Buncombe County’s Comprehensive Plan 2043, the draft of which was released in December, is now in the fourth and last phase of its development. County officials are seeking a final round of input from the community before the plan’s approval by the Planning Board and Board of Commissioners, currently slated for May.
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(HUMOR) Page Ragan’s Investment Corner
Xpress asked local musician and ‘Best Medicine’ humor column contributor Page Ragan to share her advice on local investment opportunities for 2023. She provided four dynamite startup pitches that will be sure to make your new year a lucrative one!
Local artists explore symbolism in new exhibit
Opening on Friday, Jan. 6, ‘Insignia’ will occupy Blue Spiral 1’s lower level gallery with works by numerous local and Charlotte-based artists.
Businesses put humor to work along Asheville’s ‘pun corridor’
One local transit corridor inspires daily grins — and groans — through its plethora of clever roadside signs and business names. Running roughly from Mostly Import Auto Repair on Biltmore Avenue to Thyme in the Garden on Weaverville Highway, this pun-sodden stretch is a welcome sight for wordplay fans and weary commuters alike.
From CPP: The uncertain future of old-growth forests in North Carolina, part four
In part four, the last in the series, CPP reports on the objections and responses to the recent decision to harvest 26 acres that encompass an old growth patch of forest on a 3,500-foot mountaintop — the Southside Project.
From CPP: The uncertain future of old-growth forests in North Carolina, part three, the green salamanders
The recent decision to harvest 26 acres that encompass an old-growth patch of forest on a 3,500-foot mountaintop – the Southside Project – underscores what some say is the widening incongruity between the U.S. Forest Service’s mission, climate change crisis and the public’s will.
From CPP: The uncertain future of old-growth forests in North Carolina, part two
Scientists say old-growth forests are essential tools in the fight against climate change. Harvesting them releases greenhouse gasses, worsening climate impacts.
From CPP: The uncertain future of old-growth forests in North Carolina, part one
The recent decision to harvest 26 acres that encompass an old-growth patch of forest on a 3,500-foot mountaintop — the Southside Project — underscores what some say is the widening incongruity between the U.S. Forest Service’s mission, climate change crisis and the public’s will.
G5 Trail Collective opens first phase of planned network
The first part of the Old Fort Trails Project, aptly named the Old Fort Gateway Trails, features six miles of accessible trails off of Curtis Creek Road in the McDowell County town. Another 36 miles of hiking, biking and horse paths are planned for construction through 2027.
Can Asheville draw on the past to build its future?
“Today, Asheville’s a tourist destination fueled by wealth-take-all capitalism beset with growing urban issues such as parking, pollution, land use, development, affordable housing, crime and allocation of tax revenues. Yet are all these intractable problems with only temporary solutions? Not really.”
Local photographer seeks everyday magic
Chris Abell’s latest exhibit, “This is Not Rush Hour,” debuts at Pink Dog Gallery on Friday, Dec. 9.
The enduring joys of Beaver Lake
“My suggestion is to avoid a head-on attack but clear a small mental runway for insights to land on if they so desire.”
Don’t just celebrate Native American heritage — take it seriously
“Indigenous heritage is not just important for its cultural value: It offers solutions to some of the biggest problems we face as a society today.”
A-B Tech to demolish Enka campus tower
The structure, previously known as the Haynes Building, is over 50 years old and has been vacant since 2015. The Buncombe County Board of Commissioners will vote on a memorandum of understanding with A-B Tech regarding the demolition at its regular meeting Tuesday, Nov. 15.
Vote against the bonds and hold our leaders accountable
“Our wealthiest households are not paying their fair share now, and these bonds will simply add to the inequity, asking disproportionately assessed lower-income households to continue to shoulder more than their fair share of the burden.”
Was U.S. Open cash drop the best use of tax dollars?
“Our leaders are allowing dubious choices like spending $1.3 million on vague ads and luxury VIP suites in New York City, while Asheville’s homeless situation is ever more disturbing.”
Buncombe approves affordable parking program at Coxe garage
The initiative will make 150 spaces in the county’s Coxe Avenue garage available to low-income downtown employees at $40 per month — less than half the current $85 monthly rate — by the end of the year.
Bonds will tackle housing and climate change crises
“Our community faces two mounting crises that we must address in concert — housing affordability and climate change. We can do this by providing a wider range of housing options in and around Asheville and our other municipalities, while not contributing to sprawling development patterns that clear forested land, feed gridlock and increase auto emissions.”
WNC Scary Stories: Footsteps in the attic
This is a spooky story my grandma Betty Jo used to tell us grandchildren. She lived up South Morgan Branch Road in Candler, in a house over 100 years old.
Buncombe considers $31.2M for school capital projects
Security, technology and a better place to play tennis: All are included among nearly $31.2 million in capital spending for local schools recommended by Buncombe County’s School Capital Fund Commission. The county Board of Commissioners is scheduled to vote on accepting those recommendations during its regular meeting Tuesday, Nov. 1.
WNC Scary Stories: Ghost calls
For about 10 years, I was the floor manager at a downtown eatery. When I first started, all the servers had a story or two. The most common tale involved having their hair pulled or having an unfamiliar voice whisper their name.