Brevard officials hope other Western North Carolina local governments will join the city’s lawsuit alleging monopolistic practices by HCA Healthcare. None have, but none say they have ruled it out.
Tag: carolina public press
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From CPP: How can we save NC forests?
On June 7, Carolina Public Press held a free and open virtual event with a panel of experts to discuss threats to the future of public forests in the state, including climate change. A recording of the event is linked to this story.
From CPP: Rethinking NC mountain habitat conservation in the face of climate change
Innovative approaches such as land restoration and private-public partnerships, as well as revisiting tried approaches such as herd grazing and indigenous land management, offer partial answers to the challenges of a changing climate in WNC forests.
From CPP: Mountain trails face stress from cyclists and climate change
Maintaining trails in Western North Carolina’s mountain forests poses tough choices between recreation and sustainability.
From CPP: Elk and other large species in NC mountains constrained by changing habitats, human activity
Climate change and extreme weather events disrupt habitat areas and food sources in NC mountain forests, while human infrastructure blocks natural migration paths and creates dangers near roadways for large animal species.
From CPP: Whipsawed by erratic weather, mountain forest ecosystems under stress
Researchers seek to understand risks climate change poses for the Blue Ridge woodlands of Western North Carolina while many residents experience the disruption of extreme weather.
Nonprofit business model may offer stability to local newsrooms
Xpress sat down with the heads of two local nonprofit news organizations to learn how the business model compares to its for-profit cousin and whether the concept offers a sustainable solution to an industry struggling to hang on.
From CPP: Asheville council will be asked to approve list of nonprofits to receive millions in ARPA funds
The city used a scoring system to winnow the field of applicants, but at least one council member questions the fairness of that approach.
From CPP: New domestic violence shelter gets boost from ARPA funds
Jackson County, home to Western Carolina University, has no domestic violence shelter, but efforts to combine federal dollars and other funding are working to change that.
From CPP: Tackling stormwater with ARPA funds in Brevard
The city in North Carolina’s rainiest county is putting much of its federal American Rescue Plan Act funds toward stormwater infrastructure.
From CPP: ARPA funds helping Buncombe nonprofits recover from pandemic
Eighteen nonprofits aiding mountain residents with services like housing, diapers, food, the arts, education and advocacy receiving more than $13.9 million of Buncombe County’s ARPA funding.
From CPP: Connecting some rural areas of WNC to high-speed internet getting boost from ARPA
Many areas of rural mountains in NC have limited internet access or people are forced to rely on satellites. Infusion of funds may change that.
From CPP: Tight timeline for challenge to Cawthorn’s eligibility to run
Process and legal questions about involvement in Jan. 6, 2021, events at the U.S. Capitol abound in legal challenge to candidacy of U.S. Rep. Madison Cawthorn.
From CPP: Forest Service unveils long-awaited plan for WNC
The U.S. Forest Service offered four alternative management plans for the Pisgah and Nantahala national forests in 2020. It has decided to go with a fifth alternative.
From CPP: NC Elections Board to review results of new election audit tests
The N.C. State Board of Elections considers a new election security measure through county-level tests, including in Buncombe County, and works to figure out whether and how to incorporate it into state practices.
From CPP: NC counties base jail decisions on controversial consultant work
Recommendations to build bigger jails in North Carolina often come from the same firms that land jail design contracts, reports Jordan Wilkie of Carolina Public Press. Consultant methods may stack the deck in favor of big investments in jail construction.
From CPP: Changes to eviction in NC — Frequently asked questions
A reinstatement of the CDC moratorium and expanded state financial assistance aids tenants struggling to pay rent during the pandemic. Find answers to questions about the programs.
From CPP: Communities struggle with meth outside spotlight of opioid crisis
Increase in methamphetamine use in Western North Carolina affects the region’s “misery index,” even if the death rate is lower than that of opioids.
From CPP: Will telehealth continue filling gaps in WNC?
Patients and providers pivoted to online appointments during pandemic lockdowns. Some in Western North Carolina want the option to extend permanently.
Local media win legal fees from Asheville after open-meetings suit
Xpress, along with the Asheville Citizen Times, Blue Ridge Public Radio, Carolina Public Press and Asheville Watchdog, had incurred nearly $4,200 in attorney fees after suing Asheville over its plan to hold a March 31 City Council retreat behind closed doors.
From CPP: State cracks down on mining operations
A McDowell County neighbor’s concerns about the impact of mining operations and questions from Carolina Public Press drew the attention of the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality.