Community members from a range of professions tap into their optimistic sides and look to the future.
New Stories
Letter: Rules should not restrict light use
“I think most of us are adult enough to make our own decisions on how much light we require on our property, without being told how much light we can use on our own property.”
Year in Review: Security felt elusive in 2021
When Xpress asked community members about safety and security in 2021, the questions were intentionally left very broad. After all, concepts like safety and risk can mean very different things to different people depending on their circumstances. Would respondents opine about public safety? Housing security? Financial security? Sexual assault? Homophobia? The resulting responses take the […]
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.
Year in Review: WNC looks back on employment in 2021
As WNC heads into yet another year of economic uncertainty, Xpress asked regional business leaders, government figures and laborers about their takeaways from 2021 in the world of work.
Year in Review: Residents and local leaders reflect on Asheville’s growth and tourism
With growth comes worsening traffic, rising housing costs and long lines of tourists waiting at locally beloved bars and restaurants. But it’s not all bad, as 2021’s Year In Review participants note in their reflections on Asheville’s development and tourism sector. These residents and local leaders shared their growth gripes and hopes as they look forward to the coming year.
What’s new in food: Molly Nicholie discusses her new leadership role with ASAP
ASAP prepares for its new executive director. Also: Mother Earth Food expands its mission with recent grant; Chow Chow announces 2022 dates; and more!
Letter: Update needed for city’s outdoor lighting ordinance
“We need to revisit 2012 rules and update please!”
Year in Review: Community members discuss 2021 health concerns
While COVID-19 may have dominated WNC’s psyche in 2021, it was by no means the only health and wellness story Xpress told. Opioid abuse, mental health and self-care also emerged as major themes from the year.
Letter: Let’s make the new year a new beginning
“Let’s give peace a chance and place it in the school curriculum.”
2021 in review: Arts leaders reflect on a tumultuous year
Xpress speaks with eight local artists about the ups and downs of a difficult year and what inspired them amid the ongoing pandemic.
Letter: About those big, ‘remote’ outdoor weddings
“The best solution? Get the county to add a permitting aspect to the OU zoning structure, something that requires event-venue managers to request (and pay for) a permit for any commercial gathering of more than 20 people.”
Q&A with Santa Claus (aka Dennis Reed)
Don’t tell the kids, but Asheville’s most beloved Santa doesn’t live at the North Pole. Dennis Reed and his wife Deborah — aka Mr. and Mrs. Claus — reside in Haywood County, where they both grew up. Dennis worked for 35 years at the Blue Ridge Paper plant and got his start as Santa in 2004 after […]
Year in Review: Asheville chefs and restaurateurs reflect on another unusual year
What was 2021 like for local chefs and food entrepreneurs? Xpress caught up with a few to get their take on another challenging year.
Year in Review: Education has challenging but encouraging year for locals
Yes, local schooling has seen drama this year. Given those issues, Mountain Xpress chose education as one of the areas to spotlight in discussion with community leaders about insights from 2021.
Letter: Women need to be included in entrepreneurial ecosystem
“Women need to be mainstreamed into the high-growth, scalable, fundable entrepreneurial ecosystem.”