We at Xpress are deeply saddened by the loss of local painter, sculptor and gallery owner Vadim Bora. The artist passed away on Jan. 6, following a massive stroke in late December. He was 56 years old. A little bit about Bora, from his own website: "Unlimited in his ability to create in any media, … Read more
Recent reports of teen suicides have made the consequences of unchecked bullying and racial harassment (such as a cross burning in Fletcher this fall) painfully clear. Bullying is certainly not a new phenomenon, and it could easily be dismissed as an unfortunate but perhaps unavoidable part of growing up. Bullying doesn’t end with adolescence, however: … Read more
Buncombe County Board of Commissioners Jan. 4, 2011 meeting County halts work on Reynolds apartment development Grant funds sought for Mills Gap park At their first meeting of 2011, the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners dove into a variety of issues, including the safety of a retaining wall in Reynolds, work-force housing, a new park … Read more
In a wooded corner of the state Department of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention’s facility in Swannanoa sits a derelict incinerator overgrown with vines; an open door reveals piles of ash within. Corroded metal containers and other solid waste protrude from the ground nearby, murky puddles collecting in their partially submerged forms. A cross-country trail … Read more
Rep. Heath Shuler concluded his bid for speaker of the House, collecting 10 votes from his Democratic colleagues compared to 173 for Rep. Nancy Pelosi — and he garnered lots of national media attention in the process. Rep. John Boehner received unanimous support from Republicans, winning the position with 241 votes. In a statement, Shuler … Read more
“For so work the honey-bees, creatures that by a rule in nature teach the act of order to a peopled kingdom.” — William Shakespeare, Henry V When you think of ecological services — the free life-support systems on which we all depend — think honeybees. And thank them. After all, bee pollination is essential to … Read more
It’s a massive cliché, but when you're ready to get your drink on, sometimes you wanna go where everybody knows your name. For the past couple of years, that familiar place has been The Rankin Vault. It's an establishment I frequent for many reasons, including great food and drink specials, bartenders and music. The fact … Read more
The Salsa’s dance? In last week's issue of Xpress, we reported that Salsa's, Hector Diaz's flagship Mexican-Caribbean restaurant, was moving. Not exactly, says Diaz. Though Diaz Properties did recently purchase the building at 23 Broadway St. in downtown Asheville for what Diaz says was an amazing deal (although he did reveal the building has some … Read more
The musicians of the Walkmen have known one another most of their lives, and they’ve been playing in bands together nearly as long. The present lineup formed amidst a fury of New York garage bands a decade ago, but from the start, frontman Hamilton Leithauser’s gravelly wails and the band’s sparse instrumentation, precise recording style … Read more
