The deadline for local students to share work for possible publication in Mountain Xpress’ 2023 Kids Issues is Friday, Jan. 27.
New Stories
From Asheville Watchdog: City Council, mayor and staff hold closed-door meetings, sowing distrust
For at least five years, Asheville City Council members have debated and grappled with some of the most pressing issues facing Asheville in regularly scheduled private meetings with city staff — meetings that are outside of public view.
Letter: Morrison: Should I stay or should I go?
“Is there a particular community that might consider having me relocate there, for the mutual benefit that could be made in the future?”
What’s new in food: Asheville Restaurant Week returns for 11th year
Nearly 40 local restaurants are participating in the latest Asheville Restaurant Week. Also: Gan Shan West and Highland Brewing Co. collaborate on a Lunar New Year dinner; Old Europe Pastries celebrates more space at its new location; and more!
Letter: Abortion funds are too dilute
“I am quite hopeful that if I give as an individual to Asheville Planned Parenthood, I can recoup my money in a few years in the form of local school tax savings.”
Awkward conversation: How to talk to your kids about online pornography
No parent wants to talk about pornography with their child. No child wants to talk about porn with their parents. These are facts.
Yet John Van Arnam of Black Mountain has taken the Sisyphean task of making sure these conversations occur. Children’s mental and physical health depend on it, he says.
Letter: We owe all citizens opportunity for housing
“Being housed makes a tremendous difference when looking for employment, creating a stable base for school assignments and the beginnings of being part of a community.”
Early traffic woes spark updates to Asheville’s trolley system, 1923-24
As the popularity of automobiles grew in Western North Carolina, traffic issues soon followed. One of the earliest problems involved drivers parking their cars on the trolley lines. By 1923, residents and city officials alike began seeking answers to the conundrum.
Bad news, good news: The Gospel According to Jerry
“The African American community, in cooperation with UNC Asheville, has established a charter school, the P.E.A.K. Academy, which is specifically designed and staffed to give poor Black and other minority children a fair shot at a quality education.”
Four of a Kind: Audrey Laine Sawyer discusses local crafts
The jeweler and metalworker talks new projects and the city’s craft scene.
Four of a Kind: Jane Kramer on the local music scene
The singer-songwriter talks new projects and the city’s music scene.
Letter: New noise ordinance isn’t protecting residents
“We as residents in the city are constantly bombarded by noise, and we need an ordinance that lets us enjoy our residences without this excessive noise intrusion.”
Commissioners to hear domestic violence update Jan. 17
The annual report and accompanying presentation were created by Buncombe’s Domestic Violence Fatality Review Team, which was formed in 2018 to prevent domestic violence deaths in the county.
Q&A: Travis Rountree on the history of the LGBTQ+ community in WNC
Since 2019, Travis Rountree, assistant professor of English at Western Carolina University, has worked to help archive Western North Carolina’s LGTBQ+ community.