Press release from Buncombe County: Earlier today, we learned of an important change to our number of COVID-19 related deaths and wanted to make our community aware of the change in the data. During a final review of the ten deaths of Aston Park residents who recently were reclassified by the facility as non-COVID-related deaths, […]
News Bulletins
Four Seasons Camp Heart Songs goes virtual
Press release from Four Seasons: Four Seasons Compass Program offers Camp Heart Songs August 3rd – 8th. This grief camp, for those ages 5-18, will be a virtual experience this year, due to COVID-19 restrictions. Using nature and the world around us, Camp Heart Songs provides an opportunity for children and adolescents to explore and […]
Rachel Ruit, struck on Patton Avenue, dies of injuries
Press release from Asheville Police Department: Note: This press release was updated on July 15 to reflect that Rachel Dawn Ruit died on July 14. At approximately 1:30 p.m. on July 13 the Asheville Police Department responded to the 800 block of Patton Avenue after receiving reports of a motor vehicle crash involving a pedestrian […]
Air quality forecast for Asheville, Wednesday, July 15: Moderate (YELLOW)
Forecast for Wednesday, July 15, 2020, is a code yellow air quality forecast day for the valleys and ridge tops of Asheville and Buncombe County. Unusually sensitive people should consider limiting prolonged outdoor activities. WNC Regional Air Quality Agency 52 Coxe Avenue Asheville, NC 28801 Phone: 828.250.6777 Air Quality Forecast for Friday, 07/15/2020
Asheville City Schools details return-to-school plans
Announcement from Asheville City Schools: Good Afternoon Students, Staff and Families. This is Dr. Gene with an important update about our district. Earlier this afternoon, Governor Cooper announced that all school districts across the state have the option to start under a Plan B model. At this time, our schools will open on August 17th […]
Buncombe County Schools details return-to-school plans
Announcement from Buncombe County Schools: Today, Governor Cooper announced plans for a return to school next fall. The governor will require all schools to adhere to Plan B as we begin the new year. Plan B includes a wide array of safeguards to ensure our buildings are safe places to learn. Most importantly, this plan […]
Assistance requested for information related to June 19 arson fire off Hilliard Avenue
Press release from Asheville Fire Department: After a thorough investigation, the fire which broke out in the early morning of June 19 at 360 Hilliard Ave destroying an affordable housing development under construction, has been declared arson. The investigative team is comprised of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the Asheville Fire Department (AFD), […]
NC Association of Educators responds to school reopening decision
Press release from the North Carolina Association of Editors: “Educators want to be back in school buildings. We miss and value the relationships we have with students and their families. The careful approach Governor Cooper has taken in all of his re-opening decisions has been deeply appreciated, and while we understand that this was a […]
Haywood County adds 15 new COVID-19 cases since July 10
Press release from Haywood County: Haywood County Public Health received notice of 15 cases of COVID-19 since our last press release on July 10, 2010. This brings the number of cases recorded in Haywood County as of 1 p.m. July 14, 2020, to 132. The individuals reside in Haywood County and are in isolation at home. […]
UNCA receives grant to create online and hybrid versions of seven humanities courses
Press release from UNC Asheville: UNC Asheville is one of just 317 organizations in the U.S. to be awarded a highly competitive CARES Act grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH). The nearly $300,000 grant will fund professional development and curricular digitization, enabling key humanities courses to be delivered in engaging hybrid and […]
Serial bank robber John Johnson sentenced to 130 months in prison
Press release from U.S. Department of Justice: U.S. District Judge Max O. Cogburn, Jr. sentenced John Howard Johnson, 65, to 130 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release, in connection with a series of armed bank robberies he committed in 2019, announced Andrew Murray, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North […]
NC K-12 schools to reopen with restrictions, state Phase 2 continues
Schools will open for in-person instruction under an updated Plan B that requires face coverings for all K-12 students, fewer children in the classroom, measures to ensure social distancing for everyone in the building, and other safety protocols.
HCPS superintendent Caldwell to retire Nov. 30
Press release from Henderson County Public Schools: Following Monday afternoon’s school board meeting, Henderson County Public Schools’ Superintendent Hardy “Bo” Caldwell has announced his intention to retire on November 30, after he sees the district through its “Return to Learn” process for the 2020-2021 school year. Caldwell explained he’s making his retirement announcement early in the […]
NCDHHS honors ADA’s 30th anniversary with virtual celebration, July 23
Press release from NC Department of Health and Human Services: This month marks 30 years since the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was enacted with the promise of full and equal access to civic, economic and social life for Americans with disabilities. On July 23, 2020, North Carolina will host a virtual ADA 30th Anniversary Celebration […]
Mental health advocates focus on trauma of racism
Press release from Vaya Health: This July, Vaya Health is encouraging conversations on the impact of racism on mental health and spreading the word about local treatment resources in recognition of Black, Indigenous and People of Color Mental Health Awareness Month. Initially called Minority Mental Health Awareness Month, the observance was created in 2008 to […]
New report highlights unique LGBTQ landscape and advocacy in the U.S. South
Press release from the Campaign for Southern Equality: Today the Movement Advancement Project and Campaign for Southern Equality released Telling a New Southern Story: LGBTQ Resilience, Resistance, and Leadership, a new report examining the experiences and advocacy strategies of LGBTQ people in the U.S. South. The report was released in partnership with the Equality Federation. One […]
Asheville PEAK Academy hires Raul Saldaña as school leader
Press release from Asheville PEAK Academy: Asheville PEAK Academy, an Asheville area charter school opening in 2021, is proud to announce the hiring of its founding school leader, Dr. Raul Saldaña. Dr. Saldaña comes to Asheville PEAK Academy from El Paso, Texas, with a wealth of knowledge, experience, and measurable results in closing opportunity gaps for students of color and […]
Pollination Celebration photo contest winners announced
Press release from Asheville GreenWorks: More than 400 entries were received during June for a county-wide Pollinator Photo Contest highlighting pollinators going about their important business in Buncombe County. Residents, one as young as 4-1/2 years old, entered the contest, held during Asheville’s 8th annual month-long Pollination Celebration, organized by Asheville GreenWorks. The Leadership Committee of […]
Asheville Parks & Recreation offers youth football skills training
Press release from City of Asheville: Want to keep your young football player sharp during the time of no sports and social distancing? Want to start developing skills for the future? Asheville Parks & Recreation is offering a safe way to make that happen while keeping our community healthy. We’re offering a Youth Football Skills […]
Warren Wilson College’s Vesely-Flad and Tam-Claiborne receive Fulbright scholarships
Press release from Warren Wilson College: Warren Wilson College professor Rima Vesely-Flad has received a prestigious Fulbright award to teach Africana studies in Ghana. Vesely-Flad, who serves as the director of the Peace and Justice Studies Department and as an associate professor of philosophy and Africana studies at Warren Wilson College, will teach four liberal arts […]
NC Arboretum teams with DEQ for ecoEXPLORE Water Badge
Press release from The North Carolina Arboretum: ecoEXPLORE, an initiative of The North Carolina Arboretum that encourages kids to connect with the outdoors and engage in citizen science online, is partnering with the NC Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) in a new badge challenge for kids centered on hydrology and aquatic habitats. From July 13 through […]