Pride proclamation made it to Council agenda
An e-mail exchange released by Asheville City Council member Bill Russell reveals new details about how a proclamation recognizing the Oct. 1 Blue Ridge Pride festival made it onto Council’s agenda for its Sept. 27 meeting. In the exchange, Mayor Terry Bellamy, who has not given the festival a standard mayoral proclamation, notes that she will place it on the new business portion of the agenda. Russell says he hoped for a standard proclamation instead of a contentious vote.
Asheville City Council faces showdown over Blue Ridge Pride proclamation
City proclamations aren’t typically a point of controversy, but the Asheville City Council meeting tomorrow, Sept. 27, will see an exception. A proclamation recognizing the Blue Ridge Pride festival is on the New Business portion of the agenda, as Mayor Terry Bellamy refused to endorse it.
Despite job gains, Asheville area unemployment rose in August
Despite adding about 900 jobs, the Asheville metropolitan area saw unemployment rise in August, according to figures from the state Employment Security Commission, possibly due to formerly discouraged workers once again looking for a job. Both Buncombe County and the Asheville area saw unemployment rise from 8 percent to 8.4 percent.
Asheville City Council candidate interview: Lael Gray
In the latest installment of our ongoing series of interviews with Asheville City Council candidates, David Forbes talks to Lael Gray about issues ranging from transit to development and police accountability. Audio from the interview included.
It’s official: New Belgium looking at Asheville expansion
For weeks, Asheville has seen rumors swirl that New Belgium is considering the city for a new brewery and looking for economic development incentives. Today, Sept. 22, City Council member Jan Davis publicly confirmed the rumors at a Council of Independent Business Owners forum. He tells Xpress that while he welcomes the company, he’s skeptical about the need for incentives.
Incentive country: Behind an ongoing controversy
With rumors flying about local governments’ closed sessions on economic development (a New Belgium brewery?), government incentives for private business are once again in the news. Whether they’re spat on as “corporate welfare” or lauded as “job creation,” they remain controversial as ever.
What the truck?
Proposed rules allowing food trucks downtown once again dominated the agenda during Asheville City Council’s Sept. 13 meeting. After a lengthy public hearing and contentious debate, Council members had narrowly approved the move Aug. 23 on a 4-3 vote. Because of that slim margin, however, the city's development guidelines required a second reading. Proponents of […]
Buncombe County government website wins national award
The National Association of Government Webmasters announced its Pinnacle Awards last week, and Buncombe County’s website won the top award.
Sunday open thread
Plenty of news this week. Weigh in on what you wish, readers.
Ponderwell, Xpress finalists for city community media proposal ***UPDATED 12:41 p.m.***
The city of Asheville has named two finalists for its request for proposals for community media: Web development-and-design firm Ponderwell and media outlet Mountain Xpress. Here’s all the submitted proposals, including those two.
City of Asheville Community Media RFP proposal
In these plans, six local organizations, including finalists Ponderwell and Xpress, present their ideas for providing community media services in response to the city of Asheville’s Request for Proposal.
Forrester stands by “cesspool of sin” comment; insults Wilmington, Chapel Hill too
State Sen. James Forrester, one of the main sponsors of the proposed anti-same sex marriage amendment, is standing by his remarks calling Asheville “a cesspool of sin,” according to a report from M2M radio. Forrester also dubbed Asheville, Chapel Hill and Wilmington as competitors for “the worst place in the state.”
Asheville City Council passes rules allowing food trucks downtown 5-2
Back for a second reading before Asheville City Council, new rules allowing food trucks downtown passed 5-2 this evening, Sept. 13. Passage of the new rules clears the way for up to 10 food trucks to begin operating in Asheville’s core district.
The high price of poverty
As the economic downturn wears on, more and more people are finding they lack the money to access basic legal assistance in connection with issues ranging from foreclosure to domestic violence. Meanwhile, Pisgah Legal Services has seen its caseload increase massively, even as its funding has dried up. Since last year, the nonprofit law firm’s […]
Asheville City Council preview: Food trucks, round 2
After a lengthy public debate and close vote at the last formal Asheville City Council meeting, new rules allowing food trucks downtown narrowly passed. However, since a second vote is required when a development change that passes that closely, the rules are back for another reading at the Sept. 13 meeting.
Anti-gay marriage amendment sponsor calls Asheville “a cesspool of sin”
State Sen. James Forrester, a sponsor of a proposed amendment to the North Carolina constitution that would ban gay marriage, civil unions and domestic partner benefits, called Asheville a “cesspool of sin” in remarks at a Gaston church last night, according to a report in the Gaston Gazette.
Bill Russell withdraws from Asheville City Council race
Asheville City Council member Bill Russell has withdrawn from the race. Russell, in a statement released on the Scrutiny Hooligans political blog, wrote that “there would be no greater regret for me than if I was not there fully for my kids with my time and energy as they move through these most important years of their lives.”
Gov. Perdue accelerates completion of I-26 connector, five other highway projects
Gov. Bev Perdue announced today that she will accelerate the planned construction of six “urban loop” projects, including the proposed Interstate 26 connector in Asheville. Under the new schedule, the state will begin buying right-of-way by 2018, and start construction in 2020.
Unmet needs
Center for New Beginnings helps those touched by trauma, crime and violence. “You have Helpmate, things for domestic violence for women,” co-director Steve Gerber explains. But there is no victim-services agency for those who’ve lost a loved one to suicide or homicide, or people who’ve been burglarized or attacked.