I am a farmer of 25 acres with seven cows, a few goats and chickens. I am a vegetarian and plan to sell an older milk cow for meat this coming spring and bring sheep onto the farm as well. I take a strong interest in expanding the local food economy. In the debate for […]

New state legislation allows local municipalities to have greater control over the smoking policies in their own communities. The city of Asheville has talked about acting to ban smoking in public parks, a policy that was formerly pre-empted by state law. This potential policy would help to protect the health of our youth and adults […]

I was just curious as to what has happened in this great country of ours. I remember those carefree days of my youth when the biggest thing you had to worry about was being home before dark. We were told to stay away from strangers. When we did something wrong we were punished, and yes, […]

The best possible spin on Obama's plan to kill thousands of … Afghans is that he's a captive of our military-industrial complex. It may be political — and maybe personal — suicide to oppose the complex. The worst spin is that Obama believes that killing, maiming and impoverishing more people will create a friendlier Afghanistan. […]

The juxtaposition of President Obama's receiving a Nobel Prize for peace and his decision to continue the war in Afghanistan and send 30,000 more troops there brought to my mind one of Berthold Brecht's searing statements: "When the generals talk peace, they are preparing for war." — Eileen Walkenstein Asheville

Stuart Peterson, the former gang member turned anti-gang educator featured in the article "Justice Undone?" in the Dec. 2 issue of Xpress, faced his first felony arrest and conviction as described in the article. However, while he faced a single armed-robbery charge, it came from three incidents: two ATM robberies earlier this year, as well […]

A young, 20-year-old man committed "armed robbery" with a "gun" and received a three-years-and-eight-months sentence. This was premeditated. I do not know Stuart Peterson or anyone in that article ["Justice Undone?" Dec. 2 Xpress], but to me this sentence seems extremely lenient for such a crime, and that must be because it was his first […]

I must take exception and comment on the commentary by Christopher M. Craig on finding equilibrium between bicycles and cars [Dec. 9 ]. I am one of those people who will continue to blow my horn and shout at cyclists ignoring the rules of the road that they, like other vehicles, are supposed to follow. […]

I want to share the following letter from someone in our community who couldn't send it herself because her parents are unauthorized immigrants. I obtained it from El Centro Comunitario in Hendersonville. I've shortened it a bit but otherwise not changed it: "Dear Santa: I am a little girl that is 9 years old. I […]