A multiracial community coalition mobilized to save Asheville Primary School. The central office and city hall insisted on destroying it anyway Above: Mural on the side of Asheville Primary School. Photo by Matilda Bliss “A school is a home. So when they come for your…

A long, ugly COVID wave is devastating our communities. Here’s what’s going on and what you need to know to help keep yourself and your community safe Graphic by Matilda Bliss If you want to support the Blade’s covid alerts — and everything else we…

Now more than ever, politicians will not save us and communities must organize and defend ourselves. From the Blade collective, here’s some honesty Above: Anti-racist graffiti on the Vance monument in June. A more honest statement than any campaign ad. Special to the Blade. Editor’s…

Asheville’s bus system needs real support to help thousands of locals. But the city’s proposed budget puts money to top-level staff and policing rather than the needs of the public. That must change Above: Part of the map of Asheville’s bus system, which thousands of…

Water lines break, City Hall’s communications fail, the public’s questions go unanswered and locals are left wondering if the water’s safe to drink Above: documents from a press packet handed out by city officials this afternoon, depicting a somewhat sunnier picture (and clearer water) than…

Behind the controversies that weren’t discussed, the Airbnb presentation that wasn’t presented and the closed door dilemmas looming over a brief, bizarre Asheville City Council meeting  Above: Asheville City Council. File photo by Max Cooper As a place where systems of power touch the ground, a local…

Rather than a progressive place with an innovative approach to substance use, Asheville has created a culture that exacerbates the overdose crisis. An inside look at how a city zoning crackdown can cost locals their health and lives Above: A pro-harm reduction message painted on…

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…

In a new feature focusing on the tally of Asheville City Council’s latest doings, we look at a bus system overhaul, a grassroots push for community space and the ongoing battle over policing and racism Above: A map of proposed overhauls to Asheville’s bus system.…

The return of a state plan to gerrymander city elections and break black voting power gets a surprising boost from a Democratic senator — and sets the stage for a major civil rights fight Above: A map of gerrymandered Asheville City Council election districts in…