Having lived here my entire life, I know firsthand that independence, pride and hard work are the cornerstones of mountain culture. I learned by example to take care of my neighbor and to stick up for the little guy; I also learned that hard work pays off. For generations, that approach enabled people to carve … Read more
Summer is prime bike-riding season, and with more people using bicycles to get around town, there will inevitably be more incidents involving motorists and cyclists. It’s my hope that education can reduce the number of such negative interactions. Bike protectors: New bike lanes have cropped up all over Asheville, giving cyclists like Zach Morrison a … Read more
What is it like to essentially go off the grid? For Charlie Baughman and Myria Rodeman, their unconventional life is their own private paradise. The couple live on a seven and one-half acre piece of property, just outside of Hendersonville, with three well-fed and rambunctious dogs, two forest-roaming chickens and at least one very vocal … Read more
As the country watches the oil spill in the Gulf destroy wetlands and the livelihoods of tens of thousands of people, the biodiesel industry in the U.S. is on the brink of collapse. Biodiesel is the only commercially available advanced biofuel in the U.S. It dramatically reduces carbon pollution, lessens our dependence on foreign oil … Read more
It almost closed WNC Community Media Center/URTV, but as of July 7, Buncombe County finally delivered a portion ($48 thousand) of the money due since third quarter 2009. But wait, Buncombe County manager said that “we get it [the money], we get it distributed” (PEG monies to WNCCMC, [as] reported by Mountain Xpress, June 3). … Read more
This letter is to bring awareness to some people about what I (and I’m sure others) consider an eyesore. People, when you have a yard sale, please, please, take down your signs when it’s over! [The signs] bother me in two ways: One, they should be considered littering; and two, they’re distracting and misleading to … Read more
The Asheville Film Festival can indeed survive with private support ["A Moving Picture", July 7, Xpress], as the Singapore International Film Festival has for 23 years. It was started by a small group of dedicated individuals who recognized that government funding would be difficult to obtain and would inevitably constrain the festival's scope. It soon … Read more
My wife Keely and I are co-owners and managers of the new nakamal, Vanuatu Kava Bar. Although we very much appreciate the advice your publication has printed in this past week's Disclaimer, to spike our tea with LSD, we regretfully decline. Given the expected results of kava consumption (relaxation, euphoria) we have instead taken to … Read more
The oil spill is a terrible thing. Part of the reason it happened is because of cars. Our cars do not need as much oil as we use. The city council should put a lane for bikes. The sidewalk is a lane for people; highways [are] for cars. There is no lane for bikes and … Read more
