Silas Durocher, Eleanor Underhill and Mike Martinez discuss their plans for what’s shaping up to be a productive musical season.
Tag: COVID-19
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Letter: Thanks to local schools for alternatives in COVID-19 era
“So it was a great relief to hear that at least a few local schools are protecting children against what I firmly believe are the real dangers of our time.”
Letter: Don’t perpetuate vaccine dogma
“Excluding unvaccinated people perpetuates the false narrative that the only people contracting, transmitting and getting sick with coronavirus are the unvaccinated — and that is wildly untrue.”
What happens to short-term rentals in the long-term?
The amount of money brought in by these short-term rentals in Buncombe County during the first half of this year was up 131% compared with STR revenue for January through June 2019. Consumer preferences — and choices to be made by government officials locally and in Raleigh — will affect the size of that gravy train and who will benefit from it in the years to come.
Some local schools reject COVID advice from health officials
Xpress has identified at least seven local K-12 institutions that are not requiring all students to wear masks as recommended by the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services StrongSchoolsNC toolkit and county public health leaders. Some have rejected other coronavirus measures as well, including isolating individuals with COVID-19 and recommending vaccinations.
Letter: Don’t spend millions on low-barrier shelter
“Spending $1 million to $2 million to construct a site on city-owned property and using the rest for the rescue of existing organizations would seem to me a far better allocation of the rescue funds!”
Letter: Mandate vaccinations at Mission!
“Mission HCA needs to get its priorities straight and heed the recommendations of public health and medical experts.”
Buncombe to cover funding gap for Family Justice Center
The Buncombe County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved nearly $97,000 in new spending from the county’s fund balance to cover nine months of services that had previously been supported by the Governor’s Crime Commission.
Wellness in brief: Pardee expands monoclonal antibody infusion clinic
From February through early August, the Emergency Department at Pardee administered 400 infusions of the Regeneron antibody therapy, says chief nursing officer Carol Stefaniak. But following the infusion clinic’s relocation to an outpatient facility in Hendersonville Aug. 11, another 350 infusions were administered, reflecting high demand for the drug.
Inhospitable climate
County considers $500K boost to One Buncombe Fund
While the initial round of One Buncombe money was split between emergency assistance for individuals and low-interest loans to small businesses, the new $500,000 would go entirely toward grants of up to $5,000 for business owners.
Mental health falters during pandemic
Briefly, it seemed like the coronavirus pandemic had turned a corner. “People were starting to feel a little bit optimistic this summer,” says Ariel Shumaker, an Asheville therapist in private practice, about COVID-19. “And now, it’s not feeling optimistic.” Fatigue, sadness, anxiety, rage, fear, exhaustion — these are the emotions area behavioral health professionals report […]
Letter: Mission Health should require vaccinations
“How can we ever end this pandemic when even our health care providers remain lax and unwilling to make the hard choice to get and to require vaccinations?”
Letter: Amazed by support for mask mandates
“It’s amazing to see all the letters in support of mask mandates, with no peer-reviewed scientific studies to back them up.”
Buncombe County lines
Mixed-use development could come to Ferry Road
While the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners did not make a formal commitment to any plan for the 137-acre site, several members expressed a desire for denser development focused on housing.
Local incentives aim to boost COVID-19 vaccinations
On June 26, just over two months ago, Buncombe County recorded just one new case of COVID-19. The county’s coronavirus state of emergency had ended earlier that month, and just 16 people were hospitalized due to the disease across Western North Carolina. As of Aug. 18, the emergency is back. WNC hospitals are caring for […]
Buncombe awards $9.3M in pandemic recovery grants
The largest single grant of $4 million will support broadband infrastructure expansion in unserved areas of the county. Brownie Newman, chair of the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners, said that investment would leverage an additional $6 million from the state of North Carolina and private broadband providers.
Wellness in brief: Lawsuit alleges Mission Health monopoly
Lawsuit alleges Mission Health monopoly Six residents of Western North Carolina filed a class-action lawsuit against HCA Healthcare and Mission Health System on Aug. 10, alleging restraint of trade and unlawful monopolization. The plaintiffs say they have paid higher health insurance premiums, copays and deductibles than have residents of surrounding areas due to Mission’s ability […]
Letter: Masks should be required indoors
“It is such a small thing to do to protect ourselves and others.”
Letter: Masking is about common sense and courtesy
“Nothing about this has anything to do with politics. It has to do with common sense and courtesy.”