Mission Hospital receives award for excellence in care for heart attack patients

Press release From Mission Health: ASHEVILLE, N.C. (Aug. 28, 2013) – Mission Hospital’s Heart Services has received the American College of Cardiology Foundation’s Platinum Performance Achievement Award for the second consecutive year. Mission Hospital is one of only 197 hospitals nationwide to receive this prestigious award. The award recognizes Mission Hospital’s commitment to and success […]

Black Mountain News: Law enforcement arrests 33 in Swannanoa

From Black Mountain News Story by Joel Burgess: Focused patrols and other special policing led to 33 arrests in Swannanoa and a drop in break-ins, deputies with the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office said. Deputies launched the special effort, called Community Oriented Problem Solving (COPS), after a spike in resident complaints about break-ins, drug activity, and […]

Citizen-Times: Layoffs expected at Mission Health along with paycuts for executives

From the Asheville Citizen-Times Story by Julie Ball ASHEVILLE — Despite looming reductions in reimbursements and planned staff cuts, Mission Health is moving ahead with plans for a new tower on the campus, CEO Dr. Ron Paulus said Tuesday. “I said in my letter (to employees), we are not backing off, we are not shrinking […]

Hendersonville-based Mountain 1st Bank to merge with First Citizens Bank

Press release From First Citizens Bank: RALEIGH and HENDERSONVILLE, N.C., Aug. 28, 2013 — First-Citizens Bank & Trust Company (known as First Citizens Bank) and 1st Financial Services Corporation announced today the signing of a definitive merger agreement. 1st Financial Services Corp. provides commercial banking products and services through its subsidiary, Mountain 1st Bank & […]

State rolls out new interactive maps to ease planning process for towns, developers, citizens

Press release From N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources: RALEIGH – State officials today announced the release of nine interactive maps that allow users to find facilities and activities permitted through state water quality programs that could affect water use and planning. The N.C. Division of Water Resources created the interactive maps and placed […]

DHHS receives grant to provide $22 million in free and low-cost prescription drugs in rural NC

Press release From the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services: Raleigh, N.C. – The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) today announced it has received a $773,728 grant from the Kate B. Reynolds Charitable Trust to provide free and/or low-cost prescription drugs in rural counties over the next 12 months. DHHS’ Office […]

In the news

Following trends in Gannett-owned publications nationwide, the Asheville Citizen-Times laid off a total of eight staffers Aug. 14 — six of them from its newsroom, including longtime columnist Susan Reinhardt and Ashvegas reporter-blogger Jason Sandford. “It's hard when you see colleagues leaving that you've worked with for years, many years," Sandford tells Xpress. "There are […]

Executive Director of the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition to speak at UNCA

Press release From the N.C. Center for Health and Wellness: Share an Evening with Shellie Pfohl Sept. 16, 2013 from 6:00-7:30 p.m. UNC Asheville Sherrill Center-Room 417 The N.C. Center for Health and Welllnesss welcomes Shellie Pfohl as part of Well-A-Bration 2013. Shellie was appointed by President Barack Obama to serve as executive director of […]

Land-of-Sky Regional Council seeks vendors for upcoming wellness expo

Press release From Land-of-Sky Regional Council: Land-of-Sky Regional Council’s Volunteer Services Department is looking for vendors to participate in its Annual Wellness Expo to be held Monday, September 23, 2013, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Biltmore Square Mall in Asheville. Last year, the event attracted more than 500 senior adult participants. The […]

Writers at Home series begins Sept. 15 with poet Tina Bar and novelist Bonnie MacDougal

Press release From UNC Asheville News Services: Poet Tina Barr and novelist Bonnie MacDougal will kick off the Writers at Home fall series with a reading at 3 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 15, at Malaprop’s Bookstore/Café, 55 Haywood St., downtown Asheville. The Writers at Home series, sponsored by UNC Asheville’s Great Smokies Writing Program, is free […]

National Multiple Sclerosis Society to host two events at Reuters YMCA in September

Press release From the National Multiple Sclerosis Society: Asheville, N.C. – The Greater Carolinas Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society will host “Aquatics, Yoga, and Multiple Sclerosis” an education program for health and wellness professionals on Saturday, September 14 from 2-4:30 p.m. and Sunday, September 15 from 1-5 p.m. This program is an opportunity […]

Winston-Salem Journal: Study shows 40 percent of NC’s mental health workers older than 50

From the Winston-Salem Journal: Story by Richard Craver The state’s 14 mental-health institutions are heading toward a pivotal care and services transition, with about 40 percent of their 10,564 workers being at least 50 years old and 9 percent 61 and older, according to a study released last week. The study also determined that women […]

Times-News: Former Brevard schoolteacher beats record for completely self-supported AT hikes

From the Times-News Story by Nathaniel Axtell Only about 20 percent of those who set out to hike the entire Appalachian Trail actually complete the 2,185-mile journey between Georgia and Maine, and those who do generally take between five and seven months. Former Brevard schoolteacher Matt Kirk, 32, completed the journey Aug. 7 in 58 […]

NCDHHS announces flu shot policy to protect patients, residents in state facilities

Press release From the North Carolina DHHS: Raleigh, N.C. – N.C. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Aldona Wos, M.D., has directed leaders of the Division’s 14 state operated health care facilities to implement a mandatory flu vaccination policy for its 10,000 employees as well as volunteers in anticipation of this year’s flu season. […]