The last U.S. presidential election was the most expensive in history primarily because unlimited corporate contributions to PACs and super PACs has been allowed by the Supreme Court's Citizens United ruling. Due to the persuasive power of media, in effect, this ruling makes our public representatives answerable to corporate money instead of to a well-informed … Read more
After hearing from dozens of residents who spoke out on the matter June 25, Buncombe County commissioners denied a request to expand where motor sports facilities can be built. Stacy Ogle asked for the change, which would’ve allowed motor sport facilities to operate in all areas of the county that are zoned as a Commercial … Read more
Books aren't dead, according to Buncombe County Public Library Director Ed Sheary, but he admits that libraries cannot ignore the growing popularity of downloadable materials like e-books and digital audiobooks. “The circulation of e-books now exceeds our smallest branch [Swannanoa] by a comfortable margin and is gaining on the next one,” Sheary says. “We can't … Read more
In a mere two years, the bat population in a Haywood County mine has dropped from 4,000 to 250, North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission biologists report. White nose syndrome appears to be the culprit. The deadly disease has spread to 20 states. Last year, infected bats were discovered in the Great Smoky Mountains Park, and … Read more
In recognition of National Small Business Week, the USDA announced that Mountain BizCapital has been selected to receive $38,500 in Rural Business Enterprise Grant (RBEG) funding for technical assistance for its entrepreneurial training program. In mid-June, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the selection of RBEG projects across the country highlighting USDA efforts to help rural … Read more
Progressive compared to what? Mississippi? Utah? South Carolina? Indiana? And what about Asheville? Where does it fit into the idea (which has been around since the 1950s) that North Carolina is a progressive state? When same-sex couples marched to the Buncombe County Courthouse in January seeking marriage licenses, were they spitting in the wind or … Read more
The joy of gentle bees The temperament of bees is something new beekeepers probably don't consider. Take my first hive, which I managed to put in the wrong spot, then invert the frames in the upper hive box. The result was seriously upset bees chasing us around the garden and stinging big time. Faced with … Read more
Local poet and performer Griffin Payne, pictured above, teaches theater-workshop participants how to share their stories in new and creative ways. The weekly workshops are for people affected by mental illness, whether directly or indirectly, and is sponsored by the National Alliance on Mental Illness Western Carolina. (Photo by Max Cooper)
