It’s time to get to the polls, Buncombe voters! We’ve got your general election voter guide, with Q&A with candidates for Asheville mayor and City Council, as well as a roundup of other contested Buncombe municipal races.
Purveyors of horror create haunting experiences
Estimates place the number of haunted house attractions in the United States in the thousands. Xpress caught up with some of the local haunts to get a behind the scenes look at the industry.
Asheville on ‘winner’s side’ of economic trends, Chamber speaker tells gathering
At the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce’s 18th annual Metro Economy Outlook on Oct. 19, economic futurist Ted Abernathy of Raleigh said Asheville’s economy is a success story among moderate-sized metro areas.
ICYMI for the week of Oct. 11 — and a sneak peek
Catch up on highlights you may have missed from last week’s Xpress — and see what we’ve got in store for you this week. Newspapers should be hitting the stands later this afternoon. Available at all Xpress distribution locations by Wednesday!
City program helps minority businesses compete for contracts
To boost participation of minority- and women-owned businesses in contracting opportunities with local government agencies, both the city of Asheville and Buncombe County provide programs to support those business owners in achieving certification and pursuing contracts.
Local women’s networking groups pay off in surprising ways
Women in Asheville have seen the light when it comes to the benefits of networking to boost their business and personal connections. Xpress explored a variety of networking opportunities for women, as well as some high-powered advice for maximizing the impact of time spent networking.
Red Rover Booking joins the local music scene
A recent report on Asheville’s music industry prescribed more more business infrastructure to support the arts, and Melissa Myers’ new company Red Rover Booking aims to do just that. Already her agency represents a dozen artists, and the roster continues to grow.
Faces in the Crowd: WNC crowdfunding initiatives
Each week, Xpress highlights notable WNC crowdsourcing initiatives that may inspire readers to become new faces in the crowd. This week features a new tech-enabled wellness product plus an at-home escape room kit.
WNC residents, officials gather to discuss railroads’ future
Community and business representatives from across the rail industry gathered in Asheville on Sept. 22 for the Railroads & Regional Economic Development Conference. Organized by the WNC Rail Committee, the conference revealed some hints of how railroads may adapt to changing times.
Conference to focus on economic inclusion, equity
The third annual conference, “Bringing it Home: Building a Local Economy for Everyone,” will take place on Oct. 7 at the YMI Cultural Center in downtown Asheville.
Cleaned out
Asheville, N.C.
Race, housing take center stage in Council candidate forum
Who can afford to live here and how can we all live together? Those questions formed the crux of the conversation among Asheville City Council candidates at a Sept. 18 forum where two issues garnered strong and varying viewpoints: the lack of affordable housing and persistent racial tensions in Asheville.
City passes two hotel projects under new policy
In the seven months since the city of Asheville altered its regulations to give City Council more oversight over large building and hotel projects, Council has approved two proposed hotels. Xpress takes a closer look to see what it looks like when hotels try to pass muster before Council.
Duke sparks debate with request for 15% rate hike
On June 1, Duke Energy Progress filed a request with the N.C. Utilities Commission to raise rates an average of 14.9 percent. Xpress examines why Duke says it needs more revenue and how the rate hike could affect local customers.
Mission Health and BCBSNC continue to battle over contract
Contract negotiations between Mission Health and Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina remain at an impasse as the renewal deadline looms in less than a month. Meanwhile, Park Ridge Health and Pardee Hospital make preparations to take up the slack.
City stands against white supremacy
Asheville City Council passed a resolution condemning the actions of white supremacists and racial violence in Charlottesville earlier this month. Council members also resolved to support the designation of Big Ivy as a wilderness area, and voted to move forward with a phased approach to a greenway along Lyman Street to Amboy Road. A proposal to reduce the minimum width of residential lots by 20 percent citywide was sent back to the city’s Planning & Zoning Commission for further study.
Nonprofit groups to host Aug. 23 session on worker-owned businesses
Along with Morganton’s Industrial Commons, Mountain BizWorks is hosting an educational workshop on cooperative, worker-owned businesses on Wednesday, Aug. 23.
Communities along Upper French Broad work to restore water quality
In this two-part series, Xpress invites you on a guided a trip down the river as we examine the work of various communities to write the next chapter in the French Broad’s history, beginning with Transylvania and Henderson counties.
West Asheville Yoga purchases One Center Yoga to become The Embodiment Center
A new yoga center will pop up in town in October. West Asheville Yoga owner Cat Matlock has bought out One Center Yoga and has plans to transform it into a wellness center. Matlock says the new Embodiment Center will offer alignment yoga, vinyasa yoga, ayurvedic medicine, dancing, health coaching and kirtan.
AC Hotel poised to open downtown
On Friday, Aug. 11, McKibbon Hospitality’s AC Hotel Asheville Downtown will open to guests. Located at the intersection of Broadway and College Street, the hotel boasts 132 guest rooms, along with 336 parking spaces in a four-story parking deck.
Panelists dish on Asheville’s growth at Buzz Breakfast
As part of its summer Buzz Breakfast series, Leadership Asheville (a program of UNC Asheville) hosted “How will Asheville grow thoughtfully?” on July 26 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel. The event explored the public sector’s role in shaping and encouraging the city’s growth.