At the Asheville City Council’s May 24 formal session, Mary Parker, speaking on behalf of two local animal-rescue groups, explained how FurEver Friends and Merry Paws serve the community. Fighting back tears, Parker recounted how one of the groups had fulfilled a terminally ill cancer patient’s final wish. The woman, Parker said, was afraid that … Read more
In the ongoing standoff between Asheville and Buncombe County over the future of the local water system, both sides have expressed a willingness to compromise — but it isn’t clear that they’ve gotten significantly closer to reaching an agreement. At a special May 24 meeting, the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners and county staffers laid … Read more
Social Security’s future Two upcoming public discussions will explore the downside of the Bush administration’s plan to privatize Social Security. The first — a town hall-style meeting to be held Saturday, June 4, at 3 p.m. at the Unity Center — is sponsored by North Carolinians United to Protect Social Security. The nonprofit organization has … Read more
The Boathouse Restaurant on Lake Julian wants to help build a boathouse on Lake Julian, but this one won’t be for dining. “The Boathouse for a Boathouse” is a charitable event that will benefit the Asheville Rowing Club. All proceeds will be used to construct a boathouse for storage of the club’s racing shells, equipment … Read more
Stormy weather for stormwater education The French Broad River was nasty in the 1950s — so much so that Wilma Dykeman’s 1955 book, The French Broad, titled a chapter: “Who Killed the French Broad?” Before 1972’s Clean Water Act, it was common practice to see outhouses or privies constructed over a stream. People just knew … Read more
Last year, the city of Asheville received a $39,765 U.S. Justice Department grant to buy an assortment of “crowd control” equipment, including 30 new Taser stun guns with holsters and replacement cartridges. Details of the allocation were given at the Oct. 12 Asheville City Council meeting. In November, Amnesty International released an extensive report, which … Read more
