Despite higher levels of unemployment in Western North Carolina as communities recover from Hurricane Helene, the number of people facing evictions in recent months has declined, according to data from the North Carolina Housing Coalition.
Author: Blue Ridge Public Radio
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‘Come Hell Or High Water.’ New archival, oral history project gathers WNC Helene stories
Katherine Cutshall, the Buncombe County Special Collections manager, said the concept was conceived soon after Helene but staff held off asking for submissions until earlier this year.
WNC trout fishing this summer? Where anglers can go in Hurricane Helene aftermath
Post-Helene debris and waterway changes have made some of the public’s favorite fishing rivers inaccessible for the season, which peaks in spring and fall, though some trout fishing is allowed year-round.
Federal buyouts affect Asheville’s NOAA office
The Trump administration has sent tens of thousands of federal employees resignation letters, while raising concerns that climate data is at risk
‘This is beyond politics’: Local leaders call for Helene recovery support
Leadership from Hot Springs, Black Mountain, Canton and other local towns toured Marshall in Madison County and Biltmore Village in Buncombe County as part of a trip organized by the American Flood Coalition — a bipartisan nonprofit working to bring these communities together to advocate for recovery on a state and federal level.
By executive order, NC expedites up to 1,000 temporary housing units in WNC
The executive order, one of five issued Thursday, is Stein’s first official act as governor after being sworn in on Jan. 1.
Regulators order CSX to stop dredging rock from Nolichucky River
The Army Corps of Engineers has ordered CSX to stop mining the Nolichucky riverbed for material used in railroad repairs, according to a copy of a letter shared by The Southern Environmental Law Center, which has sued over the issue.
Record-setting early voter turnout in North Carolina with WNC voters leading the way
Early voting statistics from the State Board of Elections (BOE) showed Hurricane Helene did not deter voters in Western North Carolina from casting their votes.
Drinkable water to be restored by mid-December. Multiple factors at play, another warns.
The mid-December timeline set by the Corps is a “best-case scenario,” said City Water Resources spokesperson Clay Chandler.
After Helene, disabled folks and seniors still vulnerable and in need of water in WNC
Every day since Helene, volunteers with Asheville’s Flush Brigade gather at the parking lot of the Gold’s Gym on Fairview Road, disperse buckets, and climb into water tank-laden trucks to check in on different apartment complexes in the city.
Hundreds rally at to support nurses in contract battle
The rally was part of a push from the union to pressure HCA, a for-profit that purchased Mission in 2019, for better working conditions. The event was the latest in a long line of actions by local and state officials against the company.
Asheville Police Department pushes to expand panhandling restrictions despite decline in calls reporting panhandlers
Asheville Police Chief Mike Lamb wants to increase the number of places designated as High Traffic Zones, areas where it is illegal under city code for a person to verbally solicit and/or panhandle. Solicitation with a sign is still permitted in these areas.
State sues Pactiv Evergreen over $12 million subsidies for shuttered Canton mill
“This company has broken our economy, tried to break our spirits, and broken promises, and that’s not how we raise our children in this state,” said Canton Mayor Zeb Smathers. “There are consequences for one’s actions.”
A state title for Cherokee Lady Braves basketball team is a win for whole region
The championship game was a larger-than-life community affair. The team represents the only high school on the Qualla Boundary, the home of the federally recognized tribe of the Eastern Band of Cherokee.
Asheville’s rising housing cost forces candidate out of City Council race weeks before primary
“It’s a very new feeling for me and I think I was embarrassed to let people know,” Taylon Breeden said of her difficulty in finding housing. “But it’s important that I tell the story because it is relatable and we’re all facing it so harshly right now.”
