Tensions continue to mount between Buncombe County and URTV: The county attorney says all funding due to the nonprofit has been paid, even as the public-access station threatens legal action. And amid murky legal questions concerning both the station’s funding and its operating agreement with the county, its future remains unclear. In an April 1 … Read more
The perfect storm There are a few recent restaurant openings of note. Storm Rhum Bar was watched with interest as it neared completion early this year, mostly due to the credentials of the business partners involved in the venture. The restaurant is a collaboration between Tom Israel, David LeBoutillier and silent partner Jerry Scheer, all … Read more
The words of a poem may dance around, sit quietly or even challenge you to a duel. But each word has an intention and a purpose. Asheville Wordfest, an annual poetry festival, celebrates the creative use of words with a series of events, May 4 through 8. Laura Hope-Gill, the executive director of the festival … Read more
Mark Casson and Shannon Hines Casson — the husband-and-wife musical team leading The Cheeksters — clearly aren’t from around here. Mark’s British accent and Shannon’s Memphis lilt make it clear that the pair, like others before and after them, have made a conscious decision to settle in Asheville. And they’ve developed the trademark Cheeksters sound … Read more
From Nate Allen, Knife and Fork (knifeandforknc.com) Ingredients: Salad: 1 oz extra virgin olive oil 1 bunch local tender young asparagus, trimmed 1/2 dry pint local whole fresh strawberries 1/4 cup crumbled local chevre 1/4 cup green onion vinaigrette (below) Vinaigrette: 1/2 bunch local green onion tops, sliced into 1/4-inch rounds Juice of half a … Read more
It’s strawberry time For many local food lovers and area chefs, the month of May is circled on kitchen calendars in red with a big exclamation mark. That’s because it’s the window in which ripe, juicy local strawberries are available. Accordingly, they are the focus of this month’s Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project’s Get Local … Read more
Although "healthcare reform" was passed, the state is now making decisions about how North Carolina will respond to the new federal rules. The N.C. General Assembly is considering legislation that would put Blue Cross Blue Shield permanently on a board whose purpose it is to help small businesses and those who cannot afford health insurance. … Read more
I can't believe the hubris of newly elected Buncombe County Rep. Tim Moffitt in attempting to rush through a bill (HB 471) in the North Carolina Legislature — without prior discussion with his constituents — that would drastically change the way Buncombe County is run. The bill, calling for county commissioners to be elected by … Read more
At the age of 18, I yearned to find a place to live where my ideals and notions of personal responsibility could thrive. My attempt at college in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina did not succeed. Travelling there was a long-distance excursion that did grant me one clue in finding a place where … Read more
The Suspect: Turtle Island Quartet with Mike Marshall This dynamic string quartet has been pushing the envelope of chamber-music innovation for more than 25 years. They won the 2008 Grammy for Best Classical Crossover, and Yo Yo Ma calls the group "authentic and passionate — a reflection of some of the most creative music-making today." … Read more
