Survive. Organize. Resist. A few words that must be said, about what happened, where our city and country are going and what we have to do. Above: Protesters and police outside the Civic Center entrance during the Sept. 12 Trump rally. Photo by Max Cooper. I’m not in despair because

The response to recent protests by APD leaders and the city attorney’s office is marked by petty retaliation, contempt for civil liberties and repeatedly shifting explanations, giving locals of all political stripes cause for major concern. Above: a slide in an Aug. 3 APD presentation about its response to late July

Asheville’s political culture is lately turning to wealthy executives to craft the response the affordable housing crisis. Excluding the people most affected by the crisis while giving leadership to those who caused or profited from it is a bad idea. Above: a map of city areas by median income, from the

While most attention is focused on the presidential and gubernatorial races, WNC’s state legislature seats will help shape the future of North Carolina politics With election season in swing, the Blade will run occasional perspectives from locals, especially focusing on politics in our corner of the mountains. In this piece,

A state legislator’s trying to drastically gerrymander Asheville’s city elections. Here’s why that push matters, and where it comes from Above: A list of census blocks making up the proposed Council districts in state legislation that would force Asheville to switch to a district system. On June 22, state Sen.

Terpsicorps is mounting a production centered on trans people — without their involvement or aid. Here’s the problem with that, and a satirical counter-suggestion Above: the marquee for Terpsicorps’ Transform production on Biltmore Avenue Recently, controversy erupted over Terpsicorps announcing a production centered around the story of a trans person

For months, the Asheville Busker’s Collective has tried to deal with city staff in good faith to find common ground. But the latest busking proposal is more restrictive than ever, and will hurt our local culture and livelihoods Above: The Stillwater Hobos performing in a still from Erin Derham’s movie

From Airbnb to city boards, too much of our politics focuses on property owners, but renters are half the city’s population. It’s time to listen to them seriously. City Hall under renovation. Photo by Bill Rhodes. If you haven’t heard, Airbnb and its ilk are back in the news, as

Asheville’s City Attorney has consistently taken stances against basic government transparency. It’s time for Council, and the people, to demand better of a major public servant Above: Asheville City Attorney Robin Currin. File photo by Max Cooper. Recent events in Asheville have turned an eye, for a moment, towards an

Hall Fletcher families grapple with a lack of transparency and democracy in a city school restructuring that threatens to make issues of segregation even worse Above: Hall Fletcher families, teachers and staff gather on Feb. 2 to offer proposals for restructuring their school. Photo by Laura Haire. On Feb. 2