To answer Loretta O’Hanlon’s letter about being safe in Asheville [“Downtown Doesn’t Feel Scary,” May 20, Xpress] — forget it.
I’ve lived here 32 years as of this June, and the last 18 years on my own, and so I have to rely on Asheville buses or footwork to get my errands done.
This past Monday, I had to go to the River Arts District. When I went down to catch the bus, there was a homeless person lying flat out on the ground right next to the bus stop. Ugh! Ugh — so I had to stand there at least 10 minutes and quietly wait for the bus while the homeless person laid on the sidewalk…