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Fireworks, parades set for 4th of July celebrations in WNC
(WLOS) — Western North Carolina is ready to celebrate Independence Day on Thursday, with several fireworks shows and parades on tap for this week. Below is a list of events scheduled for this holiday week. Asheville. Independence Day Block Party, sponsored by Ingles (July 4): This is an all-day...
Fourth of July festival roundup for Asheville area
ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — Wherever you are in Western North Carolina this week, it will be hard to miss an Independence Day celebration. A festival, fireworks show or both are guaranteed to be somewhere nearby. Here are a few going on in Asheville and surrounding towns:. Asheville. Asheville Downtown...
Darty to leave post as manager at Riverside Cemetery
ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — Joshua Darty has a unique perspective of Asheville history, honed from family stories and maps and documents, some more than 100 years old. Darty’s desk in the manager’s office at Riverside Cemetery is as meticulously kept as the 87 acres he watches over. But his time there is coming to an end. His last day at the desk where he’s worked for more than 11 years is Aug. 1.
City of Asheville offices to close July 4 in observance of Independence Day
City of Asheville offices will be closed Thursday, July 4, in celebration of Independence Day. Some City services will be impacted. Parks and greenways are open on a regular schedule, 6 a.m.-10 p.m. Splasheville, the free splash fountain in Pack Square Park, is open from 9 a.m.-8 p.m. Pools at...
Opinion: Asheville’s Animal Services Unit doesn't do enough to help animals in distress
Recently, I encountered a man downtown who had a listless, severely distressed baby clinging to his shoulders. The man disclosed he had four children, not just the baby he used to panhandle. I secured a $1,000 medical grant for his older children but he refused care for the baby. He also refused a free stroller so the baby wouldn’t have to hang onto his shoulders for 12 or more hours a day in all weather conditions. Many...
City of Asheville announces new project to enhance neighborhood resilience, connectivity
The Community Space Upfit Project is an ARPA-funded initiative to provide five community spaces with technology and infrastructure enabling virtual community meetings, and emergency briefings: connecting residents in real-time no matter the situation. In a pioneering move aimed at bolstering neighborhood connectivity and climate resilience, the City of Asheville will...
Asheville City Schools may freeze positions, cut staff; NC schools face fiscal 'cliff'
ASHEVILLE - The city school system is looking at freezing some vacant school positions and cutting central office personnel to cope with a $1.2 million shortfall. Much of the funding gap stems from the loss of $1 million in annual federal pandemic funding, a situation experienced by other school systems, according to Maggie...
Asheville synagogue leader speaks out on library assault, community unrest
ASHEVILLE, N.C. (WLOS) — A leader from one of Asheville's synagogues is speaking out for the first time since the assault at West Asheville Library on Saturday, June 29. Rochelle Reich, executive director at Congregation Beth Israel, sat down with News 13's Justin Berger for the second time in less than 30 days.
Asheville will need 14,000 new homes by 2050 to keep pace with population growth, Affordable Housing draft projects
Asheville’s population will continue to boom over the next 25 years — and with it, the need for more housing is expected to become even more urgent. That’s the message City Council members heard in a recent presentation on Asheville’s latest Affordable Housing Plan, which is being finalized and will be released to the public later this month.
Mars Hill approves roughly 5% increase in budget; only Madison town to maintain tax rate
MARS HILL - Mars Hill's property tax rate will remain unchanged from the previous year. The Mars Hill Town Board approved its 2024-25 budget June 27 in a special meeting at the Mars Hill Town Hall, as the town will maintain its property tax rate of 47 cents per $100 valuation.
New 114-unit apartment proposed for Arden; 35% of units for 'workforce housing'
A new housing complex has been proposed for Arden, with over a third of the units to be designated for "workforce housing," the developer has said. The development would be made up entirely of studios and one-bedroom apartments. The new development, called "Altitude," will be located off of Clayton Road...
NC teacher pay raises? Private school vouchers? Asheville, Buncombe, candidates' stances
How much of a raise should North Carolina public school teachers get? Should the state add hundreds of millions of dollars in taxpayer money to a program sending children to private schools?. Those are two key questions that divided members of the General Assembly, which reached an impasse in late...
Road closures planned in Patton Avenue area in downtown Asheville starting July 9
ASHEVILLE, N.C. (WLOS) — The City of Asheville is preparing for downtown street closures in the Patton Avenue area. These closures, which will be in effect from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. July 9-11, are part of a larger ongoing project within the city, officials told News 13. Officials...
North Carolina adopts Shalom Act amid spike in anti-Semitic incidents
ASHEVILLE, N.C. (WLOS) — On Monday, July 1, Gov. Roy Cooper signed House Bill 942 into law. The Shalom Act, as it is known, adopts a working definition of anti-Semitism. "We shouldn't need a bill that defines this for us to know that it's not right," Sen. Julie Mayfield said.
Celebrate the Fourth of July Safely: Leave Fireworks to the Professionals
Asheville -- July 2, 2024: Asheville Fire Department Press Release: Each Fourth of July, thousands of people, most often. children and teens, are injured while using consumer fireworks. Despite the dangers of fireworks, few people understand the associated risks, which include devastating burns, other injuries, fires, and even death. That’s why the Asheville Fire Department (AFD) recommends leaving the fireworks to the professionals.
City council candidates sound off on property tax increase
ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — Asheville City Council candidates in this November’s election are split on the recent tax increase, with three in favor of the new budget and three against. On the same night the council voted to approve the controversial Business Improvement District, or BID, it approved...
Asheville Fire Department reminds patriots to use fireworks safely
ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — As the Fourth of July and its accompanying pyrotechnic celebrations approach, the Asheville Fire Department would like to caution residents to prioritize safety over spectacle. “Despite the dangers of fireworks, few people understand the associated risks, which include devastating burns, other injuries, fires, and even...
Share Ideas With Asheville Parks & Recreation Director During Park Bench Chats
Do you have ideas for Asheville’s parks and recreation facilities? Join Asheville Parks & Recreation (APR) Director D. Tyrell McGirt for one-on-one or small group conversations during casual “Park Bench Chats.”. “We believe that our parks and recreation system is strongest when it reflects the needs and desires...
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