Despite the regard given them by local government, the Downtown Association has some very controversial positions and only speaks for a sliver of this changing area. Who actually represents the city’s core is a much larger — and overdue — question. Above: Fireworks over downtown Asheville, photo by Bill Rhodes.

Routs, truces, clashing views and more as Council closes out its year with the latest chapter in the development wars Above: the future sites of the River Mill Lofts and Hazel Mill Roads projects, on the city’s development maps. Historically, few things pack Asheville City Council chambers like fights over