Community Corner

🌱 Patch AM: Could Craggy Mountains finally gain national scenic protection near Asheville?

Coming up: PBS North Carolina's Homegrown History Screening & Discussion on the Asheville Patch calendar

Thursday October 1st Patch AM
Thursday October 1st Patch AM (Davidson LeRoy J.)

Hello Asheville! Stay connected with the latest updates from around town. Let's dive in! ☀️

In today's newsletter:

  • Could Craggy Mountains finally gain national scenic protection near Asheville?
  • How to join Saturday's Walk to End Alzheimer's – Asheville
  • What do NC‑11's new Asheville ads reveal about each candidate?

Also on today's calendar: PBS North Carolina's Homegrown History Screening & Discussion and 9 more events.

And lastly, we have a post from a neighbor, Davidson LeRoy J.!

Today's riddle: What do you call a belt that is made of watches? 🤔 (Answer below!)


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Weather forecast:

  • Thursday: Partly sunny, with a high of 82 and low of 53 degrees.
  • Friday: A t-storm around in the p.m., temps: high: 81, low: 61.
  • Saturday: A shower and t-storm; humid, with a high of 76 and low of 61 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

1. Push to make Craggy Mountains a national scenic area could get boost • Asheville Watchdog (avlwatchdog.org) — A major push is underway to designate the Craggy Mountains, just outside Asheville, as a 16,000‑acre national scenic area, which could permanently protect beloved trails, forests, and water sources. With Rep. Chuck Edwards leaving office, advocates hope a new NC‑11 representative will finally champion the proposal, even as federal policy debates threaten existing protections and logging pressures nearby.
   

2. Walk to End Alzheimers set for Saturday (thesylvaherald.com) — This Saturday's Walk to End Alzheimer's – Asheville invites Western North Carolina residents to gather at Bill Moore Community Park in nearby Fletcher to raise funds and awareness. With Buncombe County facing a high Alzheimer's rate among older adults, organizers urge locals to form teams, join the Promise Garden ceremony, and register or volunteer through the Asheville event page or helpline.
   

3. NC-11 candidates offer competing 'mountain values' in unique ads • NC Newsline (ncnewsline.com) — Voters in the Asheville media market are seeing sharply contrasting new ads from NC‑11 candidates Jamie Ager and Jennifer Balkcom, each pitching their version of "mountain values." Ager's barn‑dance spot emphasizes community, Helene recovery funds, and tackling corporate costs, while Balkcom's ad leans on family toughness, gun rights, and promises of lower costs and better healthcare.
   

4. Fact-checking political ad claims flooding North Carolina airwaves (wlos.com) — Voters in Asheville and western North Carolina are being bombarded with political ads, and this piece breaks down some of the most controversial claims targeting Roy Cooper and congressional candidate Jamie Ager. It explains how fact-checkers view those attacks, highlights the lack of pre-screening or AI disclosure rules in North Carolina, and shows how these tactics are shaping the 11th District race.
   

5. Asheville businesses continue rebuilding as River Arts District marks two years since Hele (wlos.com) — As Asheville's River Arts District marks two years since Helene's flooding, local business owners and Mayor Esther Manheimer say recovery is still far from complete, with studios, infrastructure, and funding needs unresolved. They highlight major private reinvestment, call for continued federal disaster support, and link rebuilding efforts to preparing Asheville for more severe future storms.
   


📸 Around Asheville

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📸 The Jackson Building is a historic 15-story Neo-Gothic skyscraper that opened in 1924 as Western North Carolina's first high rise. —Davidson LeRoy J. Like

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💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

  • I've never seen anything like this before.
    This cat has come to my house the last two days, climbing the deck post up to my deck. It is wearing a harness with a GPS tracker attached. Also a… (Nextdoor Beaverdam)
  • From a pedestrian standpoint, you get to see and experience things differently than what you would if you are driving.
    This was pretty neat to see off Craven Street after walking home from the river. Last time I only saw one but it apparently had like 20 friends. (Nextdoor State Street)
  • Biltmore posted a job opening for Inn AM Dining Room Host - Reserve in Asheville. Apply here.
  • SBH Health System posted a job opening for Beauty Advisor Sally Beauty Asheville NC 371 in Asheville. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Asheville here.

Ok Asheville! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!

-- The Patch AM Team

P.S. The answer to today's riddle: A waist of time. (Thank you Martin L. for sending it in!)
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Submit it here!


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