Asheville NC

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BUNCOMBE COUNTY, N.C. — Tourism is one of the biggest economic drivers in western North Carolina, and it took a hard hit during and after Helene. Families were not only left scrambling after their homes were destroyed in the storm, but the region’s short-term rental industry was also significantly impacted.

Two relentless storms once drowned the French Broad and Swannanoa Rivers, transforming quiet valleys into raging torrents. Within hours, rivers leapt their banks and tore through homes and neighborhoods. This was not the flood of 2024 — but the devastating flood of 1916, a tragedy etched deep into Asheville’s history.

Interview: Caitlin Krisko of Caitlin Krisko & the Broadcast – September 26, 2025. Caitlin Krisko & The Broadcast is a powerhouse soul-rock band from Asheville, North Carolina, known for their gritty rock & roll sound infused with deep blues and roots influences. Fronted by the electrifying vocalist Caitlin...

BLACK MOUNTAIN, N.C. (828newsNOW) — The city of Asheville will begin clearing storm debris from the North Fork Reservoir area in the coming weeks, officials announced. The work, which will take place in waterways and along roads within the watershed, is intended to protect the city’s drinking water system and reduce...

LAKE LURE, N.C (WLOS) — It was a touching and emotional moment for WLOS's general manager, Courtney Youngblood, when volunteers in Lake Lure uncovered part of a special memorial that was lost to Hurricane Helene. Last week, workers clearing the channel to the Lake Lure boat marina discovered a...

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) has partnered with the U.S. Department of Agriculture to help prevent the spread of rabies in western North Carolina.

A surprise discovery was made on September 25, just two days before the one year mark of Hurricane Helene. Crews working to restore the Lake Lure boat marina discovered a section of the Rainbow Bridge. LLFB volunteer Amy Wald cleaned, counted and cataloged the newly found collars. Crews found 101 collars that day,...

There’s a moment when you bite into the perfect barbecue sandwich that time seems to stand still. That moment happens with alarming regularity at Luella’s Bar-B-Que in Asheville, North Carolina, where smoke, meat, and magic combine to create something far greater than the sum of its parts. Let...

ASHEVILLE, N.C. — “It smelled like there was a wood factory, that smell of pine and oak from all the trees that were coming down,” says Bill Quade, reflecting upon what stood out in the days after Helene. Quade is the director of horticulture at Biltmore Estate....