“Consider the consequences if we move to open things up too early or too fast: We risk losing all the gains and advantages our proactive and aggressive measures have afforded us,” said Fletcher Tove, the county’s emergency preparedness coordinator. “If we get rid of our parachute too early, we’ll go into another free fall.”
Isa Whitaker builds community resilience through gardening
As coordinator of Bountiful Cities’ Asheville Buncombe Community Garden Network, Whitaker manages communication, educational programming and resources such as free seed and tool libraries for more than two dozen local gardening efforts. And after COVID-19 began impacting life in Western North Carolina, he’s seen an increase in the number of local residents interested in starting new community gardens.
Volunteers organize to sustain WNC through COVID-19
Myriad nonprofit and community groups are springing into action to help locals persevere through the crisis. As existing organizations adjust their work to focus on COVID-19 needs and new efforts begin to knit neighbors together, community resilience is blooming throughout WNC.
From CPP: Coronavirus forces changes in forest plan public meeting schedule
All meetings on the U.S. Forest Service schedule of open house sessions planned for March across Western North Carolina have been cancelled, with the 90-day comment period underway.
Small bites: Outbreak affects food orgs
Ivory Road Café and Kitchen offers a themed, multicoursed Family Meal event every Wednesday. Also, in local food news: a fermenting workshop at Hickory Nut Gap Farm and food-security initiatives and ways to support WNC’s service industry in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic.
News briefs: Asheville drafts tree ordinance, seeks Haywood-Page feedback
Three draft design concepts for the city-owned Haywood-Page properties were presented during a public work session on the issue Feb. 17, and residents can comment on those designs via online survey through Sunday, March 14.
National Forest Service seeks public input on Pisgah-Nantahala management
On Feb. 14, the U.S. Forest Service kicked off a 90-day comment period on the long-awaited draft of a new plan for the forests, set to take effect in 2021 and guide the service’s management approach over the next 10-15 years. Comment online, by mail and at public meetings throughout WNC ends on Thursday, May 14.
Developer proposes 697 residential units west of city
Fall Line Development wants to build 585 apartments or condominiums, 80 townhomes and 32 single-family homes on Pond Road, not quite half a mile north of the road’s intersection with Sardis Road in Enka. Neighbors have raised concerns about the development’s potential impact on traffic and the character of the area.
Record-breaking turnout makes Buncombe primary picks
More Buncombe County voters — 81,887, or 41.79% of all eligible residents — took part in the primary elections that wrapped up March 3 than in any previous primary in the county’s history. Xpress outlines the winners and losers for levels of elected office from president to Asheville City Council.
WNC primary elections 2020 live coverage
Watch this space for the latest 2020 primary election results for Western North Carolina and commentary from the Mountain Xpress news team. The post will be updated regularly throughout the evening.
Newman, local hoteliers split on occupancy tax changes
“The good news — if you’re someone who wants to see the hotel tax law changed — is that all parties seem to be in agreement,” Newman told Xpress. “They want to see the law changed, but at this point, we’re not on the same page about how to change it.”
Movies & Meaning Festival returns to the Wortham Center
The weekend-long gathering focuses on seven films’ potential for social change.
In photos: 16 activists arrested at Extinction Rebellion WNC climate protest
As part of a Feb. 14 “Valentine for the Earth” action organized by Extinction Rebellion WNC, the local chapter of the global environmental movement Extinction Rebellion, the Asheville Police Department arrested 16 protesters for obstructing traffic in front of the Veach-Baley Federal Complex on Patton Avenue.
2020 Primary Voter Guide: Q&A with candidates for local, national offices
In preparation for the March primary, Xpress sent questions to all candidates in contested races for their party’s nomination to various local and national offices. Responses from candidates for the U.S. House of Representatives, N.C. General Assembly, Buncombe County Board of Commissioners and Asheville City Council are all collected here.
Green in brief: Asheville declares climate emergency, Duke opens Arden gas plant
“The loss of life and damage caused by current global warming demonstrates that the Earth is already too hot for safety,” states the document approved by a 6-0 vote of Asheville City Council on Jan. 28. “Restoring a safe and stable climate requires an emergency climate mobilization on a scale not seen since World War II.”
Overflow crowd debates gun policy at Buncombe commission
Most of those who spoke were in support of declaring Buncombe a “Second Amendment sanctuary” where officials would pledge not to enact or enforce laws that threaten the right to bear arms. The commissioners did not weigh in on the discussion following public comment.
Buncombe residents seek Second Amendment “sanctuary”
Under language proposed by the N.C. Federation of Republican Men, Buncombe County would commit to using “all legal means necessary” to protect its citizens’ access to firearms. Additionally, county officials would agree to refrain from enforcing any “acts, laws, orders, mandates, rules or regulations that infringe on the right of the people to keep and bear arms.”
Candidates for N.C. House District 117 — Democratic and Republican
Candidates in the Republican primary for the N.C. House of Representatives District 117 seat give their answers for the Mountain Xpress voter guide.
Candidates for N.C. Senate District 49 — Democratic
Candidates in the Democratic primary for the N.C. Senate District 49 seat give their answers for the Mountain Xpress voter guide.
Candidates for N.C. Senate District 48 — Democratic
Candidates in the Democratic primary for the N.C. Senate District 48 seat give their answers for the Mountain Xpress voter guide.
Candidates for Buncombe County Board of Commissioners — Democratic and Republican
Candidates in the Democratic and Republican primaries for the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners seat give their answers for the Mountain Xpress voter guide.