Released mid-evening, July 12, the new House districts proposed by GOP-led N.C. Redistricting Committee isolate Asheville as its own district, which could pit the two local Democrat delegates — Rep. Susan Fisher (currently representing District 114) and Rep. Patsy Keever (currently representing the 115th) — against each other and make it easier for a Republican to win the 115th. Under the proposal, the new District 115 would omit Asheville and be made up mostly of east Buncombe County. The new 116th House District, currently represented by Republican Tim Moffitt, would cover the entire western half of Buncombe County.
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Stymied? Me too
I am stymied by how the author of “Stymied: Undocumented Students’ Rocky Road to a College Degree” and the people it refers to are expecting us to wave our hands and cheer them on [July 6 Xpress]. Yay! C'mon, you illegal immigrants, give us a hug! Mi casa es tu casa? Mi escuela es la […]
And the merry love the fiddle
“For the good are always the merry Save by an evil chance And the merry love the fiddle And the merry love to dance …” — William Butler Yeats, “The Fiddler of Dooney” The Swannanoa Gathering has lured its share of legends in its 20 years. The folk-art workshop series, held each summer on the […]
A plant is a plant is a plant
I loved the speak-truth-to-power tone of Susan Andrew's "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes" article [Green Scene, June 29 Xpress]. It's embarrassing how every government agency attempts to synthesize some asinine-though-remotely plausible argument against marijuana. Thank you for subtly exposing the huge flaws in the ecological criticism of hand-cultivating a hearty, healthy plant in the forest. […]
We’re so depressed when it’s over
Around 3 a.m. one day in 2006, comedian Greg Brown was on the return leg of a regular and grueling commute from Asheville to Charlotte, when he experienced an epiphany. “I was like, ‘Wow, why am I driving so far to a shittier city? I want to perform in Asheville without driving four-and-a-half hours to […]
How do you spell “inevitable”?
There are a few things that need to be addressed as to what exemplifies a “lie from the pit of hell,” as discussed by James Dye in his June 29 Xpress Commentary, “How Do You Spell ‘Respect’?” Dye states, “Had the mayor not acted when she did, the great freight train of history would have […]
Tried and through
For the third consecutive legislative session, lawmakers in both houses of the N.C. General Assembly have introduced bills that would raise the age at which some juvenile offenders are tried as adults from 16 to 18. House Bill 632 and Senate Bill 506 were introduced in April; state officials and child-advocacy groups have been pushing […]
A love of legumes…
You could call Cathy Cleary, co-owner of West End Bakery in West Asheville, a legume lover. Her biggest crush? The Fortex pole bean, a type of long, stringless green bean that she grows for her restaurant every year. “They never get tough, they have a wonderful flavor and they’re great raw, roasted, steamed, blanched or […]
Sesame quinoa salad
Ingredients: Salad 2 cups quinoa 2 ¾ cups water 1 lb green beans, stems removed and beans cut into 1-inch lengths 3 cups grated carrots 1 red pepper, diced ½ cup toasted sesame seeds Sesame-ginger dressing: 8 cloves garlic, crushed ¼ cup fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped ¼ cup cider vinegar 1/4 cup tamari […]
All aboard against the billboard
It’s time for community interest to be considered before self-interest. We are seeing a groundswell of Asheville residents responding to the digital billboard installed on Merrimon Avenue; more than 370 people have signed a petition demanding that the digital billboard be removed. Support this effort by signing the petition to remove the billboard on Merrimon […]
The Beat: Racked
Buncombe County’s removal of 17 newspaper boxes in front of the courthouse was illegal, attorney Amanda Martin of the N.C. Press Association maintains. “There’s absolutely a First Amendment issue here,” she asserts. “Newspapers have the right to be on public property.” County Manager Wanda Greene ordered the move late last month. “We removed them because […]
Their own satisfaction
Chaz Bundick and Mat Cothran are quite different on the phone. Bundick, the Columbia, S.C.-based musician behind the lush, throbbing psychedelics of Toro Y Moi is reserved and polite. He speaks softly and succinctly, beginning most every response with “I think,” as though he fears his ideas on his own music might be wrong. He […]
Career politicians do not know when to leave
Regarding the N.C. Legislative Committee and their lack of common sense to attempt to use their wisdom to merge 22 local community colleges: Their [attempts] to save money leaves a lot to be desired. "Career politicians" have failed to realize that — due to the rising cost of tuition this year and [that some] students […]
Musical Missed Connections
Although Becky will continue to write periodic Profilers, her weekly column will now include new features such as Musical Missed Connections, Have You Seen this Band? and the occasional Personality Quiz. Contact her at beckyupham@gmail.com. Musical Missed Connections: Noble Creatures I spotted you at Earth Fare munching on cookies out of the case while grinding […]
Pardee on? At what expense?
Pardee physicians, some of them, are urging the Henderson County commissioners to allow Pardee Hospital to expand into north Henderson County and into Lake Lure where they can compete with Park Ridge Hospital for market share. This might be good for business, but … I am concerned that Pardee might overextend itself, should it move […]
Weekly Picks
Local mystery writer Mark de Castrique will thrill audiences with his new novel The Sandburg Connection on Wednesday, July 13 from 3 to 4:30 p.m. at the Thomas Wolfe Memorial, 52 N. Market St. Info: wolfememorial.com or 253-8304. Transport your kids beyond the textbooks with a life-sized outdoor board game about the Civil War. On […]
Green genius
Great gardens are experienced the same way fine art is — as an emotional connection. The Biltmore gardens, designed by pioneering landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted under George Vanderbilt’s patronage, are a work of genius. Now 116 years old, the gardens refresh and inspire more than a million visitors per year. Parker Andes has been […]
Weekly Asheville Disclaimer Page: 07/13/11
• Many long-time Asheville
restaurants close, citing
increased cost of Ranch,
Thousand Island dressing
• State archivists seek
family Bible records
Spokesman: ‘Somebody begat
somebody, and we’re going to
get to the bottom of it’
• Black Mtn. PD on new police
dog: ‘Once we get these first
50 or 60 false-alarm cavity
searches out of the way, this
K-9 officer will prove very
effective’
•Bear avoidance expert:
Discourage bears, but not
to point of humiliation or
depression
Local Matters: Freedom of the press, council candidates and redistricting
In this edition of Local Matters—the Xpress weekly news podcast—reporter David Forbes talks about the recent removal of newspaper boxes by the County and the recent announcement of candidates for Asheville City Council, and reporters Christopher George and Jake Frankel talk about the heated meetings around the new congressional redistricting plan. Hosted by News Editor Margaret Williams.
Commissioners may counter state-mandated election changes with referendum
Faced with recently passed state legislation mandating that the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners switch to district elections, the commissioners may counter by holding a referendum on the way the board is elected, Chair David Gantt tells Xpress.
Video: Life in the busk lane
As noted in this week’s article, “On a Friday night in Asheville, it’s near impossible to drop a coin without it landing in a hat or guitar case of a busker. Considering Asheville’s tourist economy and do-it-yourself ethos, it’s no surprise that downtown is packed with creative folks working their trade.” Xpress presents a brief glimpse into this world, letting the buskers tell the story in their own words.
