Reluctant Partners: Water system/MSD documents

The city of Asheville, the Metropolitan Sewerage District of Buncombe County, and Henderson County officials have been negotiating and discussing the possibility of merging Asheville’s water system with MSD. Here are a few documents related to the topic. For more information, see “Reluctant Partners: Asheville, MSD Take Tentative Steps Toward Merger” in the Aug. 1, 2012 issue of Xpress.

Xpress Files: Mike Fryar’s complaint to Board of Elections over Buncombe tax referendum

Here’s a copy of Mike Fryar’s letter of complaint to the Board of Elections in regards to the manner in which the Nov. 8, 2011 sales-tax referendum was conducted in Buncombe County. Also, a scanned copy of the check used to pay the costs of holding the referendum as promised by the J.O.B.S. committee that waged the campaign in support of it.

Scenic NC’s 2012 lawsuit RE: tree-cutting for billboards

Opponents of the state’s new billboard law prepared a complaint and temporary restraining order request Feb. 29, 2012, in Wake County Superior Court. The legal action by Scenic NC, Inc., is aimed at keeping the N.C. Department of Transportation from permitting vegetation removal – primarily trees – in front of billboards and other outdoor advertising under new temporary rules set to take effect March 1.

http://www.mountainx.com/files/Scenic_NC:Legal.pdf

The power of the paper trail

March 14 to 20 is this year's Sunshine Week — an annual, nationwide celebration of the critical importance of government openness and freedom of information. Discovering and reporting the inner workings of government is part of Xpress' mission, so it's a week we take special note of. Trying to change a channel: Davyne Dial, who […]

Power of the paper trail: Xpress calls on activists who harness government informatio­n

The fight to keep government information free and accessible to the public goes on all year, but there's one week in particular when journalists, historians and activists mount a coordinated campaign for official openness: Sunshine Week, and this year it runs from March 14 to 20 (see www.sunshineweek.org for details). Let the sun shine: This […]