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Trans News Network@transnews.network · last wk.

Less than $3,000 to go to hit our big goal for our entire fundraiser. That will help our worker-run trans news org keep the lights on. It will mean more hard-hitting journalism. It means fellowships for particularly marginalized trans journalists. Every share and (tax deductible) donation helps:

Thanks @davidforbes.bsky.social Onto the general public comment period. First commenter is saying that parking app is charging exorbitant fees when people make errors in paying for their spots. #avlgov

David Forbes@davidforbes.bsky.social · last wk.

Anti-displacement resolution passes 6-0. Thanks, y'all. Handing things over to @matildabliss.bsky.social to cover the last part of this council meeting. Support @avlblade.bsky.social and subscribe: patreon.com/AvlBlade Or donate: paypal.me/AshevilleBlade

Lawyer claims working within the current zoning would require tearing down the entire mall and starting over. Mosley (a corporate lawyer herself) stops him and questions him about it and he shifts his rant. Lawyer: "I don't want to see Tunnel Road Beyond Thunderdome" Why not? That sounds awesome.

Thanks, Matilda. Turner's worrying that the city's not friendly enough to developers (no, I am not making this up) like those circling around this part of the old mall site. #avlgov

Matilda Bliss@matildabliss.bsky.social · last wk.

Handing things over to @davidforbes.bsky.social to cover the next bit. Thankfully I now have power where I'm covering this, so will perhaps see yall later tonight. Thanks for supporting the @avlblade.bsky.social Subscribe below. Or send us a one-time donation paypal.me/ashevilleblade #avlgov

Notably the previous version of the deal on this spot was so openly corrupt and mired in sears' higher-ups real estate schemes that then-council member Keith Young called it out and they withdrew it on the spot. #avlgov

Matilda Bliss@matildabliss.bsky.social · last wk.

At nearly 9:30, we're onto our last public hearing of the night. Staff proposing on potential changes to Asheville Mall parking lot to include housing #avlgov

Thanks @davidforbes.bsky.social Still no power where I'm covering the meeting virtually, so I will do my best for the next bit and hand things back over. We're onto proposed zoning changes for, you guessed it, a hotel #avlgov

David Forbes@davidforbes.bsky.social · last wk.

It's 8:30, city council hasn't gotten past city manager's report because the public's fighting city hall's push to further gut transit. Over 15,000 households in the area are without power. This is absolutely surreal. Over to @matildabliss.bsky.social Subscribe: patreon.com/AvlBlade

Asheville's current transit budget is about $8 million (Turner even mentioned it). The current city hall budget is $275 million. The idea they can't find funds for transit is just a blatant lie. They just don't want to. #avlgov

Turner also pulling the same "oh we have it so hard" nonsense about the recent budget process, about how hard their decisions were. They blew a hole in the budget to hire 24 more cops and give the same officials who write it way more money, same as they always have. #avlgov

This is particularly disgusting. Transit could have easily been better funded if Manheimer and the rest of city hall cared more about people otg than giving the cops a drone fleet and the city manager another wing on her house #avlgov

Comment on transit gutting over. Manheimer's doing her whole contemptuously lecture the public thing, saying they shouldn't "shame" city hall for not funding transit. This is nonsense. She's routinely pushed budgets that underfunded transit in favor of pouring cash into cops #avlgov

Thanks @davidforbes.bsky.social Councilmember Kim Roney is asking staff if para-transit (Mountain Mobility) is ready to fill in gaps if transit routes are cut. Staff vaguely assures that it would. Roney continuing to advise #avlgov slow down, citing county government's upcoming transit study.

David Forbes@davidforbes.bsky.social · last wk.

Turning things over to @matildabliss.bsky.social to cover the next portion of this Asheville city council meeting. #avlgov To support @avlblade.bsky.social's live coverage, and everything we do, subscribe: patreon.com/AvlBlade Or donate: paypal.me/AshevilleBlade

Roney noting 11 businesses that had previously publicly supported shifting the transit model now oppose the overhaul after the extensive and widely-hated service cuts were proposed. #avlgov

Now city staff higher-ups are broaching the need for more transit funding, just after they presented yet another budget that gave them massive raises on top of their already-bloated salaries #avlgov

Turner: fought for this study, "transit system is struggling." She's repeatedly voted for the budgets that gutted it and is now acting surprised that the system's not working well. #avlgov

Mosley criticizing city staff for downplaying the surveys, with over 1300 responses, as not enough people to be significant. Manheimer: it'd have to be a randomized poll, surveys never are. Mosley: Then why do it? Because the poll we do have shows people don't want this. #avlgov

City staff noting opposition from public housing residents. Vice mayor Antanette Mosley: "downplaying the angst, ire and venom that was in that room." Locals were "appalled" at locations being cut. "May make sense on paper. But people who actually have to use the service think it's nuts."

The obvious answer would be actually funding the transit system to provide better service to public housing and more frequent routes. But Asheville city hall won't do that because they hate the poor. Also too busy expanding the police state and lining their own pockets. #avlgov

The excuse for this gutting is that it will supposedly deliver better service to locals, especially public housing (which is a very real problem), but the kicker is that locals overwhelmingly oppose it and key locations many would need to reach would get cut off under this plan. #avlgov

In continued dystopian news, city council's on to gutting the transit system. This would cut off locals from things like the social security office and healthcare under the guise of increased efficiency. It's almost bleakly humorous how much they're pushing this despite damn near everyone hating it

Roney mentioned city hall's strategic partnership budget, a pittance divided among local groups, which council nonetheless curbed this year to fund more cops. Manheimer says they had no choice but to cut it. She's lying. Strategic partnership budget is usually less than the city manager's salary.

Manheimer noting the recent, tragic shooting that killed two people. Like every city Asheville has real issues with violence. She will do absolutely nothing besides pour more cash into the APD, who did nothing to stop this or many other tragic deaths after massive budget increases... #avlgov

I've covered local government meetings for over 20 years, in a city where the mayor notoriously makes up rules to curb anything critical of city hall, especially clapping. So, it's worth a quick🧵 on how governments use rules of decorum to intimidate the public, even to throw opponents in jail.

Hypervisible @hypervisible.blacksky.app · last wk.

😬

Meeting's started. Mayor Esther Manheimer reading the rules of decorum, because her foremost priority is that no one ever contradict her while city hall's destroying their communities. Anyway, like I was saying...

David Forbes@davidforbes.bsky.social · last wk.

I've covered local government meetings for over 20 years, in a city where the mayor notoriously makes up rules to curb anything critical of city hall, especially clapping. So, it's worth a quick🧵 on how governments use rules of decorum to intimidate the public, even to throw opponents in jail.

Asheville city council meeting starts in 5. If you wish, you can watch here: #avlgov

City Council Meeting – July 28, 2026

YouTube video by City of Asheville

youtube.com

The Asheville Blade@avlblade.bsky.social · last wk.

Asheville city council meeting starts at 5. @davidforbes.bsky.social and @matildabliss.bsky.social will cover live. Even more money for cops, more penalties for "nuisance" cars, a transit plan that guts key services and anti-displacement measures pushed by locals (that #avlgov will try to ignore).

Support Trans journalism.

Matilda Bliss@matildabliss.bsky.social · 3w ago

Thanks for supporting the @avlblade.bsky.social We are a trans and working class collective bringing the news from a leftist perspective. Support our work by subscribing below. Or send us a one time donation at paypal.me/AshevilleBlade #avlgov

Hess claiming the previous budget process was transparent when the turning point was the mayor literally stopping the meeting and calling him into a literal backroom to skirt open meetings law and get him to flip his vote. This is laughable.

Matilda Bliss@matildabliss.bsky.social · 3w ago

Councilmember Bo Hess says that #avlgov delivered a transparent budget process. While NC's state legislature is transparent as mud, it's worth remembering Hess did not support this budget until Mayor Esther Manheimer called a recess. When the meeting resumed, there was a budget he'd support.

Hey yall. Here's the video link www.youtube.com/watch?v=urIE... Should be starting shortly. #avlgov

City Council Meeting – July 15, 2026

YouTube video by City of Asheville

youtube.com

The Asheville Blade@avlblade.bsky.social · 3w ago

The special meeting to set a new city tax rate starts at 5. @matildabliss.bsky.social and @davidforbes.bsky.social will cover live. #avlnews #avlgov

I'm proud to announce that TNN has been in operation for *a year* now, entirely thanks to all of you! Now, we need your support to keep food on the table and to keep doing hard-hitting news you won't find elsewhere. As I write this I'm working on a very exciting story :)

Trans News Network@transnews.network · last mo.

Since our founding last summer Trans News Network has taken on everything from the New York Times' bigotry to Epstein's anti-trans cronies and much, much more. As a worker-run news org, we're dedicated to journalism that's in-depth, hard-hitting and unrepentantly radical. Help us keep doing it:

Y'all, I honestly teared up a bit while putting together this list of some of what TNN's done in under a year. It's so much, on so many fronts. The kind of radical journalism our communities desperately need right now. Every bit of it funded by our readers.

Trans News Network@transnews.network · last mo.

Since our founding last summer Trans News Network has taken on everything from the New York Times' bigotry to Epstein's anti-trans cronies and much, much more. As a worker-run news org, we're dedicated to journalism that's in-depth, hard-hitting and unrepentantly radical. Help us keep doing it:

Since our founding last summer Trans News Network has taken on everything from the New York Times' bigotry to Epstein's anti-trans cronies and much, much more. As a worker-run news org, we're dedicated to journalism that's in-depth, hard-hitting and unrepentantly radical. Help us keep doing it:

Trans News Network's First Anniversary Fundraiser

Since our founding nearly a year ago, Trans News Network has exposed how The New York Times' bigotry is directed from the very top , revealed Epstein's extensive network of anti-trans cronies, sh...

transnewsnetwork.networkforgood.com