The town of Sylva has seen its share of vigils and marches following the death of George Floyd. The most recent over the weekend focused on the Confederate monument that overlooks downtown. Traffic backed up along the detour route Saturday as two separate demonstrations set up – one seeking the removal of the statue of a Confederate soldier on the old Jackson County Courthouse steps, and the other wanting it to stay. Demonstrators who want the statue, known as "Sylva Sam," to keep its perch met

Every Friday we check in with NC Health News founding editor Rose Hoban for a look at the week in COVID-19 headlines. Rose is visiting family in New York is week, so we connected by cell phone (pardon the occasional static). There was lots to talk about - the continued climb in new cases and hospitalizations as the governor and health officials prepare to release their reopening plans for the school and the state, the mixed reponse to the NC mask mandate and how the boost in telemedicine is

Two WNC fairs have been canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. At a press briefing at the WNC Ag Center Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler announced the annual Mountain State Fair will not be held in 2020. The fair was scheduled to talk place Sept. 11 through 20 at the WNC Ag Center in Fletcher. “I would like nothing better than to NOT be making this announcement today,” said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler at a press briefing Tuesday at the WNC Ag Center. “The Western N.C. Ag Center

Matt Henson is a 31-year-old Asheville native who has picked up a few hobbies since the shutdown. He started playing the acoustic guitar and getting into hiking. His cell phone has three lenses, so Henson thought he’d also get into photography. It was Sunday afternoon, May 31, when Henson went downtown after a hike to stop by Marble Slab Creamery. He noticed people gathering in Pack Square. “And then police cars went by, and I heard people up and went up and looked. And I was like, ‘Man, this is

Every Friday, BPR's Helen Chickering talks with NC Health News founding editor Rose Hoban. This week they discuss the pause on the governor’s school opening plan , the politics of masks and the parallels between the coronavirus and HIV/Aids pandemics. HC: So let's start off with schools. The governor hit another pause button this week, this time it was on the announcement about plans for public schools this year. I'm not completely surprised, there's so much information coming out. They've been

Sheriffs across North Carolina will not enforce the statewide order on wearing face masks in public. Here’s why: Eddie Caldwell is Executive Vice President for the North Carolina Sheriffs' Association. “We’ve tried to read it and explain it to the sheriff’s in as clear language as we possibly could,”says Caldwell. The association issues guidance for law enforcement and has sent out memos explaining all executive orders from the governor dealing with the coronavirus. Caldwell says this latest

A community garden in West Asheville is preparing to sow a different sort of seed -- The Burton Street Community Peace Garden received funding to expand its green jobs training program for youth in the historically Black neighborhood.

Every Friday, BPR's Helen Chickering talks with NC Health News founding editor Rose Hoban. Among the topics of discussion this week: Governor Roy Cooper's Phase-2 pause and mask mandate, the latest from the General Assembly - including a bill addressing hospital patient visitation during the pandemic and a Medicaid package, plus a look at challenges dentists are facing as they work to re-open HC: So, Rose, last week, we talked about the governor hinting at a mask mandate and speculation about

Madison Cawthorn's overwhelming win Tuesday in the runoff election for the Republican looks like an upset, as the 24-year-old finished second to Lynda Bennett in the March 3rd primary. His win Tuesday by a 2-to-1 margin wasn't as unexpected as it looks, though the vote totals were.

African-Americans in Asheville are three times more likely than white people to be searched by police in traffic stops and are disproportionately charged with common crimes such as marijuana possession in disparities that experts in police bias called shocking, an AVL Watchdog analysis of police data found.