Etowah Forest Worker Sues USDA Chief, Says Retirement Deal Shut Out Older Staff
A U.S. Forest Service employee in Henderson County has taken his age-bias fight to federal court, accusing the U.S. Department of Agriculture and USDA Secretary Rollins of rigging a 2025 retirement buyout so older workers were effectively shut out. The complaint, filed pro se last Wednesday in U.S. District Court...
Gas leak leads to WNC school evacuation
YANCEY COUNTY, N.C. (WSPA) — A gas line break at Cane River Middle School forced an evacuation of students to Blue Ridge Elementary School. The Yancey County Sheriff’s Office announced the relocation Friday morning and a modified dismissal plan following the incident. Students were moved to the elementary school for...
Shining Rock votes to end high school instruction
The Shining Rock Classical Academy board at its Feb. 25 meeting voted unanimously to end grades 9-11 instruction effective June 30, 2026, and to close grade 12 after the fall 2026 semester, in front of an audience of more than 100 people. The high school had been consistently running a deficit, and the board argued...
Yancey Humane Society fills need and opens new spay/neuter clinic
The Yancey Humane Society held a ribbon cutting celebration Feb. 23 for a low-cost spay/neuter clinic, JJ’s Fix-A-Friend, it announced in a news release. It is housed in a newly built facility just steps away from the main animal shelter. The clinic will be a vital resource for Western North Carolina, helping reduce...
Online Child Predator Bust Leads to Multiple Arrests in McDowell County
A three-day undercover operation targeting online child predators has resulted in multiple arrests in McDowell County. The McDowell County Sheriff’s Office, working alongside the Cabarrus County Sheriff’s Office, conducted the joint sting operation focusing on individuals attempting to solicit children online and...
Tombstone Tales: Asheville’s River Champion, Wilma Dykeman Stokely
ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — In a North Asheville cemetery off Lynn Cove Road, the headstone of Wilma Dykeman Stokely marks the resting place of a writer who helped change how the region talked about the French Broad River and what was being poured into it. Dykeman Stokely, often described...
Asheville Eye Associates Settles Lawsuit Stemming from DragonForce Ransomware Attack
Asheville Eye Associates, an eye care provider serving patients in Western North Carolina, has agreed to settle class action litigation stemming from a November 2024 cyberattack and data breach. A cyber threat actor accessed its network and potentially viewed or obtained patient information, including names,...
Remediation work underway at St. Joseph campus ahead of planned demolition
ASHEVILLE, N.C. (WLOS) — Site remediation work is underway as demolition of Mission Hospital’s St. Joseph campus nears. Signs posted on campus say the St. Joseph parking deck is permanently closed as of Feb. 27 for remediation work. A spokesperson for Mission Health confirmed the hospital has requested...
Asheville, Buncombe to receive $5 million for homelessness prevention
Asheville and Buncombe County are getting a significant boost in their efforts to prevent homelessness. The region has been selected as one of 10 pilot communities for a national initiative called Right at Home. The Asheville-Buncombe Continuum of Care, a community planning body that works to build a collaborative...
JetBlue Axes Asheville and Belize City Routes to Boost Profitability
Spring Farewells for Two Markets (Image Credits: Runway-media-production.global.ssl.fastly.net) JetBlue Airways confirmed it will cease operations to Asheville, North Carolina, and Belize City, Belize, as leaders prioritize routes with stronger financial returns.[1] Spring Farewells for Two Markets Travelers booking...
