New Stories
Letter: Ban single-use plastics for our planet’s future
“Every single time MountainTrue takes a sample of our French Broad River watershed, plastic pollution is found at some degree. This is unacceptable!”
Letter: Asheville’s illusion of leadership
“If you are happy with the status quo, then reelect these failed leaders.”
Top of the town: Conservancy may save Deaverview from development
The 342-acre tract atop Deaverview Mountain, just five miles from downtown Asheville, was purchased by an anonymous conservationist in March with the intention of selling the land to the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy. SAHC has three years to obtain federal and state grants to repay the buyer, then it plans to turn the property over to Buncombe County as a park or preserve.
Asheville firefighters roll out community responder team pilot
Four firefighters compose the team — two primarily reaching out to people who may be unhoused or experiencing a behavioral health issue, and two primarily meeting with downtown business owners to address their needs and concerns.
Impact of water outage “largely avoidable,” says independent committee
City staff had been informed of a “high probability” of a closed valve located on a main water line Jan. 10, 2022, nearly a year before the outage.
New film explores storytelling, Native American wisdom and nature’s intelligence
David Weintraub discusses his latest film — the 50th produced by the Center for Cultural Preservation.
Local nonprofit hosts inaugural Jewish poetry conference
On Sept. 1, local poet Jessica Jacobs launched the nonprofit Yetzirah, the first literary organization in the U.S. for Jewish poets. Now, she is preparing to bring poets from around the country and world to Asheville for a five-day conference.
Q&A: Hitting high gear, Warren Wilson bicyclist stars in Patagonia documentary
“When I am on a bike, I feel free. I feel fast. I feel strong.”
Business, nonprofit roundup: BPR selects Laura Lee as news director
Lee joined BPR as interim news director in January after previously stints at Carolina Public Press and as a writer and education publication Edutopia.
Around Town: Celebrating Juneteenth
A week of events to celebrate Juneteenth. Plus, a new rom-doc’s premiere episode set in Asheville; and a Blue Ridge Heritage festival.
What’s new in food: Local beverage leaders form new distillery
“Ninja Spirits will focus on traditional spirits, with our first release being a wheat-based vodka,” says Allison Brown-Rangel, co-owner of Asheville Brewing Co. and public relations representative for the new retail spirit brand.
Fighting sex trafficking takes multipronged approach
Sex trafficking doesn’t look like the plot of the 2008 film “Taken” starring Liam Neeson as a father who dramatically rescues his daughter from Albanian gangsters.
Letter: The problem with highway banners
“While hanging a banner over a highway may seem trivial to some, the hazard created could be quite serious.”
Letter: Question the priorities of APD and DA’s office
“The purpose of this letter is … to motivate city/county residents to question the priorities of the APD and the DA in these times of staff shortages and increased serious crime, along with the dire situation of homelessness in Asheville.”