According to national reports, an estimated 1,400 similar protests are taking place across the country.
Sustaining community: Local student shares tips for making a positive impact on the environment
As part of Xpress’ Sustainability series, we speak with Anna Plocica, a senior at A.C. Reynolds High School and the co-president of the Environmental Club.
Buncombe County Schools expresses concerns over future Title I funding
As President Donald Trump pushes for the closure of the U.S. Department of Education, local educators and officials are trying to calculate how the move could impact next year’s Buncombe County Schools (BCS) budget.
Golden Agers: Law and music — and one man’s passions for both
For Alan Graf, both law and music are more than passions — they’re tools for activism, ways to spark change in the world around him.
Local author pens memoir about his life as a Hare Krishna
“One of the major misconceptions about Hare Krishna is that it’s a cult and it’s totally controlled by certain gurus,” says local author Rishi Waterman. “That’s not the fact.”
EPA freezes money for WNC clean energy projects
Three days after a WNC church secured funding for solar panels, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) froze $20 billion in climate and clean energy grants, putting energy efficiency and resiliency projects in limbo across the country.
Sustaining community: Charles Martin on ways to improve local education
Rev. Charles Martin was elected to the Buncombe County Board of Education, representing the at-large district in November. He also serves as senior pastor of St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church.
Tourism survey shows shift in residents’ attitudes
Several tourism and hospitality representatives noted that maintaining the positive sentiment that some residents feel, however, may prove challenging as Asheville continues to recover and visitors begin returning to the city.
Future wildfires will likely be more severe, county warns
Ryan Cole, Buncombe County Emergency Management assistant director, said that while some fallen trees left by Helene are not dried out enough to be considered a fire hazard, the accumulation of debris over the next several years will increase the likelihood of more intense fire seasons.
Nature Center reopens after damage from Helene
Hit hard by Tropical Storm Helene, WNC Nature Center exceeds its own expectations by opening March 17 with a few renovations and expansions too.
DIY Tourism Marketing Conference addresses post-Helene recovery
Held March 17-18, at the Renaissance Asheville Downtown Hotel, the DIY Tourism Marketing Conference drew professionals from across the country, some from as far as Hawaii.
Former water resources director details Asheville’s history in new book
While two events in the last three years have shaken the confidence of Asheville’s 125,000 water system customers, the purity of the region’s water has been a driver of growth for two centuries, according to a new book from Michael Holcombe.
Sustaining community: Rev. Dusty Black on the role of faith, post-Helene
“After the storm, my heart turned to Psalm 70,” says Rev. Dusty Black. “The psalmist is pleading with God for victory over his enemies, as well as praying that the Lord would be worshipped.”
From CPP: Asheville’s jobless rate — North Carolina’s highest — is ‘new and unwelcome’ territory
As of January, the most recent figures available, Asheville had a 6% unemployment rate — the state’s highest — according to the N.C. Department of Commerce.
WCU students help analyze Helene-affected cemetery
In an effort to suggest how debris-removal contractors could gently remove the remaining stumps and root balls, archeology students from Western Carolina University (WCU) spent the week of March 10 — their spring break — studying and uncovering graves near tree falls.
Buncombe County libraries adjust to life under Helene-related hiring freeze
Six Buncombe County libraries are operating fewer days than normal because of a hiring freeze. Officials say the changes are just temporary.
FEMA eases major floodplain construction rules; Helene rebuilding plan impacts unclear
The floodplain rules come from the federal Flood Risk Management Standard, which President Trump rescinded by executive order on Jan. 20.
2025 PIT count shows increase in unsheltered homelessness
The latest data also reveals increases in people who are chronically homeless (meaning they have lived without a fixed address for over 12 months) and people who self-identified as having a severe mental health condition or substance use disorder.
Proposed I-26 connector overpass sparks opposition
Two presentations before Asheville City Council offered alternatives to a large overpass atop Patton Avenue in proposed I-26 Connector plan.
City may assume storm-damaged properties
The Asheville City Council voted March 25 to authorize the city to assume ownership of 31 storm-damaged buildings and turn their lots into green space under a FEMA program.
Henderson County sheriff addresses ICE misconceptions
Amid rumors around the country of mass immigration raids, Sheriff Lowell Griffin says it’s unlikely that level of enforcement will happen within Henderson County.
