Print Cover:  Positive Impacts

If good things happen in threes, then this is a banner week for local music. A number of area artists are readying new albums for release, and the offerings range…

Songwriters and buddies Tim O'Brien and Darrell Scott both have successful solo careers and pretty different musical styles. Yes, they're both rooted in folk and roots traditions, but O'Brien's songs…

Forget follies and farces. Local college and university theaters are tackling tougher issues this season. From racism and homophobia to bullying and social pressures, Blue Ridge Community College, Warren Wilson…

The family that creates art together, stays together. Or something like that. It's worked for the Voorhees family, starting with patriarch Edwin Voorhees, a coastal seascapes painter, and his wife…

Following A-B Tech’s production of Unnecessary Farce in April, the local community college will discontinue its drama courses and terminate those faculty members. The decision was made after the state…

Local prog-pop outfit East Coast Dirt has a way with words. A self-described "sonic monster," the band coined the term "sneaker boogaloo" for its danceable fusion that's as much about…

Singer-songwriter Angi West is plenty busy with her day job, which makes it hard enough to schedule a show. But she's also blessed/cursed with a stellar backing group whose many…

Five years ago, the artists of Marshall High Studios brainstormed an annual event in the spirit of the holiday season. Because the artists do not keep regular open-studio hours, the…

About a year ago, it seemed like the stars were aligning for Charlotte’s Paint Fumes. The ragged and ruthless garage trio had just released Uck Life, a debut LP that…

For vegans, vegetarians and those who are gluten-free, Thanksgiving meals can be somewhat challenging. The national holiday comes with clear cultural expectations about food and what should be placed on…

Choosing where to eat can be a difficult decision in a city like Asheville, with its multitude of quality local restaurants. But Taste of Asheville has a solution: For one…

I used to believe that sitting still and taking time for myself meant that I was lazy and selfish. As I’ve grown older, and hopefully wiser, I’ve come to understand…

Chances are you can name a beer or two from your favorite Asheville breweries, but It’s perhaps more difficult to name the last beer you drank made with Riverbend Malt…

Western North Carolina is home to a wide range of nonprofit organizations, each seeking to improve residents’ lives in a particular way. The services they offer are as diverse as…

Even in a nature-rich area, residents can lose touch with the environment. “I've been fretting over the disconnection between people and nature for most of my adult life,” says Chuck…

What is the mission of your organization? What is your organization's newest initiative? Why did you choose to take on this initiative? How will it positively impact Western North Carolina?…

Firefighters battled a major blaze in Linville Gorge Wilderness Area in Pisgah National Forest. On Nov. 16, the fire spanned 2,700 acres surrounding Table Rock, a popular site for hiking,…

State, local and company officials met Nov. 14 to break ground on GE Aviation's new 170,000-square-foot Asheville facility, which is being built next to the company’s current machining plant in…

“The culture around here is that everything can be improved,” says Alex Comfort, board president of the Western North Carolina chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals. “People in WNC…

In the new book Small Stories, Big Changes, more than a dozen authors share their stories and experiences in working toward sustainability in their communities. On Nov. 11, six of…

At the Nov. 12 Asheville City Council meeting — the last meeting held before a new member (and a new mayor) are sworn in — current Mayor Terry Bellamy addressed…

Ski season gets an early start A burst of cold weather allowed some of Western North Carolina’s ski areas to open early this year. Sugar Mountain Resort in Banner Elk…

Asheville veteran dismayed to be reunited with Afghan dog

In last week’s issue, a story in the Food section, “Readers’ Food Stories,” had an incorrect byline. The author of the piece, which first ran online, was Jen Nathan Orris.…

What's going on in my neighborhood? Over the past year, the idea of a dog park in the north Asheville community has been openly and publicly discussed at meetings held…

In response to John Gray's letter, "Ingles Infomercial Has No Place in Paper," [Nov. 13 Xpress] I don't fault the Xpress for printing self-serving corporate spin. The paper would probably…

Elections are over, and we have a new mayor and City Council. So what's on the horizon, and where do we go from here? Well, based on recent history, we…

Nearly 50 million turkeys will die this Thanksgiving season, and almost all will be raised on factory farms under abominable conditions. Intensive confinement will drive these gentle birds to fight…

My name is Chloe. I am in 7th grade and attend Asheville Middle School like 700-800 other students. In my class, there has been a very sad event. My language…

I experienced the joys of getting home from a trip to Wal-Mart today, only to realize I had dropped my wallet. Not a good feeling. I immediately got back in…

On Oct. 22, Asheville City Council unanimously passed a clean energy resolution that affirms our mountain city's commitment to reduce our carbon emissions, transition away from coal and move towards…