Appeals court upholds jury verdict in case against local air agency

On Jan. 11, the U.S. Appeals Court, Fourth District, upheld a jury’s judgment that the board of the WNC Air Quality Agency discriminated against Melanie Pitrolo when it passed over her for a key promotion in 2005. The ruling overturns a District Court finding that had reversed the jury and allowed Buncombe County — which oversees the agency — to compel Pitrolo to pay its legal costs. Now, Pitrolo may get to recoup her legal costs from the county.