“What may have initially made sense on a map fails completely in reality.”
Supreme Court decision highlights right-wing sexual hypocrisy
‘Why should women be the ones who pay the price for an unwanted biological mishap?”
WENOCA chapter endorsements are an environmental disgrace
“So I urge all voters to undertake the due diligence that will enable them to see through the environmentally destructive charade for which the Sierra Club is providing political cover.”
Increased logging will benefit our national forests
“Amid constant change, our forests desperately need intentional manipulations and disturbances. Sure, left alone, Mother Nature will reset these lands for us: But it will be done through ice storms, wildfires and catastrophic, random events.”
Aesthetic anti-capitalism is hurting Asheville’s working class
“Residential construction hasn’t kept up with population growth, and the resulting scarcity pushes up rents and home prices. This means that the folks who make Asheville weird, its artists and young people, are being pushed out.”
Just say no to Raytheon Technologies
“Marrying one of the world’s biggest war corporations has consequences.”
Wilma’s disciples: Three generations of female environmental leaders
“Wilma Dykeman’s shadow covered all of us and inspired us to speak out and support citizens who were becoming more and more concerned about water quality, air quality, land use, land conservation, forest management, etc., in our mountain area.”
Want affordable housing? Get real
“Until the professed advocates of affordable housing and assistance for the homeless get off their BUTS and honestly attack these issues, nothing significant will happen.”
‘Don’t Say Gay’ law denies identities and truths
“Kids’ hearts and minds are at stake, and it is not just the gay and brown ones; the richness of truth, the beauty of a diverse world is denied to every single child when gag orders are placed on shared histories and ways of being.”
Quo vadis, Asheville? City at crossroads must find its way
“Perhaps slash-and-burn capitalism has succeeded in changing Asheville where Raleigh hasn’t.”
Let’s ban open burning in Buncombe County
“Residents’ health shouldn’t have to suffer when there are practical alternatives to open burning.”
Amendment promotes healthy communities and the environment
“Development in places with preexisting infrastructure is a crucial strategy for combating sprawl.”
Ode to the River Queen: The Gospel According to Jerry
“She rode into town on her white steed. And immediately found this silver serpent slithering slowly through the valley, passing the city and sorely in need.”
Community reflects on Cragnolin and her legacy
Community members reflect on the life and legacy of Karen Cragnolin, a dedicated champion of the French Broad River and its possibilities.
A Devil’s Dictionary of Development
“When The Market is ‘up,’ sacrifices of mature trees, wild animals and poor people must be offered in order to win Its favor.”
From me to we: The quantum leap we humans need to make
“As eco-theologian Thomas Berry stated, it will require a universal leap of consciousness — a group effort — if we Homo sapiens are to have any kind of real future here on this garden planet we were given.”
What happened to my Plan A to buy a house in Asheville
“So, looking for a home? Consider building your own — it’s good development that helps you and increases the city’s housing supply, a key element for improving housing affordability.”
City schools get failing grade for closing Asheville Primary
“If we’d had an inclusive process, there could have been a viable solution.”
The future of Coolville
“By the end of the decade, I predict that … Newbies who, in 2022, called out longtime residents as NIMBYs for opposing unbridled development will, by 2029, be NIMBYs themselves.”
Year in review: In 2021, readers shared thoughts on pandemic, growth, Vance Monument and more
Xpress readers offered up a raft of thought-provoking letters to the editor, commentaries and comments about local affairs in 2021.
Pavement or paradise? Asheville’s future is yours to decide
“The name of the proposal is the ‘open space amendment,’ and the goal is to dramatically slash, and in some cases, eliminate, the open space that developers are now required to provide with larger construction projects.”