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.
House Bill 412 would enable the two Haywood County municipalities to levy a 2% occupancy tax on accommodations like hotels, motels and Airbnbs, which would then be managed by new town-specific tourism development authorities.
County officials say new jail is an issue of simple math. Opponents say money is better spent elsewhere.
More than nine months into a pandemic that underscored deficiencies in rural broadband, many remote communities still lack access to the internet.
For the second day in a row, North Carolina set a record for the most COVID-19 cases reported in a single day. With numbers rising both across the state and in Buncombe County, here’s what you need to know about the coronavirus as the weekend approaches.
On July 14, Waynesville resident and former Western Carolina University instructor, Leah Hampton, will celebrate the release of her debut book, “F*ckface: And Other Stories.” Several of the book’s tales take place in and around the Asheville area.
The county, which had previously prohibited all leisure travel, will now limit reservations to “staycations” for Western North Carolina residents with an 828 area code. Occupancy is restricted to 50%, and visitors who are not part of the same family or household cannot occupy adjacent rooms.
“Yes, ABC [Alcoholic Beverage Control] stores are considered essential retail. You’re welcome,” deadpanned Fletcher Tove, Buncombe County’s emergency preparedness coordinator, during a March 26 press briefing on the county’s COVID-19 response.
As of Saturday, Dec. 1, vehicle owners in Haywood, Henderson and Rutherford counties will no longer have to submit their cars and light-duty trucks to an annual emissions inspection. Inspections remain in place for Buncombe and 21 additional counties, while the three other counties bordering Buncombe — Madison, McDowell and Yancey — have never required them.
Despite concern that a state law passed in June could stifle early voting numbers, counties in Western North Carolina have seen turnout more consistent with a presidential election than a midterm.
With the real estate market in Asheville becoming tighter and more expensive, homebuyers are increasingly looking outside the city, and oftentimes Buncombe County, to find a home that fits their budget.
Separate incidents in Canton and Buncombe County over the past week highlight the racial tensions that have dominated headlines throughout 2017 in WNC and across the country.
In Western North Carolina, homegrown activists of all stripes are working to effect change among an increasingly divided populace, drawing on historical ideals and using new technologies to spread their messages. Xpress reached out to local activists from across the political spectrum to share their motivations, challenges and techniques.
Davis will visit Malaprop’s on Thursday, Nov. 17, at 7 p.m. to tell stories and sign copies of his new book.
Haywood County’s thriving food and beverage scene will be on full display at the upcoming 12th annual Melange of the Mountains, planned for Thursday, March 10.
On Tuesday, Aug. 12, the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals released a statement, video and photo gallery (link below) claiming a Western North Carolina dairy farm mistreats its animals. The video showed cows on the farm knee-deep in their own manure, trudging through the sludge while feeding, sleeping and before milking. PETA reported many of […]
Land of Sky Regional Council is currently shepherding a 20-year planning process for the five county region of Buncombe, Henderson, Haywood, Madison and Transylvania called GroWNC. By looking at existing regional and local plans and extensive public input, this initiative strives to look for implementable action in the fields of Economic Development, Energy, Health, Housing, […]
40 WNC artists pick up their brushes, pastels and woodworking tools to create a spontaneous work, right in front of the public’s eye.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission are investigating the shooting of a bald eagle in Haywood County. A reward of up to $5,000 is offered to anyone for information leading to a conviction of the person or persons responsible for killing the eagle. The Humane Society of the United States has matched the original $2,500 reward amount offered by the public agencies, bringing the reward total up to $5,000.
Developer Tony Fraga has decided to abandon his massive Haywood Park proposal for downtown Asheville, which included a pair of 20-plus-story high-rises. Attorney Lou Bissette delivered the news to the Asheville City Council during its Nov. 11 meeting. Walking away: Developer Tony Fraga sent word to Asheville City Council that he was withdrawing his proposed […]
