Category: Views

Airbnbs are devouring housing at a rapidly escalating rate and kicking locals out on the street. It’s time to face the obvious: the industry has to be destroyed or the city will be unlivable Above: a close-up of Airbnb’s impact on Asheville, from Inside Airbnb.…

NIMBY vs YIMBY, city council desperately shovels cash to cops, a mutual aid medic beats trumped-up charges, a notorious fake clinic gets its windows smashed, another pandemic and more in the Blade’s monthly podcast Welcome back, readers (and listeners), to another episode of the Asheville…

The trial of a mutual aid medic ends in dismissal as supporters pack the courtroom and the cops’ case falls apart on the stand. Inside a major defeat for city hall’s war on community solidarity with the unhoused Above: Local medic Greenleaf Clarke is attacked…

As Roe dies, a fake clinic with an ugly record gets its windows broken and locals take to the streets The front of Mountain Area Pregnancy Service, a far-right ‘crisis pregnancy center,’ on June 7. Photo by Veronica Coit [This piece contains mentions of sexual…

The Blade teams up with Asheville FM to bring you a new monthly podcast with our signature sharp look at local news Above: graphic by Orion Solstice Readers, over the years many of you have reached out to us to say that you’d love to…

A whistleblower tried to raise the alarm about appalling conditions at the Buncombe County jail, the deadliest in the state. This is his story of running into evasion, lies and retaliation from multiple levels of government “The law, in its majestic equality, prohibits rich and…

A bizarre primary campaign season seems to take place in a different world than the harsh reality most in Asheville face Life in this city is goddamn grim. There’s no way around that. There never really was for many of us, but the past years…

Congressional candidate Jasmine Beach-Ferrara has marketed herself as a progressive queer minister devoted to “values of love and peace.” But she’s directed tens of millions in public cash to one of the worst weapons companies on the planet. Above: graphic by Orion Solstice. Background photo…

In November, Blade journalist Orion Solstice caught a breakthrough Covid-19 case. This is the story of his ordeal — and recovery — as a working class trans person in Asheville Above: The positive covid test result the author received in November. Photo by Orion Solstice.…

Asheville city government declares war on the houseless and attacks protests, the press, mutual aid groups and anyone who dares to speak up Above: Asheville police move to block off a table with food and supplies during the Dec. 25 raid. Photo by Veronica Coit…