As a deadline nears for the Community Reparations Commission, pressure mounts for the group to finalize its recommendations for how the City of Asheville and Buncombe County governments can make amends to their Black residents.
Tag: Buncombe County
Showing 1-21 of 997 results
Pondering waste in its many forms
“The onslaught started a few months ago, when my partner and I joined the City of Asheville’s composting program. The chore of taking our slop bucket to the East Asheville Library branch has been a revelation — of maggots.”
WTF?: How Buncombe conducts property reappraisals
The county derives 62% of its more than $400 million budget from property taxes, which relies on the accurate assessment of thousands of properties, a process that happens every four years in Buncombe County. State law requires counties to perform reappraisals at least once every eight years.
Letter: Reparations Commission deserves more time to do its work
“The government should be doing all it can to support the commission in crafting recommendations to repair harm from the centuries of damage done by our government and society to Black people.”
Buncombe County seeks to join N.C. Attorney General’s HCA lawsuit
Buncombe County filed a motion to intervene in N.C. Attorney General Josh Stein’s lawsuit against HCA Healthcare and Mission Health. The county seeks more than $3 million in damages from HCA and Mission.
Cease Harm Audit shows lack of equity data in Asheville, Buncombe governments
At a Community Reparations Commission meeting March 18, the Carter Development Group identified four themes and outlined 10 “high priority” recommendations for actions local governments should take to cease harm to their Black residents.
What does the future hold for the Swannanoa Library?
Community members who spoke with Xpress say they are relieved that the Swannanoa Library has been saved from the chopping block for now. But many questions still remain about its future as well as who will be involved in the decision-making process moving forward.
Letter: Please keep the Swannanoa Library open
“Our Swannanoa Library is a place where our children and many other children have discovered the joy of learning.”
Letter: No more rules needed on short-term rentals
“There are already zoning regulations in place, and further regulation of owners’ property rights in regard to STRs is not needed.”
Short-term rental listening session yields conflicting views
The proposed regulations would ban future short-term rentals, both whole-house and rentals within the owner’s primary residence, in unincorporated parts of Buncombe County unless they were located within commercial zones or in an open-use district, among other changes. Existing short-term rentals would not be impacted by the changes.
Buncombe County’s first homeless-program manager discusses goals, misconceptions
Lacy Hoyle spoke about the local priorities for addressing homelessness, how she incorporates the views of those who have different beliefs than she does about its causes and misconceptions about the homeless population.
Civics 101: How to get involved in local government
If one of your New Year’s resolutions is to learn more about local government and how you can help steer the ship, both the City of Asheville and Buncombe County applaud, encourage and welcome your interest.
Fiber internet coming to Buncombe County’s rural communities
High-speed fiber internet is on its way to several rural communities in Buncombe County, thanks to a $3.3 million state grant. Nearly 1,000 households will receive fiber internet service over the next two years, according to Buncombe County Director of Economic Development Tim Love.
Reparations commission releases initial recommendations
After 18 months of meetings and nearly $500,000 spent, Asheville’s reparations commission — tasked with making recommendations for restitution for generations of racial injustice — has now lost its second project manager in a year. Additionally, the commission is asking for more time to draft its final recommendations.
Buncombe County must protect our communities from plastic pollution
“On balance, our ordinance would significantly reduce the amount of pollution, waste and greenhouse gases created to help county residents carry their groceries out of the store.”
Letter: Looking for local election news amid the clutter
“Every four years at this time, I get very aggravated by the tendency of next year’s hopeless presidential elections to displace and suppress coverage of this year’s local elections, in which some hope remains.”
Residential composting programs heat up across Buncombe County
The popularity of composting is growing in Buncombe County, and government-sponsored food-scrap collection programs are helping some residents divert food waste from landfills.
Letter: War and peace and Buncombe County
“And yes, there often are multiple causes of war, but that means the influence of defense contractors can’t be discounted, either.”
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.
Wellness roundup: Buncombe County reveals next steps for opioid settlements
According to the Opioid Settlement Strategic Planning Report, goals for fiscal years 2024-26 include reductions in overdose-related visits to area ERs, the jail population incarcerated for substance use-related charges and the number of behavioral health-related EMS dispatches.
Letter: We need a countywide tree ordinance
“I would like to see a new tree ordinance adopted countywide that increases the number of trees to be planted on property that is being developed.”