Several Western NC counties seeing recent surge in COVID-19 cases even as willing pool of vaccine recipients dries up.
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Smith Mill Works companies envision a resilient future Asheville
Smith Mill Works is a sprawling, formerly abandoned greenhouse complex in West Asheville. The property’s revitalization began with in 2014 with the involvement of Michael Klatt. Now home to a diverse array of resilient businesses, the facility provides insight and inspiration toward a sustainable future for Asheville and the region.
From NC Health News: Illness turned housing instability into homelessness for one western NC couple
At 4.61 percent in 2016, North Carolina ranked 5th in the nation in its eviction rate, almost twice as high as the national eviction rate of 2.34 percent that year. Franklin resident Donna, and her partner, C., are two of the many Western North Carolina renters impacted by eviction.
From NC Health News: Behind needle exchange bill, a spat between Asheville site and its new neighbors
Proposed state legislation filed in response to a years-long feud between an Asheville neighborhood and a local needle exchange could threaten syringe exchanges across North Carolina.
From CPP: Haywood County seeks to build jail, grassroots group seeks to stop it
County officials say new jail is an issue of simple math. Opponents say money is better spent elsewhere.
Small farm survival is in your hands
“Caught in the middle, our small farmers struggle to balance wages with prices the market will bear, while treating workers fairly.”
Trout in trouble: Habitat protection key for brook trout in warming climate
Ongoing habitat loss and warming temperatures present an existential threat to Western North Carolina’s only native trout species, the brook trout.
From CPP: Vaccines critical for farmworkers in WNC
As one of the most vulnerable populations for COVID-19, farmworkers are key candidates for vaccination. Organizations in Western NC counties work to get shots to transient groups.
From CPP: Forest supervisor balances population, budget and environmental concerns
Forest supervisor James Melonas sets priorities for tenure as leader of state’s four national forests.
From CPP: Asheville City Council blocks public from retreat, says open meetings law does not apply
A coalition of media organizations takes legal action to ask courts to open the publicly-funded meeting.
Step up now to save Buncombe County’s farmland
“Faced with significant development pressures, we must do what we can to protect some of the region’s natural habitat and biodiversity, as well as our most productive farmland.”
From CPP: Black leadership advances new trails project in Pisgah National Forest
Creation of more than 40 miles of “purpose-built” trail system will serve a diverse range of users from equestrians to walkers.
From CPP: Environmental groups eye wastewater permit renewal for Canton paper mill
In town known for a foul smell and a river that used to run black, the Canton paper mill has made strides in cleaning up, and jobs depend on the facility. But environmentalists say concerns persist.
From NC News Service: New plan for natural strategies to curb NC floods, water pollution
Last year was the second-wettest on record for North Carolina, and communities across the state are looking for better ways to deal with intense rainfall and costly flooding.
From CPP: Pandemic prompts cycling in cities, but NC politics could apply the brakes
Interest in cycling has increased due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but funding for bike-friendly roads faces an uphill battle, both in Asheville and across the state.
P&W deal makes mockery of Peace Day proclamation
“We must ask ourselves, ‘What are we sowing in our community and in our world for generations to come?’ Will we build our economy on poison?”
From EdNC: N.C. community colleges prove vital to COVID-19 vaccine distribution
Health departments across the state have been relying on community colleges’ facilities, faculty, and students to run vaccination clinics.
From CPP: Climate change challenges trout industry in North Carolina
Increasing heat and stronger storms threaten trout populations dependent on clean, cold, oxygen-rich water. A decline in trout production could hurt farmers and recreational fishermen.
From EdNC: Teachers are ‘careful’ as reading instruction is revamped
In Transylvania County, the public school district is realigning reading instruction with the science of reading, a body of decades-old research on such subjects as how kids learn to read and best instructional practices. But teacher knowledge in that science is widely varied.
What it means to date — and not date — in Asheville right now
“What’s not funny, however, is the suggestion that anyone has a right to sex, tangential to a partner who desires to have it with them, particularly during a pandemic.”
From NC Health News: Fat bias at the doctor’s office takes a serious toll
Even with health insurance and ample provider availability, fat discrimination by providers can be a barrier to care for overweight people.