As someone who goes barefoot 24/7, and who has attended the N.C. Mountain State Fair barefoot for many years, I was shocked a few days ago to find several very large signs with big red letters at the gates stating, "Shirt and shoes required." The next day I contacted the fair manager, Matt Buchanan, to … Read more
How Can I Sing Like A Girl? Shelia Simone, that’s how. Simone has luxurious long blond hair and the body of Miss Piggy, if Miss Piggy had had access to a trainer. Both of my therapists agree that she’s a harmless and emotionally healthy outlet for my feminine energy. Bonus! She’s also the best way … Read more
When I was pregnant with my son, Ryan, people frequently asked: Are you going to keep working or stay home with the baby? Those well-meaning inquisitors had bought into the “either/or” myth of modern motherhood: You either work full time outside the home and use day care, or you take care of the kids while … Read more
I did speak with Mr. Kriss and I did make the statement that he quoted me on about several concerned mothers asking about our policy concerning women going shirtless. The North Carolina Mountain State is a family event and we want all fairgoers to dress appropriately. Mr. Kriss failed to mention my statement about the … Read more
When Sheila Jamison began her career as a financial adviser, her male colleagues were the ones who were nervous. “The first time I wore a business suit, they asked me if I had on boxer shorts underneath,” Jamison joked. “So to give you an idea, I don't know if I was intimidated or if they … Read more
In passing a proposal to permit vacation rentals in all zoning districts, the Buncombe County Planning Board did a great disservice to citizens and to the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners. The proposal passed by the Planning Board is substantively the same as the one passed back in February and returned by the commissioners to … Read more
In 1981, the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention published a report about a rare pneumonia that struck down five young, previously healthy gay men in Los Angeles. Five years later, the Asheville-based Western North Carolina AIDS Project formed, dedicated to prevention, education and assisting those living with the disease. And in the early … Read more
I'll be voting to return Jan Davis to Asheville City Council this fall, and I encourage Xpress readers to do the same. Jan has been a steady hand on Council since 2003, and has always had a pragmatic view about how to get the best outcomes for all stakeholders in city policy. I often see … Read more
Soap peddler: Kimberly Masters Kimberly Masters has always been the crafty type. As a business student at UNC-Greensboro, she made things in ceramics classes. Later, she moved on to fleece hats and headbands, which she made while working as a bicycle tour guide in Alaska. It was a more recent trip to the doctor, though, … Read more
In the years leading up to the 1972 Clean Water Act, pollution had rendered the French Broad River “too thick to drink and too thin to plow,” as acclaimed local historian Wilma Dykeman wrote. For generations, the river had been used as an open sewer, and sedimentation due to development, heavy metals, other industrial pollution … Read more
