Press release from WNC VA Health Care System Today, VA announced that veterans and survivors who apply (or submit their intent to file) for PACT Act benefits by 11:59 p.m. on Monday, August 14, 2023 will be eligible to have their benefits backdated to August 10, 2022 – the day that President Biden signed the […]
News Bulletins
Open letter to the community: Both/and solutions for public safety are growing
Open letter from Esther Manheimer, Mayor of Asheville, Sandra Kilgore, Vice Mayor of Asheville, Maggie Ullman, City Councilwoman Chair of the Environment and Safety Committee, Sage Turner, City Councilwoman Chair of the Housing and Community Development Committee and Sheneika E. Smith, City Councilwoman Chair of the Equity and Engagement Committee Dear Citizens of Asheville, We are a coalition of […]
MADE X MTNS announces Outdoor Equity Fund Grant awardees
Press release from MADE X MTNS: MADE X MTNS is thrilled to announce the grant recipients of its Outdoor Equity Fund. The twenty grantees represent small businesses, sole proprietors, non-profits, and community groups, located across Western North Carolina’s 25 county footprint and the Qualla Boundary, all working to increase outdoor recreation access and economic opportunity. […]
Asheville Police seeking public assistance in West Asheville drive-by shooting investigation
Press release from APD: Asheville Police are investigating an apparent drive-by shooting in which someone shot multiple rounds into an apartment. There were residents inside the home, including children, but fortunately, no one was injured. APD Patrol Officers responded around 2:39 a.m. to the 60 block of Bingham Road to investigate reports of gun discharge […]
Livability.com’d 2023 Top 25 Best Places to Live in the Southeast includes Asheville
Press release from Livability.com: Livability.com has released a ranking of the Top 25 Best Places to Live in the Southeast. The 2023 ranking of the best places to live in the Southeast was created using data collected from Livability’s annual ranking of the Top 100 Best Places to Live, celebrating the best small and mid-sized communities across the U.S. […]
Artist Support Grant opens for applications
Press release from ArtsAVL: Through September 5, artists in any discipline are invited to apply for the 2023-24 Artist Support Grant. This year’s grantees will be awarded $500-$3,000 in categories including visual arts, literary arts, music, film, choreography, interdisciplinary arts, and more. This regional grant is open to residents of Buncombe, Haywood, Henderson, Polk, Rutherford, and Transylvania […]
Buncombe Sheriff’s Office requests assistance identifying suspect
Press release from Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office: The Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office is requesting assistance in locating and identifying the individual in this photograph. This individual is a person of interest in a larceny from a motor vehicle report. This crime occurred in the area of Old Haywood Road and Eastview Circle in the Candler community. […]
Passive recreation community engagement event set for Aug. 10
Press release from Buncombe County: The Open Space Bond team is currently seeking valuable input from the community to better understand the collective vision for the future of passive recreation lands in Buncombe County. In November 2022, Buncombe County voters approved a general obligation bond to allocate $30 million towards Open Space projects, including greenways, […]
GoTopless Rally returns to Pack Square, Aug. 26
Press release from GoTopless: The international GoTopless.org Rally returns to Pack Square in Asheville on Saturday, August 26, from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM. The rally is a public gathering of men and women who support a woman’s right to be shirtless any where a man can be bare-chested without fear of being arrested. “It is […]
Charles George VA Medical Center Receives 5-Star CMS Quality Ratings
Press release from the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs: Charles George VAMC has announced that it received a five-star rating from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). This is the first time CMS has included VA facilities in their annual Overall Hospital Quality Star Ratings. The CMS uses five categories – mortality, safety […]
Asheville Police Investigating Sunday Night Gunfire, Two Vehicles Struck
Press release from Asheville Police Department: Asheville Police Department is investigating gun discharges in the Southside Community that caused damage to two vehicles Sunday night; fortunately, there were no reports of injuries. APD Patrol Officers responded to Water Street around 9:55 p.m. on Aug. 6 to investigate reports of gun discharge. When officers arrived, they […]
APD seeking man that vandalized church, chased woman with knife
Press release from Asheville Police Department: Asheville Police are seeking the man who vandalized a church in west Asheville and threatened a woman with a knife on June 30. A man attempted to break into Trinity Baptist Church located on Shelburne Road on June 30. Shortly after, he approached a woman while walking her dog […]
Passive recreation community engagement event at Richmond Hill Park on Aug. 10
Press release from Buncombe County Parks and Recreation: Join the Buncombe County Open Space Bond team and Parks & Recreation department for an informational event at Richmond Hill Park on Thursday, Aug. 10, from 4-7 p.m. Anyone interested in attending can experience passive recreation opportunities firsthand and engage with the Open Space Bond team. Share […]
Public feedback drop-by for downtown restroom project to be held on Aug. 10
Press release from the City of Asheville: The City is moving forward with the purchase and installation of a prefabricated public restroom facility to be located in the public space on the College Street side of the Rankin Avenue parking garage. (This is the area where a porta-potty is located now.) The project is being funded […]
Buncombe County Parks & Recreation opens registration for fall family campout
Press Release from Buncombe County Parks & Recreation: Buncombe County Parks and Recreation is thrilled to announce the highly anticipated Fall Family Campout at Lake Julian Park, located at 37 Lake Julian Road in Arden and will be occurring from Saturday, Sept. 9 through Sunday, Sept. 10. Registration will be open from Aug. 7-31. This […]
Learn about Medicaid changes at free community forum
Press Release from Pigsah Legal Services: Medicaid is undergoing significant changes in North Carolina. Expansion is now on the horizon — pending budget approval it will launch on Oct. 1, 2023, benefiting more than 600,000 people in the state. In the meantime, terminations are underway, leaving thousands without coverage. Local nonprofit Pisgah Legal Services is […]
Help decide when and where early voting happens: Take Buncombe County’s primary voting survey
Press release from Buncombe County Board of Elections: Help decide when and where the 2024 Primary Election’s Early Voting will happen by taking a six-question survey. The Buncombe County Board of Elections will take this feedback into consideration when determining the locations and weekend hours for Early Voting, particularly in regard to site suggestions for […]
Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office is attempting to locate missing person from the Candler area of Buncombe County
Press release from Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office The Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office is attempting to locate a missing person from the Candler area of Buncombe County. Paul Pearson Age: 54 years old Height: Approximately 6’1 Eyes: Blue Hair: Brown Mr. Pearson was last seen leaving his residence in Candler on 07/24/2023 wearing a pink t-shirt […]
Housing and Community Development Committee on Aug. 21 at 1:30 pm
Press release from the City of Asheville The regularly scheduled Housing and Community Development Committee meeting on August 15, 2023, at 10:00 a.m., has been rescheduled to August 21, 2023, at 1:30 p.m. Please note the earlier start time and earlier date. Please visit the Committee webpage for more information.
Blue Cross Blue Shield NC donates $500,000 to the Forward Fund established to support transition efforts following mill closure
Press release from Community Foundation of WNC: The Community Foundation of Western North Carolina (CFWNC) established the Forward Fund to support nonprofit organizations and municipalities impacted by the Pactiv Evergreen closure in Canton. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina (Blue Cross NC) has made a lead gift of $500,000. “For several decades the […]
ArtsAVL announces Arts Build Community grant awardees
Press release from ArtsAVL: Twenty Buncombe County organizations have been awarded Arts Build Community (ABC) grants from ArtsAVL. This year’s grants, which range from $1,000 to $2,500, will support programs and initiatives in areas including storytelling, Black history, musical theatre, arts programming for veterans, comedy, community arts and dance, creative placemaking, programming for queer and […]