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

The truth about the decades-long fallout from racist government programs offers some harsh reminders — and important lessons for Asheville today. Above: The 1937 HOLC map for Asheville. The areas in red, most of them African-American, were designated “unsafe” for investment.  Over the past week, I’ve been incredibly pleased to

Amid controversy Asheville City Council overhauls Pack Place leases, lauds police plan Above: Asheville Council member Jan Davis, countering critics of the new Pack Place leases and asserting that it’s the best way to go forward. Photo by Max Cooper. Pack Place, located in the middle of downtown, is home to

Racist government programs shaped Asheville’s ‘urban renewal,’ demolishing homes and pushing out thousands. The results still haunt the city today. Above: Priscilla Ndiaye, with her map of the homes demolished in the Southside neighborhood during urban renewal. She’s standing on the site of the house her family lived in, condemned

By David Forbes The city of Asheville is on course to spend $147 million. That’s the amount of its annual budget, covering everything from parks to public art to smartphones for cops. Except for us urban policy masochists, the words “city budget” don’t usually make people run to pour over