Concealed carry permits in Buncombe jump 400 percent

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 […]

Despite environmen­tal concerns, salt still most effective de-icer

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.

WNC hospitals undertake antibiotic stewardshi­p to combat resistance

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.