Most musicians, when initially taking up their primary instrument of choice, are drawn to some romantic notion that the object invokes. The guitar, for instance, is generally viewed as modern music’s iconic and defining instrument. But for Galen Kipar, however, it was just a tool to achieve a grander vision. Small-scale symphony: The Galen Kipar […]
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Seeing the forest for the frieze
The must-see work in the Asheville Art Museum’s latest exhibition, Time is of the Essence: Contemporary Landscape Art, is the film Hidden Inside Mountains by Laurie Anderson. Ken Fandell’s striking photo collage, “All the Skies Above.” Yes, that Laurie Anderson, the performance artist of 1980s “O Superman” fame. But fans of the pioneering musician know […]
Libraries have to change with the times
This year marks the 30th anniversary of the “new” Pack Memorial Library building on Haywood Street in downtown Asheville. Those few of us remaining who worked in the Pack Square structure that now houses the Asheville Art Museum are still prone to refer to the current library facility as the “new” building, despite the fact […]
Backyard dogs need up-front attention
The nationally known charity Dogs Deserve Better, headquartered in Tipton, Pa., completed a 12-state tour of the southern states, including North Carolina. They had been inundated with calls for help to visit and videotape some of the many areas in our state with chained, lonely and forgotten dogs. They were amazed at the number of […]
Watching the pot
Boiled-frog syndrome: That’s where the frog, when it’s put into cold water, seems quite nonchalant as the water heats up to an intolerable degree. When the temperature finally hits 212 F, the frog dies. It’s a metaphor, of course—for us. We have been heating up our world without acknowledging the symptoms, and through denial have […]
Looking again for WMDs
On Dec. 30, 2006, Saddam Hussein was executed for having ordered the suppression of rebellious Kurds in Iraq. That campaign left 180,000 Kurds missing and presumed dead. But an illuminating confession revealed that Hussein said no WMDs [weapons of mass destruction] were left after 1991. Ronald Kessler (The New York Times) interviewed George Piro—the last […]
Mumpower’s the word
Beginning the evening with a somber group prayer and cautiously guarded optimism, friends, family and other supporters of GOP congressional candidate Carl Mumpower ended the night in banner-waving, balloon-floating joy as their candidate won a close race. Mumpower, 55, now faces the much more daunting task of unseating first-term incumbent Rep. Heath Shuler in the […]
Campaign fruit has ripened
Some in the media call it a split decision, but on the whole, May 6 was a win for the Obama campaign. Obama won the considerably bigger state by the considerably bigger (14 percentage points) margin, outperforming the polling that had suggested a Clinton surge and compiling a net gain of about 13 pledged delegates. […]
Fall of the gambling lords
The federal corruption trial of former Buncombe County Sheriff Bobby Medford continued this week with the prosecution bringing out an array of confessed illegal-gambling operators, who testified that they’d bribed Medford or his deputies—including former reserve Capt. Guy Penland, who’s also on trial—in return for protection and favors. Scene of a crime?: The parking lot […]
High roller or honest sheriff?
An expert witness called by former Buncombe County Sheriff Bobby Medford’s defense attorney testified Tuesday that Medford’s gambling losses totaled $122,000 from 2002 to 2007, and under cross-examination agreed that Medford “put in play” more than $800,000 at casinos. The defense finished presenting its case Tuesday afternoon with several character witnesses.
Medford trial: Defense rests
An expert witness called by former Buncombe County Sheriff Bobby Medford’s defense attorney testified Tuesday that Medford’s gambling losses totaled $122,000 from 2002 to 2007, and under cross-examination agreed that Medford “put in play” more than $800,000 at casinos.
History on the water
According to family lore, he was conceived in a canoe on Louisiana’s Lake Pontchartrain. His grandfather was the venerable Frank Bell. With his graceful origins and an esteemed paddling heritage, it’s no exaggeration to say that water flows through Will Leverette’s veins. Whitewater, to be exact. Gone under: Frank Bell Sr. shoots the Keowee River, […]
Weekly Asheville Disclaimer Page: 05/07/08
• Medford defense team’s opening statement to the jury
• Surprising developments and revelations in Medford case
• News Briefs
Pisgah Legal Services
PLS client Justin Cornett and his mother Talanda Jones. Justin was born with cerebral palsy. PLS has helped secure supportive services so that he can work 20 hours per week and continue living at home rather than moving to a group home. For Pisgah Legal Services’ clients, justice is not an abstract ideal. It is […]
Self-reliance in the forest
The opinion by Danny Bernstein on guns and parks [“Safe and Sound: Let’s Keep Guns Out of Our National Parks,” April 23] seems to be coming somewhat out of left field. I wonder what her own personal firearm experience might be. The notion that one might get into a shootout over a camping spot with […]
A constitutional amendment
A letter [“Hillary’s Disaster Record”] in the April 30 edition of the Mountain Xpress supporting Mr. Obama referred to his family tree, [naming several] U.S. presidents including “Hamilton—who authored our Constitution.” Such a lack of knowledge of American history surprises me from “a retired, progressive female.” Alexander Hamilton was never president of the United States. […]
Asheville’s downtown history was up
In response to “Looking Out, Not Up” [Letters, April 23] and other recent letters criticizing City Council’s policy on development, I can only make the following observations. Asheville’s unique geography—on a plateau divided by a wide river valley—destined the city to be the metropolis of Western North Carolina. If you want to stay small, I […]
To each, her own handgun
I certainly don’t mind if people do not want to carry guns to protect themselves in the national parks. In her recent commentary [“Safe and Sound: Let’s Keep Guns out of our National Parks], Danny Bernstein implies that she may have some type of impulse-control problem that would cause her to use a handgun in […]
Blame Council, commissioners—not developer
It is tempting to blame Stewart Coleman and Black Dog Realty for the deplorable Parkside project, but the real culprits are the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners and the Asheville City Council. What were they thinking? As many others have said and written, the project is idiotic, necessitating the appropriation of parkland, the destruction of […]
They work from fear
Prior to Ringling Brother’s last visit to Asheville, the Mountain Xpress did a great job calling attention to the controversy behind the Big Top with your feature article “The Elephant in the Room” [May 31, 2006]. I hope this time around you will spend less time reporting on opinions—both from those who enrich themselves from […]
Obama: too little, too late
As far as I’m concerned, Obama’s disowning of Rev. Wright’s comments comes way too late. And his vocabulary seems primarily to consist of one word: change. Hillary is who we need to save this country. — Lloyd Kay Asheville