Updates: Casper-Leinenkugel case to proceed with another hearing May 11
HENDERSONVILLE – Media filled the second-floor lobby of the Henderson County Courthouse April 30 to attend a hearing for Gudrun Casper-Leinenkugel, 53, a Henderson County woman charged in the deaths of two people and the poisonings of two others in November. Reporters had come from as far away as New York City. But the hearing was postponed, Paul Bidwell, an attorney for Casper...
Hurricane Helene shattered lives — and the systems that keep people sober
This story was published in partnership with The Assembly. It was produced as a project for USC Annenberg’s Center for Health Journalism and Center for Climate Journalism and Communication 2025 Health and Climate Change Reporting Fellowship. As Hurricane Helene roared through the mountains of western North Carolina in September...
Opinion: I spent an afternoon in downtown Asheville — and lived to tell about...
Sign up for free email updates from The Watchdog. You’ll be notified whenever we publish our latest award-winning investigative reporting, John Boyle’s Answer Man and Opinion columns, Tom Fiedler’s Democracy Watch, and more!. I’ve got to admit it: I felt vulnerable. After all, I was driving...
Officials: Earthquake reported in western North Carolina
BUNCOMBE COUNTY, N.C. (FOX Carolina) - The United States Geological Survey reported an earthquake in western North Carolina. Officials say the 1.9 magnitude quake reached a depth of 0 kilometers. It was reported near the epicenter around 12:51 p.m. on Sunday. The quake hit about 17.4 miles west of Asheville...
Tanger Outlets Asheville hosts Mother’s Day event aiming to make moms feel special
ASHEVILLE, N.C. (WLOS) — Mother's Day is coming up and Tanger Outlets Asheville has invited families out to celebrate the upcoming holiday. The event featured flowers, chocolate and free professional photos. Summer Casiana, the office manager at Tanger of Asheville, says the event is all about making moms feel...
Opinion: Asheville housing shortage needs missing middle construction
In January, a young professional attended a networking event in downtown Asheville wearing a sweatshirt with a simple slogan: “Legalize Housing.” Amid the buzz of small talk and handshakes, it was easy to miss, but it captured a reality many Asheville residents are feeling every day. Housing scarcity is no accident. In Asheville, new homes are routinely disallowed in two ways: through zoning rules...
Mission Hospital surpasses 90 nurses in 90 days hiring goal
ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — Mission Hospital says it has exceeded its goal of hiring 90 medical-surgical nurses in 90 days, reaching the milestone ahead of schedule as part of broader efforts to bolster staffing and patient care in Western North Carolina. Hospital officials announced Friday that the hiring push...
Open burn ban to be lifted soon for 81 NC counties, officials say
BUNCOMBE COUNTY, N.C. (FOX Carolina) - Officials said the Buncombe County Fire Marshal will soon lift the open burn ban for the county. Buncombe County officials said this follows the N.C. Forest Service’s announcement that it is lifting its ban for 81 counties, including Buncombe County. The ban will...
This North Carolina vintage shop is filled with rare and unique finds
Tucked away at 10 Francis Rd in Hendersonville, NC, Needful Things & Antiques is the kind of place that makes you feel like a treasure hunter the moment you walk through the door. With over 25,000 square feet on each of its two floors, this massive antique mall is packed with everything from vintage furniture and old tools to collectible jewelry and retro toys.
Heavy Rain Missing Most of the Upstate as Low Pressure Tracks Further South Leaving...
CAROLINAS — An overnight shift in the low pressure track has pushed the heaviest rain further south than originally expected, leaving most of the Upstate and western Carolinas with only drizzle and spotty showers through midday Saturday. The top edge of the rain line has dropped to the southern Upstate rather than I-85, creating a sharp divide between counties seeing pouring rain and those...
