Three major political issues — wrangling over the budget, short-term rentals and the ‘Pit of Despair’ — take center stage for Council, but many answers wait for another day Above: a slide on ending the ‘Pit of Despair’ reputation of the city property across from the Basilica, presented in December

Communities bring forward a mix of topics — from saving a downtown forest to cat cafes — with varying reactions from Council Above: Vice Mayor Marc Hunt. File photo by Max Cooper. With the huge fight over short-term rentals dying down (at least for a bit), the Sept. 8 Asheville City

Council runs into multiple demanding situations, including the housing crisis and a public irate about the actions of a power giant, in a packed meeting Above: Asheville City Council member Gordon Smith. File photo by Max Cooper As our longtime readers know, our Council reports usually come out on the

An important public service announcement to the citizens of Asheville about the strange, potentially lethal creatures migrating to our land Above: peeling ‘wayfinding’ sign for tourists heading downtown, 2010. Photo © Jason Sandford. Used with permission. Dear citizens of Asheville, Due to the synergistic factors of anthropogenic climate change and Good

Consultants sent in to solve police woes, controversial naming deal approved, Duke won’t shut down coal plant and more in a packed, contentious evening for Asheville City Council Above: the future SECU plaza outside the Asheville Art Museum, considerably more serene than Tuesday night’s debate over whether the slice of

A student who went to last month’s climate march with the Asheville contingent shares their thoughts about what happened and why it matters. Above: Marchers at the Sept. 21 People’s Climate March, which included a sizable Asheville contingent. Photo by Khaetlyn Grindell, used with permission. We were 400,000 strong, marching

The twisting tale of how the state legislature sold out our mountains for private gain, why it matters, and what you can do about it Above: a map of potential fracking areas in N.C., map courtesy of WNC Frack Free “We promised the people of North Carolina we were not