For many, Gov. Roy Cooper’s stay-at-home order was a protective measure to keep the community safe from COVID-19. But for others, home isn’t safe: If someone is trapped in close quarters with an abuser, social distancing becomes incredibly dangerous. With no end to the pandemic in sight, local organizations are preparing for a rise in domestic and sexual violence despite their limited resources.
Wicked Weed Brewing responds to positive COVID-19 tests for employees at the Funkatorium and brewpub. Meanwhile, other local breweries screen workers daily and feel that the virus will inevitably strike their own crews.
As local advertisers cope with the ongoing impacts of COVID-19, we’re projecting a $700,000 revenue decrease this year, compared with last year. In response, we’ve been developing new sources of revenue, improving efficiencies and cutting expenses. This is our 2020 midyear report.
Teachers fear for their health under some NC school district plans, with other districts moving toward online-only instruction to begin school year.
N.C. Department of Health and Human Services unveiled an expanded dashboard detailing hospital capacity in different parts of the state. Of the 1,086 North Carolina patients hospitalized for COVID-19 on July 19, 41 were in Western North Carolina.
“Curtailing these basic rights in the name of keeping us all safe is a precedent we set at our own peril.”
East Asheville resident Gloria Pincu lost her husband, Daniel, to COVID-19 while she also battled the disease. As she slowly regains her strength, Pincu is struggling to make sense of everything that’s happened since the pandemic began in March.
“We should all be calling Sen. Berger and Rep. Moore to demand a vote this summer on Medicaid expansion for North Carolina.”
As outlined in a presentation available before the meeting by Jeremiah LeRoy, the county’s sustainability officer, the projects could save Buncombe County, A-B Tech, Asheville City Schools and Buncombe County Schools roughly $27.2 million in total electricity costs over the next 30 years.
Restaurants, brewers, hoteliers, tour companies and retailers were all among the 449 named Paycheck Protection Program beneficiaries with headquarters in Asheville. At least 46 of those entities also received help from the Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority to fill needs unmet by the federal loan effort.
According to preliminary results from surveys sent to families with children in the younger grades, roughly 40% of those attending Buncombe County Schools and 38% of those attending Asheville City Schools are opting for all-virtual classes.
“They are putting all of us at risk and endangering the lives of the elderly and immune-compromised people in our area.”
Two new programs, High Intensity Parenting and Lifeline, will provide enhanced training and round-the-clock access to supportive resources for foster parents, including financial incentives.
Based on antibody tests from six areas of the U.S., the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that there are an additional 10 coronavirus infections for each reported case of COVID-19. Xpress sought to determine if a similar pattern of hidden cases might hold true for the area’s coronavirus infections.
“Residents of Black Mountain, you might consider asking your leadership why they were so willing to sacrifice your health to stick it to the libs.”
“It shouldn’t take a local or state mandate to get some of you to make the right decision.”
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a major impact on both routine kidney care and the number of transplants. At the same time, the estimated 37 million American adults with chronic kidney disease are at greater risk of contracting the virus.
With more numbers than ever, it can be hard to understand the magnitude of the pandemic in North Carolina. N.C. Health News created three charts to help make sense of coronavirus in the state.
Xpress spoke with Asheville community members to learn how they’re finding moments of joy amid an unrelenting pandemic and the latest incident of an unarmed Black man killed by a white officer.
In the last week, Buncombe County’s percentage of positive tests has jumped from 2% to 4%. Although North Carolina’s statewide positivity rate hovers around 9%, the local increase indicates a rise in the coronavirus’ community prevalence.
