Reimagining Downtown for Equity and Inclusion
Since the removal of the Vance Monument, a group sponsored by Buncombe County and the City of Asheville has been visioning with members of the public to reimagine how the space will be activated for equity and inclusion.
Rugged Will Johnson Leads Owen to its First Win in ‘23T
Owen Warhorses unleashed their new spread offense to secure their first victory of the season, as the sole Buncombe County team to win last Friday.
Fireworks And More Discussed At Council Meeting
Four speakers voiced their support for fireworks, and each of them was met with a round of applause by the majority of those in the room after their comment.
Medicaid: Unraveling, Expanding, Delayed
Hundreds of thousands of Medicaid enrollees in North Carolina could lose their benefits as the program reverts to pre-pandemic rules for re-enrollment. This is compounded by Raleigh's approval of Medicaid expansion and failure to pass the budget that will launch it. This has left local governments searching for enrollees and staffing up for significantly greater caseloads, while understaffed and uncertain of when the change will kick in.
Caregivers “1,000 Books” Program Off to Good Start in Buncombe
Buncombe County Public Libraries has launched a 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten program, and they're inviting parents and caregivers to pick up a free journal to log the titles being read to preschoolers.
Panhandling Amendments Draw Polarized Crowd
Persons with strong feelings for and against regulating panhandling spoke before Asheville City Council. This was just for housekeeping amendments to keep the ordinances enforceable and in-line with state and national regulations. More controversial changes will come before council in October.
Mayor Gives Informal State of City
As the elected leader of the City of Asheville, Mayor Esther Manheimer felt compelled to remind certain people with a history of disregarding law and order about the importance of living together amicably and respectfully and appreciating the rights of everyone to go about their business with a sense of safety.
Buncombe Rejects GE’s $500k Claim
On a 6-1 vote, the Buncombe County Commissioners decided not to grant GE almost $500,000 in requested tax refunds. Three different companies under the GE umbrella all listed the same taxable properties on their tax returns not once, but two years in a row. The accounting error made by GE was being appealed years after the county had to set its budget, and it did not fall into any of the categories under which the state allows county commissioners to grant refunds.
Reval Gets More Personable, High-Tech
The Buncombe County Tax Office is working to make assessments more accurate by helping citizens learn how to appeal valuations and keep their property cards up to date. They are also going to be driving a car around to photograph all buildings, and flying a plane to capture aerial views of all parcels.
Young is Ready To Serve Community
Young is no newcomer to Woodfin. "Having been a member of Woodfin for more than 20 years, I know this area, its history, and its people. I have seen much growth in often challenging times."