Politics - Articles, Content and Blogs
East of the Balsams
Last night was a monumental one in Washington, where the health care bill H.R. 3962 passed with one Democratic vote to spare, and help from one Republican. For all the kabuki hand-wringing, the choice to be made was not this health care bill verses a better one waiting to be drafted, but this one verses waiting for another generation. Just over half of the Blue Dog Coalition voted for the bill. Their whip, as you may know, did not. And you thought quarterbacks played offense. Read more...
Elections, 09
Terry Bellamy is already our mayor for about 2-3 years now. She is the more experienced than the other two people running against her, Who have none or very little experience at all! She's endorsed by the Sierra Club and AFD association. Read more...
Buncombe County Democratic Party to Host Health Care Political Strategy Session
The Buncombe County Democratic Party will host a political strategy session and discussion on health care reform. The event will be held Thursday, October 8, 2009 at 6:30 p.m. at the YMI Cultural Center. Read more...
Asheville Area Chamber's Health Insurance Pilot Program Passes North Carolina House and Senate
The Health Insurance Pilot Program or H.B. 212 passed the North Carolina General Assembly on August 6, 2009 and was delivered to Governor Perdue on Friday, August 7, 2009 where it awaits her signature of approval. Read more...
Next assignment for dynamic duo of Mumpower and Boyle: Diving into Asheville's escort services
Asheville City Councilman Carl Mumpower calls attention to Asheville sex escort services. Read more...
PARC call for Bele Chere Volunteers
PARC and Mountain Voices Alliance will host an information booth at Bele Chere this coming weekend. This year, we will be distributing information and signing petitions to encourage the City to use the property across from the Basilica at St. Lawrence as a park, instead of another massive high-rise hotel. Can you help? Read more...
Multimodal Transportation Speech At The Wedge
I'm having monthly public gatherings at The Wedge Brewery in the River Arts District. Our first was on May 14th and the next one is June 11th. We served up some excellent black bean burgers for everyone and had a fantastic time. This video is of my address to the crowd. Read more...
DTMP: Section Three - Five Districts
The third section of Asheville's Downtown Master Plan puts forth the creation and recognition of five distinct downtown neighborhoods. Each neighborhood designation would bring its own strategic goals, and each would serve as a 'Gateway' into downtown. Read more...
Bellamy Bringing the Broadband?
Hunter Goosmann, the mastermind behind the ERC's regional broadband service, twittered a link to stimulus money dedicated to expanding broadband access: Read more...
DTMP: Section Two - Parking and Moving
I've got three favorite parking places downtown. One of them remains unmetered. Each requires an extra block of walking to city center. You all have your favorite spots as well, even the cyclists and the scooterati. Anecdotes suggest that some folks have a terrible time finding a place to park whenever they come downtown. Downtown business owners want it to be easy for people to get out of their cars and move all over the city. Read more...
DTMP: Section One - Arts, Culture, History
Section One of the DTMP is focused on arts, culture, and history in downtown Asheville. Folks all have their favorite and least favorite things about going downtown. I love hearing music in the streets, seeing art wherever I look, running into friends, and the abounding culture of creativity. A combination of low property values a generation ago, relentless entrepreneurship, city planning, and a most excellent populace has created a downtown full of life, where it feels like anything could happen. Read more...
Time To Step Up - Gordon Smith for Asheville
With the City Council race about to hit the warmer days of late May and early June, it's time for us to hit the streets for another round of door knocking and phone calling. We've already contacted nearly 2,000 voters in Asheville neighborhoods, and the next push requires your help. If you're a supporter of the campaign, now's the time to step up and get involved. Our canvassing and phone banking operations are the most efficient, effective ways to win votes, but they can't work unless you help. Read more...
NC Legislation: 'Contraversial, Statewide Smoking Ban Passed'
I personally think that last week's passing of the statewide smoking ban is a big deal. I know that for smokers this new legislation is annoying, but personally I welcome the change. Read more...
Strive Not To Drive - Day Four - A Multimodal Future
This post is a sort of transcript from the speech I gave tonight at The Wedge. It was the first of four public events there. We served up 98 black bean burgers and had a great time. The next one is June 11th. I'm running for Asheville City Council because I want to help make Asheville more affordable and more sustainable. By working together, we can create a city that works for more of us. Focusing on our common goals will move us a lot further than focusing on those things that divide us. Read more...
No High-Rise in front of the Basilica!
One of the most beautiful buildings in Asheville celebrates its 100th birthday this year. The historic Basilica of St. Lawrence was built in 1909, and sits at the entrance to downtown. The City of Asheville is now negotiating with the McKibbon Hotel Group to sell them the land in front of the Basilica. Read more...
Downtown Master Plan - An Overview
The Final Draft of the Downtown Master Plan is a creation of consensus and compromise. Dedicated people from every cranny of our community devoted 5,000 hours of their time to hammer this thing out. Public input sessions were frequent and very well attended. So no matter where you land in assessing the DTMP, you can respect the process that went into creating it. Read more...
Asheville's Downtown Master Plan
Tomorrow the Goody Clancy team, who paid $170,000 to collect, synthesize, and present the work of the Advisory Team, will present it's Final Draft Downtown Master Plan (DTMP) to City Council. The plan is a result of 5,000 hours of volunteers' time and an enormous amount of input from every corner of downtown. Two weeks from tomorrow, on May 26, City Council will hold a public hearing on the Plan. Between now and then there's going to be a lot of wrangling over this vision for Asheville. Read more...
Parkside: Appeals Court To Hear Case May 19
Here's a great chance for the multiple civic organizations who opposed the Parkside boondoggle to come together one more time. According to the Asheville Citizen-Times, 'The state Court of Appeals is scheduled to hear arguments May 19 in a lawsuit over Buncombe County's 2006 sale of property just west of City Hall to developer Stewart Coleman...' Read more...
Good Shuler!
Heath Shuler is making some positive headlines on climate change and his support of The Motor Vehicle Owner's Right to Repair Act HR 2057. Read more...
Patsy Keever to Challenge Bruce Goforth in 2010
Bruce Goforth has served four terms as the NC representative for House district 115. His record on the environment and other issues have been less than stellar. When a recent poll showed that 80% of Watauga County residents want more landslide regulation and warnings for people buying homes in landslide prone areas, Goforth said, 'I have about as much confidence...' Read more...
Prayer for America
There is a grassroots prayer movement in the Piedmont and we would love for western NC to join in. Every Monday evening, born-again believers are to meet and pray for our President, Congress, and all in authority over us. Read more...
Downtown Master Plan Moves Forward
The Downtown Master Plan is entering its final phase towards adoption. Read more...
Yes To Urban Chickens
Urban agriculture saves practitioners money. Whether it's your bountiful garden, your beehive, or your chickens - choosing to raise one's own food is a simple, effective way to live less expensively and more sustainably. It increases a municipality's food security, and it teaches self-reliance to neighbors. Read more...
Moving Asheville Into a Green Paradigm
On this Earth Day, I'm going to highlight some of the aspects of my City Council campaign that speak directly to addressing global climate change here in Asheville. We can't wait for someone else to solve the problems in our community. We must work together and move our city into a green paradigm that elevates our economy, respects our environment, and lifts up our neighborhoods. Read more...
NC Legislators Move to Derail Municipal Internet Services
If this bill passes, then you can say sayonara to any present or future municipal internet services. Read more...
Carl Mumpower to Run For Re-election
He's been coy for some time on the subject, but this piece from the Buncombe County Republican Party site puts an end to the wondering. Carl Mumpower will be in the race for Asheville City Council this year, and his announcement is vintage Carl - refusing money and calling the other Council members vain, irresponsible, criminal child abusers: Read more...
