For many female inmates, having stability, or even just a place to call home upon their release, is not a sure thing. But one Western North Carolina group is working to change that—one woman at a time.

Asheville is Beer City USA, with more craft breweries per capita than anywhere else in the U.S. Other towns in North Carolina have become hot spots for beer, but oat sodas are getting some competition in the craft alcoholic beverage market - in the form of spirits. When he started writing 'Still & Barrel - Craft Spirits In The Old North State' , author John Francis Trump says there were 50 craft distilleries in North Carolina. A little more than a year later, he estimates there are around 70

Asheville no longer has a 'Pit of Despair' but instead 68 Haywood Street . That's the name city lawmakers gave the prominent piece of unused real estate downtown after surveying residents. Other name suggestions included 'Site 68' and 'The Pit' (had the latter won the references from the NBC sitcom "Parks And Recreation" could have been endless ). The property across from the U.S. Cellular Center will eventually be developed under a plan the city council has been laboring over. Until then,

Earlier this year the Asheville City Council kicked off a community garden program . Residents can claim and garden a spot on vacant plots across the city. It’s a green dream for one group of locals who live downtown and have been eyeing an empty lot in their front yard. BPR’s Helen Chickering reports.

Reaction to President Donald Trump's decision to pull the U.S. out of the Paris Climate Accord is drawing swift reaction. Andrew Jones is co-director of Climate Interactive , housed at The Collider in downtown Asheville. He spoke with BPR shortly after the election to express optimism, despite then President-elect Trump's skepticism of climate science. Now, Jones says he's outraged and more determined than ever to do all he can to slow the climate's warming. He spoke Friday with BPR's Jeremy

The Asheville City schools have a new superintendent. Dr. Denise Patterson was appointed by the city school board Thursday night. She takes office on July 1st. Patterson is currently the assistant superintendent of Hickory City schools, a post she's had since 2012. Prior to that, she worked in both the Union County and Lincoln County school systems, and taught as an adjunct professor at Gardner-Webb and Wingate Universities. She told reporters her first priority upon taking office is to talk and

Much has been written about its demise, but until it is actually repealed, the Affordable Care Act is still the law of the land. The next enrollment period comes later this year. The only insurer offering plans under the ACA in Western North Carolina, Blue Cross Blue Shield, announced premiums during the timeframe will rise on average almost 23%. Jackie Kiger of Pisgah Legal Services spoke with BPR's Matt Bush and says while that premium rise is alarming, it doesn't mean many who buy their

The Asheville city council is scheduled to adopt a budget for the coming fiscal year at its next meeting on June 13th. Among the many spending requests lawmakers received is one from the Asheville Police Department, which is seeking $1-million to hire 15 new officers. Police chief Tammy Hooper says it's needed to address a surge in crime in the downtown area, most likely caused by increases in tourists visiting the city. But Asheville Citizen-Times reporter Joel Burgess found there's more to the

It's now Beer Week in Asheville--a city in Western North Carolina regularly voted "Beer City, U.S.A.".

Details of the North Carolina House budget have emerged as lawmakers try for quicker passage of a completed 2 year spending plan. WUNC capitol reporter Jeff Tiberii joined me from WUNC's Durham studio to talk about how the budget differs from the Senate version, and for the latest in North Carolina politics.