Asheville City Council preview: swearing-in, a vice mayor and apartments

The new Asheville City Council and mayor take office next Tuesday, Dec. 10, at a swearing-in before the regular meeting. Council was facing a vote on a controversial development, but it’s likely that will be delayed, though there’s still decisions on a new vice mayor, an apartment project and an overhaul of oversight in the River Arts District.

Tomorrow never knows: WNC disasters past, present and future


Even as the holidays come barreling toward us, some folks around the globe fear the mythical planet Nibiru may be doing the same and will trigger some unspecified cataclysm on Dec. 21. Notwithstanding the supposed end of the Mayan calendar, however, local agencies seem focused on preparing for more realistic potential threats. Although it may not be the end of the world, Western North Carolina does remain vulnerable to a wide range of natural and human-made catastrophes, including floods, blizzards, fires and even nuclear accidents.

Beautiful Minds: Aurora envisions new dawn for artists in recovery

Homeless, stressed and dealing with a family crisis, the woman hardly seemed a goddess when she entered the Neil Dobbins Center in Asheville. But for drug-and-alcohol counselor Lori Greenberg, this woman would become her muse. This May, Greenberg founded the Aurora Studio & Gallery for artists struggling with mental illness, addiction and homelessness. She hopes to open the studio sometime next year in the River Arts District. (Photo by Caitlin Byrd)

CIty of Asheville will give New Belgium $3.5 million in incentives­, infrastruc­ture improvemen­ts

As part of the deal to bring a new, East Coast brewery here, the city of Asheville will give New Belgium $3.5 million in tax reimbursements over seven years, provided it goes through with its plans to invest $175 million in building the new facility. The city will also make infrastructure improvements to the area costing more than $500,000.