Sign off: Prudential Lifestyle Realty on College Place is now in compliance with Asheville’s sign ordinance, having removed the sign from its east side. photo by Jonathan Welch Old controversies never die — they just keep cropping up in progress reports. Asheville City Council Members heard updates on a number of long-running disputes at their … Read more
Flavor: Vaguely continentalAmbiance: Warm and cozy Damn you, Stone House Market. When I told friends I’d be reviewing restaurants for the Xpress, the most frequent response was a cocked eyebrow and a soul-scouring “Will you tell the truth?” These wary diners, most of whom had lived in other mid-sized markets where the resident critics had … Read more
Your blow-dryer may be powered by wind courtesy NC GreenPower “I’m an ardent environmentalist,” Clyde homeowner Louis Mes declared, standing at a podium with his back to a stunning overlook of Haywood County’s mountain landscape. Mes, a surgeon originally from South Africa who spends most of the year in Lafayette, La., was addressing a crowd … Read more
I want to write about small things. Not that big things don’t interest me. I’ve had big ideas; I’ve fought in big fights. I’ve struggled to see the big picture and find the important truths. But even when I’m winning, the effort leaves me feeling empty, feeble and unsatisfied. Something happened the other day that … Read more
To say that Asheville and the surrounding area is home to a large number of “green”-minded residents would be an understatement. There are plenty of environmentally friendly businesses, and many people either take individual action or donate to environmental organizations. But one local group could do a lot more to protect our environment. I’m talking … Read more
I’m all ears Jerry Sternberg from time to time mentions me in one of his opinion pieces. He attributes “facts” to my political history that are, 95 percent of the time, untrue. For instance, he implied that I was responsible for the UDO. If only it were so. It would have been a far less … Read more
A couple of decades ago, before Asheville’s downtown renaissance kicked in, the city core could be a desolate place where crime, vice and menace of various sorts were not uncommon. Lexington Avenue was one of a number of areas where inner-city rot had planted deep roots. But while residents now brag about the city’s distinctive … Read more
Room to grow?: The Cliffs at Walnut Cove plans a 126-lot expansion “compatible with the land,” according to planner Don Nickell. photo by Jonathan Welch Historically, more people have brought fortunes to Western North Carolina than have made them here. As a result, the region has been shaped more than most places by outside money … Read more
Fleet of feet: Warren Wilson College’s women’s and men’s cross-country teams took top-four finishes in the U.S. Collegiate Athletic Association National Championships, held last month at Buena Vista, Va. The women’s team took third, marking the fourth year in a row the femme-Owls have finished among the top three women’s teams nationally. The Warren Wilson … Read more
Let them eat cake: The author, left, and friend Barbara Metz celebrate in style in the Shining Rock Wilderness, 2005. This is the week of the birthday ride. Each year I give myself an adventure in the woods, whether it’s an all-day hike or a mountain-bike trek. Although doing this nurtures both the soul and … Read more
