Lee Ann Smith’s and Tate MacQueen’s methods may differ, but their aim is the same: help their south Buncombe friends, families and neighbors obtain clean air and water. (photo of Gabe Dunsmith and Lee Ann Smith by Bill Rhodes)
Tag: asheville
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Truth trackers: APD’s cold-case sleuths defy the odds
Less than 1 percent of cold cases ever get solved. That doesn’t stop Asheville detectives Yvonne Cobourn and Kevin Taylor. They’ve got 24 local cases on their desks, and the process is like nothing you’ve seen on TV. Fighting the odds, Detective Yvonne Cobourn says, “That challenge is what we embrace.” (cover by John Zara)
Asheville Trader Joe’s won’t need Council approval
Since news broke last week that Trader Joe’s is coming to Merrimon Avenue, reactions have ranged from enthusiastic support to criticism over its location. But there won’t be any showdown in the halls of government: Due to city rules, the grocery chain’s proposed location won’t go before Asheville City Council or the Planning and Zoning Commission for a vote.
A look at the July 11 downpour through Storify
As the rain fell, Xpress reporter Caitlin Byrd aggregated tweets, photos and video taken of the July 11 rain in Asheville by using Storify. (photo by Bill Rhodes)
“A combination of aesthetics and logistics”
Local musician/actor/filmmaker Ben Lovett talks about the process, people and places in his short film, “Ghost of Old Highways,” and its forthcoming behind-the-scenes companion film, “The Making Of.”
UPDATED: “The Making Of” is now available online. Click through for the link.
Sound Track web extra: CrazyHorse & Colston
The local hip-hop duo releases a new album, “Backroads & Bonfires,” ahead of their Bele Chere performance.
Moving pictures
June 26 meeting Ingles sign variance voted down Tobacco sponsorships banned from future festivals Staff studies aren't usually particularly controversial. But a proposed traffic-engineering study for the Charlotte Street corridor got some pushback at the Asheville City Council’s June 26 meeting. Some area residents said the $50,000 study is an unnecessary expense — and the […]
PHOTOS: Magic Love Bus concludes coast-to-coast tour in downtown Asheville
A colorful bus reminiscent of the Merry Pranksters Tour Bus took residence in downtown Asheville today to celebrate the conclusion of the Magic Love Bus 2012 LovEvolution Tour.
A burning passion: Asheville firefighters’ quest for perfection
Almost a year has passed since the still-unsolved fire that claimed the life of Capt Jeff Bowen. Xpress spent a few hours with the men and women of the Asheville Fire Department as they work through their grief, anger and loss — and focus on the future.
No river people!
First it was the retirees, then Rolling Stone encouraged more freaks to come, then we voted ourselves Beer City USA. Asheville is always making it to some new list of best places for whatever it is people like to do. Now comes the vote (again, we get to do this to, uh, for ourselves) to […]
The Gospel According to Jerry: Buying Seely’s Castle
In my first article in this series (May 9 Xpress), I described Seely’s Castle and some of its fascinating history and myths. Here’s how I came to be the faux king of the castle. My partner, Jack Doloboff, and I owned a junkyard on Riverside Drive, dealing in all sorts of surplus salvage, scrap metal […]
The path ahead: County greenways plan faces major hurdles
After years of planning and public meetings, Buncombe County is poised to release a comprehensive proposal for an extensive greenway system linking towns, parks, schools and other key sites. Bolstered by recent successes in the city of Asheville, and by growing support for transportation alternatives, advocates are eager for the plan to be released (it’s […]
Holding steady
Buncombe County Board of Commissioners June 5, 2012 meeting Commissioner candidates slam budget Waste Pro gets 4 percent rate increase Although a public hearing on the budget was on the June 5 agenda, the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners didn't wait for residents to weigh in before diving into some of its most rancorous issues. […]
Squeezed
At a sometimes tense June 5 budget work session, Asheville City Council members failed to reach consensus on what size raise to give city employees. In their last formal meeting on May 22, Council members had responded sympathetically to demands by police and firefighters for more than the 1 percent cost-of-living increase in the proposed […]
Box cutter
At a June 6 meeting with local newspaper representatives, Downtown Commission members and Asheville city planners presented ideas for restricting the height, placement and configuration of newspaper boxes. The commission hopes to assess the feasibility of the voluntary rules over the next 45 days, gathering data before finalizing the proposal. Two days later, the full […]
Who’s improving whom?
About 40 people gathered in Pack Memorial Library’s Lord Auditorium for a June 5 forum on the proposed business improvement district for downtown Asheville. The event was organized by StopAVLBID, and many in attendance opposed the idea. The group describes itself as a coalition that “includes activists working within the Occupy movement, local cooperatives, community […]
YWCA Asheville picks Beth Maczka to be new director
Beth Maczka, with 26 years experience in such nonprofits as The Community Foundation of WNC and the Affordable Housing Coalition of Asheville, has been named the YWCA’s new executive director.
LIVE: Dispatches from the community meeting on the BID plan
Plans to create a Business Improvement District in downtown Asheville have drawn attention in past weeks, and tonight, its opponents have organized a community forum on the topic, starting at 5 p.m. at Pack Memorial Library. Follow Senior Reporter David Forbes via Twitter — @davidforbes or #avlbid.
Budget wrangling: Asheville property tax hike no longer taboo among Council members
For years, even in the midst of city budget shortfalls, one measure has stayed off the table: a property tax hike. But on May 22, several Council members voted for an increase that would have funded a pay raise for Asheville firefighters and police; the proposal failed by a single vote. The raise and tax increase remain under serious consideration as the city tries to resolve its budget concerns in a special work session Tuesday, June 5.
The last word: Asheville radio hosts talk about mission and passion
Local radio is very much alive in the Asheville area. Xpress talks to the folks whose passion keeps it going.
In the public interest: Community radio rides the waves of change
On the radio airwaves, clashes between financial and broadly defined educational interests are common. But local public-affairs broadcasters don’t allow a lack of deep pockets to prevent their messages from getting out. (image by John Zara, photos by Max Cooper)