Rituals that draw on the traditions of indigenous, non-Western cultures are part of a growing industry at the intersection of health, wellness and spirituality. Some in Western North Carolina have raised concerns about whether it’s appropriate for non-native practitioners to offer and profit from traditional practices and techniques.
Parks and Recreation Director Roderick Simmons fielded criticism over the parking changes from multiple community members and athletic groups. The city’s efforts to reduce the burden of event parking in the East End, Edgehill, Hunt Hill and Oakhurst neighborhoods, they said, had hampered their access to the athletic facility.
The annual Asheville Wordfest, which takes place April 12-14, promises to bring three days of Appalachia-focused workshops and readings by area writers, readers and thinkers.
Mihalas received the Distinguished Service Award for Youth Education from Trout Unlimited last year for her work in creating a new generation of conservation-minded youth. She challenges young people to share photos of fishing or having outdoors fun with friends on Instagram to bridge the gap between nature and social media.
Thomas’s UpStaff Personnel, an offshoot of the nonprofit Green Opportunities, connects unemployed and under-resourced community members with employers. Unlike other staffing agencies, he explains, the company also provides employees with a network of support, including transportation, child care and counseling.
As Brother Wolf founder Denise Bitz steps away from the organization that she formed 12 years ago, Leah Craig Fieser joins the organization as executive director. While Fieser maintains that the shift in leadership will steer Brother Wolf back to its original mission of rescuing local cats and dogs, questions remain regarding the development of the sanctuary property, financial transparency and the overall stability of the organization.
Kit Cramer, president and CEO of the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce, is sold on the business benefits of family-friendly workplace policies, and other area businesses are getting on board. Xpress explores how some local employers are supporting the family needs of their workers.
The four-phase, roughly $440,000 project is set to begin this spring and conclude in April 2020. Those funds will come from occupancy tax revenue in the Tourism Product Development Fund budget. Funding for community projects will then resume at a time yet to be determined after the planning is complete.
Since beginning her new job as Asheville’s city manager in December, Debra Campbell — the first woman and person of color to permanently occupy the position — has inspired appreciation, as well as sky-high expectations. In our Q&A, learn about Campbell’s priorities and principles.
Brandy Mills and her husband, Robert, say that one of their fondest memories of growing up in Asheville is of meeting friends and family at the Tastee-Freez on Patton Avenue to enjoy their favorite ice cream on hot summer days. “Both of our families could only afford to take us there once or twice a […]
Beverly-Hanks Realtors celebrated a big year with an awards ceremony Feb. 12. Mega Networking returns to the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce on Mar. 14. And the cost of renting an apartment rose nearly three percent over the past year, according to an industry website.
On Jan. 16, more than 40 participants embarked on a 30-week-long diabetes wellness and prevention program that promotes nutrition education and fitness to cope with and prevent Type 2 diabetes. Since its inception in 2012, the Asheville YWCA’s diabetes program has served at least 500 people. While many participants have been diagnosed by a doctor […]
A document that allows mental health patients to request personalized treatment from providers during times of crisis is beginning to gain popularity among those wishing to take charge of their health care decisions.
Jim Tolbert of the Citizen’s Climate Lobby encouraged members of the Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority to support the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act, a bill that aims to reduce carbon emissions through a tax on fossil fuel companies.
“Health is not just about food: It’s also all of these other things that add into a person’s health and well-being,” explains Ali Casparian, founder of the nonprofit Bounty & Soul. “If you’re not addressing pieces of the system in a collective way, then you’re just treating the symptoms.”
Asheville-based nonprofit Campaign for Southern Equality, along with Western North Carolina Community Health Services, released a study last month detailing the health care experiences of transgender and nonbinary people. Transgender Health in the South centers on the experiences of a diverse focus group of people from transgender communities across six Southern states, including North Carolina. […]
“We have been shouting about climate change for a long time, but now, we feel like it’s going to take more messaging in a different way,” says Avram Friedman of the Canary Coalition, a Sylva-based environmental activism group. “We’re showing people that we’re so committed to this, it’s so important, that I’m willing to fast for 10 days to get this message across.”
Open enrollment for 2019 Affordable Care Act health insurance plans is underway through Saturday, Dec. 15.
A $940,000 award, to be administered primarily by Asheville-based nonprofit Mountain BizWorks, will fund the newly created Growing Outdoors Partnership, which aims to boost sustainable job growth in the local outdoor gear and recreation industries.
While organizations continue to use traditional forms of community engagement such as printed mailing lists and media relations, social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter have widened their scope of donors and support.
Michael Waldvogel, an extension associate professor at North Carolina State University who specializes in urban and industrial pests, says Asheville’s booming restaurant scene and ongoing construction create the right conditions for a spike in rodent activity.
