Category: Views

One view on the long, twisted road to making the APD evidence room audit public, and how it changed Asheville Above: District Attorney Ron Moore talking to press June 19, beside the 15-volume audit of the APD evidence room. Honestly, I never expected the day…

The city’s current tack amounts to exploiting artists’ work while ignoring them and pushing societal homogeneity. There’s a better way. Photo by Zen Sutherland. “It’s a waste of time debating the merits of illegal graffiti,” says Gus Cutty, a local muralist and street artist, but that has…

Low pay poses a major threat to Asheville and it’s long, long past time to stop pretending otherwise Art by Nathanael Roney, commissioned for the Asheville Blade. If a culture of juggling several jobs just to pay the bills wasn’t enough, if our fair city…

One of the organizers of Asheville’s Stonewall events writes about why the spirit of a riot 45 years ago is still needed in Asheville today. Above: A pride rally in Asheville, early 2000s. Why is Stonewall important? And why should Asheville commemorate the event as it truly…

Asheville’s current approach to diversity is like putting a bandage on a dirty wound. A better way will require a more politically and economically powerful black community — and the city truly addressing some hard history. Above: African-American owned businesses in downtown, before the East…

Above: locals protesting Gov. Pat McCrory’s appearance at Moogfest on April 24 . Photo by Scott Owen. Our latest opinion column is from leftist activist and former mayoral candidate Martin Ramsey, who attacks what he sees as an attitude of “stay-in-your-placeism” from political decision-makers in…

The log for the volunteer escorts at the Femcare clinic, June 7. Photo by Byron Ballard. At the end of this month FemCare, currently the last clinic in the Asheville area providing abortion services, will close. Last year, the clinic was controversially shut down for nearly…

Skyline of downtown Asheville, looking toward the Flat Iron building. Photo by Max Cooper. By David Forbes The doldrums are over. “Real estate rebound in Asheville, N.C.” blared a recent headline from the Wall Street Journal. It’s the latest in a long, long line of…