In today’s B section, readers will find a question and answer section for the upcoming primary. It is not, however, a comprehensive guide. We did not send out questions to candidates in non-competitive primaries; thus, there are no questions and...

In the last several weeks, we have received several poems from readers. Some of them have been submitted to run as Opinions of the Reader while others have been submitted to run on the Arts & Entertainment pages. With one or two exceptions, such as...

I am trying to understand why the blame is being placed on J-Lo and Shakira for putting on a performance not appropriate for the viewers. These performers were hired and vetted by the NFL organization. Why is the criticism not placed on the NFL? Do...

My name is Velma Owen. I’m an 84-year-old grandmother of seven. I’ve lived in Transylvania County my whole life, and I’m thinking about running a write-in campaign for president of the United States. I read letters in this paper all the time...

  “With all due respect, in large part the general public has no idea what’s going on with mental health. The reality is, these are kids that desperately need help,” Transylvania County Schools Superintendent Jeff McDaris told the local...

Congratulations to Lakin Jones and her crew for all their work in sprucing up the Williamson Creek Community Center. The WCCC was set to close, and there was a deadline with the Board of Elections needing a polling place in the Williamson Creek...

Truly the most divisive action by Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi’s hateful, disgusting anti-American act last night was when she tore in half president Trump’s State of the Union speech before the eyes of shocked American television viewers....

I have just read Mr. Kicklighter’s self-aggrandizing letter to the editor in which he takes pains to tell us how nonpartial and objective he would be as a commissioner or a juror. I only know Kicklighter as one who wears his politics on his sleeve...

Roses Are Years ago, I attended a talk given by a native of Colombia, South America, who was touring the U.S. with a translator for the sole purpose of raising awareness about the plight of those people in her country adversely affected by the...

Leaving aside economic and foreign policy debates, there are major factors that ought to give a thoughtful citizen pause about President Trump before deciding to vote for him: 1. Climate change is the greatest and most imminent threat to our planet....

Tonight, while watching the President’s State of the Union address, I was absolutely ashamed, as an American, to witness the actions of the Democrats. It wouldn’t matter to me which party was involved in absolute disrespect shown tonight,...

I don’t appreciate the vote in the House right before Christmas. It is supposed to be a happy time. It might have been for Trump haters. This vote has separated families, separated parties and destroyed friendships. You could have prevented this...

I have an idea that would solve our national debt problem. Why not sell our children into slavery? It’s not a novel idea and there is even a legal precedent for it in the Bible: “When a man sells his daughter as a slave, she shall not go out as...

At the Transylvania County Board of Education meeting Monday evening, Carolyn Barton, director of School Nutrition Services, informed the school board the state of North Carolina does not contribute any funding to provide food to students. According...

This letter is in response to Mission Hospital article on Jan. 27. Medicare and Medicare Advantage claims are being billed as Asheville Anesthesiology so senior citizens are having to pay speciality doctor co-pays instead of primary care doctor...

The recent presentation by Margaret Adamek, a food policy expert with the Blue Zones Project, revealed that far too many Transylvanians suffer from diseases or have negative health markers that are the result of poor diets. According to Adamek, 48...

I’m shaken by the release of a tape recording where Donald Trump asks “How long would Ukraine last under attack by Russia?” Trump’s agenda was not limited to removal of the United States sitting ambassador to Ukraine. It likely included...

What is Senator Tillis’s opinion of Donald Trump? Does he trust him? I don’t. The impeachment trial is just another confirmation of his dishonesty and his commitment to himself, not our country. As my representative in Washington, I urged Tillis...

Health often needs statistical sophistication to see why people are not as healthy as we’d like. People make choices that don’t line up with expectations worldwide, and it’s not an excuse to be more careful about our opinions and statistical ex...

In Cedar Mountain, a heavy snow blankets our beloved hills. In Washington, there is much scurrying about and political agitation. It appears that the Republican leadership of the Senate will prevail in blocking any further testimony about Donald...

I read with interest the article “Teaching: A Circus With No Time For Clowns,” written by Josh Tinsley, that so accurately described the day in the life of a teacher. I would like to add one more ring to the daily school experience, a “golden...

After five long months of impeachment hearings and millions of wasted taxpayer dollars later, the Democrats attempts to remove our 45th president appears to finally be coming to a close. For over three years, Democrats have made the most vicious...

Sunday I spent one of my most relaxing, buoyant afternoons in a long while enjoying “Virtually in Love” at Brevard Little Theater. The script was contemporary and delightful, the acting energetic and engaging, the music fitting and the set...

While the Internet has its benefits, it also has its detriments – one being the spread of false information. Unfortunately, there is a tendency among many to believe the first thing they read without logically analyzing the information in regard...

Last week I settled on Elizabeth Warren as my choice for president because I see her as combining some of Bernie Sanders’ and Joe Biden’s strengths — and as departing from each of them in important ways. Like Bernie, Elizabeth’s a...