At first glance, the dispute between Grace Episcopal and the Facebook group members seems a clear-cut case of how social media can effect change: A concerned resident encouraged like-minded people to contact the church, they did, and the church declined to serve as a host site. Viewed through a different lens, however, the incident highlights the potential for harm that can result from jumping to conclusions — and then broadcasting them via social media.
From the fate of the Vance Monument to a proposed affordable housing complex on land acquired through urban renewal, city officials move forward with longstanding projects.
Members of the Vance Monument Task Force voted 11-1 on Nov. 19 to remove the monument from the center of downtown Asheville, marking an end to 12 weeks of intense public comment and community division.
Per the joint city and county resolution that established the group, a “recommendation regarding the removal and/or repurposing of the Vance Monument” must be delivered to Asheville City Council and the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners within three months of Aug. 4, when the final members were appointed.
More Buncombe County voters — 81,887, or 41.79% of all eligible residents — took part in the primary elections that wrapped up March 3 than in any previous primary in the county’s history. Xpress outlines the winners and losers for levels of elected office from president to Asheville City Council.
Candidates in the Democratic primary for the N.C. Senate District 49 seat give their answers for the Mountain Xpress voter guide.
As world leaders met in Spain for a United Nations conference on climate change, Western North Carolina residents converged on Pack Square for their own environmental action on the morning of Dec. 6. Organized by Sunrise Movement Asheville in conjunction with six other area nonprofits, the Asheville Climate Strike for a Green New Deal called for government leaders “to take bold action and treat this like the climate emergency that it is.”
After months of haranguing City Council over the wording of a climate emergency resolution, over 40 protesters with Sunrise Movement Asheville occupied the government building on Dec. 6 to demand that Mayor Esther Manheimer and her colleagues pass the document as written by the climate justice group.
“Both of these men have shown a commitment to all our great people. Both have shown they are not afraid to speak up and bring much-needed change to our criminal justice system.”
“Todd Williams considers the circumstances of each crime, rather than reflexively pushing for the harshest possible punishment. He supports a new program that will keep nonviolent, first-time offenders out of jail with the offer of a chance to get their life back on track.”
“He is promising to end mass incarceration in Buncombe County by ending cash bail and ceasing to prosecute nonviolent drug offenses.”
If this year’s primary race for Buncombe County district attorney seems a bit familiar, that could be because it’s happened before. After then-defense attorney Todd Williams upset six-term officeholder Ron Moore in the 2014 Democratic primary (with no Republicans or Libertarians competing), Ben Scales collected nearly 8,000 signatures to get on the general election ballot […]
Endorsements can be a handy tool showing which groups and individuals have publicly thrown their support behind a particular office-seeker. In this post we’ve compiled what was provided by some of the Buncombe County candidates and collected by Xpress.
In coming weeks, voters get to determine who will lead Buncombe County’s most powerful law enforcement and legal agencies. The candidates have staked out different positions on a wide variety of issues, setting up battle lines for what’s likely to be an intense last month of the campaign season.
Candidates for Buncombe County sheriff and district attorney faced off for the first time Sept. 25 at a forum held at the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce.
Ben Scales turned in more than 7,958 verified signatures to the Buncombe County Board of Elections by the June 12 deadline, earning him an unaffiliated spot on the Nov. 4 district attorney ballot against Democrat Todd Williams.
In the wake of Todd Williams’ historic victory over District Attorney Ron Moore in the May 6 Democratic primary, two unaffiliated candidates are mounting petition campaigns to get their names on the November ballot. Ben Scales, a local attorney in private practice, and Rebecca Knight, a former Buncombe County District Court judge, are each seeking […]
