A bevy of items — including drug enforcement, housing and the interstate — lead to a long and occasionally contentious Council meeting Above: Asheville City Council member Julie Mayfield. File photo by Max Cooper. The Sept. 16 Asheville City Council meeting was a long one, less due to a lengthy

With a department in trouble a chief departs and Asheville’s city manager starts the search for another. Here’s the first of a two-part series delving into what happened next Above: City Manager Gary Jackson, behind his nametag on the Asheville City Council dais. File photo by Max Cooper. This is

Once again, an important request for public records faces lengthy, unexplained delays from the city of Asheville. It’s time for this disturbing pattern to end Above: City Hall, file photo by Max Cooper. Update: The city of Asheville does track records of police complaints in annual internal affairs audits. On Friday,

Hoping for gridlock, mulling a whitewater park, diagnosing the police department’s woes and more as Asheville City Council tackles a bevy of reports Above: City Manager Gary Jackson, file photo by Max Cooper. As the March 24 Asheville City Council meeting drew near, word emerged that a hearing on a

It’s time to bring the focus on violence against trans people as the Fix Society movement pushes locally for justice, better services and an end to hate Above: A flier for the recent Fix Society rally and forum in Asheville. Photo by Jennifer M. Barge. The Fix Society movement is

A look at how the Asheville Blade came to be, what we did in 2014 and a thank you to the community that’s made it possible. Above: Fireworks outside City Hall. Photo by Bill Rhodes. I initially hesitated about writing this post. For all that I love my profession, journalism

As ongoing protests raise the issue of racial injustice and police violence, dismantling racism here will take a harder look within Above: Protesters gather in downtown Asheville after a grand jury refused to indict an NYPC officer for the killing of Eric Garner. Photo by Max Cooper. Cities across the

While law enforcement sees local turmoil and national scrutiny, Asheville’s police advisory board gives staff an earful about the need for public oversight Above: Several members of the Citizens Police Advisory Board gather with city staff around tables in a training room for their Dec. 2 meeting. Clockwise from top:

Last night, hundreds gathered in downtown to protest the Ferguson grand jury decision. Here are images from photographer Max Cooper of that protest and vigil. Above: Vigil attendees in front of the Vance Monument last night. Photo by Max Cooper. Last night, a quickly organized rally saw hundreds gather in downtown Asheville

Amid ongoing public controversy and internal divisions, an in-depth look at city government’s plan to overhaul the Asheville Police Department Recent weeks have seen a contentious struggle over the leadership of the Asheville Police Department, with a petition by 44 officers calling for four major concerns to be addressed and