ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — Here’s a look at the top local news stories from 828newsNOW this week.
Is the future of the Forest Service in flames after firings? Ask Jenifer Bunty: “Terminated, Effective Immediately.” It’s those harsh, clinical words that opened Jenifer Bunty’s announcement that she had been fired from her job as a Public Affairs Specialist for the USDA Forest Service in North Carolina. READ MORE
Protest gather in Asheville, rail against federal firings: Who keeps our food safe? Who takes care of our public parks? Who takes care of our veterans? Those questions and many others were posed by the dozens of people gathered in front of the Veach-Baley Federal Building in Asheville on Friday, Feb. 21, 2025, protesting the recent firings of thousands of federal employees. READ MORE
Gov. Stein asks feds for $19 billion for Helene recovery: Gov. Josh Stein is asking the federal government for an additional $19 billion for Helene recovery. Stein was in Washington on Thursday requesting money to help Western North Carolina residents rebuild lives, homes, farms and businesses and local governments repair infrastructure. READ MORE
U.S. Forest Service chopped: 17 NC employees laid off in DOGE blitz: Western North Carolina forests damaged by Tropical Storm Helene are getting hit again. The Department of Government Efficiency’s mass firing of government employees is having a direct impact on forestland damaged by Helene in late September. READ MORE
Convictions stand: NC Court of Appeals dismisses Asheville journalists’ trespass case: The North Carolina Court of Appeals has dismissed the appeal of journalists Matilda Rae Bliss and Melissa Ann Coit, upholding their convictions for second-degree trespass stemming from their presence in Asheville’s Aston Park after hours in December 2021. READ MORE
Community concert featuring Steep Canyon Rangers returns to downtown Asheville: Asheville Downtown Association has announced The Community Concert will return to Pack Square Park on Thursday, May 29. The Community Concert seeks to bring together individuals of all ages while promoting local businesses and artists. READ MORE
Workshop, resource fair planned for Gerton/Bat Cave residents: Gerton/Bat Cave area residents are urged to mark their calendars for events planned on Monday, Feb. 24. READ MORE
Crews removing flood debris in Black Mountain: This week, subcontractors with AshBritt, the company tasked with Tropical Storm Helene debris removal by the Army Corps of Engineers, have been in Black Mountain working to remove debris from flooded public areas, as well as removing items from the Swannanoa River. READ MORE
Blood Donations encouraged during Bleeding Disorders Awareness Month: March is Bleeding Disorders Awareness Month, and AdventHealth is urging the community to donate blood to help save lives. READ MORE
Every Asheville restaurant cheffing up for Restaurant Week: After an initial serving from Jan. 21 to 27, Asheville Restaurant Week returned this month beginning Feb. 18 to Monday, Feb. 24. READ MORE
Asheville says last day to place storm debris in the right-of-way is March 1: The City of Asheville is reaching a key milestone in storm recovery efforts as the final phase of right-of-way (ROW) debris collection approaches. READ MORE
Man charged in McDowell bomb threat, 2nd person sought: One person has been arrested in a bomb threat involving the McDowell County Courthouse earlier this week. READ MORE
30 WNC artists, writers reflect on Hurricane Helene in new benefit book: A new book with more than two dozen pieces of writing and artwork about Hurricane Helene is hit bookstores everywhere Tuesday, Feb. 18. READ MORE
UNC Asheville, WCU respond to Trump’s DEI orders: Having now been in office for a month, President Donald Trump has radically reshaped the political environment in the United States with sweeping policy changes affecting many Americans – including college students and their professors. READ MORE
Firefighters mourn Crooked Creek chief killed in tractor accident: An off-duty accident has claimed the life of a firefighter who worked with two local departments. READ MORE
Bird flu part two: Dead waterfowl at Osceola Lake positive for virus: Several dead waterfowl were found at Osceola Lake earlier this month. One of them has tested positive for Avian Influenza H5N1, also known as bird flu. READ MORE
Hundreds gather in Pack Square, protest Griffin’s efforts to overturn election: It was cold Monday, and a brutal wind was blowing. But that didn’t stop what was estimated to be almost 1,000 people from gathering at Pack Square Park in downtown Asheville to protest losing state Supreme Court candidate Jefferson Griffin’s bid to get the courts to throw out more than 60,000 votes and overturn the election. READ MORE
Red Hulk, red hat, real bad? ‘Paddington in Peru,’ ‘Captain America: Brave New World’ – 828reviewsNOW: Headed to the movies? Check out these reviews first. READ MORE
Road Report: Pothole damage? Here’s where to file a complaint: If you’ve driven Interstate 240, I-26 or Future 26 recently, you know there are some challenges. Recent problems prompted one person to jokingly say, “It’s pothole season in Asheville.” READ MORE
GALLERY: Asheville Art Museum unveils multimedia splendor of ‘Asheville Strong’: The Asheville Art Museum unveiled its “Asheville Strong: Celebrating Art and Community After Hurricane Helene” gallery yesterday. The exhibit is chock-full of paintings, sculpture, photography and more. READ MORE
Strangeville: Three-time presidential nominee’s house in Asheville: Asheville holds the distinct honor of being one of the few cities presidential candidates consistently visit during their campaigns. That tradition began almost 130 years ago. READ MORE
Tombstone Tales: ‘Mayor of Shiloh’ buried in Asheville: Linwood Crump (1944-2005) was given the honorific “The Mayor of Shiloh” for his service to the people of his neighborhood. READ MORE