Stop the BID
Corruption. Harassment. Surveillance. Business Improvement Districts are gentrification on steroids, with a horrific record around the country. Now one is on its way to Asheville. It must be stopped. Graphic by Matilda Bliss If you’ve tuned in to local media or received one of their…
Hate and cowardice in city hall
Asheville city council lets Islamophobia and racism run amok as they refuse to even consider a ceasefire resolution and treat a broad community movement with open contempt Above: Asheville city hall in the dark. File photo by Max Cooper Blade reporter Matilda Bliss contributed to…
The realtor dark money group backing Tod Leaven
A shadowy, pro-airbnb front group for the real estate industry is bankrolling Asheville city council candidate Tod Leaven’s ad blitz. Here’s who they are and what they’re looking to get in return Above: Mailers supporting Tod Leaven, paid for by the ‘Neighbors Helping North Carolina’…
The mayor vs. the First Amendment
Rules made up on the spot. Vague restrictions only enforced against critics. As calls for a ceasefire in Gaza grow Asheville Mayor Esther Manheimer and city council become increasingly vindictive in curtailing public comment they don’t like Above: Asheville Mayor Esther Manheimer. File photo by…
Hit Mike DeWine where it hurts — his money
The Ohio governor is pushing the most draconian ban on trans healthcare yet. But his major business interest in Asheville — the Tourists baseball team — is still set to get millions from local governments. Until the ban is stopped, those incentives must stop, and…
Another one bites the dust
David Zack, the widely-hated police chief, is finally on his way out. Behind his ouster, his horrific time in power and what city hall’s not talking about Above: APD police chief David Zack. Official city photo Editor’s note: This piece was updated Dec. 17 to…
Rezoning for Raytheon
Buncombe County commissioners are once again bending over backwards for the giant, blood-soaked arms dealer, with a massive rezoning to help build its new plant Above: Anti-Raytheon graphic circulated by locals opposed to massive government handouts to the notorious weapons company. Special to the Blade…
Tower of Babel
Touted as an innovative transformation, Project Aspire is instead something all too familiar: gentrification pushed forward to the detriment of a local Black community. Inside the mega hotel project and its modern-day redlining Above: Plans for Project Aspire overlaid with the 1930s redlining maps. Graphic…
Another day, another crackdown
Yet another brutal APD ‘special operation’ arrests the homeless for being poor and asking for help. It’s past time to face the growing police state in our city Above: Asheville police before raiding the Aston Park houseless camp in April 2021. In recent years the…
‘Clearly these folks weren’t littering’
Emails reveal Asheville city hall’s own waste manager contradicted their lies on bogus ‘felony littering’ charges Above: Art at the December 2021 Aston Park Build. Asheville police and government officials would later claim this was grounds for felony littering charges against 16 locals. Photo by…
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