I commend you for letting different opinions grace your pages, not necessarily all on the left side. However, after reading Jerry Sternberg’s drivel, I decided it was a waste of my precious reading time and will waste it on him no further. His analogies don’t even make sense—like [residents of] nongated communities [“The Gospel According […]

A letter in Mountain Xpress [“Progressively Paving Paradise,” April 4] mentions the need for a moratorium. This would be an opportune time for the city to play catch-up by declaring a moratorium on any further new zoning and development, considering the following circumstances: • Citizen opposition to the present runaway development is very high, [while] […]

Local organic farms are becoming a vast minority in the United States. I believe that this is a problem that could affect our children more than the average citizen would think. I grew up in a small town in Vermont, and since I was young, my family and I grew our own food every summer. […]

Asheville City Council has recently revived a “discussion” topic that was voted down seven years ago: building a racetrack on 51-acres of land adjoining the northern border of Westfeldt Park on Old Fanning Bridge Road, adjacent to the Asheville Regional Airport and directly in the French Broad River basin. What was a bad idea seven […]

What Margaret Bennett doesn’t mention [“May I See Your License?”, Commentary, April 11] is that there is a difference between a naturopathic physician and an alternative health-care practitioner. That difference is four or five years of conventional and alternative medical study in an accredited naturopathic medical college, plus supervised clinical experience—comparable (though obviously not entirely […]

Regarding the article, “May I See Your License,” [Commentary, April 11]: We would like to draw attention to significant inaccuracies in Ms. Bennett’s article. It is our hope that rectifying these factual errors will allow N.C. citizens to better evaluate the content of the legislative bills in question. The Naturopathic Physician Licensing Act (H.B. 969 […]

Downtown Asheville supports three thriving health-food stores that sell lots of vitamin, mineral and herbal supplements. Do you take at least one type of supplement or utilize any of what is called complementary and alternative medicine (CAM)? If so, read on. The Federal Drug Administration is using legal maneuvering [that may] end your access to […]

I would like to say a kind “thank you so much” to S.G. Teague [“Whose Town This Is, I Think I Know,” Letters, April 4] for voicing what the last few of the “original” residents in WNC think on a regular basis. — J.M. Allen Asheville

Two issues for me: 1. Erika Swiger [“Have an Opinion, and Make Sure It’s Heard,” Letters, March 28] and her 25 peers are my heroes! She is strong, brave, intelligent and incredibly courageous in standing up for her beliefs peacefully. I would write a letter of recommendation for her any day of the week. Erika, […]

In response to Dr. Carl Mumpower’s recent letter [“Preaching to the Grandstand,” April 4], while I agree there is a serious drug problem across America, alienating 90 percent of Asheville will do nothing to solve it. In fact, it might serve to work against your cause. Our Creator gives us free will to make choices […]

I am starting to think “The Straight Dish” ought to change its name to reflect the nature of the column. Perhaps something like “The Partial Dish,” “The Opinionated Dish” or “The Straight Dis”? Mark Williams’ review of the North Star Diner [“North Star Diner: Restaurant Tackles Workaday Classics,” April 4] was so incredibly shortsighted and […]

Regarding the Bryan Killian interview: Bravo! [“A Pirate’s Life for He: Suspended ‘Pastafarian’ Speaks Out,” April 4] These days, we Americans seem to view separation of church and state as a thing to be despised. It warms my heart to know that rebellion against authority (read lunacy, in this instance) is alive and well in […]

The constant clear-cutting along this [West Asheville] neighborhood’s slope has been horrendous. Two-story row homes, on stilts, are being built so potential buyers can view the mountains surrounding downtown. To ensure this, the developer left only one strand of trees at the bottom of the slope. Hundreds of old-growth trees and animal habitats were obliterated. […]

In the current atmosphere of exponential development in this area we call home, it is important to maintain and continue access to public forests and trails. A proposal to improve access to a small but pristine area of national forest is about to come to public attention. This area is at the end of Shope […]

As one of the new residents, I want to do my part to keep more people from coming into town. I may not have been born here and, as such, have no right to an opinion, but I do have this: “Plan to Help Those Born in Asheville to Stem the Tide of Population Growth.” […]

I have a 10-year-old son who is a client with Families Together, Inc. This agency has been a part of my family since my son was 7 years old. They have been wonderful since day one. When mental health reform began, they made me feel comfortable about the changes, like there was nothing to worry […]

I am outraged at the enormous profits Exxon Mobil posted for 2006. When the price of a barrel of oil increases, gasoline prices rise immediately at the pump, digging directly into consumer pockets. We are being forced to cover price increases while oil companies are raking in more profits than ever before. Oil companies are […]

The March of Dimes’ top brass makes over $2 million per year. The president alone makes half a million per year. What else do they do with your donations? They have also spent millions of dollars on animal experiments, instead of finding ways to prevent birth defects. In a 10-year study, the Centers for Disease […]