WNC’s citizens are deeply committed to making this small corner of the world a better place.
Year in Review: WNC looks back on political change in 2022
Xpress reached out to the area’s elected officials, activists and community leaders to learn more about what they took away from 2022’s political action.
Year in Review: Health was more than metrics in 2022
Discussions about health and wellness have been dominated by COVID-19 for nearly three years, and that’s certainly been reflected in the media landscape nationwide. In Asheville, however, the effects of COVID-19 on physical health and mental health are just one story to be told.
Year in Review: Public safety issues were top of mind in 2022
Xpress asked activists, law enforcement leaders, government officials and others to weigh in on how local crime and related issues shaped the past year.
What’s new in food: Crust Never Sleeps bakery opens on Sardis Road
Jonathan Price and Dawn Alexander celebrate the launch of Crust Never Sleeps bakery. Also: Shiloh & Gaines launches on Hendersonville Road; Asheville Drag Brunch closes out the year with two shows; and plenty more!
Buncombe tries to fix its property tax appraisal system
An action plan county staffers presented to the Board of Commissioners Oct. 18 includes steps to help owners of cheaper homes seek reductions if they think the county has valued their homes too highly, to get property owners to report when they upgrade their homes and to refine some aspects of how Buncombe’s appraisers do their jobs.
Local companies prioritize hands-on giving
Local nonprofit leaders say they’re seeing more companies prioritize volunteering and service projects rather than just giving money. They’re also seeking long-term relationships with specific organizations rather than just one-off collaborations.
Buncombe tests and tweaks Code Purple plan
As presented to the county Board of Commissioners Nov. 15 by Jennifer Teague, Buncombe’s aging and adult services program manager, the Asheville-Buncombe County Homeless Coalition called the first Code Purple of 2022 on Oct. 15 — the first day this year’s program went into effect. After evaluating the results of that first night, the coalition decided to extend entry times for Code Purple shelters.
Nonprofits strive to bring bounty to the Thanksgiving table
With the holidays around the corner, nonprofits are counting more than ever on turkey drives, financial contributions, dedicated volunteers going the extra mile — sometimes literally — and increased awareness and support from the community at large.
Council to hear Code Purple update amid freezing temperatures
If next week’s forecast is correct, overnight temperatures in Asheville will dip below freezing several times, potentially exposing those living without shelter to harsh conditions. Fittingly, members of Asheville City Council will hear an update on the city’s Code Purple program during their meeting of Tuesday, Nov. 15.
Birth professionals lament labor unit closures
Researchers found mothers reported increased anxiety about the uncertainty of travel, distant pregnancy care providers not being easily accessible and insufficient coordination among care providers.
Impact Health hires executive director
Laurie Stradley joined Impact Health as executive director Oct. 24.
Xpress holds forum for Buncombe school board candidates
The event, supported in part by the American Press Institute’s Election Coverage and Community Listening Fund, also aimed to uplift community voices regarding education issues. As moderator Aisha Adams revealed through conversations with the audience, many concerns about the school system are shared among voters with different views, even if they may disagree about how best to solve those issues.
From Facebook to faceoff: The bumpy road to shaping local politics
Administrators from local social media groups talk about the challenges inherent in their freewheeling, ongoing public conversations. Opinions vary on how much that rough-and-tumble interferes with achieving posters’ goals.
Buncombe taking steps to make tax values more equitable
The county plans to spend $844,000 on new tax assessment initiatives over this fiscal year and the next. Actions include asking Buncombe residents to report improvements to their homes, buying software to double-check the valuations county staffers give to homes and reaching out to residents to help them challenge their property tax values.
Asheville’s Code Purple program began Oct. 15
Code Purple will have nearly 100 beds available for emergency overnight shelter for Asheville’s unhoused population when the temperature is freezing or below. The program will also operate for two additional months in the winter and spring of 2022-23.
Commissioners to consider tax changes; higher STR rates off the table
Proposed changes on the agenda for the commissioners’ meeting Tuesday, Oct. 18, include adding staff and improving software to make the county’s assessment of home values more accurate, asking state legislators to expand a tax break some homeowners get under state law and increasing efforts to tell homeowners how to challenge their tax value.
Entrepreneurs bring wellness opportunities to Asheville area
Asheville may never have won an official designation as “city where you’re most likely to encounter someone wearing hiking boots in a bar.” Residents and tourists alike, however, know that this is a place where yoga pants, muddy Tevas and a reusable water bottle are practically the local uniform. One demographic that’s embracing this health- […]
Recovery community seeks to stop more overdoses with naloxone
On Sept. 13, Buncombe County Health & Human Services issued an alert on social media and to local groups like the Homeless Coalition about a spike in overdoses in the county. “Please be advised, over the last several days there has been a continued spike in probable overdoses in Buncombe County,” the email alert from […]
How is Asheville addressing panhandling?
While current city ordinances place some restrictions on panhandling, in most instances it is a legal means of making money. Bill Davis, spokesperson for Asheville Police Department, says police had received 95 calls for panhandling this year as of Aug. 17, the majority of which were requests for wellness checks out of concern for those in need.
From CPP: Where is federal COVID-19 relief going in NC? Most WNC counties opt to pay public employees’ salaries.
Federal Treasury data shows that about half of the American Rescue Plan Act funds spent in WNC counties has been used on staff salaries. Nearly $98 million is still available to be allocated.