Feed me (exhaust), Seymour: You’ve seen them by now — the season’s first poison-ivy victims, staggering around, scratching at blisters, begging you to hit them with calamine lotion. A misplaced step off the trail or a minute’s careless weeding in the garden is all it takes to contract an epic case of contact dermatitis. And … Read more
Relaxin’ on the river: The author idly adrift on a gentle stretch of the French Broad. photo by Lee Anne Smith Western North Carolina is pointy-headed and steep, which means that much of the surface water is white and moving downhill fast. Consequently, most of the boating opportunities hereabouts involve sudden drops and lots of … Read more
Retro done right • Who she is: Corinne Kurzmann, owner of Diggin Art • What she’s wearing: Strappy 1950s heels, a black-and-white print dress from the ’60s, Bakelite bangles, matching lucite bracelet and earrings from an Italian designer — all available in Diggin Art. • Why we love it: While dressing all from one era … Read more
Some weeks back, the little town of Spruce Pine hosted the second annual Fire on the Mountain. The festival attracted blacksmiths from all over the Southeast to this small community tucked in among the peaks of Mitchell County. But this wasn’t your typical conference where professionals get together to compare notes. Both Fire on the … Read more
Asheville’s slippery downtown slope Reading the comments about the Saturday feedings at Prichard Park [“Feeding the Fire,” May 31 Xpress], I felt horror at the reality of class privilege in our society and disgust towards the derogatory comments made about my fellow human beings. One emotion I distinctly did not experience, however, was shock. Asheville … Read more
Gay marriage controversy shifts to state level While a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriages has once again failed in Congress, gays and lesbians in North Carolina may want to shift their attention to the state level. Companion bills in the N.C. House and Senate now seek to accomplish what Congress could not. “Whether they will … Read more
With the Buncombe County commissioners mere weeks away from the start of a new fiscal year, their June 6 meeting was glutted with 11th-hour digs and bids by county agencies, nonprofits and concerned citizens anxious to get a word in before next year’s budget is finalized. “I got excited when I came in here and … Read more
In her May 16 budget message to the Buncombe County commissioners, County Manager Wanda Greene gave a brief sketch of how the current property-tax rate (59 cents per $100 of assessed value) could be reduced to a more palatable 54.5 cents. (In the wake of last fall’s property revaluation, the revenue-neutral rate would be 50.25 … Read more
Mowin’ grandma’s yard: With summer upon us, many seniors need assistance with mowing and lawn maintenance. If you like working outdoors and want to volunteer in Buncombe, Henderson, Madison or Transylvania counties, call the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program at 251-6622 (800-727-0557 toll-free), or send an e-mail to connie@landofsky.org. If you want it, here it … Read more
photo by Cecil Bothwell If you love green, growing things, it pays to know your neighbors. And in our neck of the woods, one of the most important local residents to meet is poison ivy. Whether she’s living down the road or in your own back yard, rest assured that she’s in the ‘hood. A … Read more
