City of Asheville offices closed Nov. 28-29 for Thanksgiving holiday

Full announcement from the city of Asheville: ASHEVILLE – Asheville city government offices will be closed Thursday, Nov. 28 and Friday, Nov. 29 in observance of the Thanksgiving holiday. Garbage and recycling collection will be suspended Thursday, Nov. 28. Customers with Thursday garbage collection will have trash collected Friday, Nov. 29. Garbage should be placed […]

Insurance Service of Asheville collects hundreds of blankets in annual drive

Full announcement from Insurance Service of Asheville: (Asheville, N.C.) Local, independent insurance agency Insurance Service of Asheville (ISA), in partnership with media sponsor 98.1FM The River, and numerous local donors, collected hundreds of blankets and bedding items for Asheville Buncombe Community Christian Ministry’s (ABCCM) Crisis Ministry during the company’s 4th annual blanket drive held on […]

Death of Asheville artist ruled homicide, police asking public for info

The Asheville Police Department has ruled the death of local artist Christ Ortega a homicide, and is asking the public to come forward with information. Full announcement from the APD below: Asheville – After further consultation with the State Medical Examiner’s Office, and additional investigative follow-up by APD detectives, the Christopher Raymond Ortega death has […]

Area shelters declare ‘Code Purple’ until Dec. 1 due to extreme cold

From the city of Asheville: In response to anticipated wintry weather, area shelters will offer emergency cold weather services to people who are currently experiencing homelessness and would not otherwise have a safe, warm place to stay. To minimize risk to people in Asheville and Buncombe County, when the temperature falls below 32 degrees (or […]

Asheville entrepreneur John Cram receives state’s highest civilian honor

Full announcement from the office of Gov. Pat McCrory: Raleigh, NC – Governor Pat McCrory congratulated recipients of the state’s highest civilian honor tonight at the North Carolina Awards Program in Durham. Secretary Susan Kluttz of the Department of Cultural Resources joined the governor in acknowledging the exemplary North Carolinians. “The talent and determination seen […]

Citizen-Times: law enforcement investigating murder suspect’s ties to missing woman

From the Asheville Citizen-Times: ASHEVILLE — City police and Buncombe County sheriff’s detectives have launched a joint investigation into the disappearance of the former girlfriend of a man charged with killing his mother and stepfather. Cheyenne Nichole Van Treese, 23, had been in an on-and-off relationship with Vincent Thomas Wesley Franklin since she was a […]

Party for the People Hillcrest potluck Nov. 23

Via Asheville Action, announcement from the Women’s Wellbeing and Development Foundation: “On Saturday, November 23rd, from 5:00 – 7:30 pm at Hillcrest’s Carl E. Johnson Community Center (100 Atkinson Street), we are hosting the third annual Party for the People, in which Hillcrest residents come together with supporters and collaborators from all over the Asheville […]

‘Heat for Hunger’ donates portion of propane sales to MANNA FoodBank

Full announcement from Blossman Gas: The Asheville branch of Blossman Propane Gas, Appliance and Service located at1401 Smokey Park Highway in Candler, is partnering with MANNA FoodBank in a holiday “Heat for Hunger” program. Partial proceeds of every gallon of propane gas sold through December 20 from this branch will go to MANNA FoodBank as […]

Beyond Coal calls for replacement of Asheville power plant, delivers petition to Duke Energy

Full announcement from the WNC Alliance: ASHEVILLE – About a dozen community leaders met with Duke Energy representatives [on Nov. 20] to deliver more than 5,500 petitions from Asheville area residents who want the company to transition off fossil fuels in the region. The petitions, linked together to form a 116-foot long scroll, urge the […]

Canary Coalition joins movement to end corporate personhood

Full announcement from the Canary Coalition: The Canary Coalition has become involved in the struggle to end corporate personhood in America because the political power of corporations like Duke Energy, the coal, natural gas, nuclear and petroleum industries stands in the way of progress toward addressing air pollution, climate change, reductions in energy consumption and […]

Isabel Allende pens letter to Watauga County commissioners defending ‘The House of the Spirits’

From High Country Press: Nov. 21, 2013. Isabel Allende, author of “The House of the Spirits,” recently penned a letter to the Watauga County Board of Education, comparing the risk of her book being banned from Watauga County Schools as something that is common practice in Cuba, Korea or by religious fundamentalist groups like the […]

Forest Service: continue to contain Table Rock fire, expect “slow progression”

Full announcement from the U.S. Forest Service: BURKE COUNTY, NC – This morning at 6:00 am, the Southern Area Type 2 Team assumed management responsibility for the Table Rock Fire. At morning briefing, Incident Commander Steve Parrish commended the work of the departing North Carolina Type 3 Team and reminded firefighters that we will continue […]

Sustainable Energy group gives Apodaca “legislator of the year” award

From the North Carolina Sustainable Energy Association: RALEIGH, N.C. — The NC Sustainable Energy Association (NCSEA) presented North Carolina State Senator Tom Apodaca (R-Henderson) with a ‘Legislator of the Year’ award for the Senator’s strong defense of clean energy policies that have brought benefit to North Carolina’s businesses, citizens and economy. NCSEA presented the award […]

Special Nov. 25 meeting on $4 million in county business incentives for Plasticard

Full announcement from Buncombe County: The Buncombe County Industrial Facilities & Pollution Control Financing Authority will hold a special meeting on Monday, November 25, 2013 at 12 noon in the Planning Conference Room at 46 Valley Street in downtown Asheville to consider the approval of a Resolution Authorizing Execution of an Agreement with Plasticard-Locktech International, […]

Preservation Plan kick-off Nov. 21 at Basilica

Full announcement from the Preservation Society of Asheville and Buncombe County: On Thursday November 21 from 5-7 at the Basilica of St Lawrence, the Historic Resources Commission of Asheville & Buncombe County invites you to participate in a public kick-off meeting to develop Asheville and Buncombe County’s new Historic Preservation Master Plan. Come share your […]