From Daily Planet Staff Reports

The local economy appears to have hit bottom and will rebound — gradually — in the near future, especially if there is a loosening of credit, according to most of the speakers at the first Asheville Area Economic Forum on June 19 at the Asheville Civic Center.

Mayor Terry Bellamy, who served as moderator, noted that the forum was organized to provide an opportunity for the public to hear from key advisors to city and Buncombe County staff, as well as from local officials, “to get a pulse of the local economy.” About 100 people attended.

Under tough questioning from WLOS-TV newscaster Holly Hedrick, protest spokesman Robert Malt (left) voices some critical comments about ABC programming that, he alleges, gave President Barack Obama a virtual “infomercial” on June 23. Hedrick’s interview of Malt took place in front of ABC’s Asheville affiliate, WLOS, as TV camerman Ben Mulkey films the action at the June 22 protest. Daily Planet Staff Photo