In the wake of massive flooding produced by the remnants of Hurricane Frances, City Manager Jim Westbrook reported at Asheville City Council’s Sept. 14 formal meeting that the city was suspending permit fees for all repairs and reconstruction of flood-damaged buildings. Westbrook also announced that city staffers were working on setting up an office in … Read more
Those buildings weren’t empty The floodwaters of Hurricane Frances inundated 201 businesses and one residence and caused some $80 million in damages in Asheville, estimates Terry Summey, Asheville’s Director of Building Safety. Other communities suffered as well, most notably the nearby mill town of Canton where the raging Pigeon River destroyed dozens of homes and … Read more
SCV portrayal was one-sided journalism The article by [freelance] writer Jon Elliston [“Between Heritage and Hate,” Aug. 18] was one-sided journalism, poorly written and not well documented. It was an attack on the century-old Sons of Confederate Veterans based on the rantings of outcast SCV member Walter Hilderman of Eutawville, S.C. Hilderman, who has been … Read more
I used to have an answering machine. When it was full, the machine would announce: “Memory full. Thank you.” It wasn’t about the number of calls; it was about capacity. When this machine was full, it was full, and nothing else could get in. I suspect there’s a learning moment here. And it’s not just … Read more
