New maps made new lines. Those inspired Western North Carolina's Congressman to run somewhere else, meaning the region will have a member of Congress come 2023. Maybe.

What happens when you put a microphone and camera in the hands of youth? When you guide them through an exploration of the senses and encourage their creative expression? When you make space for youth and adults to collaborate, using a model that works to disrupt power dynamics and involve young people in shaping the programming? We are pleased to bring you Part 3 of StoryCraft, a youth storytelling initiative from Asheville Writers In The Schools and Community (AWITSC) and Blue Ridge Public

In the second part of StoryCraft, artist mentors Elizabeth Garland and Micah Mackenzie introduce us to 15-year-old Tori Stinson. During our series of summer storytelling workshops at the Grant Center, Tori used the writing prompt “Who am I?” to examine how dance defines her as a person, how she calls on dance to help her through difficult times. Here’s an excerpt: Dance makes me calm. Dance is who I am, I am freestyle dance. Dance is my escape, it’s my escape from negative energy and bad things.

It hasn’t even been a week since Congressman Madison Cawthorn announced he would run in North Carolina’s newly drawn 13 th district. In his current district, the political consequences of his decision are only just beginning to emerge.

A federal government housing voucher program is making the problems it was designed to alleviate only worse in the South. That's according to a six-month investigation done by the USA Today Network.

In the first part of StoryCraft, we learn about the origins of the partnership with BPR and Asheville Writers In The Schools and Community, and we introduce you to one of the youth poets – 15-year-old Antonio Stinson, now in the 9th grade at Asheville High School. During StoryCraft’s summer 2021 storytelling workshops, Antonio used the writing prompt “Who am I?” to develop a powerful poem that uses musical structure and composition to explore the role music plays in his life. “I want people to

Preston Blakely is in his first term as a city council member for the town of Fletcher. But by the end of the year, the 27-year-old will be mayor of the town of over 8-thousand in Henderson County.

1898 was a violent year in North Carolina. The white supremacist coup that took place in Wilmington that year is getting more and more attention as history is re-examined. Similar racist violence took place across the state that year, including an incident in the mountains that can still be felt today. History teacher John deVille convened a group of marchers in Franklin on a cold Saturday evening. “We are here tonight to remember Mitchell Mozeley, who was killed illegally by a mob 123 years ago

Veteran’s Day celebrates the service of members of the armed forces. For some of those veterans, their service never stops, even years after they take off that uniform for the last time. For the Haywood County chapter of Big Brothers/Big Sisters, that service means a little something extra.

Monday mornings for the rest of year, BPR is going to be talking to some of the new mayors in our region who were elected to their offices for the first time in this month’s election. We start this series by going west to not just the end of our listening area, but the end of North Carolina. BPR’s Lilly Knoepp spoke with Tim Radford, who will be the new mayor of Murphy: Lilly Knoepp: Thanks so much for being here with me today, Tim. So you ran an uncontested race, so not a lot of surprises