Of note A rugburn by any other name … : Local rockers The Rugburners may soon be changing their name. The proposed change comes in the wake of major stylistic changes within the band. Fans of the group can submit suggestions to newname@therugburners.com. Zombie-Glam No More … : North Carolina-based horror-glam-rock headliners The Frankenstein Drag … Read more
The inside of a master puppeteer’s workshop is magical. Well, OK — it’s a little creepy, too. There’s stuff everywhere, on every surface and all over the floor: stacks of lumber, collections of rods and pulleys, bottles of glue and paint, enormous blocks of foam rubber, pairs of scissors, serious power tools (think “band saw”), … Read more
Highland Repertory Theatre has made no secret of its desire to broaden Asheville’s theatrical options. As Rae Bucher, Highland Rep’s co-artistic director, puts it, “We pride ourselves on choosing well-written and innovative scripts that are a little different than the usual local offerings.” Highland Rep’s latest production, Stop Kiss, is “a prime example of a … Read more
Southern novel ranks high in poignant humor Wild Blue Yonder by William Price Fox (Crane Hill Publishers, 2002) The beauty of this semi-autobiographical novel rings in a particularly humorous first-person narration. Sixteen-year-old Earl Edge tells us about his impoverished life in Columbia, South Carolina in the 1940s; about his father, who’s a hard drinker and … Read more
Even in the midst of the Civil War, Abe Lincoln still had to worry about running the government. Among those efforts were three bills he signed in 1862 that had major implications for the family farmer. The first established the Department of Agriculture; it was followed soon after by the Homestead Act. The third piece … Read more
“We all pretty much dance the cosmos — for me, it’s more of an intuitive process.” — Anni Paisley You know the feeling. You’re walking downtown and you see a familiar face — someone you don’t know but recognize because he or she is a local fixture. Downtown Asheville’s streets and shops are buzzing with … Read more
“There’s an old saying in politics: Don’t tax you, don’t tax me, tax that fellow behind the tree.” — state Rep. Martin Nesbitt They come in droves to gawk at our peaks, walk our trails, sample some cuisine, and pay homage to the mansion where Hollywood filmed Ritchie Rich. And by the way, the economic … Read more
“This is your evening to talk to us,” proclaimed Mayor Charles Worley at the outset of City Council’s east Asheville community meeting, held July 30 at the East Branch Library on Tunnel Road. But it soon became clear that at least one topic wasn’t welcome: challenges to Council’s July 23 decision to approve plans for … Read more
Wanted: your books Got any extra books hanging around? You know, the ones you planned to read someday but probably never will. Or how about books you’ve read but most likely will never pick up again? Why not let someone else enjoy them — while also helping out our local libraries? The Friends of the … Read more
A friend referred me to an article in the journal Nature about genetically modified corn. Recent research indicates that it is poisoning our topsoil. But business-as-usual reports in the media have slipped the news safely beneath the public radar. If you’ve been sleeping in class for the last 10 years, you may have missed the … Read more
