Asheville’s two mayoral candidates, Esther Manheimer and Kim Roney, faced off this week at the first major campaign event of the season. They largely agreed on housing and recovery priorities — but differed on how city government should operate. www.bpr.org/politics-gov...

At the first Asheville mayor debate, Roney and Manheimer clash over transparency and surveillance

The two Asheville mayoral candidates largely agreed on housing and recovery priorities — but differed on how city government should operate.

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A Mission Hospital patient under an involuntary commitment order died by suicide inside the psychiatric unit in the early morning hours of May 21, the Asheville Watchdog has confirmed. www.bpr.org/health/2026-...

Patient on psychiatric hold dies by suicide in Mission Hospital emergency department

The latest death occurs during “enhanced” federal safety monitoring following 4th immediate jeopardy citation since 2021.

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Asheville is taking a major step to shore up its water infrastructure, nearly two years after Hurricane Helene derailed the city’s system. www.bpr.org/helene-recov...

FEMA approved a $25 million water upgrade for Asheville. The city needs about $260 million more to prepare for the next disaster.

Asheville is pursuing several costly infrastructure upgrades, including a new water mainline at North Fork Reservoir and two pre-treatment plants.

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Volunteer citizen scientists are monitoring climate change's impact on all kinds of living things in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. After federal budget cuts, that work has become even more important. www.bpr.org/climate-envi...

In search of life’s diversity: In the Smokies, volunteer scientists document species old and new

Citizen scientists are monitoring climate change's impact on all kinds of living things in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. That work has become even more important now that federal budget cut...

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From Asheville Watchdog: HCA CEO Sam Hazen recently pushed back on claims that he needed to do more to engage with Mission Hospital, saying he regularly travels to Asheville to visit area leaders — but elected officials say they haven't met him. www.bpr.org/health/2026-...

HCA CEO says he regularly travels to Asheville to visit area leaders. Elected officials say they haven’t met him

City of Asheville and Buncombe County resolutions have called for him to visit the region and meet with officials.

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Governor Josh Stein on a Thursday visit to Canton called on Congress to send more money to western North Carolina to rebuild infrastructure that was damaged by Hurricane Helene. www.bpr.org/helene-recov...

In Canton, Gov. Stein calls for more federal funding for water infrastructure post-Helene

Washington has sent $861 million to help western North Carolina counties rebuild their water infrastructure. But the money is far from enough, Stein said.

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A year and a half after Helene flooded the IPEX plastic plant, there’s still a lot of PVC pipe in the French Broad River. On Tuesday, residents, officials and advocates gathered in the town of Woodfin to discuss the longstanding problem. www.bpr.org/climate-envi...

Community frustration grows around IPEX's post-Helene plastic pollution in the French Broad River

As pipes continue to break down in the French Broad Watershed, advocates and community members say the company is ignoring their requests for help.

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Following a heated public comment period, Asheville City Council voted to accept a $1.14M federal grant to APD to fund a real-time intelligence center allowing police to search and monitor cameras across the city. www.bpr.org/politics-gov...

Asheville Council accepts police tech funding, hears budget proposal

What you need to know from the May 12 Asheville City Council meeting

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Kyrylo Gencho was at home in Kharkiv when Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine. He arrived in Asheville in November 2022 seeking a stable, peaceful life.

If you walk through downtown Saluda in Polk County or the nearby town of Tryon, you’ll see one storefront after another displaying signs supporting the Saluda Grade Trail, a rails-to-trails project inching closer to reality. www.bpr.org/growth-devel...

Saluda Grade Trail organizers share latest updates at Spring Forum

More than 1,000 people weighed in on the long-anticipated project, which aims to turn an abandoned rail line into a walking and biking trail connecting North and South Carolina.

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FEMA approved 142 buyouts in Buncombe County on Friday, bringing the total number of approved properties up to 189 in the county. www.bpr.org/helene-recov...

FEMA greenlights more than 140 buyouts in Buncombe County

The agency approved $59 million in new funding for buyouts statewide.

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From the Asheville Watchdog: Mission Hospital has no plans to add staff in key areas – including trauma care, security, and nursing administration – as part of its recently approved, now-contested, 95-bed acute-care expansion. www.bpr.org/health/2026-...

In quest for more beds, Mission plans to keep staff lean, CON application shows

It received conditional approval – now contested – to increase patient capacity by 13 percent; staff is projected to grow 3.7 percent.

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Farmer Jamie Ager, the Democratic nominee in North Carolina’s 11th Congressional District race, said Thursday that alleged misconduct by his Republican opponent, Rep. Chuck Edwards, is “sad for the country” and “not the story of leadership.” www.bpr.org/politics-gov...

Jamie Ager says Rep. Chuck Edwards's alleged misconduct is 'sad for the country'

Ager, the Democratic nominee in the 11th Congressional District race, made the remarks in an interview with BPR after a rally in Asheville.

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The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians Tribal Council on Thursday passed an indefinite moratorium on data centers, following several other counties and municipalities throughout North Carolina that have made similar moves. www.bpr.org/climate-envi...

EBCI passes indefinite moratorium on data centers

Councilmembers say the move was spurred by the data center in nearby Marble, as well as reports of water and energy issues nationwide.

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Almost two years and I still can't publicly speak to public radio stations without mentioning what @blueridgepublic.bsky.social meant to Asheville during Helene without tearing up. It was such a delight to work with Reno's KUNR this week and lead their retreat.

Members of the National Council on the Arts came to Asheville this week to talk about the importance of the arts in Hurricane Helene recovery. The visit comes as federal funding for the arts is in a precarious position under President Donald Trump. www.bpr.org/arts-perform...

National Council on the Arts visits Asheville to explore role of arts in Helene recovery

The visit comes as federal funding for the arts is in a precarious position under President Donald Trump.

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Buncombe County officials caught an earful over the FY 2026-27 budget during Tuesday night’s Board of Commissioners meeting as none of the 11 residents who spoke during public comment supported the spending plan. www.bpr.org/politics-gov...

Buncombe proposes tax increases for next year’s budget

What you need to know from the May 5 Buncombe County Board of Commissioners meeting

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The city of Asheville is considering allocating an additional $19.2M for the repair of single-family homes damaged by Hurricane Helene. This policy proposal comes after BPR published a series on the dearth of funding for the program in Asheville. www.bpr.org/helene-recov...

Asheville to consider shifting $19M in HUD funds to Helene home repair program

The reallocation would take months but could fund the repair of more than 50 homes that belong to some of the city’s most vulnerable homeowners.

bpr.org

With @theassemblync.bsky.social and @grist.org: Harm reduction groups and health care workers helped avert the worst after Hurricane Helene. But what about the next emergency? www.bpr.org/climate-envi...

Helene frayed the safety net for people who use drugs. The community wove it back together.

Harm reduction groups and health care workers helped avert the worst. But what about the next emergency?

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BPR recently published an investigation showing the city of Asheville set aside just $3M for Helene home repair, mistakenly believing the state would cover the majority of the cost. Readers had questions. We sat down with our reporters to learn more. www.bpr.org/helene-recov...

Pricey admin, FEMA contributions? BPR reporters answer your biggest questions about our recent HUD investigation

BPR recently published an investigation showing the city of Asheville set aside just $3M for Helene home repair, mistakenly believing the state would cover the majority of the cost. Readers had questi...

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Disasters like Hurricane Helene level communities and upend even the stablest lives. For people recovering from addiction, the financial strain and fractured routines that follow can rupture the stability they’ve spent years working toward. www.bpr.org/helene-recov...

Hurricane Helene shattered lives — and the systems that keep people sober

Recovery from substance use disorder requires community. What happens when a disaster tears that apart?

bpr.org

Western North Carolina Congressman Chuck Edwards is reportedly under investigation by the U.S. House Ethics Committee over unspecified allegations. www.bpr.org/politics-gov...

Rep. Chuck Edwards allegedly under investigation by House Ethics Committee

Western North Carolina Congressman Chuck Edwards, who represents the 11th Congressional District, is reportedly under investigation by the U.S. House Ethics Committee over unspecified allegations.

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Public Media Giving Days are underway, and we’re celebrating something essential: local public media. Show that BPR matters to you and keep us strong by donating now! www.bpr.org/announcement...

Celebrate public media and give back to BPR

Public Media Giving Days are here again

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Two hospital systems are appealing a recent decision by the state Department of Health and Human Services to allow Mission Hospital and Novant Health to expand in Buncombe County. www.bpr.org/growth-devel...

AdventHealth, UNC Health appeal decision allowing Mission and Novant to expand in Buncombe

The move is the latest twist in the battle over the county’s healthcare marketplace, where long-dominant Mission Hospital has faced multiple federal sanctions.

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Public Media Giving Days is back! Stand up for the station that stands up for you by making a gift today — and choose from limited‑time thank‑you gifts created just for this moment. www.bpr.org/announcement...

Celebrate public media and give back to BPR

Public Media Giving Days are here again

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Over the years, the Buncombe County Special Collections has collected the stories of communities in and around Asheville. Now, the library is setting its sights on a new endeavor: the Leicester History Project. www.bpr.org/growth-devel...

Leicester History Project aims to share stories of rural communities in NW Buncombe County

The initiative, led by the Buncombe County Special Collections, is seeking volunteers from the communities of Leicester, Sandy Mush and French Broad.

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Paul Bonesteel has been digging into the life story of Japanese photographer George Masa for decades. This week, his exploration of Masa’s life goes even further in a new documentary that will premiere at Asheville’s Fine Arts Theatre. www.bpr.org/arts-perform...

The life of George Masa, a pivotal figure in preserving WNC nature, is reconsidered in a new documentary

The film presents new revelations about the life of Masa, a photographer whose work in the 1920s and ‘30s played a key role in protecting the Great Smoky Mountains and the Appalachian Trail.

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A fire caused “significant” damage to the former Asheville Waste Paper Company building, an iconic River Arts District structure slated to be the new home of the Salvage Station music venue. www.bpr.org/growth-devel...

Blaze causes ‘significant fire damage’ to new Salvage Station venue

No injuries were reported, according to the Asheville Fire Department. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

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FEMA announced Thursday another $260 million in reimbursements to local governments and state agencies for money they spent recovering after Hurricane Helene. www.bpr.org/helene-recov...

FEMA works to clear “backlog” of reimbursements for NC, releases $260 million

The money is part of a massive backlog of funds that were held up by a policy implemented by former-Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.

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Swain County Commissioners Tuesday unanimously passed a 12-month moratorium on new data centers in the county. www.bpr.org/climate-envi...

Swain County unanimously passes data center moratorium

Residents expressed fear of climate, environmental impacts

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