With N.C. Republicans in the supermajority, lawmakers from Western North Carolina predict a wave of controversial bills to make their way through the legislature.
Tag: public safety
Showing 1-19 of 19 results
Letter: National Guard could help with downtown safety
“Why not bring in the National Guard to help assist the Asheville Police Department in the downtown area?”
Letter: How to pay for downtown remedies
“The Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority is sitting on millions of dollars in its coffers and should spend some of its money making downtown Asheville the tourism haven that it promises it is in all of its marketing efforts, but their promise is currently not delivered.”
Letter: No real need for more surveillance
“It would be an open invitation to violate people’s First, Fourth and 14th amendment rights.”
Trans women in Asheville share their experiences
Asheville has a reputation as welcoming individuals of all gender identities and sexual orientations. The city has numerous gender-affirming health care providers, social groups for the LGBTQ community and inclusive arts and culture spaces. Yet the local trans women who spoke with Xpress say they’ve continued to face bigotry in their careers, health care and social lives.
Year in Review: Public safety issues were top of mind in 2022
Xpress asked activists, law enforcement leaders, government officials and others to weigh in on how local crime and related issues shaped the past year.
Letter: Where’s the public safety action plan?
“More resources without strategy that apprehends the true nature of the challenge won’t get the public safety and public health job done.”
Suicide prevention hotline debuts
On July 15, the federal government debuted 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, a new, easy-to-remember dialing code that operates differently from National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.
City, county districts stress school security
Uvalde, the deadliest school shooting in a decade, underscored persistent questions about school safety, stricter gun laws and ways to “harden” schools to help keep students and staff safe. In Asheville and Buncombe County, those topics are on the minds of families, law enforcement and school personnel.
Tight timeline pressures Asheville public safety discussion
City staff hosted listening sessions to learn how residents envision the delivery of public safety services. But Asheville City Council must vote on budget allocations for the remainder of the fiscal year on Tuesday, Sept. 22, leaving little time to synthesize and consider participants’ input
Letter: Greed, corruption and the decline of Asheville
“Low wages, corporate landlords, lack of rent control, high prices, brutal traffic, the fake homeless, street crime and white collar crime have all combined to make Asheville an increasingly undesirable place in which to call home.”
Letter: We don’t need the Pentagon’s weapons here
“Recent research from Princeton University demonstrates that law enforcement’s use of military armaments does not reduce crime rates nor protect officers in the line of duty.”
How local fire departments keep residents safe in changing times
As population grows in WNC’s once-rural areas, the model of volunteer-based fire and rescue services is giving way to bigger budgets, more training and significant numbers of paid staff. How are the departments keeping up with the changes, and should they be required to conform to the same requirements for transparency and public oversight as other organizations funded by property taxes?
New busking regulation proposals
Scanner silencer
Asheville Fire Department releases final report on 445 Biltmore Ave. fire
After months of intensive internal investigations, the Asheville Fire Department has released the 522-page final report on the July 28, 2011, incident and the death of Capt. Jeff Bowen.
The root of the problem: City replaces trees to save sidewalks
Why are city crews cutting down trees along Patton Avenue?
Bicyclists have to share the road too!
I am thrilled to see the growth of alternative transportation being fostered by our vibrant, local culture that is throwing itself into biking, busing, carpooling, etc. I'm also aghast at the dangerous conditions it has created. The unintended side-effect of increasing pedestrian and cycling traffic on our streets is that many people join the cause, […]
Buncombe Commissioners
County may withhold URTV funding Money may be tight, but plans for Buncombe County’s new emergency-services training facility are proceeding full speed ahead. Training provided at the facility could save lives, county officials say. At its Feb. 17 meeting, the Board of Commissioners authorized a design contract with Keith Hargrove Architects and instructed staff to […]