I am still shaken by what I have read of the recent incident between the local firefighter and Alan Simons. At 72-and-a-half, I occasionally take my bicycle down to the Bent Creek [Experimental Forest] or the North Carolina Arboretum for a ride (mainly, I hike). But I would never ride my bike on the Blue […]

When the strongest part of our community is threatened by a small group of people desiring to capitalize on the loss of our jobs and safety, and when an obviously compromised planning board of our county ignores the pleas of residents and analysts alike, a feeling of confused and widespread anger expands in no small […]

It has been said that the measure of a country can be observed by how well it cares for its citizens least able to care for themselves. Applying this measure to our county level, this letter appeals to the Madison County Board of Commissioners and all county officials. Please consider the health and welfare of […]

In the past two years, I have been designated as an automatic "turn down" — not eligible for an individual health-insurance policy, after my husband's employment ended and COBRA coverage finished. Private insurance company, after private insurance company, turned me down with my diagnosis of intestinal problems, despite the fact that two years later the […]

Someone sent me an e-mail telling me that Rep. Heath Shuler does not intend to support health-care-reform legislation. This is very hard to understand since nearly a quarter of the people in his district do not have insurance. Only two weeks ago, I talked to the wife of a 27-year-old who works part time as […]

I'm for major health-insurance reform but have mixed feelings toward the "public option." I think it's a slippery slope toward killing competition and private insurance companies — which would leave the government plan as the only option. I say this because government decides on legislation and collects our tax dollars — and there just isn't […]

Visiting Rep. Heath Shuler's office, three telling statements were made by his assistant who met with us: 1) We're fiscal conservatives and we cannot see how to pay for universal health care. 2) Negotiating for lower drug prices would hurt the drug companies too much. 3) A government option is out of the question; it […]

First, I would like to thank John Kelleher for this letter, "Not Buying the Swannanoa Plan," in the Aug. 12 Xpress, which starts out, "So let me get this straight." He did indeed get it straight. I hope that the people of Swannanoa Valley will read and re-read that letter until they know exactly what […]

I often place rental ads in your paper and have great results. It's a pleasure dealing with your Advertising Department. Special thanks to classified representative Tim Navaille; he is always so helpful and professional. Mountain Xpress is the best! — Susan Hise Asheville

I'd like to know why I pay $30 every year to make sure my car is not emitting any toxic fumes, while old cars and trucks continue to emit not just a little but plumes of noxious smoke. This morning while driving to work on Riverside Drive, an old pickup was spouting two columns of […]

Jonathan Poston's Aug. 12 article in the Xpress Outdoors section, "All Wet" — the story of a barely evaded rainstorm at Bent Creek — was a familiar account to many mountain bikers. We've all got "caught out" stories that are funny only in retrospect; mine involves hail! Riding wet trails, however, has more serious effects […]

True story: I'm jogging south on McDowell when I see two cars stop abruptly. Right after this, a car that was behind them turns around and pulls over. A couple of guys get out of the first cars and are road raging and walking toward each other. A young man jumps out of the third […]

So, you are driving on the road and you see a bicycle, what is your first thought? Do you think of how much fun you had as a kid on a bike? Do you think of the last time your were on your own bike? Do you think of your own kids on a bike? […]