Hatley Pointe Constructing Steep Bike Trails with Lift Service
Wolf Ridge, formerly Wolf Laurel Ski Resort is under new management. Last year, Deb and David Hatley couldn't have asked for a better opening season at Hatley Pointe. Since then, they've been working on a mountain bike park that capitalizes on the same 700-foot drop, while intersecting with skiing activities as little as possible. The bike trails will be serviced by the same lifts the skiers use.
Local Yarn Shop Hosts North Carolina Yarn Tour
Friends and Fiberworks operates out of a 4,000 square-foot store on farmland in Candler. They're currently participating in the NC Yarn Tour, but their doors are always open for "setting a spell" and knitting.
Hilltop Opens Second Ice Cream Shop
Family is obviously a very high priority for Spencer Hilgeman. He quit his job as an executive chef at the Biltmore Estate so he could spend more time with his family, and he went into business running Hilltop Ice Cream Shop to give others opportunities to create family memories.
ALDI Reopens Asheville Store with Community Support
ALDI reopened its East Asheville store on July 10, 2025, celebrating community resilience post-Hurricane Helene with a $10,000 donation to MANNA FoodBank. The event featured giveaways and highlighted ALDI's commitment to affordable groceries and local support.
Doug Ager: Solar Tax Credits At-Risk
Doug Ager of Sugar Hollow Solar talks about trends in the industry and why now might be a good time to invest in clean, green electricity generation.
Asheville Eye Associates Faces Fallout From Cyber Attack
Asheville Eye Associates faced a cyber attack compromising sensitive patient data, with DragonForce Ransomware claiming responsibility for stealing 540 GB of information. AEA's transparency has been questioned amid frustration from news outlets. The hack resulted in a ransom demand of $7 million, while AEA confirmed the breach affected 147,116 individuals, prompting a class action lawsuit over data protection failures.
Hyperlocal Agricultural Models Hurt Harder by Helene, Report Says
A report by ASAP shows that Southern Appalachian small farmers lost, on average, 88% of gross to Tropical Storm Helene in 2024, and losses are continuing into 2025. The latest report will be followed by another that will show that small farmers were impacted disproportionately in the agricultural community and recommend reforms to relief programs.
Shelton Compounding Pharmacy Under New Ownership
Shelton Compounding Pharmacy is under new management. The new owner, Philip Nelson, is carrying on the tradition of emphasizing wellness over sick care while still helping people take standard medications when pills prove hard to swallow.
Local BnB Hosts Step Up Accommodating for Relief Workers
Hurricane Helene is the gift that keeps on giving. That is, stories of unexpected goodness keep cropping up and probably will for some time. This undertold story of heroes and helpers comes from the local short-term rental industry.
Aluminati Guitars: Crafted Excellence with a Purpose
Aluminati Guitars, founded by luthier James Little, innovatively uses aluminum to create sustainable guitars that adapt to environmental changes, while also integrating local materials and supporting the community, as exemplified by their new Floodcaster model made from wood sourced from a flood-affected inventory.