Making a living as a farmer is tough anywhere, but it’s particularly true in the North Carolina mountains. Western North Carolina lost 18 percent of its farms — more than 2,800 — in the 15 years between 1997 and 2012. And the majority of existing WNC farmers today are nearing retirement age — many of them without heirs who plan to keep the farm going.
“Many of us celebrate Asheville as Beer City, Bee City or Tree City, but what do we do to nurture peace among the people of all races and backgrounds whose lives play out in local homes, attending our schools and walking our streets?”
Umodzi Asheville, a one-day yoga festival celebrating community and global unity, will take place at the Odyssey Community School this Saturday, Sept. 12 and raise funds for World Camp’s Malawian programs.
Xpress challenged local artist Lorraine Plaxico to depict and describe a handful of the Western North Carolina’s most intriguing and inspiring green homes.
By Lyn May | It was in some ways the perfect venue to hear two veterans’ strategies for reforming capitalism to make it more sustainable.
by Marcia Tate Master Gardeners in Haywood County are leading efforts to educate the public that monarchs butterflies are at high risk of being placed on the endangered species list. They are encouraging the public to plant milkweed in their gardens, as monarch caterpillars will only eat milkweed. Four of the Haywood gardeners created a […]
Political campaign signs pop up earlier this year due to a change in the city ordinance, though some candidates say they’ll still stick to the 30-day-out rule.
Figuring out ways to preserve, repair and enhance decades-old — or even century-old — water systems provides a flood of challenges for cities, towns and communities across North Carolina’s mountains. And, experts say, ownership structures of those water systems may influence infrastructure upgrades, service quality and the ultimate price water users pay.
“I’ve read that ‘life’s a journey,’ and I’m still pondering the fact that my own journey began as a cowboy on the prairies raising market cattle, yet, within five decades, I’ve traveled far enough that now, I never even peer into the local market’s meat department.”
“In the city of Asheville, with its wealth of social capital and talent, a mecca for aging boomers looking to be relevant and to leave a legacy of social change, we are also a community struggling to build bridges between races and heal divisions of poverty generations old.”
“Basically, it’s going to take all hands on deck to change this dangerous trajectory of unaffordability and extreme gentrification.”
“Develop vacant city-owned land into low-income/workforce housing communities.”
“There are proven strategies for increasing affordable housing: 1) increase density; 2) increase funding; and 3) mandate inclusivity.”
“City Council recently adopted a goal of assisting in the production of 2,800 new affordable housing units in the next seven years. That, however, is only about half of the city’s projected need over the next five years.”
“We strongly encourage including a certain percentage of affordable houses or apartments in every project.”
“Whatever approach we take to affordable housing, it must include healthy, sustainable construction practices for the homes to be truly affordable in the long term. “
“Buncombe County government works proactively to incentivize affordable and workforce housing options as well as a diversified economy.”
“Hearing the voices of those most impacted by the housing crisis is vital to creating solutions.”
“Thinking of my flu as transformational evolution pacified me for a minute or so: Then I had to blow my nose again.”
“The solution to the affordable housing problem is political and community will.”
“Whenever people ask what we need to create more affordable housing, we say: capital.”
