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.
Author: Asheville Watchdog
Showing 43-63 of 96 results
Down Town, Part 9: An old idea — the business improvement district — gets new life
“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.”
Down Town, Part 8: Who’s in charge here?
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.
From Asheville Watchdog: Arrested, released, again and again: The revolving door of Asheville’s justice system
A core group of people are responsible for a disproportionate amount of crimes in and around downtown and the cycle continues because local and state governments have failed to adequately invest in treatment, housing and alternatives to arrest.
From Asheville Watchdog: In Asheville, options for treating mental illness are limited
Untreated mental illness is the nexus of many of the problems contributing to a perception that downtown Asheville has become less safe.
From AVL Watchdog: Fentanyl and meth are now the two most common drugs in downtown Asheville, and the body count is rising
The Office of National Drug Control Policy has designated Buncombe, Henderson and McDowell counties as “High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas.” More than two-thirds of Americans live in a county designated as HIDTA, according to the website.
From Asheville Watchdog: Down Town, Part 4 — The Responders
For Part 4, Watchdog reporters shadowed the first-responders on the front lines of dealing with the recent rise in homelessness, substance abuse and addiction, and untreated mental health issues.
From Asheville Watchdog: Life on the Streets of Asheville
Part 3 of Asheville Watchdog’s series, “Down Town,” examines the reality of the recent deterioration of Asheville’s central business district.
From Asheville Watchdog: Down 40% in numbers, Asheville police are overstretched
Today, Asheville Watchdog continues its series Down Town, with an examination of the impact of a diminished police force especially downtown, where — as The Watchdog reported in Part 1 — merchants and residents have complained of increased break-ins and shoplifting, of human waste and needles in doorways, and of aggressive panhandlers.
From Asheville Watchdog: Merchants describe downtown Asheville’s descent into squalor and lawlessness
Today, Asheville Watchdog begins Down Town, a series that examines crime and the effects of a diminished police force; the consequences of increased homelessness and devastating drug addictions; the impact on tourism; the response by Asheville’s leaders; and the approaches used successfully in other cities.
From Asheville Watchdog: Out of prison, former Buncombe County manager says local government was corrupt long before she arrived
Wanda Greene was pulling down $250,000 a year and had just retired in July 2017, about to collect $15,000 a month in pension payouts for the rest of her life. And then it all came crashing down.
From Asheville Watchdog: City Council check-ins are out
The Asheville City Council officially ended its regularly scheduled, private “check-in” meetings Tuesday, a long-awaited step that advocates say will bring more transparency to city government.
From Asheville Watchdog: City ending closed-door meetings
Council to vote on switch to public ‘work sessions’ Tuesday, Feb. 14.
From Asheville Watchdog: National consultant offers ‘road map’ to end homelessness in Asheville … again
Local advocates say they are skeptical that yet another study will make a difference.
Leaked: A deep dive into the troubling history of water woes in Asheville
Asheville’s history includes a litany of water failures and outages, ranging from a week-long outage caused by a hurricane in 2004 to more than 720 “boil water advisories” in various parts of the city between 2017 and 2021, usually caused by water line breaks or other troubles.
From Asheville Watchdog: What are the odds of a casino in Asheville?
North Carolina can support as many as nine Las Vegas-style casinos with gambling throughout the state, including one in the Asheville area, according to a report commissioned by the General Assembly.
From Asheville Watchdog: City Council, mayor and staff hold closed-door meetings, sowing distrust
For at least five years, Asheville City Council members have debated and grappled with some of the most pressing issues facing Asheville in regularly scheduled private meetings with city staff — meetings that are outside of public view.
From AVL Watchdog: Information about holiday water failures is trickling out, as Asheville officials meet in private
Asheville’s water may be restored, but the spigot of information from city officials is still clogged.
From Asheville Watchdog: Enrollment, retention plunge at UNCA as leaders depart
The declines are the worst of the 16 public universities in the UNC system, an Asheville Watchdog analysis finds.
From Asheville Watchdog: Wanda Greene, back home in Buncombe, talks about her prison odyssey
Released nearly 5 years ahead of schedule, the former Buncombe County manager readies for another legal fight.
From Asheville Watchdog: 3 dead bears found in Woodfin; mutilated for parts, or poached for meat?
The remains of three bears found in Woodfin — possibly a mother and two cubs — highlight a serious problem with poaching in the mountains, a bear advocacy group says. The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission said the case may be the result of poaching, but its investigation is ongoing.