Asheville NC

Q: What drew you to this field? Who inspired you to pursue it? A: I’ve been an optician since 1982 and was given the opportunity to manage a shop early in my career. After feeling constricted by the brands carried by the shop I worked for, I decided to open my own shop. In 2001, the first L’optique opened on Wall...

CHIMNEY ROCK, WLOS (N.C.) — One nonprofit group born out of Hurricane Florence is taking charge of the rebuild in Chimney Rock, and leaders said they are leaning on their faith to finish the work. Shane Zoccole is the founder and director of Spokes of Hope. "Spokes of Hope...

BURNSVILLE, N.C. (WLOS) — A huge fire has left multiple Burnsville families homeless. The flames erupted inside an apartment building on Friday, March 21 in the morning. It sits along U.S. Highway 19. “It was definitely, in my mind, going to be a battle,” Burnsville Fire Chief Niles Howell...

ASHEVILLE, N.C. (WLOS) — Students from 20 Buncombe County schools are getting ready for new vending machines filled with something unexpected: books!. Two donors who initially placed vending machines in 10 schools in 2024, have returned and are prepared to place 10 more throughout local schools by the end of the year.

ASHEVILLE, N.C. (WLOS) — The Lowe's at 89 South Tunnel Road suffered extensive damage when Hurricane Helene hit, leading to its nearly six-month closure post-storm. The store now plans to re-open in late April or early May, with its East Asheville location remaining at 89 South Tunnel Road. The...

EDITOR’S NOTE: Everyone has a story — some more well-known than others. Across Western North Carolina, so much history is buried below the surface. Six feet under. With this series, we introduce you to some of the people who have left marks big and small on this special place we call home.

Editor’s note: As part of Xpress‘ annual Kids Issue series we invited readers to submit past stories from their childhood in WNC. This is one of several entries. Many childhood memories are of wandering familiar lands and roads of Riceville and downtown sidewalks. My brothers and I were free to explore the three home...

That small blue building with the red-striped awning on East Franklin Street might not look like much, but locals know it contains one of North Carolina’s greatest culinary treasures: Sunrise Biscuit Kitchen, a Chapel Hill institution that’s been perfecting the art of the Southern biscuit for over four decades.

JONES COUNTY, Ga. (WGXA) — The Jones County Sheriff's Office (JCSO) arrested a man who convinced a couple to withdraw money from their bank account. JCSO said a "scammer" called a Jones County couple last week and told them that their money was not safe in their bank account.

Hundreds of people packed Raleigh Brewing Company on Friday night, with more sitting outside listening over speakers, for a self-described "empty chair" town hall for Sen. Thom Tillis. "Listen to your constituents and do what is right for the working people of North Carolina," said Anna Ruderman, a co-founder of Bull...