Press release from City of Asheville: The following are City Council public hearings scheduled for the next formal meeting – July 28. This listing is for information only and is subject to change. Please call City Clerk Maggie Burleson at 259-5601 if you have any questions. A. Public hearing to consider an amendment to […]
News Bulletins
Confederate monument removed from Buncombe County courthouse property
Press release from Buncombe County: On June 16, 2020, the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners passed a joint resolution. The resolution, in part, states “Request is hereby made to the United Daughters of the Confederacy to immediately remove the two Confederate monuments located at the Buncombe County Courthouse and Pack Square Park. The City further […]
Western Women’s Business Center welcomes Tara Brown as interim director
Press release from Western Women’s Business Center: In an era of so much transition, the Western Women’s Business Center is no different, as we say goodbye to our Founding Director, Sharon Oxendine and we welcome Tara Brown as the Interim Director. Sharon created the vision for the Western Women’s Business Center and led us to launch […]
Buncombe County releases COVID-19 community update for July 13
Update from the Buncombe County Department of Health and Human Services: (July 13, 10 p.m.) As of noon today, there have been 898 lab-confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Buncombe County residents. Sadly, 32 residents of Buncombe County have died as a result of COVID-19. Currently, 188 of these individuals are in isolation. Since the start […]
Air quality forecast for Tuesday, July 14: Good/Moderate (GREEN and YELLOW)
Tuesday, July 14, 2020, is a code yellow air quality forecast day for the valleys of Asheville and Buncombe County. Unusually sensitive people should consider limiting prolonged outdoor activities. This forecast is based on particulate matter in the air. For the ridge tops, it is a code green air quality forecast day. No health impacts are expected when […]
Congress extends Paycheck Protection Program to Aug. 8
Update from North Carolina Business Council: Soon after the original June 30 deadline for the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), Congress voted to extend the program to August 8. Click link below to apply. If you have already submitted an application, it is being processed. Additionally, there is still funding for Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) and […]
IRS Criminal Investigation Office reminds taxpayers of July 15 filing deadline, warns against scams
Press release from IRS Criminal Investigation Charlotte Field Office: The Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of North Carolina reminded taxpayers of the July 15 filing and payment deadline and warned against an increase in tax and COVID-19 scams. Due to COVID-19, the original filing deadline […]
NCDHHS reports highest one-day increase of COVID-19 positive tests
Press release from the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services: RALEIGH — The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) is reporting the state’s highest one-day number of laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 cases with 2,462 reported. It is the highest one-day increase to date. Hospitalizations are also at a record high with 1,093 people […]
Brevard’s Rooster Head Plantation receives national crisis relief grant
Press release from Food Animal Concerns Trust: (Chicago, IL – July 13, 2020) Food Animal Concerns Trust (FACT), a national nonprofit organization that promotes the safe and humane production of meat, milk, and eggs, recently awarded an emergency mini-grant to Rooster Head Plantation. The farm is located in Brevard, NC and owned by Jaye and […]
WNC VA Healthcare System sees sharp increase in veterans opting for virtual care
Press release from Charles George VA Medical Center: The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) recently announced that video telehealth appointments to home increased more than 1000 percent as Veterans increasingly chose virtual care through VA Video Connect during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Western North Carolina VA Health Care System – which includes Charles George […]
Brevard Music Center offers free drive-thru COVID-19 testing for the uninsured
Press release from Brevard Music Center: The Brevard Music Center in association with the Pisgah Health Foundation announces a free drive-thru COVID-19 testing site exclusively for those on Medicare and those who are uninsured. “The Brevard Music Center saw that there was nowhere for those without health insurance to go to get tested for free […]
Evergreen Community Charter School receives $5,000 contribution for racial equity initiatives
Press release from Evergreen Community Charter School: A $5,000 contribution from the Truist Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Truist Financial Corporation, will support Evergreen Community Charter School’s long standing efforts to dismantle systemic racism. The funds benefit Evergreen’s Racial Equity Workshop Initiative—an endeavor that provides students, teachers, parents, and community members an opportunity to participate in meaningful […]
Blue Ridge Humane Society reduces cat adoption fees to $25
Announcement from Blue Ridge Humane Society: Hendersonville, NC – If you’ve ever considered adding a feline companion into your family, now is the perfect time to adopt. Blue Ridge Humane Society has discounted the regular cat adoption fee to $25, down from the regular $75 for the immediate future due to a high number of […]
Buncombe County invites community to July 15 webinar on farmworker census participation
Press release from the Buncombe County Soil and Water Conservation District: Census participation is historically lower among farmworkers, Latinos, and other transient communities. However, these communities can benefit most from a complete count because of the resources, representation, and funding Census data influences. How can farmworkers and other members of North Carolina’s agricultural and rural […]
Henderson County Board of Health holds July 14 meeting
Press release from the Henderson County Department of Public Health: The Henderson County Board of Health meets Tuesday, July 14. Please see the attached agenda for more details. Please make note of the meeting format, adjusted to meet social distancing compliance. The public can participate in one of the following ways: Virtual Public Access via […]
Asheville native wins Navy award aboard USS Constitution
Press release from the U.S. Navy: Asheville native Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Alec Kramer was awarded Blue Jacket of the Quarter aboard USS Constitution on July 9. Blue Jacket of the Quarter is awarded to a junior Sailor who exemplifies outstanding dedication to duty and superior performance by going above and beyond their assigned job. […]
Asheville Humane Society offers $5 cat adoptions through Aug. 1
Press release from the Asheville Humane Society: FELINE lonely? There’s no better time to adopt a furry companion! Asheville Humane Society is currently FULL of felines, and we need to make space for more coming back from foster care! Now through Saturday, Aug. 1, all cats and kittens will have $5 adoption fees to help […]
Asheville-based Campaign for Southern Equality joins suit against ACA discrimination changes
Press release from the Campaign for Southern Equality: Today, the National Women’s Law Center (NWLC), Transgender Law Center (TLC), the Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund (TLDEF), the Center for Health Law and Policy Innovation (CHLPI) of Harvard Law School, and law firm Hogan Lovells filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the […]
Group to call for removal of Confederate statue in Sylva Saturday, July 11 at 1 p.m.
Announcement from event organizers: Reconcile Sylva wanted to make your organization aware of our upcoming event this Saturday at 1pm in Sylva, NC. It is a discussion and march focused on removing the Confederate statue outside the Jackson County Library, also known as the “Old Courthouse”, that currently shadows downtown Sylva. Our group, Reconcile Sylva, […]
Racial Justice Coalition reallocates $36K in emergency funds to local orgs
Press release from the Racial Justice Coalition: In a moment when thousands of people globally are challenging state-sanctioned violence against Black people, it is imperative that we continue to center the organizing and movement building efforts of those on the immediate front lines. The Movement for Black Lives comes at a crucial time as the […]
Buncombe County releases new property ownership data dashboard
Press release from Buncombe County: What started as a public information request led to a data-heavy dashboard the public can now utilize to see who owns property in Buncombe County. “This allows for citizens to see if the land owners surrounding them are people who live in the county, live in another state, or if […]