What we do matters

Too many people are faced with difficult decisions every day — whether to pay for rent or food, for medicine or heat. Helping children and adults access services that support basic needs such as food, medical care, quality child care and jobs creates a stronger, safer and healthier community for us all.  Buncombe County Health […]

Letting the good times roll

Shake off that winter chill, folks: It’s Mardi Gras season, and Asheville Mardi Gras is here to warm things up with some bayou flavor. The all-volunteer group’s sixth annual Cajun Cook-off will be held Sunday, Feb. 9, at The Millroom and all are welcome to attend. The family-friendly event moves this year from its former […]

Snow safety

On a recent snow day in Asheville, I had the pleasure of taking a walk through my neighborhood and then through downtown. One neighbor was taking responsibility for the sidewalk in front of his house by removing the snow. Lacking a snow shovel, he used a garden shovel to do the job successfully. When I […]

How healthy is your workplace?

The Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce and Mission Health are working together to find out what Buncombe County workplaces are doing to support employee health. They will be asking local businesses — large and small — about their workplace wellness practices and policies through a survey. We spend a large portion of our week at […]

Pixies at the Thomas Wolfe Auditorium

While I can’t speak to how awesome a Pixies show was in 1988, I also can’t imagine Frances Black and his fellow musicians rocking any harder than they did on Saturday night at the Thomas Wolfe Auditorium. The band started with “Bone Machine,” encored with “Debaser” and “Planet of Sound” and played every big song one could have reasonably wished for in between. Photos by Nick King

VIDEO: Nibbles predicts 6 more weeks of winter for Asheville

To the chagrin of those hoping for an early spring, Nibbles, Asheville’s very own clairvoyant groundhog, predicts six more weeks of winter weather. Or at least that was the interpretation of WLOS Chief Meteorologist Jason Boyer, who “translated” the adorable rodent’s Feb. 2 forecast at the WNC Nature Center during a Groundhog Day celebration attended by hundreds of onlookers.

The Elder Club provides fun and friendship

Jennifer Gay, program coordinator of the Elder Club at Jewish Family Services of WNC, says that the small group of older adults is “really like a family. Everybody cares very deeply for one another.” The group is geared towards older adults who are looking for an opportunity to socialize and who may have limited ability to get out on a regular basis. Individuals with physical and/or mild to moderate memory challenges are welcome.

N.C. Treasurer Cowell discusses Asheville, state economy

The freezing temperatures didn’t stop North Carolina Treasurer Janet Cowell from laying out her take on the state of the economy, or prevent a crowd, including many local notables, from showing up to hear, and ask questions. She praised Asheville’s strong economy and “human capital” but noted challenges with infrastructure and state revenue. Photo by Alicia Funderburk