“Virginia recognized benefit corporations in 2011, and South Carolina followed suit in 2012. Tennessee got in on the act last year. Evidently our elected mandarins in Raleigh have had their hands full dealing with more important stuff.”
The Gospel According to Jerry: Insurrection in the kingdom
“The trains kept delivering huge quantities of black treasure to the river basin, but some pretenders began to threaten King Coal’s empire. These upstart princes came from a rapidly emerging dynasty called Petroleum, whose emissaries were traveling far and wide to challenge King Coal’s awesome power.”
Closing Asheville’s achievement gap, one reader at a time
“Read to Succeed believes that learning to read proficiently early on is the best chance — perhaps the only chance — a child from an impoverished family has to rise out of poverty.”
Easing ADU limits will boost long-term rental stock
“Building ADUs to rent to tourists will ultimately increase the city’s long-term housing stock at no cost to taxpayers.”
Everyone deserves to see a doctor when they need to
“Now is the time to let your representatives know that you believe that everyone deserves access to healthcare. When everyone can see a doctor or get preventative care, we have a stronger economy, healthier communities and stable families.”
Sizzle hot: the thermodynamics of history
“The old Asheville Middle School, outdated and undercomputerized, was a holdover from a time when there was no such thing as a car pool line, or drinking fountains designed to accommodate a water bottle, or web portals where parents could track the progress of their child’s daily science experiment.”
All together now: Local churches help bind this community together
‘Hope. In the end, that’s George Bailey’s true gift to Bedford Falls — and the gift that Asheville’s churches bestow upon our own community. In this time of difficulty and turmoil, as we confront a new reality, could there be anything more relevant?’
From difference to diversity: The many faces of faith in Asheville
“The most significant change in the course, though, was shifting our approach to the study of religion from ‘difference’ to ‘diversity.’ Instead of ‘othering’ the religions we studied, diversity allowed us to examine the societal benefits — and inevitable tensions — created by the public presence of multiple religions.”
The Gospel According to Jerry: the ballad of Old King Coal
“The subjects of our mountain kingdom were grateful, for these industries provided jobs and wages for thousands who’d struggled as hardscrabble farmers, miners and lumbermen.”
Yancey County man was among those lost at Pearl Harbor
“On Dec. 8, 1941, after hearing the news about Pearl Harbor, childhood friend Elsie Edwards wrote a two-page, heartbreaking letter to Burlison, hoping that he was safe and alive.”
Black lives matter: Enough is enough
“Yes, my friends, all lives do matter. But until white America realizes that black children are loved by their parents the same way you love yours, we are all in trouble. There’s a gaping hole in this country created by racism, and it’s waiting to be filled by something. It is we Americans, black and white, who will decide what fills this hole.”
Local nonprofits playing key roles in devastated Haiti
“I am hoping the grassroots connection between Asheville and Haiti, and helping spread and share the love, will become Asheville’s best export,” says Ashleigh Stoia, Consider Haiti’s public relations representative. “We know our message will resonate with Ashevilleans who really want to make a long-term difference.”
‘Shop small’ on Small Business Saturday
“Shoppers who visit locally owned businesses will find almost everything they could get at the mall and plenty of items by local artisans, designers, bakers, chocolatiers, brewers, and tinkerers that can be found only on Main Street.”
The Gospel According to Jerry: The birth of Asheville’s industrial riverfront
“Whenever planners cast their eyes on the River District, they must recognize that there are two huge elephants in the room that must be dealt with: the river itself and the railroad, neither of which much lends itself to moderation or change.”
Democracy in Weaverville: Opposition to proposed development galvanizes community
“As Buncombe County and its municipalities face the current rush of development, the Lake Louise Preservation Association provides an instructive case study for citizen action in land use and development proposals.”
Bridging the partisan divide: Carbon pricing offers efficient climate change solution
“The increased costs for carbon-intensive goods will motivate our transition away from fossil fuels, while the dividend will help offset the rising costs and allow us to funnel money back into our economy (food, retail, health care, etc.). “
Asheville city bond will help create housing affordability
“These bonds will provide funding to build new homes and apartments all around the city that families can afford, as well as the infrastructure to connect neighborhoods to schools, work, grocery stores and parks — all at minimum risk for city residents.”
Getting ahead of climate change: Investment strategy needed for WNC watershed protection
“However, the benefit of a Payment for Ecosystem Services program is establishing a long-term funding mechanism linked to a regional, science-based investment strategy focused on protecting ecosystems that contribute most to our economic well-being.”
Don’t cut Big Ivy
“Let’s keep Big Ivy just the way it is — wild, scenic, adventurous and uncut.”
The locavore’s dilemma: Quest for local eggs requires skill and pluck
“Behind my car, a gigantic, mint-condition 1988 blue Cadillac dwarfed the grim octogenarian driver, who sat staring straight ahead, clutching the steering wheel.”
A life remembered: Family and friends recall ‘Jerry’ Williams
“If I could say one thing about Jerry that people need to know — he had a giving heart, he had a giving soul,” says special friend Ervinia Petty. “He wasn’t a saint, but he was an angel.”