Math — arithmetic we called it back then — always made my head hurt, so I try to stay away from the stuff. But my eighth-grade math teacher, Mrs. Sears, always told us, “If you can’t figure something out, round off the numbers.” And that’s what I did when I read about how [Buncombe County … Read more
I saw the [Molton] cartoon [”Asheville 11,” Dec. 15 Xpress] the other week and had no reaction. This past issue I read two letters addressing both sides of the “Asheville 11” situation. As someone who has a dog in this hunt, I think the random violence was adolescent behavior. I am out my deductible and … Read more
I felt a little sick when I heard that dead trees along the Joyce Kilmer Forest trails would be “cut down.” But after visiting the forest last month, I believe the Forest Service did the right thing — both in what they did and how they did it. The point of preservation of the virgin … Read more
Cranky Hanke’s 10 best This strikes me as a curious year — a good year, but not quite a great one. Maybe that’s why I’ve spent more time struggling with this list than in any previous year. I’ve shifted more titles around than usual. I never did get on board The Social Network bandwagon (it … Read more
Viva West Asheville! Sandwich aficionados that have been around town for a bit will likely recall Viva Europa. The convenience store and deli turned out awesome sandwiches from the little building on the corner of Montford and Pearson that now houses Tod's Tasties and To-Gos. When Viva Europa closed, many lamented the loss of the … Read more
Rocky Lindsley's addiction is your addiction, Asheville. After taking an all-too-long hiatus, the fried-chicken meister is bringing back his popular Rocky's Hot Chicken Shack, and with it, the recipe for what is considered to be the most sought-after chicken in town. While on tour as a professional drummer in '94, Lindsley became hooked on a … Read more
It’s official: the trees are completely bare. And that’s just the way our shiitake mushroom farmers like it. “Shiitake logs must be harvested when the leaves are off and the tree is dormant,” says Paul Littman, who owns and operates Ivy Creek Family Farm in Barnardsville. Littman says that most of the work in growing … Read more
