The proposed budget includes a 4.11% salary increase for all permanent city employees.
State sues Pactiv Evergreen over $12 million subsidies for shuttered Canton mill
“This company has broken our economy, tried to break our spirits, and broken promises, and that’s not how we raise our children in this state,” said Canton Mayor Zeb Smathers. “There are consequences for one’s actions.”
Protecting wildlife from selfie culture
“It is interesting to me that anybody would think it’s OK to just walk up and grab a bear cub and not be concerned about where mama is,” says Appalachian Wildlife Refuge co-founder Savannah Trantham said. “If she had been close by, I think that you probably would have seen a different outcome.”
Mission’s urology services loses physicians; Asheville Urological Associates gives up privileges there
Mission Hospital faces an exodus of urologists, and five physicians from a local urology group refuse to practice at the HCA Healthcare-owned hospital, potentially reducing the number of specialists in the system to two by summer.
BREAKING: Organizers say they are ‘pausing’ Project Aspire
Project Aspire — a vast mixed-use, mixed-income venture slated for downtown Asheville — would have occupied 10.5 acres in downtown Asheville.
UNCA applies institutional neutrality to Gaza protests, social justice displays
“Institutional neutrality promotes the open exchange of ideas and avoids inhibiting scholarship, creativity, and expression,” UNCA Chancellor Kimberly van Noort wrote in a public update to students and faculty earlier this month. “Compromising this position carries great risks.”
Judge’s backing of AdventHealth over Mission Health for new Weaverville hospital keeps pressure on HCA
The decision is the latest development in a series of legal battles HCA is fighting related to North Carolina, including several over its management of Mission Health.
Wendy White on the power of love
“I’m talking about roll up your sleeves, get down, get dirty, love, and connection and compassion,” says White, describing the Asheville-based nonprofit Let’s Choose Love. “And so, it became like a call to action. I thought, regardless of who we are, if we could let love be our guide in every decision in every interaction, we’d be fine.”
From CPP: Can collaboration on NC national forests coexist with litigation?
The Forest Service finalized its forest plan for Western North Carolina’s two national forests in Feb. 2023 after a decade-long process that included thousands of public comments and the commitment of dozens of groups of stakeholders.
Why I volunteer: ‘You always get more than you give’
Melissa Gerhardt, a volunteer with Arms Around ASD, talks about the personal and social benefits of volunteering one’s time at a local nonprofit.
From CPP: DHHS makes good on threat to revoke NC mountain wilderness therapy camp’s license
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services revoked Trails Carolina’s license, according to a letter DHHS sent May 17 to camp management, because the residential therapeutic camp violated state regulations.
Why I volunteer: ‘This is truly where Jesus shows up’
Nancy Tabel, a volunteer at Haywood Street Congregation, discusses the church’s efforts to address hunger and homelessness in Western North Carolina.
Buncombe child care providers face financial crisis when state grants evaporate in June
Buncombe currently has 95 child care facilities serving children up to age five, and advocates worry some will close or reduce services when the grants run out.
Why I volunteer: Building dreams and making a difference
Peggy Crowe, a volunteer at Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity, discusses how the organization’s Women Build Advocacy Team changed her life.
Despite abundance, hunger soars in WNC
A recent community food assessment shows post-COVID food insecurity and hunger are surging in Macon, Swain and Jackson counties. The data is dire but could offer a roadmap for a better regional food system.
NCDOT awards $1.1 billion contract for main I-26 Connector sections
After nearly four decades of planning and discussions, the N.C. Department of Transportation has a contractor for the two main sections of the Interstate 26 Connector.
As NCDOT buys land for I-26 Connector, negotiation can pay off for property owners
After 35 years of talking, planning, designing and redesigning, the Interstate 26 Connector project is finally underway, and the N.C. Department of Transportation or its contractors are buying land to accommodate the north-to-south downtown bypass.
Why I volunteer: Keeping trails in shape
Stefan Israel is a volunteer with Rock Crushers, which maintains hiking trails, particularly in the Gerton-Lake Lure area.
HCA hands itself a clean bill of health for Mission sale agreement
The 13-page report, filed April 30, runs counter to allegations made by Josh Stein in his 2023 lawsuit against HCA.
Council candidates share life on the campaign trail
With the general election six months away, Xpress asked each candidate about campaign strategy and lessons from the trail thus far.
From CPP: State report reveals more details about child’s death at Trails Carolina
The exact cause of death is still under investigation, according to the Transylvania County Sheriff’s Office, although an autopsy conducted Feb. 6 showed the death appeared not to be natural.