In photos: A sneak peek at the new Publix supermarke­t

At 7 a.m. Wednesday, April 29, Florida-based supermarket chain Publix will open its 1,101st store — and first Asheville location — at 1830 Hendersonville Road. During a media preview of the 50,000-square-foot store on Tuesday, some of the store’s approximately 150 employees offered guided tours of the facility’s departments and samples of its products.

In photos: Hillcrest get an organic boost from GreenWorks

Asheville GreenWorks partnered up April 11 with volunteers to transform an empty green lot at Hillcrest Apartments into an orchard. GreenWorks received a grant to plant its sixth community orchard at Hillcrest, with 24 ball-and-burlap apple trees and 36 blueberries. The goal is to promote better access to food, greenspace, shade, community pride and jobs.

In photos: Michael Brown justice rally draws hundreds in Asheville

About 200 people gathered in downtown Asheville Nov. 25 in support of Michael Brown, an unarmed black man who was killed by a Ferguson, Missouri, police officer earlier this year. Unlike protests in Ferguson and some other cities, the Asheville gathering at Vance Monument was peaceful as attendees held signs with phrases such as “Hold Cops Accountable” and “Where is Justice for Black America.”

In photos: Costume Drama brings high-fashion DIY to ACT

Asheville Community Theatre reprised their fundraiser Costume Drama: A Fashion Show for a third year on Monday, July 7. Designers and models from throughout the Southeast participated in the DIY runway event where they were challenged to create wearable art in themed categories: paper, nature, upcycled/recycled or — new this year— transformation.