CLICK ON THE PHOTOS AND IMAGES ABOVE.

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THE EPIC STRUGGLE OF PUBLIC INTEREST VERSUS PRIVATE INTEREST CONTINUES

Photo by Byron Belzak/DowntownAsheville.com * Copyright 2008 MEDIABEAR
'PETITION LADY'
More signatures are sought by volunteers who feel deeply about reclaiming the City-County plaza parkland, protecting the 100-year-old magnolia, and stopping the controversial Parkside condominium project forever. Stop by the magnolia tree seven days a week, between the hours of 4 to 7 p.m. If you are on the side of public interest first, then consider putting your John Hancock on the petition. Doing so will tell your elected officials, unelected bureacrats and every city and county worker how much Asheville's central park means to you. The Parkside developer claims only 80 Ashevillians want to stop Parkside. The petition lady and others are set on proving him wrong.


Photo by Byron Belzak/DowntownAsheville.com * Copyright 2008 MEDIABEAR
'PETITION POWER'
On June 24, 2008, Steve Rasmussen publicly presented county commissioners with a petition of 1,003 signatures of citizens who oppose the Parkside project and the sale of the parkland to Stewart Coleman -- proof that Parkside hatchetmen are wrong when they like to say only 80 Ashevillians oppose their project.


Photo by Byron Belzak/DowntownAsheville.com * Copyright 2008 MEDIABEAR
'CONCERNED CITIZEN'
Wearing his red tie and trying to wrap his mind around the ParkSide problem, "Putting Democracy to Work" author Frank Adams (right) rolls up his sleeves at the latest Buncombe County public ParkSide proceedings along with other concerned citizens under the watchful eye of Deputy Goddard (left), whose job is to protect the five county commissioners inside their chamber.


Photo by Byron Belzak/DowntownAsheville.com * Copyright 2008 MEDIABEAR
'SCARY STARE'
ParkSide developer STEWART COLEMAN photographed seconds before his unprovoked attack upon DowntownAsheville.com wordsmith Byron Belzak who was photographing and reporting the event inside the Buncombe County Commissioners Chamber during the June 24, 2008, public meeting in Room 204 of the Buncombe County Courthouse, located in Asheville, North Carolina, USA.


Photo by Byron Belzak/DowntownAsheville.com * Copyright 2008 MEDIABEAR
'MAGNOLIA MAN'
The 100-year-old magnolia has become an icon for those critical of Stewart Coleman's ParkSide condo proposal. Protesters and onlookers have been gathering daily from 4 to 7 p.m. in City-County Plaza under the tree that will likely be chopped down if Stewart Coleman is allowed to build his controversial project in front of City Hall.

COPYRIGHT 2008 BYRON BELZAK / MEDIABEAR