Discover and read the best of Twitter Threads about #avlgov

Most recents (7)

So Asheville police's illegal search warrant for Blade journalist Matilda Bliss' phone targeted her for her anarchist views.

The warrant claimed Bliss was linked to "anarchist extremist groups." The evidence? She ran a public social justice event calendar 🧵 #avlgov #avlnews ImageImageImage
The warrant, by APD detective Ian Paul Cooper on Jan 19 2022, claimed Bliss had prior knowledge of the Aston Park Build protest, which it tried to frame as an ominous conspiracy, because she had included a public social media post about it on her event calendar #avlgov #avlnews
Asheville Social Justice Schedules, a personal project of Bliss' that assembled links to public announcements of protests, fundraisers and mutual aid, was portrayed by the APD in the warrant as an "anarchist extremist group." No, we are not making this up. #avlgov #avlnews
Read 11 tweets
So I've covered Asheville city hall for most of 20 years. They are already scrambling to try to make sure they change *nothing* in the face of the massive public outrage about the water. 🧵 about their tactics and some ways to stop them... #avlgov #avlnews
Asheville city gov, like many others, has three main tactics to tamp down public outrage: deflect/delay, co-opt and outright repression.

They've already started deflect/delay, blaming the water crisis on the weather... #avlgov #avlnews
...when the crisis was caused by Asheville gov incompetence, arrogance and nearly 20 years of letting the system crumble by charging big business ridiculously low water fees.

In addition to excuses, they're deflecting/delaying by promising to form a committee... #avlgov #avlnews
Read 19 tweets
Airbnb is killing our city.

Every dot represents a whole house/apartment where people actually lived until they were kicked out to bring in more asshole tourists. There are over 2,700 in Asheville. This is a fundamentally evil industry #avlgov #avlnews Image
Numbers from Inside Airbnb: insideairbnb.com/asheville/

Since I first visited the site in late April, 90 whole home/apartment airbnbs added near Asheville. That means 90 households kicked out or denied housing in just a few months.
#avlgov #avlnews
#avlgov willingness to ignore/make exceptions to the airbnb ban is a huge part of the problem. In december they relaxed the rules to be even friendlier to airbnbs. Passed 6-1, with both mayor Manheimer and "progressive" challenger @KimboRoney supporting airbnb landlords #avlnews
Read 4 tweets
So @CityofAsheville just canceled public meetings about an unpopular land swap they'd planned to do with Duke Energy. Would destroy one of the last dense patches of trees in downtown and one of the last parking lots locals can easily access... #avlgov #avlnews
Wide backlash to project in recent weeks, from locals and some biz owners. Sizable city hall parking lot is right next to the current substation and could easily be used to expand it, but that would mean #avlgov bureaucrats would lose their special job perk parking spots #avlnews
There's also the role that Asheville city government's rubber-stamping of rampant hotel growth has played in straining downtown's infrastructure. When #avlgov says "critical to power reliability" they mean "we must feed the hotels" #avlnews
Read 6 tweets
Asheville city council meeting's started. Council unanimously votes to allow council member Antanette Mosley to attend remotely.

Meanwhile locals are required to attend in-person to speak. Covid rates here are currently sky high... #avlgov
This is grotesque, mayor Esther Manheimer, who personally sanctioned a crackdown on anti-raxiat demonstrations and targeting of queer and trans mutual aid activists, is currently lauding Stonewall, a riot against the cops... #avlgov
Allison Scott, council candidate and management at the gentry gay org Campaign for Southern Equality, is accepting the pride proclamation after Youth OUTright refused due to @CityofAsheville crackdowns and queer and trans mutual aid #avlgov
Read 23 tweets
"If abortions aren't safe neither are you" Graffiti and busted windows on far-right "crisis pregnancy center" Mountain Area Pregnancy Services in West Asheville #avlnews
"No forced births." Centers like this one are a key part of anti-abortion disinformation and harassment networks... #avlnews
"Whoever you are and wherever you are we are asking for you to do what you can to make your anger known."

The words used match that previously claimed the anonymous Jane's Revenge collective, which recently issued a public call for autonomous action #avlnews
Read 7 tweets
Looks like @virginiadaffron's reporting for @mxnews is stirring the pot in the Pennsylvania. @ORMorrison reports that Gene Freeman, the incoming superintendent for @AVLCitySchools, has sent cease and desist letters to parents about their comments on MX articles. #avlnews #avlgov
@virginiadaffron @mxnews @ORMorrison @AVLCitySchools "Your efforts to use Facebook and other forms of social media have been brought to the attention of the Asheville newspaper, Mountain Express [sic], which reached out to my client for response," the letter reads. #avlnews #avlgov
@virginiadaffron @mxnews @ORMorrison @AVLCitySchools "This effort by you and others constitutes interference with Dr. Freeman's future employment in that District and with his contract," it continues, saying those parents "hold a personal grudge against Dr. Freeman and his success." #avlnews #avlgov
Read 4 tweets

Related hashtags

Did Thread Reader help you today?

Support us! We are indie developers!


This site is made by just two indie developers on a laptop doing marketing, support and development! Read more about the story.

Become a Premium Member ($3.00/month or $30.00/year) and get exclusive features!

Become Premium

Too expensive? Make a small donation by buying us coffee ($5) or help with server cost ($10)

Donate via Paypal Become our Patreon

Thank you for your support!