After buskers mobilize against possible restrictions on their art, an Asheville Council committee decides not to pursue new rules further. Above: buskers fill the room before yesterday’s meeting of Asheville City Council’s Public Safety Committee. Photo by Max Cooper. Usually, Asheville City Council’s committee meetings don’t see a particularly large

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 the city’s considering changing its

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 in downtown. On Tuesday, Sept.

As Asheville catches TIGER grants and plans big changes, a look at city government’s long grapple with the infrastructure beast Above: an image of Riverside Drive and the front of the city’s development plan. The staff and elected officials of the city of Asheville were in high spirits last Friday.

Despite concerns about affordability and process, Asheville City Council votes for higher-than-average incentives for the 209 unit RAD Lofts project. Above: The site of the future RAD Lofts development, with dissenting graffiti painted on its sign. By the time the RAD Lofts project came to Asheville City Council last night,

A local rally protests police brutality, shows support for Ferguson residents and pushes for a ‘Mike Brown Law’ requiring cops to wear cameras. Above: Shanita Jackson, one of the organizers of the rally against police brutality, holds a sign while surrounded by other protesters. Photo by Basil Soper. Early Sunday

Records requests shine more light on the military surplus‚ from automatic weapons to armored cars, in the hands of local law enforcement. Above: An armored car owned by the Asheville Police Department, photographed in 2008. Photo © Jason Sandford, used with permission. A week ago, I highlighted the Blade’s records requests for

In a changing Southside, a community rallies with a new event to support its youth as the school year begins. Above: Barber Don McMillan cuts a student’s hair as part of the Southside community’s Back to School Bash. Many local barbers and beauticians volunteered for the event. Photo by Robert

A look at the origins, costs and clashing views on city government’s $300,000 program to remove graffiti and tagging throughout Asheville Above: Before and after shots of graffiti painted over on a building in the River Arts District. Photo by Zen Sutherland. 123 Graffiti Free is its name. Launched July

The Asheville Blade and local media are seeking more information on the amount of military equipment in the hands of local law enforcement Above: An armored car owned by the Asheville Police Department, photographed in 2008. Photo © Jason Sandford, used with permission. The unrest in Ferguson, Mo. has raised a