Thursday, June 25: Home Repair Money + Buncombe Schools Chief Leaving Early + New Skating Rink

Thursday, June 25: Home Repair Money + Buncombe Schools Chief Leaving Early + New Skating Rink

Today's Asheville newscast includes these stories: * Asheville reallocates $19 million for home repairs and halts data center projects [https://www.bpr.org/politics-government/2026-06-24/asheville-moves-19m-toward-helene-home-repair-and-issues-data-center-moratorium] * Buncombe Schools superintendent announces retirement a year early [https://www.citizen-times.com/story/news/education/2026/06/24/rob-jackson-retires-as-buncombe-county-schools-chief/90663808007/] * Haywood County jail staff cleared in death of inmate Carl Friberg [https://www.citizen-times.com/story/news/crime/2026/06/24/state-clears-jail-staff-after-inmate-dies-of-infection/90664341007/] * How are local nonprofits spending the donations they received after Helene? [https://avlwatchdog.org/local-nonprofits-received-a-flood-of-donations-after-helene-how-are-they-spending-the-money/] * Temporary skating rink to replace the Carrier Park rink lost to Helene [https://828newsnow.com/news/228822-temporary-skating-rink-to-be-built-in-downtown-asheville-for-682000/]

Wednesday, June 24: Buncombe Tax Appraisal Limbo + Post-Helene Tourism + Holiday Airport Traffic Spike

Today's Asheville newscast includes these stories: * Buncombe County faces $2.1 million loss from potential property appraisal moratorium [https://www.citizen-times.com/story/news/2026/06/23/buncombe-property-appraisal-moratorium-costs/90642354007/] * Lawmakers debate bill to exempt Buncombe County from home valuation freeze [https://wlos.com/news/local/property-bill-buncombe-county-tax-homeowners-north-carolina-governor-josh-stein-lawmakers-politics-valuation-freeze-helene-counties-commissioners-residents-community] * Answer Man: New water intake planned for Asheville water system? [https://avlwatchdog.org/answer-man-new-water-intake-planned-for-asheville-water-system-is-carl-mumpower-moving-on/] * Visitor perceptions continue to challenge Western North Carolina tourism recovery [https://wlos.com/news/local/tourism-helene-wnc-western-north-carolina-visit-nc-magazine-storm-hurricane-community-data-state-officials?teaserSource=trending] * Flights to Asheville jump 34% during July 4 week—6th most in U.S. [https://mountainx.com/blogwire/flights-to-asheville-jump-34-2-during-july-4-week-6th-most-in-u-s/]

Tuesday, June 23: Overdose Deaths + New Deputy Arrest Details + 'Unauthorized Camping' Ban

Today's Asheville newscast includes these stories: * Bodies found in vacant Asheville housing units, overdoses cited [https://www.citizen-times.com/story/news/crime/2026/06/22/three-die-in-six-months-at-pisgah-view-apartments/90610555007/] * New details in former Madison County chief deputy arrest [https://wlos.com/news/local/court-records-reveal-new-details-in-former-madison-co-chief-deputy-arrest] * NC Senate panel resurrects ‘unauthorized camping’ homeless ban [https://ncnewsline.com/2026/06/10/nc-senate-panel-resurrects-unauthorized-camping-homeless-ban/] * Asheville bus route changes due to I-26 construction closures [https://wlos.com/news/local/asheville-bus-schedules-change-closing-interstate-26-ramps-multiple-permanently-north-carolina-department-transportation-routes] * Opinion: Asheville is a protest town, and some protesters’ stories are extraordinary [https://avlwatchdog.org/opinion-asheville-is-a-protest-town-and-some-of-the-protesters-stories-are-extraordinary/]

Monday, June 22: New Asheville Hospital? + Buncombe Schools Investigated + Domestic Violence Training

Today's Asheville newscast includes these stories: * UNC Health seeks to build new 92-bed hospital in Asheville [https://www.bpr.org/health/2026-06-18/unc-health-applies-to-build-new-92-bed-hospital-in-asheville] * US Education Department investigates Buncombe Schools over transgender restroom policies [https://ncnewsline.com/2026/06/18/us-education-department-investigates-two-nc-school-districts-over-transgender-restroom-policies/] * Former Madison County chief deputy arrested in Arizona on criminal charges [https://www.citizen-times.com/story/news/crime/2026/06/19/former-madison-county-sheriffs-office-chief-deputy-arrested-charged-crimes-involving-inmates/90623145007/] * WNC police departments enhance training for high-risk domestic violence identification [https://wlos.com/news/local/domestic-violence-north-carolina-program-western-franklin-sylva-police-reach-hotline-national-jeff-jackson-attorney-general-justice-department-safety-community-sexual-assault-human-trafficking-] * $18 million in grants available for debris cleanup in Western North Carolina [https://mountainx.com/blogwire/ncdeq-announces-18-million-available-to-support-debris-cleanup-efforts-in-wnc/]

Friday, June 19: Drowning at Hooker Falls + Ineligible for Grants + Weaverville Pickleball Complex

Today's Asheville newscast includes these stories: * Juvenile drowned at Hooker Falls in Dupont State Recreational Forest [https://www.citizen-times.com/story/news/local/2026/06/18/two-drownings-western-north-carolina-dupont-state-forest-lake-james/90603325007/] * Asheville grant program has eligibility issues impacting storm-affected businesses [https://wlos.com/news/local/some-businesses-ineligible-asheville-recovers-together-small-business-grant-program-eligibility-requirements-14-million-dollars-application-helene-funding] * IPEX responds to press inquiry, but still no contact with MountainTrue [https://www.citizen-times.com/story/news/madison/2026/06/18/ipex-dedicated-to-debris-cleanup-french-broad-river-mountaintrue-tropical-storm-helene-asheville/90589964007/] * Hickory Nut Gorge residents cope with ongoing recovery challenges [https://www.bpr.org/helene-recovery/2026-06-16/a-hard-rain-reveals-the-slow-road-to-recovery-in-hickory-nut-gorge] * Weaverville warehouse to become 12-court pickleball facility [https://wlos.com/news/local/weaverville-indoor-pickleball-facility-ballcrank-arcade-fairgrounds-reems-creek-road-former-balcrank-corporation-food-business-vendors-lease]