The Asheville Blade covered a lot of ground as we fought through a tumultuous, trying, important and groundbreaking 2016 alongside the people of the city we love Above: Fireworks over City Hall. Photo by Bill Rhodes. Well that was a hell of a year. As 2016 (finally!) meets its end

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

Local groups rally around labor, public housing, immigrants’ rights, fair wages and more to mark May Day in a changing Asheville Above: A red flag flies above the crowd gathered at Asheville’s May Day rally as protesters listen to speakers talk about labor and social justice issues. Photo by Max