Anti-racist and Black Lives Matter marches haven’t being occurring in just large cities. Small towns in the most rural parts of North Carolina have seen them too. BPR was at one in the westernmost end of North Carolina Thursday night: Hundreds gathered in Murphy to support Black Lives Matter and remember the life of George Floyd. “No Justice, No Peace. No Justice, No Peace...” The demonstration was organized by TeLor Allen, Jake Reed and Emily Mills who were all born and raised in Murphy. Reed,

Buncombe County high school seniors will still graduate this weekend. But it won’t be like they imagined.

Two demonstrations this week in Sylva remained peaceful. But rumors continue to swirl that weapons were present at each. BPR spoke with Sylva’s Police Chief: Police chief Chris Hatton says rumors are rampant right now. “I have been on rumor patrol for three days,” says Hatton. Most rumors have been associated with how the community is reacting to the death of George Floyd and protests across the nation . Some were specifically about the recent demonstrations in Sylva. Organizers were in contact

A group of mostly students from Western Carolina University led a peaceful protest Tuesday afternoon in downtown Sylva. Over a hundred people gathered at the old Jackson County courthouse steps calling for justice for George Floyd and protesting against racism. Organizers say that there were about 300 people. You can hear the crowd chanting, “Black Lives Matter. Black Lives Matter…” Local business owner Natalie Newman spoke to the group over a megaphone. “To see this many people in this place

The recent death of George Floyd, as well as countless other officer-involved killings of African Americans, bears a significant cost to the mental health of black and brown communities. One clinical mental health counselor in Asheville says part of the solution starts with mindfulness.

The Asheville Brewers Alliance kicked out a member brewery after its new beer - named for an alt-right movement - went viral. Dan Kowal went to Currahee Brewing Company in Franklin for an outdoor jazz concert Saturday night. When he saw the brewery’s new line of Boogaloo beers the evening changed. “It just knocked me almost down to see that this was being promoted,” says Kowal. In the past, ‘boogaloo’ , referred to a style of music. Recently it has become a word used by the alt-right as a term

Protests ignited in cities large and small across North Carolina this weekend over the death of George Floyd. BPR was at a vigil in Sylva. A large crowd gathered at the bottom of the Jackson County Courthouse steps for a candlelight vigil around the fountain on Sunday evening. The event was organized by the local NAACP chapter and Indivisible. The group stood in silence for 45 minutes. Then Pastor Jo Schonewolf from Whittier United Methodist Church gave a benediction focusing on the children at

Macon County reported just three positive cases of COVID-19 for 12 weeks. On Friday, Macon County Public Health has announced 42 positive cases have been confirmed in the last 48 hours. This brought the total case count up to 63. Of the 42 new cases announced in Macon County on Friday, the health department identified six at Old Edwards Inn and Spa in Highlands. The inn has six lodging locations along with a golf course, restaurants and a wine garden - making it one of the biggest employers in

Every Friday, BPR's Helen Chickering talks with NC Health News founding editor Rose Hoban about the week’s coronavirus headlines and emerging issues linked to the pandemic. This week they discuss the increase in cases and hospitalizations during the first week of North Carolina’s Phase-2 reopening , the push by state lawmakers to reopen bars and the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on state immunization rates.

Both Harrah’s Cherokee Casinos opened at 30 percent capacity Thursday morning. When Chief Richard Sneed of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians talks about the tribe’s yearly budget - he’s also talking about the revenue of Harrah’s Cherokee Casinos. “I don't think that most of our citizens have given much thought to the fact of how everything is tied to gaming revenue,” says Sneed. About 50 percent of the tribe’s budget is made up of revenue from the casino. A budget proposal must be ready for