“Mission has not breached the APA [asset purchase agreement],” the letter said, referring to the contract governing HCA’s 2019 purchase of then nonprofit Mission Health for $1.5 billion. “Mission is now, and always has been, in full compliance with that contract and often exceeds its obligations under the APA.”
Figures show visitor spending on second homes doubled from 2009 to 2017, from $44.6 million to $90.4 million.
Explore Asheville spent more than $88,000 on a golf tournament in July, flying three stars from the MTV reality show “Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta” to Asheville and paying $3,591 for VIP transportation, $3,800 for personal bodyguards and amenities that included a $300 golf lesson at the Omni Grove Park Inn.
We deserve better. We deserve the kind of healthcare Mission used to provide, before HCA, when the hospital was considered one of the top health systems in the United States, a magnet for some of the finest physicians in the country, and a source of community pride.
Forty years ago, when hotels sat shuttered and virtually no one ventured downtown after business hours, the city’s business and elected leaders helped pass a tax on overnight visitors, the first in North Carolina, with the stipulation that its proceeds be used to advertise and promote Asheville to attract more visitors.
HCA has “gutted the heart and soul of our community healthcare system,” doctors write.
“The fact that this was even a question is indicative of the frustration many are feeling in the community,” said Mark Weinstein, a Transylvania County resident who helped organize independent meetings. “Nobody seems to really be listening. And nobody seems to be able to do anything.”
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.”
