There are subtle hints that allow you to know when a person no longer worries about what others think about him. If you see a man walking casually through the mall wearing a pair of wingtips with white socks, striped Bermuda shorts and a Hawaiian shirt — chances are pretty good that he no longer … Read more
In the last eight years, I’ve seen the political process whittle down the most idealistic, well-meaning folks in Asheville. It’s finally whittled me down: The June 4 City Council work session was my last. I’m leaving Xpress for a much less political career — the flooring business. To quote Eva Peron, don’t cry for me, … Read more
City Council meetings are normally sedate affairs: a rezoning here, a commission appointment there — pedestrian tasks that form the backbone of city governance. But the June 11 formal session of the Asheville City Council was anything but typical. In fact, it seemed to be the handiwork of Federico Fellini, directed from the grave. How … Read more
William Henry Jackson prints of WNC on display at Pack Library When Peggy Gardner was in graduate school a few years ago, searching on-line for inspiration for a paper she was writing on local history, she decided to visit one of her favorite Web sites — the Library of Congress — and type in “Asheville.” … Read more
Opponents of widening Interstate 240 to eight lanes through West Asheville had more speakers and seemingly most of the audience in their corner at a public hearing last week. But proponents had the weight of established business interests and some longstanding Asheville residents on their side. Nearly 70 speakers offered an earful to the local … Read more
Thanks to two new bus routes, folks can use public transportation to get from Asheville to Black Mountain and Hendersonville. Bus service between downtown Asheville and Black Mountain started May 17, says Bruce Black, director of the city of Asheville’s Transit Services Department, which runs Asheville Transit. Buses leave the Asheville Transit station on Coxe … Read more
Cruising through Hendersonville in an air-conditioned minibus, East Flat Rock resident Lillie Ricketts gave the public transportation experience a thumbs-up. “I think it’s nice, real nice,” offered Ricketts, ticking off the new public bus’ attributes as it motored down Spartanburg Highway. Those included comfortable seats, a pleasant driver, room for the handicapped and — at … Read more
A month ago, selling the city’s Bent Creek property seemed to offer a way out of a long-standing stalemate: End a pesky lawsuit and use the money to build Henderson County water lines. Selling the land would have resolved many of the disputes that have centered around the 1995 Regional Water Agreement made between Asheville, … Read more
On June 25, the Asheville City Council will decide whether to permit developers to construct a massive retail complex on the site of the old Sayles Bleachery in East Asheville. The proposed development would be anchored by a Wal-Mart Supercenter and include two additional big-box retailers; assorted other stores and restaurants; and an “urban village” … Read more
Last week, while perusing the latest issue of The Garden, published by the Royal Horticultural Society, I ran across an article entitled “USA slams the door on imported seed.” This is not new news. You’ve read about it before in Mountain Xpress. But this time around, the news is worse. Like the TP (Thought Police), … Read more
