Asheville needs — and can pass — a real minimum wage
Asheville’s workers are badly underpaid. Local government could change that by requiring businesses to pay a living wage. Will they? Above: a map from the National Low Income Housing Coalition showing how many hours working for the current $7.25 minimum wage are required to afford…
Three fight night
Consultants sent in to solve police woes, controversial naming deal approved, Duke won’t shut down coal plant and more in a packed, contentious evening for Asheville City Council Above: the future SECU plaza outside the Asheville Art Museum, considerably more serene than Tuesday night’s debate…
The name wars
As another piece of public space might be named after a private organization, Ashevillians are again set to debate exactly who gets to name what in our changing city Above: a rendering of the area in front of the Asheville Art Museum, which might be…
Redrawn
Asheville City Council mulls affordable housing solutions, forms ‘innovation districts’ in three neighborhoods and continues its long contemplation of graffiti Above: the borders for the South Slope “innovation district” Asheville City Council passed Oct. 14 Some of the biggest news at Asheville City Council’s Oct.…
The state of our Asheville
A frank, honest discussion about the state of our city, following the mayor’s Oct. 1 “TED talk” presentation on where Asheville’s going. Above: skyline of downtown looking toward the Flat Iron building, photo by Max Cooper Concluding thoughts, Oct. 5: I’m awed. Since the original…
Regulation ricochet
In a packed three hours, Asheville City Council hits issues including burying power lines, housing, graffiti and the surveillance of protesters Above: power lines over a stretch of grass behind the Aloft Hotel and city parking deck at 51 Biltmore Avenue. The city will pay $250,000…
Busk battles
With new restrictions possible, Asheville’s buskers become the latest flashpoint in the debate over the future of downtown and its culture. Above: The Stillwater Hobos performing in a still from Erin Derham’s documentary Buskin Blues. The movie delves into Asheville’s busking culture at a time when…
What is ‘affordable housing’ anyway?
With the city of Asheville considering more incentives for “affordable” and “workforce” housing, it’s worth looking at what that means. Above: An image from the city of Asheville’s documents of the proposed site of 32 “workforce” housing units on the back of the Aloft Hotel…
They’re topless, get over it
The annual topless “rally” is an overhyped farce. But the reaction from government and business leaders is far, far worse. Above: One of the topless rally attendees — and onlookers — at the 2011 event. Photo by Max Cooper. It’s that time again. Every year…
Blue lights and bureaucratic algae: photographing Asheville City Council
Next Tuesday, Aug. 26, the Asheville Blade will cover the next meeting of our local city council. Here’s an interesting — and often hilarious — account Max Cooper, who photographed the last meeting for the Blade, wrote about photographing our local government meetings. I covered…
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