Sen. Mayfield says executive told her there would be no time for people to address the room
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Sen. Mayfield says executive told her there would be no time for people to address the room
Josh Stein, who’s running for governor, has sent six letters to HCA and purchase agreement monitor since start of year
Mike Holcombe, water director from 1993-97, remains adamant that the city is downplaying what he says is the major cause — the decommissioned East Asheville Booster Pump Station.
Messino’s decision not to provide acute hematology chemotherapy at Mission comes five months after a National Nurses United union nurse flagged concerns about potential cancer patient harm to the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services.
As of late August there were 337 children ages 0-17 in the Buncombe foster care system and another 43 who are 18 or older, according to data provided to The Watchdog. There were 60 foster homes licensed by DSS in Buncombe and 34 licensed relatives as of early September.
“I have noticed a dramatic loss of buskers in this town,” said Lyle Rickards, a leader of the Asheville Buskers Collective, a loose-knit group of some 300 street performers. “This year, I’d say there are 30 buskers in town for the season. Last year, we had 100.”
The store’s main entrance sits on Merrimon Avenue, but to the rear lies Maxwell Street, a short, shaded route that runs between Chestnut and Broadway streets. The problem is that on this end of the building, Whole Foods has a loading dock, which was issued a permit by the city two decades ago.
A low-key manager known for being reluctant to work in the spotlight, Campbell has maintained a low profile despite some very high-profile, controversial and sometimes contentious issues in the city.
In a presentation to Asheville City Council last week, David Melton, director of the Water Resources Department, said the five new positions for the “valve team” will allow the department to take a more active role on maintaining and checking valves.
Asheville Watchdog obtained four complaint letters that were sent to NCDHHS and conducted exclusive interviews with nurses who had expressed concerns that the transfer procedures, known as handoffs, lead to needless delays in care and sometimes endanger patients.
“Usually, it’s like someone flips a switch, and it’s game on,” said Will Gay, the owner of the Diamond Brand Outdoors shop on Biltmore Avenue, regarding the start of July, the second biggest month for tourism after October. “This year, it’s like someone forgot to flip the switch.”
Five of six medical oncologists hired since 2020 have left or are about to depart, leaving Mission Cancer Center with just one. The staffing level at the department has generated “serious concerns” and a threat of litigation from the state attorney general.
It is unclear how many sets of remains could be there, Tasha Benyshek, senior archaeologist with cultural resources management firm TRC, told Asheville Watchdog.
In a June 20 letter to Greg Lowe, CEO of HCA’s North Carolina Division, the North Carolina Attorney General’s office cited HCA’s sharp reduction in cancer services, consisting of just one physician “where it once had as many as 14.”
The outage spanned 11 days, from Dec. 24, 2022 through Jan. 4, 2023, left tens of thousands of customers without water and shut down businesses during the crucial holiday season.
When asked for comment on the report, Asheville Mayor Esther Manheimer issued the following statement: “The city and county partner in numerous ways and across many departments to bring services to residents. We are committed to continuing to enhance collaboration with the county and other regional partners.”
The key to managing homelessness is allowing affordable housing in one’s backyard. Some cities are better at that than others. Asheville? Not so much.
Part 11 of Asheville Watchdog’s “Down Town” series looks at how other cities have confronted mental health issues — with greater success.
As we conclude the “Down Town” series, our Watchdog reporters turn their attention to other cities that have had some success in addressing the challenges we have in common.
“Here’s the way I look at Asheville: Every 10 years they want to rebuild the wheel,” says downtown resident Kim MacQueen. “It’s a town that’s really comfortable with charrettes.”
Under Asheville’s “council-manager” form of government — sometimes also known as “strong manager, weak council” — only City Manager Debra Campbell is authorized to operate the city’s levers of power. Mayor Esther Manheimer has officiating duties but has no more authority than any other member of the city council.