“Yet let me suggest that we honor as proud examples those who are just doing OK, just getting by somehow in an increasingly complicated, messy, unstable economic and human environment.”
Tag: COVID-19
Showing 379-399 of 527 results
Green in brief: Small firms claim exclusion from local public solar process, Forest Service OKs Buck Project
Mike Diethelm, president and founder of Asheville-based SolFarm Solar Co., says a $10 million construction bond requirement for would-be bidders on the solar projects “knocks out so many local medium and small solar businesses, which we have a lot of in this town, and only opens it up to the big guys.”
Expanded programs support behavioral health issues during pandemic
“You don’t have to be a psychiatrist to know that when you take away people’s routines and jobs, it’s difficult for them, especially if they have a mental illness,” says Brian Ingraham, CEO of Vaya Health. New federal funding will help two Western North Carolina agencies expand mental health services, some directly related to the pandemic and the rest addressing overall behavioral health issues.
N.O. M.A.S.K.
Cooper announces task force to address COVID-19 in communities of color
Gov. Roy Cooper signed a new executive order on June 4 to address the impact of COVID-19 on communities of color. In Buncombe County, a disproportionate number of COVID-19 cases come from historically marginalized communities.
Biz briefs: Buncombe continues to see high COVID-19 unemployment, business closures
The county, North Carolina’s seventh-most populous, was fifth on the state’s list of counties by number of pandemic-related first-time unemployment insurance claimants in April. Of those claims, 21.7% were from workers in the leisure and hospitality industries, while 15.6% were from the trade, transportation and utilities sector.
Buncombe to pull back spending in 2021 budget
The proposed general fund budget of nearly $335.65 million marks a 1.1% decrease from the current fiscal year’s $339.46 million total. To support those expenditures, the county would use more than $11.33 million of its fund balance, down roughly 23% from the $14.79 million in reserves spent this year.
Letter: We deserve better political leadership
“Buncombe County Board of Commissioners Chairman Brownie Newman and Asheville Mayor Esther Manheimer have failed miserably with their response to the virus among us.”
Local doula offers virtual guidance during pandemic
When Buncombe County’s stay home, stay safe mandate went into effect, doulas were deemed nonessential. The classification was a hard pill to swallow for business owner Chama Woydak, who has nevertheless found ways to remain connected with her expecting mothers and partners during the pandemic.
State decries racism as public health threat during COVID-19
Noting that 34% of North Carolina’s 898 COVID-19 deaths through June 1 have been among African Americans, who make up roughly 22% of North Carolina’s population, NCDHHS Secretary Dr. Mandy Cohen emphasized that structural racism has created health disparities in black communities.
From CPP: Media coalition sues Cooper, cabinet agencies for COVID-19 records
Carolina Public Press and other news media organizations filed a lawsuit May 28 to obtain public records relating to state’s tracking and handling of COVID-19 crisis.
WNC farms grow new markets through community
The region’s small farms have been rocked by the coronavirus, but community support and innovative thinking have enabled many local growers to pivot and persist as they work to find a way forward.
Carolina Beer Guy: Taprooms open with significant safety measures
Asheville-area breweries have taken numerous precautions to ensure responsible reopening.
Corporate taking
Need grows, funding shrinks for Buncombe aging services
Support for programs in Buncombe County that serve older adults — one of the groups most vulnerable to severe illness from COVID-19 — is set to decrease by more than $78,000 from the current fiscal year, according to a new budget proposed by the county’s Health and Human Services department.
From AVL Watchdog: Families in fear at stricken nursing home
In its second article on COVID-19 hotspot Aston Park Health Care Center, AVL Watchdog speaks with the families of some residents. Unable to see their loved ones in person, they are faced with the difficult task of waiting and hoping.
Local government advisory groups hindered during COVID-19
Since March 16, local government boards and commissions meetings have been canceled, meaning citizens have largely been shut out of formal policy discussions as Asheville City Council and the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners manage the tandem economic and public health crises caused by the coronavirus.
Couple quarantine while awaiting first child
Ruth Pike-Elliot and her wife Bren are expecting their first child on June 4. Quarantining during a pregnancy presents obvious challenges, says the mother-to-be. But the couple has also discovered many benefits in the process.
Six Mission Hospital staff test positive for COVID-19
Six staff members at Asheville’s Mission Hospital have tested positive for COVID-19. “This cluster of cases occurred in some of our most dedicated and talented staff,” said Dr. William Hathaway, Mission Health’s chief medical officer.
BCTDA to resume marketing with ‘soft call to action’
“Our objective is to safely and responsibly encourage travel, working hand-in-hand with our local health officials and government, as we move toward that direct invitation of visitors to our community,” said Marla Tambellini, Explore Asheville’s vice president of marketing.
Campbell proposes 2021 Asheville budget amid ‘major uncertainty’
The total fiscal 2020-2021 city budget proposal stands at $184.6 million, a 3% decrease from last year’s total of $190.3 million, and will continue funding for existing services while limiting new programs, service enhancements and initiatives. The property tax rate would remain the same under the proposal, and no fee increases are recommended.