According to a presentation available before the meeting of Tuesday, March 15, the county hopes to “impact 2,800-3,150 affordable housing units by 2030,” including 1,500-1,850 new rental units affordable for households making 80% or less of the area median income ($42,100 for an individual or $60,100 for a family of four).
Over 125 Afghans who were evacuated by the United States amid the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan this summer now call Buncombe County home. It’s been a long journey. On Aug. 29, President Joe Biden directed the Department of Homeland Security to coordinate the resettlement as part of Operation Allies Welcome. While housed at military bases […]
When Wakina Robertson birthed her twins in Buncombe County 30 years ago, it was a harder experience than it should have been. The babies arrived nine weeks early. “I wasn’t listened to,” she tells Xpress. “Did I want to have my babies early? … If I could have pushed a little longer to carry them […]
People who work on the issue in Western North Carolina agree that period poverty is more widespread than it may seem due to the cultural stigmas of both poverty and menstruation. And financial issues wrought by the COVID-19 pandemic have made menstrual hygiene products even more inaccessible for many.
“If leaders lead with love, then gender is not important,” says the Rev. Milly Morrow of Grace Episcopal Church. “Gender is a social construct, and binary is an illusion created by the patriarchy. And if we are going to follow Jesus, we must work to deconstruct empires, whether in Rome, Egypt or America.”
Commissioner Jasmine Beach-Ferrara, who chairs the county board’s Early Childhood and Development Committee, outlined a plan for $7.5 million in additional spending on pre-K expansion over the next two years. Funding would come from the county’s roughly $27 million in remaining federal American Rescue Plan Act money.
North Carolina’s opioid crisis has devastated the American Indian population more than any other. Combating it effectively requires a new approach, and a lot of money.
Randy Tucker has a shadow, and her name is Star. With oversized ears and big paws that bear witness to her youth, the 3-year-old German shepherd mix was adopted three months ago from the Asheville Humane Society, which found her in mid-September, roaming as a stray in the Lees Creek area. Star now accompanies Tucker […]
The Asheville City Board of Education asked attorney Chris Campbell to speak on the desegregation order’s history and legal status during a Jan. 28 meeting. While the board took no action, Chair James Carter indicated that members would consider asking the court to change or end the order in the coming months.
The Pot Stirred, a new CBD cafe, prepares for its launch. Plus: Elevated Kava Lounge opens in West Asheville; Valentine’s Day events; and more!
Despite near-freezing temperatures and gusty winds the night of Jan. 25, Asheville city staff and volunteers trudged throughout Buncombe County with the goal of counting every homeless resident. Emily Ball, the city’s homeless services lead, will present an update on that effort, known as the Point in Time Count, to members of Asheville City Council Tuesday, Feb. 8.
Franny’s Farmacy continues its expansion. Plus: Cultivated Community Dinner Series launches latest Spring Series; Asheville Truffle Experience returns; and plenty more!
On Tuesday, Feb. 1, the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners will vote on whether to award Haywood Street Community Development a $749,000 grant toward construction of a 45-unit project in the West End/Clingman Avenue neighborhood. Asheville City Council has already contributed $296,000 toward the project.
Deaths, injuries and fires are all in a day’s work for emergency service workers. They may also be part of a shift for Trauma Intervention Programs of WNC volunteers, who provide emotional first aid to family, friends and bystanders after traumatic events. This is the message that Hendersonville Fire Department Deputy Fire Chief Justin Ward […]
One of just three day centers for people with brain injuries — and the only one in all of western North Carolina — Hinds’ Feet Farm in Asheville shows the benefits of holistic community-based services.
Asheville is gearing up to conduct its annual Point-in-Time count of unhoused community members Tuesday-Wednesday, Jan. 25-26. But even without the official numbers, which are typically released by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development in June, it’s clear that the city is facing a new reckoning around homelessness. The Asheville Police Department has […]
In April, Tanya Ledford left a 22-year-long education career teaching history and English at public schools in Henderson and Polk counties. But Ledford’s new job hasn’t taken her far from the classroom. She is now assisting Hispanic high school students, many of them the first in their family to seek a college education, through the […]
Jazmin Whitmore always enjoyed fashion, yet struggled to afford buying clothes. As a plus-size woman, finding items in her size was also frustrating. It’s a struggle familiar to many women. According to a study on clothing size standards published in 2016, the average American woman is size 16 to 18. However, too many brands have been […]
Vegans and vegetarians craving a lox bagel now have options thanks to Faux Lox Foods. Also: television personality Samantha Brown visits Asheville; Metro Wines hosts its latest tasting; and more!
While COVID-19 may have dominated WNC’s psyche in 2021, it was by no means the only health and wellness story Xpress told. Opioid abuse, mental health and self-care also emerged as major themes from the year.
As Asheville City Council pursues low-barrier shelter and permanent supportive housing options for the area’s homeless population, Xpress listens to two residents as they share their experiences on the street.
