The ring around the fascists
This danger is not new and Asheville’s political establishment will not seriously fight it. As always, it’s up to us Above: Asheville police form a ring around far-right harasser Chad Nesbitt. Special to the Blade. There’s an image that’s been stuck in my mind this…
Post-mortems
After a strange election in a strange year, a new city council lurches into office in an embattled city hall Above: Asheville city hall under renovation, photo by Bill Rhodes This year has, by every standard, been a revealing one. Asheville’s been a divided city…
Raytheon comes to Asheville
The infamous arms dealer’s about to get millions from local governments to build one of their murder factories right here in our city Above: ‘Not Our Town.’ Special to the Blade Caution: This article contains images and descriptions of horrific violence First it was “Project…
Let’s question the candidates
The Blade asks about cutting the police department, funding transit, reining in hotels and more as we take aim at the candidates running in the Asheville City Council primary Above: City Hall under renovation. Photo by Bill Rhodes Yes, Asheville, we are once again asked…
‘Concerned citizens’
Using sham community meetings and fake neighborhood groups, the far-right pushes for more cops and crackdowns. Asheville’s city government is supporting them. Above: pictures of homeless people sleeping in downtown. The images were produced for an August meeting of local gentry calling for more police…
Outside the ballot box
The defeat of a racist gerrymander is a victory — and a stark reminder that shaking Asheville’s status quo takes a lot more than elections Late last month, amid a growing public backlash, Asheville City Council voted 6-1 to repeal most of a state-imposed gerrymander…
Delay and deny
As public pressure to fight a state-imposed racist gerrymander mounts, Council finally breaks their silence, revealing more delays and refusing to challenge a part of the law giving them another year in office Above: Mayor Esther Manheimer, who finally responded to mounting public outcry about…
‘The White Man’s Family Council’
The giant 1920s-era murals in City Hall are drenched in an ugly racist history, depicting a mythical all-white Appalachia and a glorification of genocide. It’s time for them to go. Above: ‘The White Man’s Family Council’ (yes, that is actually its name), the Clifford Addams…
Lawyers and backrooms
Despite claims of a new era of transparency, the selection of one of Asheville’s most powerful jobs — city attorney — is being decided behind closed doors, with no public input and few clear answers Above: A binder of city attorney candidates and a confidentiality…
Stand on ceremony
Strange applause, another broken promise on policing and massive blind spots mark a dismaying turn in City Hall Above: Asheville City Council, file photo by Max Cooper As one, all seven Asheville City Council members marked the opening of their Sept. 25 meeting by rising…
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