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Buncombe County, North Carolina

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Complete local news coverage for Buncombe County, North Carolina. Stay updated on local government, community events, business developments, and civic matters affecting residents of Asheville, Black Mountain, Weaverville, Woodfin, Biltmore Forest, and surrounding Blue Ridge Mountain communities.
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Asheville, Black Mountain, Weaverville, Woodfin, Biltmore Forest and 660 square miles in western north carolina

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West Asheville arrests lead to seizure of more than 100 grams fentanyl
Government

West Asheville arrests lead to seizure of more than 100 grams fentanyl

Police seized 101.9 grams of fentanyl in West Asheville, a haul equal to about 50,000 two-milligram doses. Two men were arrested in separate drug and gun cases.

James Thompson2m read
More than 300 women gather in Asheville for recovery networking event
Business

More than 300 women gather in Asheville for recovery networking event

More than 300 women filled an A-B Tech conference room for WomanUP, where recovery talk centered on the contacts, mentorship and practical support Asheville businesses still need.

Sarah Chen2m read
Asheville motel gunfire call leads to sleeping suspect’s arrest
Government

Asheville motel gunfire call leads to sleeping suspect’s arrest

Shots fired at a West Asheville motel ended with police finding the suspect asleep in a nearby car. No one was hurt, but officers say he was armed.

Marcus Williams1m read
Dunkin opens in Biltmore Village, marking Helene recovery progress
Business

Dunkin opens in Biltmore Village, marking Helene recovery progress

A new Dunkin at 781 Biltmore Avenue reopened a storm-hit corner of Biltmore Village, bringing 20 jobs back as boarded-up shops still signal a slow recovery.

Sarah Chen2m read
Buncombe County seeks public vote on Pack Memorial Library mural design
Community

Buncombe County seeks public vote on Pack Memorial Library mural design

Buncombe County is letting residents pick the mural that will wrap Pack Memorial Library, a vote that will decide which local story stands most visibly downtown.

Marcus Williams2m read
Buncombe updates Helene-hit Exit 55 corridor, BP, Zaxby's, motel sites
Business

Buncombe updates Helene-hit Exit 55 corridor, BP, Zaxby's, motel sites

Exit 55’s most visible storm scars are finally moving, but BP, Zaxby’s and two former Motel 6 buildings still show how long Helene cleanup can take.

Sarah Chen2m read
Asheville, Hendersonville May Day rallies planned for workers' rights
Community

Asheville, Hendersonville May Day rallies planned for workers' rights

Unions and community groups will turn May Day into a local pressure campaign in Asheville and Hendersonville, linking workers’ rights to wages, housing costs and storm recovery.

Marcus Williams2m read
Woodfin council approves bike safety zones after deadly NC-251 crash
Government

Woodfin council approves bike safety zones after deadly NC-251 crash

Woodfin backed bike safety zones nearly a year after two Asheville cyclists were killed on NC-251, but the real test is whether funding and enforcement follow.

Marcus Williams2m read
First train rolls from Old Fort to Asheville after Hurricane Helene repairs
Business

First train rolls from Old Fort to Asheville after Hurricane Helene repairs

The first freight train to roll from Old Fort toward Asheville marked a hard-won recovery milestone after Helene cut the line in September 2024. The restart reconnects Buncombe County to a faster freight corridor.

Sarah Chen2m read
Asheville City Schools makes May 1 optional for Raleigh rally attendance
Education

Asheville City Schools makes May 1 optional for Raleigh rally attendance

Asheville City Schools will make May 1 optional after enough staff sought Raleigh rally leave, a sign the public-school funding fight is still reshaping local classrooms.

Marcus Williams2m read
Asheville upgrades Pack Square lawn for heavier event use downtown
Government

Asheville upgrades Pack Square lawn for heavier event use downtown

Asheville closed the Pack Square lawn for a switch to tougher bermudagrass, aiming to keep the downtown green usable through festivals, concerts, and crowded weekends.

James Thompson2m read
Asheville police data shows marijuana often secondary in arrests
Government

Asheville police data shows marijuana often secondary in arrests

Asheville arrest data shows marijuana is usually a side charge, not the main reason people are booked, sharpening the debate over what police are actually enforcing.

Marcus Williams2m read
Prather opposes power bill law, backs repeal amid clean energy debate
Government

Prather opposes power bill law, backs repeal amid clean energy debate

Prather backs repeal of the state power bill while Woodfin gets $284,000 for riverbank and stormwater work after Helene.

James Thompson2m read
Black Stories in Census Tract 2 preserves Asheville's Black neighborhood history
Community

Black Stories in Census Tract 2 preserves Asheville's Black neighborhood history

Stumptown’s story is on view at Pack Memorial Library, and the exhibit closes with a screening that ties Asheville’s Black past to today’s fights over redevelopment and memory.

Sarah Chen4m read
KBRA affirms top ratings for Buncombe County bonds, outlook stable
Government

KBRA affirms top ratings for Buncombe County bonds, outlook stable

KBRA kept Buncombe County at AAA on general obligation bonds, a top grade that can help hold down borrowing costs for housing, greenways and recovery work.

James Thompson2m read
Blue Ridge Parkway visitor centers reopen in Buncombe County area
Community

Blue Ridge Parkway visitor centers reopen in Buncombe County area

Two Parkway visitor centers are back open in Buncombe County, but road crews and heavy equipment still mean delays near Asheville and Mount Mitchell.

Lisa Park2m read
Asheville Fire Department launches CERT program to train residents for disasters
Community

Asheville Fire Department launches CERT program to train residents for disasters

Asheville is recruiting adults 18 and older to learn lifesaving basics before the next storm cuts roads, power or communications.

Marcus Williams2m read
Western North Carolina Nature Center reopens renovated gateway after 578-day delay
Community

Western North Carolina Nature Center reopens renovated gateway after 578-day delay

After 578 days of Helene delays, the Nature Center’s new gateway, farmyard and butterfly garden are open again, giving Asheville families a rebuilt low-cost outing.

Marcus Williams2m read
Echo Mountain Recording reopens, preserving Asheville music landmark
Business

Echo Mountain Recording reopens, preserving Asheville music landmark

Echo Mountain’s reopening put Asheville’s music economy on display, with Jessica Tomasin relaunching the studio after a planned 2025 closure and a Helene-disrupted move.

Sarah Chen2m read
Vortex Doughnuts closure sparks unpaid wage dispute in Asheville's South Slope
Business

Vortex Doughnuts closure sparks unpaid wage dispute in Asheville's South Slope

Nine former Vortex Doughnuts workers say the South Slope shop shut down without paying their final two weeks of wages, igniting a public labor fight.

Sarah Chen2m read
Asheville symposium spotlights rural colleges, federal policy, public trust
Education

Asheville symposium spotlights rural colleges, federal policy, public trust

As Buncombe County weighed school funding and a higher tax bill, Asheville hosted rural college leaders focused on public trust, federal policy and local economic value.

Sarah Chen2m read
Craggy Dam removal debate grows in Woodfin over safety, habitat
Community

Craggy Dam removal debate grows in Woodfin over safety, habitat

A 122-year-old Woodfin dam powers wastewater treatment and saves money, but removal backers say it could lower upstream flood levels by 7 to 10 feet.

Marcus Williams2m read
Buncombe County Maker Faire draws families, spotlights hands-on learning
Community

Buncombe County Maker Faire draws families, spotlights hands-on learning

At A-B Tech, a free maker fair packed with robotics, soldering and woodcraft showed how Buncombe County is turning weekend curiosity into practical skills.

Marcus Williams2m read
Opinion urges Buncombe to boost election funding, improve turnout and integrity
Government

Opinion urges Buncombe to boost election funding, improve turnout and integrity

Buncombe County’s elections are being asked to do more with less, and the gap shows up in turnout, staffing strain and storm recovery.

Marcus Williams5m read
Tripadvisor names Asheville top U.S. travel spot, boosting tourism outlook
Business

Tripadvisor names Asheville top U.S. travel spot, boosting tourism outlook

Tripadvisor put Asheville among the nation’s top travel spots, a boost for a visitor economy that still powers nearly $3 billion in spending and nearly 30,000 jobs.

Sarah Chen2m read
Buncombe County honors 911 dispatchers as vital first responders
Government

Buncombe County honors 911 dispatchers as vital first responders

Buncombe County’s 911 center answered 186,985 calls and dispatched 273,111 incidents in 2021, underscoring the strain behind National Public Safety Telecommunicator Week.

Marcus Williams2m read
Asheville businesses eye tariff refunds, but relief may take time
Business

Asheville businesses eye tariff refunds, but relief may take time

Asheville businesses could recover tariff costs, but only if they clear a narrow federal process that may move slowly and pay out by bank transfer. Owners say every dollar matters after Helene.

Sarah Chen3m read
Fatal house fire in Broad River kills Buncombe County man
Community

Fatal house fire in Broad River kills Buncombe County man

Portable heater heat is the suspected ignition source in a Broad River fire that killed John W. Sobol, a sharp warning as Buncombe’s burn-ban penalties climb.

Lisa Park2m read
Asheville repair funding gap could leave 115 Helene survivors waiting
Government

Asheville repair funding gap could leave 115 Helene survivors waiting

More than 100 Asheville homeowners could miss Helene repair help because the city set aside $3 million, enough for only about eight homes.

James Thompson2m read