We deserve better. We deserve the kind of healthcare Mission used to provide, before HCA, when the hospital was considered one of the top health systems in the United States, a magnet for some of the finest physicians in the country, and a source of community pride.
My husband is definitely one of those who is skeptical of ghosts. But now he’ll tell you he’s sort of convinced.
When Whitney Ponder bought her first home in Asheville, she inherited some of the previous owner’s furniture. Unbeknownst to her, the late owner’s spirit may have also lingered.
Even though West Asheville’s neighborhood isn’t known as a haunted destination, it definitely has one unexplained story.
Joan Calder retells hearing spirits while babysitting at a home off of Kimberly Avenue in 1968.
Ronald Winters, CEO of the independent monitor for HCA Healthcare, faced an unhappy crowd at a community meeting Oct. 19. Current and former physicians, nurses and patients from Mission Hospital implored Gibbins Advisors to monitor the health care system’s quality. Throughout the 90-minute public meeting, Winters repeatedly told the audience that quality of patient care […]
Buncombe County Public Libraries are not only a place for literature, film, research, story hours and free yoga classes. They also provides amenities like public bathrooms, heating, air conditioning and internet access, which are enjoyed by everyone but are lifelines for some patrons.
“There is so much pressure in our society for mothers to be perfect,” Batchelder remembers. “So when my daughter got depressed in high school, I wondered if it was my fault, what did I do wrong, what should I have done differently. Was I too much or not enough?”
The survivor of a violent relationship has difficult decisions to make. She has to figure out when it is safest to leave, where she can go, what she can bring and what she can’t. Sometimes she’s stopped cold when she realizes she might have to leave the dog behind.
Hood Huggers International founder and CEO DeWayne Barton, released his new book, “The CAP Playbook: Phase One,” on Aug. 14. The book’s Community Accountability Plan lays out a vision of creating a sustainable, inclusive and economically empowered culture in historically marginalized communities. Barton notes that the book is set up similarly to a football playbook, but instead of scoring touchdowns, the “plays” help achieve community goals.
“The fact that this was even a question is indicative of the frustration many are feeling in the community,” said Mark Weinstein, a Transylvania County resident who helped organize independent meetings. “Nobody seems to really be listening. And nobody seems to be able to do anything.”
“The greatest lesson I’ve learned thus far is to reflect on my progress as I keep moving forward,” says Rachel Baran, owner and operate of Sun Dragon Flower Farm.
The women who own boutiques selling undergarments in Asheville know the search for the right bra can be a fraught experience (as many who’ve experienced a meltdown in the dressing room can attest).
“Between caring for patients, handling marketing, managing a team, dealing with landlords and taking a moment for oneself, it’s a whirlwind,” says Autum Kirgan, owner and director of South Slope Acupuncture & Wellness.” My advice? Dive deep into what you love about your business.”
The independent monitor was appointed when HCA, a for-profit health care system, purchased the nonprofit Mission Hospital for $1.5 billion in 2019.
James Hewitt, a local Black Mountain resident, is known by many as Duck Whisper. But he says he’s had several other bird-related nicknames over the years, on account of his friendship with the ducks and geese at Lake Tomahawk.
“People just don’t know what they can or cannot do,” says Keith Aitken, the city’s new urban forester. “We want to create a document or education program for people who move into steep slopes because I want people to come to me when they have a tree removal rather than doing it under the radar.”
Messino’s decision not to provide acute hematology chemotherapy at Mission comes five months after a National Nurses United union nurse flagged concerns about potential cancer patient harm to the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services.
This summer, Kevin Mahoney decided to return to Sunrise Community for Recovery and Wellness, which he co-founded and where he will focus on educating the younger generation of peer support specialists.
As of late August there were 337 children ages 0-17 in the Buncombe foster care system and another 43 who are 18 or older, according to data provided to The Watchdog. There were 60 foster homes licensed by DSS in Buncombe and 34 licensed relatives as of early September.
A new pilot program that started this summer helps people with opioid use disorder to initiate medication-assisted treatment in Mission’s emergency room, and then coordinates follow-up care.
