Business is booming — often literally — for Fletcher businessman Dan Meadows. In response to increased demand for instruction on carrying concealed handguns, Meadows’ TAP3X Group of Companies bumped up the number of concealed carry classes it offers as well as individual firearms instruction. “About three years ago I was teaching only one class a month,” Meadows stated […]
To keep cars from slipping and sliding — and crashing and smashing — when weather conditions turn roads icy, the city of Asheville and the N.C. Department of Transportation treat local motorways with salt. While the substance can impact water quality and the health of wildlife, officials say they mostly succeed in balancing environmental and traffic safety concerns.
Antibiotic resistance has become a serious problem, causing infections that can’t be treated and thousands deaths every year in the U.S. as a result. Many hospitals, including several local ones, have created antibiotic stewardship programs, which develop strategies for the appropriate use of antibiotics while decreasing the chance of bacteria becoming resistant to them.
The specter of former County Manager Wanda Greene hovered over the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners meeting on Jan. 16, as the commission got a detailed breakdown of when staff spotted irregularities tied to Greene and how the county got a clean audit in the midst of a federal investigation.
During its first meeting of 2018, the Buncombe County Board of Adjustment approved a conditional use permit for Mission Health to build an offsite health care facility on U.S. Highway 70.
During its meeting on Jan. 16, the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners will hear a report by County Manager Mandy Stone on internal controls the board has developed since the departure of former County Manager Wanda Greene. It will also hear the results of the audit for fiscal year 2017.
The Buncombe County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved selling an undeveloped, 137-acre tract of land off Ferry Road for $5 million during its Jan. 9 meeting. The parcel has changed hands several times in recent years and was once intended to lure a national brewery to the region.
A 137-acre tract of undeveloped land off Ferry Road could soon have a new owner if Buncombe County commissioners vote to sell the property for $5 million during their meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 9.
After a tense back-and-forth between members of the board and residents in the audience, the Buncombe County Board of Adjustment approved the development of a 296-unit apartment complex on Aiken Road just south of Weaverville during its Dec. 13 meeting.
In the shadow of an ongoing federal investigation into former County Manager Wanda Greene, the county received good news this week: a clean audit for fiscal year 2017.
Mission Health has reached an agreement with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina that will bring Mission back into the Blue Cross networks effective Dec. 15. The announcement comes after months of public debate and the termination of its contract with Blue Cross on Oct. 5. All patients with BCBSNC insurance will be able to […]
Buncombe County commissioners approved setting goals to make all county operations run on renewable energy sources by 2030 and all community operations run on renewable energy within 25 years.
By a host of measures, air quality has improved dramatically in Western North Carolina over the past decade. In 2017, the number of days with potentially hazardous levels of ozone set a historic low. But airborne particulates remain a pressing concern.
Buncombe County is funding community work in a new way through the Isaac Coleman Community Investment Grants, focusing on grassroots groups rather than traditional, institutional nonprofit organizations.
The Trestle Crossing project slated for downtown Black Mountain won approval on Thursday, but not without garnering some critics and going through a complicated process.
Devotees of bow and black powder rifle hunting say they enjoy the expanded season permitted for hunting with those less-than-modern technologies. The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission is considering changes to hunting times next year to give buck deer more opportunity to mate before hunting season begins.
In an arrangement that Chamber leaders said was the first of its kind for the region, the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors on Oct. 31 unanimously approved plans to provide economic development services for the Haywood County Chamber on a consulting basis.
Young participants in Buncombe County 4-H programs learn a wide range of skills. Some involve caring for farm animals, while others — like responsibility, teamwork and persistence — apply to a wide variety of subjects and situations. Xpress talks with kids and their families about their 4-H experiences.
To boost participation of minority- and women-owned businesses in contracting opportunities with local government agencies, both the city of Asheville and Buncombe County provide programs to support those business owners in achieving certification and pursuing contracts.
Plans are afoot to renovate a large, historic building in the River Arts District to create a mixed-use space with lodging, retail and restaurant components.
An affordable housing summit on Sept. 29 explored local programs that encourage the development of affordable housing.
