“It’s always tough to see neighborhoods changing like this. But we all have to make room in a growing community.” — Council member Brownie Newman on condos proposed for the East End/Valley Street Neighborhood Whether a neighborhood is upscale or working-class, residents seem to be of one mind when it comes to new development in … Read more
Although road biking may be a little less exciting than mountain biking — for instance, there’s not much call for dodging rocks and trees with the reflexes of a 13-year-old video-game junkie — there’s a weekend road event coming up in Charlotte that should grab any cyclist’s attention: 24 Hours of Booty, slated for July … Read more
Scenes from a ball • Who they are: Jennifer Shelton and Gregory Mayer • What they’re wearing: On her, a red satin evening gown with matching stole; on him, a red-and-white pinstriped suit, red fedora, tie and pocket square. • Why we love it: Jennifer and Greg were one of the most stylish couples at … Read more
Each of these creatures puts the hurt on one or another of the bugs that bug me, and they’d be happy to be your bug buddies, too. The jury is still out — perhaps dismissed and sent home? — on companion planting. Maybe it works, maybe it doesn’t; maybe it works for some folks and … Read more
Thoreau spoke of lives of quiet desperation. Socrates said the unexamined life is not worth living. I don’t know that I agree with either of them. I may not have enough depth to understand what they were getting at, but I believe we are all spiritual beings capable of transcendent fulfillment. Some spend their lives … Read more
Stoneleaf’s virtue and genuine graces Among the strongest reasons that Asheville shows up on one index after another as one of the country’s best places to live is the cultural richness. This cultural diversity has received a huge boost in the last couple of years via the Stoneleaf festival, spearheaded by Charlie McIver, co-founder (along … Read more
State expert weighs in on Greenlife, Staples, Prudential … and the UDO Residents unhappy with Asheville’s housing-code enforcement claimed victory last week, after release of a study by the N.C. Institute of Government. “This report validates what we’ve been saying all along. Decisions we questioned, which were made administratively, should really have been made by … Read more
Many local-media representatives said their piece at the town-hall meeting with the two FCC commissioners. Mountain Xpress was among the publications that submitted testimony. Our newspaper’s statement is reprinted verbatim below. June 28, 2006 Remarks before the FCC forum on the future of media, Asheville, North Carolina Commissioners, panelists and guests: I’m Jon Elliston, news … Read more
“The idea that there is a ‘public’ that has a prior ownership claim on a spectrum of radio frequencies is a fantasy.” — Tim Peck, Asheville resident They came — more than 400 of them, from all over the state and from as far away as Nashville. Citizens of varying colors, ethnicities and political persuasions. … Read more
They’re yanking our chains: On the afternoon of Saturday, July 15, the “Anybody’s and Everybody’s Community Bike Festival” will take place at Asheville’s Aston Park, located at the intersection of French Broad and Hilliard streets south of downtown. The event, which runs from 2 to 6 p.m., is free and will include bike-repair workshops and … Read more
