Buncombe County has officially become the first Western North Carolina community to pass a ban on discrimination in the areas of employment and housing.

Eight months ago, Jackson County Commissioners voted to keep the county’s Confederate monument in Sylva – but with some historical context added to it. BPR reports on the first glimpse of what the changes will look like: Chairman Brian McMahan and Commissioner Gayle Woody shared proposed wording that will cover up the Confederate flag and inscription on the base of the monument known as Sylva Sam. The new wording highlights its 1996 rededication to both Confederate and Union soldiers. It would

COVID-19 cases in North Carolina continue a “rolling simmer” with the 7-day average of new confirmed cases now hovering around 2,000. At least 1,096 people are hospitalized, up from 1,064 from Friday. Meantime, state and local health officials are grappling with how to keep up vaccine enthusiasm – just a few of the topics BPR’s Helen Chickering and NC Health News editor Rose Hoban tackle in their weekly coronavirus check-in.

In this episode of The Porch, a production of the BPR news team, we hear from - BPR's Lilly Knoepp about her reporting on the independent monitor tasked with ensuring HCA holds to the promises it made when it purchased Mission Health Joel Burgess of the Asheville Citizen-Times about Asheville City Council's retreat this month which was at the center of a lawsuit filed by five local media outlets. Burgess also talks about the latest on how the city will set property taxes this year. Dr. Chris

In this week’s BPR Presents “The Porch,” news director Matt Bush talks with our regional report Lilly Knoepp about her recent reporting on HCA Healthcare’s commitment to the Mission Health System. For-profit HCA purchased Mission Health in 2019. Here’s a transcript of the conversation along with links to resources: Matt Bush: So you have been doing some new reporting on the independent monitor that is insuring that the stipulations in the Mission Health sale agreement that happened with HCA a

BPR is answering listener queries about the Coronavirus in a new segment – Talk to Us: COVID Questions . BPR’s Helen Chickering brings us this week’s answer. This week's question comes from Beth Baxley of Macon County. Her question came in just before Federal officials hit the pause button on the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

Asheville City Council held its annual retreat earlier this month at Harrah's Cherokee Center Asheville. The whole event was open to the public, but only after a lawsuit that was filed by five media outlets - Mountain Xpress, Asheville Citizen-Times, Blue Ridge Public Radio, Carolina Public Press, and AVL Watchdog.

Republican lawmakers in North Carolina have joined their colleagues in other states in introducing a bill that would limit healthcare for trans youth. BPR has a reaction from a local activist... Two out of the three primary sponsors of Senate Bill 514 – which restricts transitional care for people under the age of 21 - represent Western North Carolina: Senators Warren Daniel and Ralph Hise, of District 46 and 47 respectively. Tina White, executive director of Blue Ridge Pride Center, calls the

A primary aim of The Waters & Harvey Show is to hold conversations that allow people to pause, listen, and reflect on the stories and experiences of others. After their recent run of shows that looked at the pandemic, civic engagement, and how the Confederacy is remembered in the U.S., Darin and Marcus use this episode to reflect on all they heard and learned.

It’s been two years since HCA Healthcare purchased Mission Health. The details of the sale continue to be discussed by the independent monitor assigned to ensure the stipulations in the deal are followed.