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New Stories
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Local author shares her tale of finding her biological family
“Finding my birth parents seemed as insurmountable as knowing where humanity came from,” says author Valerie Naiman. After multiple DNA tests, she continues, “I turned to psychics and detectives. Wading through a muck of secrets, lies and falsified documents, I finally found my mother when she was 94 years old.”
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County to renovate Woodfin Street complex, relocate public services
Joining the Family Justice Center in the building would be tax collections, tax assessment, election services, permits and inspections, planning, air quality and environmental health.
![Cayla Clark](https://mountainx.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/FEATURE_1-330x240.png)
Cayla Clark’s quest to make fun of everyone in Asheville
Local comedian Cayla Clark has developed a big following on Instagram through her videos that poke fun at all things Asheville. But her backstory and how she wound up in Western North Carolina is far from slapstick comedy.
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balm. and Yarn release new albums
Lush, looped vocals and diverse alt-country are featured on this month’s selections.
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Local arts leaders of color reflect on post-2020 equity advancements
Zakiya Bell-Rogers, Reggie Tidwell and Davaion “Spaceman Jones” Bristol share insights from the past four years.
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From CPP: Transylvania health care woes. Leaders voice frustration with HCA hospital management in NC mountain community.
A new independent monitor, selected by Dogwood Health Trust to gauge the communities’ opinions of HCA and the company’s ongoing compliance with the terms of its acquisition of the Asheville-based Mission Health chain, is already losing the trust of Brevard’s leadership.
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County makes progress toward affordability goals
Amid a housing crisis that has seen costs continue to skyrocket as supply can’t keep up with the rising demand, many families are just one bad break away from becoming homeless. But this fiscal year, Buncombe County is making its biggest investment yet in affordable housing. For the first time in years, county commissioners are sounding an optimistic note.
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The many tells of problem gambling
Josh Hampton spoke with Xpress about the symptoms of problem gambling, new legislation in North Carolina legalizing mobile sports betting and a new Gamblers Anonymous support group beginning soon in Asheville.
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Asheville Unpaved learns from community pushback
“Initially, we had a lot of community support for that project,” Sule says about plans for an unpaved trail near Asheville Middle School. “I think as it started to get nearer toward actually getting funded and approved in an easement, some [people] came up and opposed that project.”
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New solo exhibit celebrates the art of cartography
“My goal is to create a work of art, first and foremost, and then second is to render an accurate delineation of geography,” says artist Michael Francis Reagan.
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Asheville Police Department pushes to expand panhandling restrictions despite decline in calls reporting panhandlers
Asheville Police Chief Mike Lamb wants to increase the number of places designated as High Traffic Zones, areas where it is illegal under city code for a person to verbally solicit and/or panhandle. Solicitation with a sign is still permitted in these areas.
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Playbill picks: July local theater highlights
Beloved musicals and new original works fill area stages this month.
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AdventHealth, Novant Health, Mission again vie for hospital bed expansion
A public hearing will be held at 11 a.m. Aug. 19 in the Ferguson Auditorium of AB-Tech Community College, 340 Victoria Road in Asheville.
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YWCA acknowledges financial woes, closes pool
The organization cited lingering economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, inflation, shifts in funding priorities and the need for facility repairs as reasons for the shortfall.
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Homes bought by NCDOT for I-26 Connector becoming havens for drug users
Residents of East West Asheville say vacant homes now owned by the NCDOT to make way for the upcoming I-26 Connector project have become havens for drug users and people experiencing homelessness, the Asheville Watchdog reports.