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Pruett Norris

Pruett Norris is a staff reporter and film critic for 828newsNOW. He is a member of the North Carolina Film Critics Association (NCFCA) and graduated from Appalachian State University with degrees in English and Electronic Media/Broadcasting. He enjoys vampire movies, Scrabble and hanging out with his cat, Tommy Chainsaw. Contact him at pruett@828newsNOW.com.

Community
3 weeks ago
Haywood Road business owners share concerns over I-26 Connector

Though the I-26 Connector project is intended to make travel easier for all of Asheville, the massive interstate initiative will require some difficult changes for several local businesses, especially along Haywood Road.

Colorful performers on a wooden outdoor stage under a banner reading 'The Wonderful Wizard of Oz' in front of a crowd.
Arts & Culture
3 weeks ago
Montford Park Players put on a wonderful, wonderful, ‘Wonderful Wizard of Oz’

“The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” is not the musical, but it is not the L. Frank Baum book, either. The Montford Park Players show is another wonderful thing entirely. Read our review for more.

Outdoor poster for Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, held by a hand against a leafy background.
Arts & Culture
3 weeks ago
Flat Rock Playhouse should be proud of ‘Pride and Prejudice’

You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love Kate Hamill’s stage adaptation of “Pride and Prejudice,” now playing at the Flat Rock Playhouse. Read our review now.

Smiling man with glasses stands in front of a bright mural of oversized orange-yellow sunflowers with green leaves.
Community
3 weeks ago
New Asheville Pride festival marks 1st June fest in nearly 30 years

June may be Pride Month, but Asheville Pride festivals have been traditionally held in the fall. That is, until this summer. June 26-28, 2026 marks the debut of AVL Stonewall Fest, a new Pride Month festival.

Rustic log cabin with a stone chimney beneath green trees in a sunny park next to a cobblestone path and grassy lawn.
Education
3 weeks ago
Mountain Gateway Museum opens gateway of opportunity for WNC teachers

This summer, middle school teachers from across Western North Carolina are invited to apply for a professional development opportunity at the Mountain Gateway Museum in Old Fort, N.C.

Outdoor festival with a crowd seated on grass under colorful bunting, trees providing shade and a bright blue sky.
Music
4 weeks ago
Dr. Dog, Grace Bowers, more in ‘wave one’ of AVL Sounds Fest lineup

AVL Sounds Fest, a successor to Asheville music festival AVLFest, will be held across the city this August. Before tickets go on sale to the public today, the festival has announced “wave one” of its artist lineup.

Tri-panel collage showing: a male singer performing on stage, a gold-clad woman wearing an ornate crown, and a shirtless man outdoors.
Entertainment
4 weeks ago
From ‘Michael’ to ‘Mother Mary’: New movies to see or skip in May 2026

A Michael Jackson biopic, two Anne Hathaway vehicles and an Australian serial killer thriller are our movies to see, stream or skip this May. Find out which is which in our reviews.

Man in an orange shirt sits on brick steps of a park, with two white buckets in front and greenery behind.
On The Town
4 weeks ago
Street performer spotlight: 40+ buskers to attend 1st Asheville BuskerFest

The inaugural Asheville BuskerFest will bring over 40 different street performers to Asheville this weekend. The event will also spotlight displaced River Arts District artists with booths around several stages in the RAD.

Three women in colorful outfits sit on brick steps in front of an ornate wrought-iron gate with ivy-covered brick walls.
Arts & Culture
4 weeks ago
Rising pop trio Trousdale takes on Grey Eagle this May

One month from now, pop band Trousdale will take the stage at the Grey Eagle for their “Growing Pains (Deluxe)” tour. “Growing Pains” was recently featured on 828newsNOW’s Best Albums of 2025 list. Read our interview with the band.

Two professionals sign documents at a head table for a UNC Asheville event, with banners in the background.
Education
4 weeks ago
Bulldog Promise: Southwestern students guaranteed admission at UNC Asheville

The Bulldog Promise Program is an admissions initiative between Southwestern Community College and UNC Asheville designed to make obtaining a bachelor’s degree more accessible for students in the Qualla Boundary and Jackson, Swain and Macon counties.