2020 was filled with “grim milestones” and “unprecedented times,” but a bright spot was joining the Xpress team in May, two months into the COVID-19 pandemic. From the rocky start to remote learning to the ways residents are responding to financial challenges, my five favorite stories reflect some of the creative and resilient ways community members have responded to the year’s competing crises.
A key element in state plans for easing restrictions gears up
Local contact tracers describe the methods used for notifying a person they’ve tested positive for COVID-19 — and what comes next. As the state formulates a plan to slowly ease restrictions on public life, contact tracing will be a key part of the strategy, and hundreds of new workers will be needed to help handle the load.
Co-op network grows community-based businesses
Launching a small business is never easy, but it’s even harder when the proprietors face systemic obstacles to business ownership. Through shared resources and community support, five Emma cooperatives are creating a model for equity and growth.
Community members prepare for coming wave of evictions
The looming eviction crisis has threatened renters for months, teasing tenants with temporary relief measures that end just when cash-strapped residents need them the most. In North Carolina, up to 42% of households are at risk of eviction.
Remote learning fails students with disabilities
Virtual schooling is a constant challenge for children with disabilities. School-based resources like speech and physical therapy are hard to deliver remotely — and federal limitations to Medicaid have kept families from filling an essential gap in help for their kids.
City Council candidates talk zoning, land use
Zoning may not deliver the same zing as other hot-button issues in a competitive election cycle, but it’s among the most crucial discussions Asheville leaders and residents face as the city grows. Each candidate has different ideas about what to do first.
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