Roadway death rates drop across North Carolina

Press release from NC Department of Transportation: RALEIGH – Road safety in North Carolina took a turn for the better in 2019. North Carolina’s traffic deaths decreased by 4.4 percent in 2019, according to data recently released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). This decrease is nearly twice the national rate. According to the report 1,373 people […]

Asheville teacher selected for NASA space education ambassadors program

Press release from NC Space Grant: An Asheville City Schools science teacher, Gretchen Ross of Montford North Star Academy, has been selected to participate in a brand-new STEM training opportunity from NC Space Grant, offered in collaboration with NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, the NASA Office of STEM Engagement and other NASA centers. Ross is […]

ACAE opposes in-person school, releases recommendations for hybrid learning plan

Press release from Asheville City Association of Educators: Asheville City Association of Educators is our district’s largest association of public school staff, including teachers, administrators, custodial workers, instructional assistants and other school employees. Like everyone else in our community and our nation, we have been thinking nonstop about the terrible tension around school reopening. Over the last few […]

Asheville City Council to consider concept plan for property at Haywood St. and Page Ave.

Press release from the city of Asheville: Following a series of community input and engagement activities this spring, the City of Asheville Department of Planning and Urban Design is pleased to release the Haywood Street and Page Avenue Master Concept Plan. The plan will be considered for acceptance by City Council on Oct. 27 as a […]

Mark Page named HCPS principal of the year

Press release from Henderson County Public Schools: HENDERSONVILLE, N.C. (Oct. 2, 2020) – Mark Page, principal at Atkinson Elementary, was named the 2020-21 Principal of the Year for Henderson County Public Schools this afternoon, with district administrators surprising him with the honor during what Page thought was a run-of-the-mill snake hunt. Amanda Childers, Small Schools […]

Asheville workers earn below average adjusted salaries, Pew report finds

Report from Lattice Publishing: The COVID-19 pandemic has sparked a surge in geographic mobility. According to Pew Research Center, 22 percent of adults in the U.S. have relocated during the pandemic or know someone who did. Interestingly, this reverses a longstanding trend in which Americans were staying put. Data from the U.S. Census Bureau shows […]

Mountain BizWorks accepting NC Rapid Recovery loan applications through Oct. 15

Announcement from Mountain BizWorks: Mountain BizWorks is a proud to be a participating lender in the North Carolina Rapid Recovery program which supports NC small businesses and family farms as they recover from the economic impact of COVID-19. Rapid Recovery loans are a vital source of flexible and low cost disaster loan funding to help […]

APD responds to shooting on Deaverview Road

Press release from Asheville Police Department: At approximately 1:00 a.m. on October 5 the Asheville Police Department responded to the 200 block of Deaverview Road after reports of gunshots. When officers arrived they found multiple shell casings. The front window of an occupied residence was struck, as well as a vehicle window. Fortunately no one […]

Nantahala Health Foundation awards NIMble grants to WNC nonprofits, public service agencies

Press release from Nantahala Health Foundation: More than 30 Western North Carolina nonprofits and public service agencies have been awarded Needs Immediately Met, or NIMble, grants from Nantahala Health Foundation in support of programs designed to achieve better health outcomes for regional residents. Organizations located in Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Jackson, Macon, Swain counties, and the […]

Federal court orders forfeiture of drug house near WCU

Press release from United States Attorney Andrew Murray: ASHEVILLE, N.C. – U.S. Attorney R. Andrew Murray announced today that the U.S. District Court in Asheville has ordered the forfeiture of a residence located at 129 Reservoir Ridge Drive, in Cullowhee, N.C., used to facilitate extensive drug activities. “The illicit drug trafficking that took place in […]

N.C. Humanities Council launches virtual Statewide Read program

Press release from the N.C. Humanities Council: The North Carolina Humanities Council (NCHC) is launching its Statewide Read program – a virtual book club for residents across the state – that dives headfirst into a highly topical subject, climate change, through preselected works of fiction. The program features two books in the so-called climate-fiction or […]

Adventure gear manufacturer to invest $1M in Old Fort

Press release from the office of Gov. Roy Cooper: Triple Aught Design, a US-based adventure gear company, will create 70 new jobs in McDowell County, Governor Roy Cooper announced today. The manufacturer will invest $1 million to build and operate a cutting-edge apparel and gear production facility and experience center in Old Fort. “Today, the […]

Buncombe County Libraries hosts public input on facilities plan Oct. 13-16

Press release from Buncombe County: The Buncombe County Public Libraries are developing a long-term facilities master plan, and resident input is a critical part of the planning process. “Libraries are a fundamental part of a thriving community,” says Library Director Jim Blanton, “so your input is key to guiding the long-term development of public spaces […]

African Americans in WNC and Southern Appalachia Conference returns online Oct. 16

Press release from UNC Asheville: UNC Asheville’s seventh African Americans in Western North Carolina and Southern Appalachia Conference will take place online this year, from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Friday, Oct. 16. The conference is free and open to everyone; the conference schedule and registration information will be posted at the conference website, aawnc.unca.edu, closer to […]

A-B Tech Board of Trustees, Joint Capital Advisory Committee to meet Oct. 5

Press release from A-B Tech: The A-B Tech Board of Trustees will meet at 3 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 5, in the Magnolia building on the Asheville campus. The Joint Capital Advisory Committee, which includes A-B Tech trustees Matt Kern and Roger Metcalf, along with Buncombe County commissioners Jasmine Beach-Ferrara and Al Whitesides and a […]

Buncombe County Schools bring high school students back to classroom Oct. 19

Press release from Buncombe County Schools: Here’s the BCS Board Briefing for Oct. 1. Among the important action items considered tonight was a revision of our Return to Learn plan for students in High School and our Early College. A summary of that revision is below. At tonight’s meeting, the board voted on a motion […]

PARI issues Sky Report for October, notes closest Mars approach in 15 years

Press release from the Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute: The planets: October this year belongs to MARS! While Jupiter and Saturn have been gracing our evening skies for several months, Mars has taken a back seat, rising hours after sunset. While Mars will not catch up with his two big brothers, he will soon be rising […]

Sam Snead swearing in

Sam Snead named Buncombe’s chief public defender

Press release from the N.C. Administrative Office of the Courts: Senior Resident Superior Court Judge Alan Z. Thornburg appointed Sam Snead as the Chief Public Defender for Buncombe County, filling the seat made vacant by the retirement of M. LeAnn Melton. Pursuant to North Carolina law, the Senior Resident Superior Court Judge appoints the Chief […]

YMCA of WNC reopens for indoor fitness

Press release from the YMCA of Western North Carolina:  The YMCA of Western North Carolina is putting safety first as it welcomes members back for indoor workouts and wellness. “When we temporarily closed our facilities in March, we did so to protect the health and well-being of all our staff, volunteers, members, and program participants. […]

Downtown Hendersonville continues LoveHendo – Shop Local Saturdays

Press release from the City of Hendersonville: Downtown Hendersonville continues LoveHendo – Shop Local Saturdays, providing open-air activity on Main Street the First Saturday of each month. The Friends of Downtown Hendersonville invites everyone to make the extra effort to support local businesses throughout the Historic Downtown. Main Street will be closed to vehicles all day on the First Saturday of each month from 2nd Avenue to […]

North Carolina launches program to help small businesses disproportionately harmed by COVID-19

Press release from the Office of Gov. Roy Cooper: North Carolina minority and women-owned businesses hit hardest by the COVID-19 pandemic will have access to guidance and $12 million in grants to help them weather the crisis, Governor Roy Cooper announced today. The North Carolina Department of Administration has launched a new grant program, RETOOLNC, […]