Top Story — Local Politics
Asheville
A city-wide referendum on zoning reform is set to come before voters this fall. The proposal would unlock density in historically single-family neighborhoods — and it's already splitting the community along familiar fault lines.
Woodfin — State and local officials are racing to finalize a 10-year flood management strategy before another wet season amplifies the damage already done to riverfront properties and infrastructure.
A proposed cut to evening bus routes on the Route 11 corridor drew dozens of public comments and could now go to community review.
Mountain communities are watching Raleigh closely as a watershed protection bill heads to its first committee hearing.
The upcoming primary is shaping up to be a referendum on policing philosophy and community relations after a turbulent two years.
“Asheville's charm was never its art galleries or cocktail bars. It was always the stubbornness of its people — and that quality is what any genuine revitalization effort has to protect.”
“Tourism revenue is real, but so is the displacement it drives. We cannot keep optimizing for visitors at the expense of the people who built this community and still live here.”
A coalition of conservation groups argues the permit violates the 2012 forest plan and could damage protected old-growth stands.
Residents in lower-lying hollows have complained for years that pollution readings don't reflect what they breathe daily.
Wildlife managers say a record number of human-bear encounters in 2025 makes this spring's guidance refresh especially urgent.
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