Press release from Asheville Police Department: Asheville Police are investigating a shooting that occurred near downtown Asheville on Wednesday evening and are asking for the public’s help in identifying the shooter. Officers responded to the 100 block of Cherry Street North to investigate reports of a gun discharge around 5:56 p.m. on November 20th. When […]
News Bulletins
AdventHealth awarded CON for 26 additional beds for the new Weaverville Hospital
Press release from AdventHealth Hendersonville: AdventHealth is honored to announce that the State of North Carolina has awarded us the Certificate of Need (CON) for 26 additional beds for our new hospital in Weaverville. This approval brings the total number of beds to 93, enhancing our capacity to provide high-quality, whole-person care to the people […]
Updates on cold weather sheltering, private property debris removal intake, and new bins from FCC
Press release from Buncombe County: As we head into cold temperatures, Buncombe County and partners remain committed to supporting residents through ongoing recovery efforts from Hurricane Helene and cold weather sheltering. FEMA continues to provide temporary housing, and there are currently more than 1,000 families who are staying in hotels through FEMA while more permanent […]
Grant update: Buncombe adds $1.5M for grants & one week left to apply for 2 major grant programs
Press release from Mountain Bizworks: The Asheville-Buncombe Rebuilding Together Grant Fund is designed to provide direct grant awards to small businesses in the City of Asheville and Buncombe County that have been severely impacted by Hurricane Helene. Businesses may apply for a grant up to $25,000 to support recovery expenses not covered by insurance or other […]
Code purple called for Friday
Press release from Homeless Coalition: Purpose of Code Purple: Is to provide a coordinated effort among Asheville and Buncombe County shelters and other organizations to provide emergency overflow shelter to people experiencing homelessness. During Code Purple, participating shelters will provide more beds with fewer requirements than their typical programming. Code Purple sites will also work […]
BCSO seeks assistance locating missing woman from Arden
News release from the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office: Investigators with the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office are working to locate a missing woman from Arden. 18-year-old Catey Anne Couey-Buckner (picture attached) was last seen around November 7th. She was wearing a black T-shirt, blue jeans, and Puma shoes. Please contact the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office at […]
Buncombe County Tropical Storm Helene updates for Wednesday, Nov. 20
News release from Buncombe County: Storm Debris Removal Last night, County Commissioners approved an interlocal agreement that allows the City of Asheville and the Town of Black Mountain to allow Buncombe County to administer the intake process for private property debris removal via disaster recovery consultant Tetra Tech. This week, Tetra Tech started implementing a […]
Asheville bear cub previously pulled from tree successfully released into wild
News release from the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission: The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) has released an orphaned female bear cub in an undisclosed and remote Western North Carolina mountain area. The cub gained international interest earlier this year when video was posted on social media showing a group of people pulling her from a […]
City of Asheville Tropical Storm Helene recovery updates for Wednesday, Nov. 20
News release from the City of Asheville: The City of Asheville continues to provide Tropical Storm Helene recovery resource updates on a daily basis Substantial damage assessments update Stormwater staff began substantial damage assessments on November 1st. The Residential and Non-Residential Substantial Damage Assessments have been completed for structures in the Floodplain following FEMA’s guidelines. […]
City of Asheville Tropical Storm Helene recovery resources for Wednesday, Nov. 20
News release from the City of Asheville: This is the latest information available as of 9 a.m. Wednesday, Nov 20, 2024 City offices are open to the public. Burning yard waste, leaves and debris is not allowed within city limits due to many safety concerns. Public officials will hold news briefings Monday – Friday at […]
Asheville-Buncombe Rebuilding Together Grant Fund doubles with $1.5 million in new support from Buncombe County
News release from Mountain BizWorks: New funding from Buncombe County doubles the size of the first funding round of the Asheville-Buncombe Rebuilding Together Grant Fund. The fund is providing grants up to $25,000 to local Buncombe County-based small businesses that have experienced severe impacts from Hurricane Helene. The new Buncombe County funding brings the round […]
Buncombe County approves Helene-related amendments and programs
News release from Buncombe County: At its Nov. 19 regular meeting, the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners held a public hearing for the small business economic recovery grant program, approved interlocal agreements for debris removal, approved economic household assistance for Helene recovery, and more. Interlocal Agreements for Storm Debris Removal The Board approved Buncombe County […]
New public restroom to open downtown
Press release from the City of Asheville: The City of Asheville is excited to announce the opening of a 24/7 accessible public restroom in the heart of downtown. Located in the public space at the corner of College Street and Rankin Avenue, the prefabricated facility is designed to enhance downtown amenities, promote public health, and […]
Governor-elect Josh Stein Announces Rebuilding Western North Carolina Advisory Committee
Press release from the office of Governor-elect Josh Stein: Governor-elect Josh Stein today announced that he has launched the Rebuilding Western North Carolina Advisory Committee to help advise his work to address the communities affected by Hurricane Helene. The Committee is made up of leaders of all types from across the region who are closely […]
What we know so far about the employment impact of Hurricane Helene
Press Release from NC Department of Commerce: Here is what we know so far about the employment impact of Hurricane Helene: Job growth is -3.9% monthly (September – October) for Asheville metro. County unemployment data will be released on November 27. As of yesterday 26,756, statewide disaster-related unemployment claims. We don’t have current unemployment claims […]
Buncombe County Helene response and recovery updates – Nov. 19
Press release from Buncombe County: Private Property Debris Removal Application Now Open, New FEMA Hours & Environmental Health Updates Storm Debris As of this morning, over 180,000 cubic yards of debris have been collected in Buncombe County. Currently, there are 39 trucks operating in Buncombe County, removing debris from all zones in the County. Private […]
Tropical Storm Helene recovery updates – Nov. 19
Press release from the City of Asheville: WATER UTILITY SERVICE The City of Asheville has lifted the Boil Water Notice for all water customers as of November 18. Water Resources lab staff finished sampling the distribution system early Sunday afternoon, and results have confirmed that the water supply is free from contaminants. Customers may resume […]
Recursos de recuperación de la Tormenta Tropical Helene – Nov. 19
Press release from the City of Asheville: SERVICIO DE AGUA La Ciudad de Asheville ha levantado el Aviso de Hervir el Agua para todos los clientes a partir del 18 de Noviembre. El personal del laboratorio de Recursos Hídricos finalizó la toma de muestras del sistema de distribución el Domingo por la tarde, y los […]
Study: Asheville parents pay $20k per year to support a child
Report from Alex Miller at Upgraded Points: Below are some highlights from Upgraded Points’ newly released data study looking at the most expensive U.S. locations for raising kids, with data specific to Asheville. Researchers calculated the percentage difference in the required living costs to maintain a modest but adequate standard of living for 2-adult households […]
Chemistry professor urges further evaluation of lead levels in Asheville’s drinking water
Editor’s note: This piece is written by Sally Wasileski who is a chair and professor of the UNC Asheville Chemistry department. Here are her views: Dear Members of the Media, County Government, and Elected Officials, I am writing as both a chemist and as a resident of Buncombe County, who works in and has a […]
Mission Hospital Opens South Asheville ER in Arden
Press release from Mission Health: Mission Health is pleased to announce that the new South Asheville ER is now open at 2512 Hendersonville Road in Arden. A campus of Mission Hospital, the 11,000-square-foot emergency room is equipped with state-of-the-art technology, 11 exam rooms, an on-site laboratory and diagnostic imaging services including CT and X-ray. Board-certified emergency […]