“A recent series of events has called into question whether the civil rights of inmates at Craggy Correctional Center are being violated.”
The Gospel According to Jerry: Luck of the draw
“It was so bizarre that I started to laugh — but then I realized that there was something very unfunny about the situation.”
Love our forests — don’t burn them
“Sourcing this energy from the Southeast is putting some of the world’s most biodiverse and precious forests at severe risk.”
The war at home: PTSD meeting assures vets they’re not alone
“For veterans, the community they live in is literally a key to their very survival: It takes a village to help those who’ve borne the battle.”
Out-riffing us all: Remembering Ken Hanke
By Marc McCloud — It was hard to argue your point against him. I tried. Multiple times. But he was smarter, wittier and much more knowledgeable about film than I was.
ABC+P = student success: The helping hands of Children First/Communities In Schools student support specialists
“Our student support specialists give support so teachers can focus on teaching, and students can focus on schoolwork. We need to give our students every opportunity possible to reach their full potential.”
The Gospel According to Jerry: The long arm of the law
“As most of you may know, the sheriff is the most powerful official in Buncombe County, answering to no one but the voters.”
Sayonara, Raleigh: It’s time for us to go
“In order to reclaim our rights, the time has come for the people of Western North Carolina to secede from Raleigh and seek admission as the 51st state.”
Remembering Cameron Huntley
When I first met Cameron Huntley in 2013, he wanted to know how to become a writer for Mountain Xpress and, eventually, other publications. What’s more, he said he might one day like to become a foreign correspondent. I was managing editor at the time, and Huntley was working for the city of Asheville. Xpress didn’t […]
Falling through the cracks: The perils of life without health insurance
“In this crazy system, if you earn little, you pay lots. Our governor refused federal money to expand Medicaid, and although I have a master’s degree and was a teacher, I never worked more than a year in one place, so I have no pension.”
Misfit: Asheville is going to the dogs
“Tattoos, though, aren’t the only thing every second person in Asheville seems to own. What about dogs?”
The failure of environmentalism: After 46 years, what do we have to show for it?
“Dedicated individuals have made gains in the United States and North Carolina to clean up and protect the environment, but they have been undermined.”
Smoke screen: Deciphering the heart of HB2
“It’s the latest iteration of an eternal attempt to eviscerate existing civil rights laws and, yes, a death struggle between rural and urban North Carolina over the state’s future.”
One on one with D.G. Martin: Finding our way out of a locked bathroom
“Would it be possible for a small group of public-minded citizens to design a pathway out of this crisis?”
The Gospel According to Jerry: The shot heard round Buncombe County
“Most of our sheriffs were very personable guys, but some suffered from addiction to the same sins they were supposed to be keeping under control.”
Women’s work: Habitat for Humanity breaks ground on 11th Women Build home
“Women Build is a win-win situation: Women gain experience and confidence working on a project alongside other female volunteers, and a family gets the rare opportunity to purchase a safe, affordable home.”
A sense of direction: An interview with Sean Sawyer of Children First/Communities In Schools
“Research shows that having a consistent, caring adult in the lives of vulnerable children is key to improving absenteeism, academics and behaviors.”
Boundary issues: Where does Asheville end?
“I raise the question ‘Where is Asheville?’ because this community will soon be asked to consider the question ‘Where is Asheville going?'”
A community in danger: Why bathrooms aren’t the issue in HB2
“We have a responsibility as a community to show up for each other and to speak up when someone is in danger. Our transgender community is in danger.”
Want a greener, healthier home? Green Gauge can help
“This program can easily cut individual energy use by 15 percent, saving homeowners hundreds of dollars a year.”
Inside out: HB2 spells bad news for everyone
“Actually, this bill is in a way directed at every single person who lives in North Carolina. Discrimination of any kind applies to every one of us who lives here.”