Pride events in smaller towns foster community, support homegrown talent and highlight local services, such as gender-affirming health care.
Author: Jessica Wakeman
Showing 22-42 of 282 results
Buncombe County debuts new mobile health RV
Services on the mobile health unit include rapid testing for HIV and hepatitis C; gonorrhea, chlamydia and syphilis testing; vaccinations; distribution of COVID-19 tests; tests for fentanyl and xylazine; Narcan, the overdose reversal drug; antibiotic treatment for syphilis; and family planning services.
Coffee business offers employment opportunities to formerly incarcerated individuals
One might never know that a 650-pound industrial coffee roaster sits in the Trinity United Methodist Church basement if not for the smell of freshly roasted beans.
Trout hatchery renovation could impact local tourism
A renovation expected to begin next year at the 67-year-old Bobby N. Setzer Fish Hatchery in Brevard will diminish upcoming trout stockings in local rivers by two-thirds. However, the effect that renovation could have on tourism and businesses that rely on anglers is difficult to determine.
Panel discussion addresses history of harm reduction in Asheville
“I was brought to a room at one point as a county employee, with major county and city staff, and basically told to shut up,” Amy Upham, who worked as opioid response coordinator for Buncombe County Department of Health and Human Services (BCDHHS) from 2019-21, told an audience at Pack Memorial Library last week.
Local church hosts gun surrender event
On Saturday, June 8, First Baptist Church in Asheville will host a Guns to Gardens firearm surrender event, where donated weapons will be dismantled and repurposed as garden tools.
Wellness roundup: Whooping cough cases rise in Buncombe County
Whooping cough, also known as pertussis, is a bacterial infection that affects the respiratory tract. Symptoms begin with a mild cough that worsens into severe coughing fits, which can lead to vomiting in young children.
Housing Authority restores competitive bidding for early education
“We’ve been out of compliance for 14 years,” Housing Authority of the City of Asheville President and CEO Monique Pierre told a May 22 meeting of the HACA Board of Commissioners.
Report, conference address Buncombe’s aging population
By 2041, it is predicted that adults ages 65 and older will comprise one-quarter of Buncombe County’s population.
Protecting wildlife from selfie culture
“It is interesting to me that anybody would think it’s OK to just walk up and grab a bear cub and not be concerned about where mama is,” says Appalachian Wildlife Refuge co-founder Savannah Trantham said. “If she had been close by, I think that you probably would have seen a different outcome.”
Hospitality workers reveal health care struggles in new survey
Less than one-fourth of Asheville hospitality workers in a recent survey have paid sick leave, and 85% have gone to work sick.
Candidates talk affordable housing, homelessness with business leaders
Three candidates for Buncombe County Board of Commissioners gathered at the May 10 Council of Independent Business Owners meeting to lay out their vision for the county’s future direction.
Nonprofit addresses sexual harassment in the food and beverage industry
‘That’s just what it’s like working in a bar,’ some say. Others might push it aside for financial reasons — ‘Don’t you want more tips?’ But local advocates say addressing sexual harassment and sexual violence is key to preventing it from continuing. Especially in the hospitality industry, where it is prevalent.
Teachers’ mental health gets new focus
Kate Wargo moved to Asheville in fall 2021 with hopes for a fresh start. Teaching elementary school during the COVID-19 pandemic had left her exhausted, anxious and depressed. “It was the first time I felt dehumanized,” she says of the previous two years teaching fourth grade in Pennsylvania.
Wellness roundup: County simulates viral outbreak response
The exercise was a mass distribution of hepatitis A vaccines, explains BCDHHS Director of Nursing Amparo Acosta, who served as the on-site incident commander. “We know that being prepared is critical to dealing with emergencies.”
WNC is ground zero for wilderness skills education
In February, Mountain BizWorks’ MADE X MTNS partnership, which seeks to expand WNC’s outdoor industry, released a study that noted outdoor activities such as backpacking, day hiking and vehicle camping generated an economic output of $4.9 billion per year for the region and resulted in 48,000 full-time jobs.
Social opportunities for neurodivergent adults flourish locally
It’s not enough to provide activities centered around autism, because having autism in common doesn’t mean people’s interests are similar.
What would BID safety ambassadors bring to downtown?
Safety and hospitality ambassadors for a downtown Asheville business improvement district would be perceived as a welcome addition by some — additional “eyes and ears” on the street. But others aren’t sure that such a program is a priority.
CIBO hears homelessness strategy critiques
“It’s not going to be fun to point out how historically some things haven’t worked out so great and they have bad impact on business and the residents,” Coalition of Asheville Neighborhoods president Rick Freeman told the audience at the Coalition of Independent Business Owners meeting April 5.
Q&A with Joshua Arnold on climate studies, agriculture and bee hotels
Warren Wilson College’s environmental studies department will begin offering a master’s degree in applied climate studies in summer 2025. The program will draw on the college’s natural sciences and social sciences programs to prepare students for mitigating the effects of climate change. Students will attend two summertime intensives, and the rest of the coursework will […]
Veterans Healing Farm searches for new site in Henderson County
The Veterans Healing Farm is seeking to raise $5 million to purchase a new location and expand its offerings year-round.
