Greg Parks and Sara Disher Ratliff

Xpress holds forum for Buncombe school board candidates

The event, supported in part by the American Press Institute’s Election Coverage and Community Listening Fund, also aimed to uplift community voices regarding education issues. As moderator Aisha Adams revealed through conversations with the audience, many concerns about the school system are shared among voters with different views, even if they may disagree about how best to solve those issues.

Enka High student on tractor

Enka barn raises questions about Buncombe special interest funding

The Buncombe County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously on Oct. 6 to award $15,000 toward the construction of an agricultural education facility at Enka High School. But as Chair Brownie Newman noted, recommendations to support such projects are normally made by Buncombe’s School Capital Fund Commission or Board of Education and funded through the regular budget cycle.

Schools may be key to property tax relief

The Buncombe County Board of Commissioners held a nearly five-hour budget workshop May 16, a forum dedicated to presentations and requests from county departments. However, talks also showed a possible path toward nudging closer to a revenue-neutral property tax rate. A taxing issue County Manager Wanda Greene’s proposed budget for next fiscal year is $419,289,728, […]

Amy Churchill

Amy Churchill (I),  personally registered as a Republican. Endorsements: Buncombe County Association of Educators; Asheville Citizen-Times; Blue Ridge Republican Women’s Club. Why I’m running: It has been a privilege to serve on the Board of Education as both an advocate for our schools and an agent for change. I have worked to improve the learning […]

Laura Bowen

Laura Bowen, personally registered as a Republican. Endorsements: Buncombe County Republican Women’s Club; my six adult children; Blue Ridge Republican Women’s Club. Why I’m running: My mom, who was a teacher, died the weekend of July 1 and when I was substitute teaching I used to call her and tell her about the students I […]