“The U.S. Forest Service should reconsider its mission and focus less on ‘productivity’ for tree-harvesting and more on sustaining the health and diversity of our national forest lands, streams and rivers.”
Letter: Argument for logging was spot on
“Gifford Pinchot himself pinned it many decades ago in declaring that he doubted that future foresters would truly understand the diverse ecosystems of the Southern Appalachian Mountains in their management decisions.”
Letter: More trash cans needed along river
“The trash receptacle availability every 5 miles or so along the French Broad walks and parks is woefully inadequate.”
Letter: Gun sports at Biltmore should stop
“The way sound carries on a river, who knows how far that noise travels and how many schoolchildren, veterans or just lollygagging river floaters have to hear it.”
Letter: Start with legalizing medical marijuana
“Marijuana is beneficial for many people for a variety of issues, both physically and mentally.”
Letter: Xpress should broaden letters’ focus
“I would encourage you to expand it to cover national and international issues so that writers of letters to the editor have more topics they can speak to, and your readers will be exposed to more food for thought.”
Letter: Yes to allowing medicinal cannabis
“Yes, yes, yes. Legalize medicinal marijuana!”
Letter: Do unaffiliated voters matter?
“There are more voters in Buncombe County registered as unaffiliated than with either political party, and this is true across the country, but I often get the feeling we’re overlooked and don’t matter.”
Letter: Medical marijuana should be legal here
“There should be commonsense laws that go along with it, but don’t make it difficult for citizens to buy it.”
Letter: Minimum wage — always behind the times
“Minimum wages seem always to be behind the times re: what it actually costs for workers to experience an adequate quality of life.”
Letter: Put historic monument back up
“Put the historic monument back up and remove the Vance name and then install the names of people who made Asheville what it was.”
Letter: Asheville’s 21st-century monument
“I think the monument should celebrate protest.”
Letter: Rebuilding Jones Park Playground
“If the city can maintain a baseball field at an annual cost of $25,000, used almost exclusively by boys paying to play in organized sports leagues, I sincerely hope we can fund the maintenance of a rebuilt Jones Park Playground.”
Letter: Fix the medical marijuana bill
“It will hand production and sales to wealthy, established corporations, and local North Carolina hemp farmers won’t be able to compete.”
Letter: Take steps to legalize medical marijuana
“Small steps forward are better than no steps forward!”
Letter: The right to choose whether to be a mother
“From the perspective of a Quaker witness to human equality, the Swannanoa Valley Friends Meeting is concerned to respond to the current denial of the human right to choose if and when to become a mother.”
Letter: The ‘story’ Pack Square could tell
“The final piece in the ‘anywhere USA aesthetic’ has concluded with the dismantling of a time capsule dressed in ancient Egyptian fashion at Pack Square, done with such haste it’s partial and in legal limbo.”
Letter: Lifelong learning will fortify you
“Your mind is not simply a vessel to be filled by politicians and conventional news, but a fire to be kindled — not to merely survive — but to thrive and transcend all political, religious, cultural and ethnic divisions. That’s freedom.”
Letter: Applauding county pay increases
“I applaud the raise in pay. The cost of living is outrageous for all and especially those paying for those who do not need assistance, just lazy.”
Letter: Pay raises are not enough
“Should they have to work two-three jobs, get food assistance and other financial help, or should the county pay them the going rate? “
Letter: Thumbs-up for county wage hike
“Hurrah for the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners!”