Gov. Roy Cooper said he plans to release information about the next phase of reopening early next week. As North Carolina’s COVID-19 trends continue to increase, Cooper is considering making facial coverings mandatory.
From North Carolina Health News: As COVID-19 threatened western N.C., a new approach to fighting it in long-term care
Well before COVID-19 hit Western North Carolina, Henderson County formed a strike team to respond to outbreak in long-term care facilities. As the months wore on, the team proved invaluable to staff and residents at Cherry Springs Village, an assisted living facility in Hendersonville.
NC sees highest COVID-19 case count since pandemic’s start
Three months into the COVID-19 pandemic, North Carolina faces its first real wave of the virus. The state hit a new record number of cases on June 12 and has one of the highest percent of positive COVID-19 cases in the country.
Aisha Adams on doing the work during a pandemic
Entrepreneur Aisha Adams urges community to broaden its efforts to promote equity beyond recent outrage and protests focused on police killings of black people. “I didn’t see people up in arms that the tourism fund didn’t include people of color,” she notes.
Buncombe reports fifth care facility COVID-19 outbreak
North Carolina reports highest number of COVID-19 hospitalizations for second straight day. Plus, Aston Park Health Care Center reports more deaths than any other congregate living facility in the state.
J Hackett on wounds old and new
J Hackett spoke with Xpress on June 2 about his experiences as a black community leader during the coronavirus pandemic and, now, the protests and grief experienced locally in response to George Floyd’s death on May 25 at the hands of a white police officer in Minneapolis.
Council starts process to remove Asheville’s Confederate monuments
Asheville City Council unanimously adopted a joint resolution with Buncombe County to remove two Confederate monuments at the Buncombe County Courthouse and in Pack Square Park. The resolution also convenes a task force to further explore the removal or repurposing of the Vance Monument in downtown Asheville.
Local companies serving the music community tackle COVID-19 in their own ways
Management at Echo Mountain, Moog and d&b discuss various pivots to sustain their businesses during COVID-19.
Cooper releases new guidelines for K-12 public schools
New guidance from the state outlines requirements and recommendations for K-12 schools to safely reopen this fall. Plus, North Carolina’s COVID-19 metrics are making national news — and not in a good way.
Musician April Bennett gets creative in finding her ‘new normal’
Instead of a packed house, musician April Bennett and local hip-hop band Lyric played to a nearly empty space at the Orange Peel for the May 15 livestream of Downtown After 5. “It was definitely weird playing in one of the biggest rooms in the city with no people in it except for the staff who were recording it,” she remarks with a laugh. “But I was really glad for that [opportunity]. It was definitely a much-needed morale boost during these crazy, crazy times.”
Expanded programs support behavioral health issues during pandemic
“You don’t have to be a psychiatrist to know that when you take away people’s routines and jobs, it’s difficult for them, especially if they have a mental illness,” says Brian Ingraham, CEO of Vaya Health. New federal funding will help two Western North Carolina agencies expand mental health services, some directly related to the pandemic and the rest addressing overall behavioral health issues.
From CPP: Asheville police action at protest medic station draws outrage
Police chief describes strike against medic station as preemptive because water bottles have been thrown on previous nights.
Private colleges and universities plan amid uncertainties
This past spring, COVID-19 required schools to shift from in-person to online classes. Come fall, private colleges and universities are eager to reopen their campuses. For many of these institutions, the financial consequences of remaining closed could be dire.
Religious leaders, public officials come together on Church Street
“We stand in prayer and solidarity against all forms of lawlessness and violence, whether it’s the lawlessness and violence of rioters and looters or the police officers who engage in police brutality such as that recently committed against a black man named George Floyd in Minneapolis,” Dr. John H. Grant, pastor of Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church, told a crowd of roughly 250 people.
Turning 21 in quarantine
Turning 21 is a milestone. And for many, the celebration is often a raucous event. But for one Brevard College student, her big day was spent in quarantine on the school’s campus.
Smart Bets: The Great Reset
The podcast series features interviews with a variety of local figures who seek a better, sustainable world post-COVID-19.
Downtown tense ahead of citywide curfew
Tensions were high as downtown Asheville prepared for another night of anticipated protests, despite a new citywide curfew that will go into effect at 8 p.m.
Commenters oppose housing incentives ahead of Council vote
Trees and trash proved contentious topics as members of Asheville City Council considered two Land Use Incentive Grants for affordable housing projects during a May 26 virtual meeting.
In photos: Downtown buildings, businesses damaged after night of protests
After a peaceful demonstration of thousands in downtown Asheville turned violent around 10:30 p.m. on Monday evening, some attendees smashed windows and spray-painted graffiti on downtown buildings and the Vance Monument.
Local doula offers virtual guidance during pandemic
When Buncombe County’s stay home, stay safe mandate went into effect, doulas were deemed nonessential. The classification was a hard pill to swallow for business owner Chama Woydak, who has nevertheless found ways to remain connected with her expecting mothers and partners during the pandemic.
State decries racism as public health threat during COVID-19
Noting that 34% of North Carolina’s 898 COVID-19 deaths through June 1 have been among African Americans, who make up roughly 22% of North Carolina’s population, NCDHHS Secretary Dr. Mandy Cohen emphasized that structural racism has created health disparities in black communities.