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WLOS.com

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NC property tax amendment raises concerns over local services

BUNCOMBE COUNTY, N.C. (WLOS) — North Carolina voters have approved a constitutional amendment giving state lawmakers greater authority to limit local property tax increases. But as Republicans prepare to move forward with a plan, local leaders warn the restrictions could leave counties struggling to pay for essential public services.

North Carolina · 1d
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828newsnow.com

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Biltmore Village Drury hotel hearing delayed until December

ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — A public hearing on a proposed eight-story hotel near Biltmore Village has been postponed until December while developers work to address concerns raised by Asheville planning staff. The Asheville Planning and Zoning Commission voted unanimously Wednesday, Nov. 4, to postpone consideration of the proposed 210-room...

Asheville, NC · 15h
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WLOS.com

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Asheville names Rafael Baptista as next assistant city manager

ASHEVILLE, N.C. (WLOS) — The city of Asheville has tapped Buncombe County's current director of strategy and innovation to serve as its next assistant city manager. In a Nov. 6 announcement, the city said Rafael Baptista will bring more than 10 years of local government experience to the role, including six years with Buncombe County.

Asheville, NC · 1d
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828newsnow.com

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Southeastern Orthopedics & Spine adds five physicians, expands care in Western North Carolina

ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — Southeastern Orthopedics & Spine has added five physicians to its practice this fall, expanding specialty care options for patients in Asheville and across Western North Carolina. The physicians bring experience in spine surgery, sports medicine, shoulder conditions, pain management and joint replacement. All five are...

Asheville, NC · 3d
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thewesterncarolinajournalist.com

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Blue wave in Jackson County and North Carolina

Election day was a historic day for the North Carolina Democrats. They won some significant races, flipped the North Carolina House, and have majority of the congressional delegation in Washington D.C. “There are Provisionals to count, recounts to be had, and (hopefully not but probably) a lawsuit or two. But...

Jackson County, NC · 3d

WLOS.com

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Waynesville welcomes familiar face as new town manager: 'It truly is a homecoming'

WAYNESVILLE, N.C. (WLOS) — The Town of Waynesville's nationwide search for a new town manager has ended with the familiar face of former assistant town manager Amie Owens. With a longstanding history of working in government, Owens started her career as the deputy clerk and executive assistant to the Haywood county manager, shifting to municipal government in 2014.

Waynesville, NC · 1d

Times-News

partner publisher · 5.4K followers

Henderson County farmland preservation referendum passes easily

HENDERSONVILLE – Henderson County may put millions towards protecting farmland and woodlands against development, voters decided by a solid margin Nov. 3. The open space conservation bond referendum, also known as the GO bond, the farms and forests bond and the farmland preservation bond, passed 59% to 40%, a difference of 10,000 votes. All along, there seemed to be broad-based support for the ballot question, across ideological lines. The measure allows the Board of Commissioners to borrow $25 million to pay landowners who volunteer to add deed restrictions to their property , preventing it from ever being subdivided or built up in the face of intense and mounting development pressure. The money may also go toward surveys, environmental assessments and appraisals, including for easements donated to the county in exchange for tax breaks. When a landowner signs over a conservation easement, they still hold deed to the property and can live on it, farm it, sell it and leave it to heirs, but no new housing, commercial or industrial buildings can go there. Henderson County has lost around 20% of its farmland over the last 10 years, Terry Kelley, director of the N.C. Cooperative Extension’s Henderson County office, told the

Henderson County, NC · 3d

WLOS.com

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Henderson County bond could pay farmers to keep their land when facing big offers

HENDERSON COUNTY, N.C. (WLOS) — Unofficial election results are pointing to how a new Henderson County bond could soon get the green light. It would provide another option for farmers who have received offers from developers: getting paid to keep their land while permanently protecting it for agriculture. It is a voluntary program farmers would have to apply to.

Henderson County, NC · 1d

WFAE.org

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‘Cloud of confusion.’ State Health Plan changes leave participants dazed during open enrollment

For the past year, Buncombe County teacher Shanna Peele has driven two hours each way for her appointments at Atrium Health Rheumatology in Charlotte. The commute isn’t convenient, but the care she’s received from Atrium has been well worth it, Peele told Carolina Public Press. However, a public feud between Atrium and the State Treasurer has made it difficult for Peele to know whether she can keep her care at Atrium at the same rates going forward under the State Health Plan.

Charlotte, NC · 2d

asheville.com

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Asheville Plans $5.4 Million for Rental Housing and Supportive Services

Asheville and the Asheville Regional Housing Consortium plan to offer $5,402,007 for affordable rental housing and supportive services across four counties. The announced application window opened November 2nd and runs through December 18th, 2026, with all submissions due by 5 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on the final day. Eligible projects...

Asheville, NC · 2d

Western Carolinian

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WCU’s CATalyst Clinic aims to break down barriers to care in Haywood County

WCU’s School of Nursing has launched a new clinic in Haywood County aimed at helping uninsured and underinsured residents access health care while connecting them with long-term providers. The CATalyst Clinic officially opened Oct. 7 through a partnership between Western Carolina University and Wider Circle, a community organization based...

Haywood County, NC · 14h

Times-News

partner publisher · 5.4K followers

Environmentalists say Lake Lure sewer project deadlines have no teeth

The Town of Lake Lure’s outdated wastewater treatment plant has been out of compliance with state rules on sewage pollution for decades. Built 100 years ago, before environmental regulations, it’s practically impossible to make the leaky system meet standards. Under a Department of Environmental Quality consent order since 2022, the town is working towards rebuilding the system. Partly due to the serious damage the lake suffered in Tropical Storm Helene, the town has fallen behind on the project and missed deadlines. A new proposed agreement would effectively extend some deadlines for necessary upgrades by nearly five years. But the environmental nonprofit MountainTrue, which advocates for better water quality in local river and streams, argues that the agreement should have more teeth and put pressure on the town to fix the problem sooner. The town’s sewage collection system includes 14 miles of cast iron pipes on the bottom of the lake that lake water continuously seeps into, according to a 2007 engineering report by Asheville firm McGill Associates. That’s not polluting the lake itself but the water entering the system through those leaks is overwhelming the plant and forcing it to release undertreated sewage with high levels of ammonia and suspended

Lake Lure, NC · 1d

asheville.com

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Buncombe Harm Reduction Services Address Overdose Risks and Rural Care Gaps

Written by Walker Livingston, Carolina Public Press. In strip malls across rural parts of Western North Carolina, a grassroots harm reduction movement has taken root. In counties from Madison to Macon, volunteers deliver safe supplies to people using drugs, they test substances without judgment and provide things like clothes and food, too.

Buncombe County, NC · 2d

FOX Carolina

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SCDOT: Large equipment blocks I-85 exit in Greenville

The South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT) said an exit along I-85 was blocked off due to some type of large equipment.

Greenville, SC · 2d

WSPA 7News

partner publisher · 100.8K followers

Laurens County School District 55 to hold E-Learning day due to staff illness, driver shortage

LAURENS COUNTY, S.C. (WSPA) – Laurens County School District 55 (LCSD 55) said they will shift to an E-Learning day on Monday, November 9, due to ongoing driver shortages and seasonal staff illnesses. Officials said school buildings will be closed to students, however school administrators and administrative staff will report to work in person. “We […]

Laurens County, SC · 1d

The Post and Courier

partner publisher · 1.8K followers

Greenville city sues developer of swanky McDaniel townhomes. The Swamp Rabbit Trail is one reason.

GREENVILLE — The McDaniel, the upscale townhome project in suspended animation that for a year has been under legal siege by an array of contractors, now has a new adversary: the city of Greenville. The city’s chief beef is its claim that the developer who promised luxury living unprecedented in Greenville has instead mismanaged the project to the point that plans for a new extension to the Swamp Rabbit Trail have been sullied. The city is not only demanding compensation but also financial punishment. In 2024, a year after it was announced, work abruptly stopped on the second phase of The McDa...

Greenville, SC · 1d

FOX Carolina

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Mauldin intersection improvements underway, completion expected in June 2027

MAULDIN, S.C. (FOX Carolina) - City of Mauldin officials announced that construction is officially underway at the intersection of Ashmore Bridge and Standing Springs roads. Officials said that work will include the installation of traffic signals and other intersection improvements to increase safety in the area, with an expected completion in June 2027.

Mauldin, SC · 1d

gofountaininn.com

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Fountain Inn to host free Veterans Day tribute Nov. 10

The Fountain Inn Parks and Recreation Department will soon host a free Veterans Day event for the community. The Veterans Day Celebration and Tribute will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 10, at 11 a.m. in the Fountain Inn Activities Center. The program will feature guest speakers, live music by the Upstate Senior Action Band and a complimentary luncheon.

Fountain Inn, SC · 2d

greenvillejournal.com

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Bon Secours annexation application gets green light: Greenville Planning Commission notes

Here’s a recap of the city of Greenville’s Planning Commission meeting Nov. 5. Approved: Bon Secours St. Francis Downtown campus properties. The commission recommended approval of an annexation application for approximately 20 acres of land within the Bon Secours St. Francis Downtown campus. The annexed properties are proposed to be zoned Campus District (CM).

Greenville, SC · 1d

WSPA 7News

partner publisher · 100.8K followers

Greenville County voters make voices heard in midterm elections

GREENVILLE COUNTY, S.C. (WSPA) – Voters across Greenville County braved long lines and reported machine hiccups to cast their ballots in the midterm elections November 3rd.  McCarter Presbyterian Church was among more than three dozen locations where Greenville County residents were able to rock the vote. The location saw a steady stream of voters, some […]

Greenville County, SC · 3d